Corendon Airlines Europe
A Malta-registered charter airline serving European leisure travelers and holiday destinations.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Corendon Airlines Europe is a Malta-registered leisure and charter airline legally incorporated as Touristic Aviation Services Ltd. It is part of the Corendon Group and operates alongside its sister airlines, Corendon Airlines in Türkiye and Corendon Dutch Airlines in the Netherlands. The company holds a Maltese air operator certificate and is headquartered in Luqa, with operations centered at Malta International Airport. The airline was established in February 2017 as a subsidiary of the Corendon Group. Its first recorded flight took place on 26 May 2017, when it operated from Malta to Naples. The company was initially associated with Birkirkara before moving its headquarters to Luqa Airport in June 2020. Corporate ownership is held through AY Malta Holding Ltd., whose shareholders are E. Uslu Holding B.V. and Y. Karaer Holding B.V.; these holding companies are associated with Erol, also known as Atılay, Uslu and Yildiray Karaer, the founders of the wider Corendon Group. Corendon Airlines Europe focuses on seasonal and holiday-oriented passenger transport rather than a broad network-carrier model. It has based aircraft at German airports including Düsseldorf, Nuremberg, Cologne/Bonn and Hanover, as well as at Basel-Mulhouse in France. From these and other European points, the airline serves leisure destinations in Türkiye, the Greek islands, Spain's Canary and Balearic islands, Egypt and Israel. Its business is closely linked to the European package-tour and sun-and-sea travel markets, where capacity is often adjusted to seasonal demand and tour-operator requirements. The brand's principal offering is air transportation for vacation travelers, including charter and charter-like scheduled services. The operating model complements Corendon’s broader travel ecosystem, which combines airline, tour-operator and holiday-market activities. The company therefore competes primarily on access to popular resort destinations, seasonal capacity and integration with leisure travel distribution rather than on extensive long-haul connectivity or premium corporate travel. Corendon Airlines Europe received public attention in connection with the 2017 Paradise Papers disclosures, which mentioned the company in reporting about offshore corporate structures. In April 2023, reports stated that Corendon Airlines was experiencing financial difficulties and that approximately €6 million in air-traffic-related taxes was owed to the German state over an extended period. The reported issue concerned the broader Corendon Airlines business and should not automatically be treated as a separate liability of Corendon Airlines Europe without further documentation. The airline has also been associated with an in-flight medical incident. On 1 October 2021, several passengers on flight XR1050 from Cologne Bonn to Rhodes reportedly became unconscious or collapsed. Crew members and medically trained passengers provided assistance, after which the affected travelers recovered and the flight continued. The incident was reported as an operational event rather than a fatal accident. As of the available reference material, Corendon Airlines Europe remains an active Malta-based leisure airline within the Corendon Group.
History
Corendon Airlines Europe was created in February 2017 as a Malta-based subsidiary of the Corendon Group. The business was legally incorporated under the name Touristic Aviation Services Ltd. and established its initial corporate presence in Birkirkara. Its formation expanded Corendon’s airline activities beyond its principal Turkish operation and gave the group an airline holding a Maltese air operator certificate for European leisure-market flying. The airline conducted its inaugural flight on 26 May 2017, operating from Malta to Naples. From the beginning, its role was oriented toward holiday travel and seasonal charter capacity rather than the construction of a conventional global network. The company connected European departure markets with destinations associated with beach holidays and package tourism, using the wider Corendon Group’s travel-industry relationships and brand presence. Ownership was placed under AY Malta Holding Ltd. The holding company’s shareholders are E. Uslu Holding B.V. and Y. Karaer Holding B.V., structures associated with Erol, also known as Atılay, Uslu and Yildiray Karaer. Both are identified as co-founders of the broader Corendon Group. Corendon Airlines Europe operates as a sister company of Corendon Airlines and Corendon Dutch Airlines, making it one component of a multi-company airline group serving European vacation demand. In 2017, the company was mentioned in reporting related to the Paradise Papers. The disclosures generated public scrutiny of corporate and offshore structures, although the available reference material does not establish a specific unlawful act by Corendon Airlines Europe. The matter is therefore best recorded as a reputational and transparency-related episode rather than as a proven finding of wrongdoing. The company moved its headquarters to Luqa Airport in June 2020. Malta International Airport became its principal operational base, while aircraft were also based at a number of airports in Germany, including Düsseldorf, Nuremberg, Cologne/Bonn and Hanover. Basel-Mulhouse in France was another identified base. This geographic pattern reflects the airline’s focus on outbound European leisure traffic and its use of airports serving large holiday markets. The route network has concentrated on resort destinations in Türkiye, the Greek islands, Spain’s Canary and Balearic islands, Egypt and Israel. Capacity and destinations are subject to the seasonal nature of tourism, with aircraft deployment shaped by summer demand, tour-operator schedules and the availability of holiday packages. The airline’s proposition is consequently based on direct access to vacation destinations, rather than high-frequency business travel or extensive connecting-bank operations. On 1 October 2021, several passengers on flight XR1050 from Cologne Bonn Airport to Rhodes reportedly collapsed or became unconscious. Crew members and passengers with medical training assisted the affected travelers, who recovered sufficiently for the flight to continue. The available account does not describe a fatality or a resulting grounding of the airline. In April 2023, reports stated that Corendon Airlines was experiencing financial difficulties and owed the German state about €6 million in air-traffic taxes that had remained unpaid for an extended period. Because the published material identifies Corendon Airlines and does not clearly allocate the reported liability to Corendon Airlines Europe, the issue should not be treated as a confirmed debt of the Maltese subsidiary. The available information nevertheless provides context about financial and regulatory pressure affecting the wider Corendon airline group. Corendon Airlines Europe remains an active Malta-based charter and leisure airline in the available reference material. Its continuing identity is tied to the Corendon Group, Malta-based regulatory authorization, European departure bases and seasonal service to Mediterranean and nearby holiday regions.
- 2023
Financial and tax concerns reported for the wider airline group
[1]Reports described financial difficulties at Corendon Airlines and approximately €6 million in unpaid German air-traffic taxes; attribution to the European subsidiary is not established.
- 2021
In-flight passenger medical incident
[1]Passengers reportedly became unconscious on flight XR1050 to Rhodes; assistance was provided and the flight continued.
- 2020
Headquarters relocated to Luqa Airport
[1]The company moved its headquarters to Luqa Airport in June.
- 2017
Company established
[1]Corendon Airlines Europe was established in February as a Corendon Group subsidiary in Malta.
- 2017
First flight
[1]The airline operated its inaugural flight from Malta to Naples on 26 May.
Products and positioning
A leisure-focused European airline providing seasonal and charter-oriented access from European departure cities to Mediterranean, Red Sea and other holiday destinations.
Air passenger service · 2017
Charter passenger flights
The airline’s core offering is charter-oriented passenger transportation for leisure travelers. Services connect European origin airports with resort destinations and may be arranged in cooperation with tour operators or holiday-package providers. The model emphasizes seasonal capacity, direct routing and access to destinations with strong recreational demand rather than a premium or long-haul network proposition.
Scheduled and seasonal leisure aviation · 2017
European holiday-destination flights
Corendon Airlines Europe serves vacation markets from airports in Germany, France and other European locations. Destination coverage identified in the reference material includes Türkiye, the Greek islands, the Canary and Balearic islands of Spain, Egypt and Israel. The network is shaped by seasonal tourism demand and the requirements of outbound European holiday traffic.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2020
Relocation of headquarters to Luqa AirportStrategyBackground
The airline’s original corporate presence was associated with Birkirkara, while its operational identity was centered on Malta aviation.
Action taken
The company relocated its headquarters to Luqa Airport in June.
Aftermath
Luqa and Malta International Airport became the clearer corporate and operating center for the airline.
2017
Creation of a Malta-based European airline subsidiaryStrategyBackground
The Corendon Group sought to operate a European leisure airline under a Maltese corporate and regulatory structure.
Action taken
It established Corendon Airlines Europe, legally incorporated as Touristic Aviation Services Ltd., and obtained a Maltese air operator certificate.
Aftermath
The new airline began operating holiday-oriented services from Malta and subsequently developed bases and routes serving European leisure markets.
Recent events
- 2023
Reports of financial difficulties and unpaid German air-traffic taxes[1]
Bankruptcy · Regulation
Reports stated that Corendon Airlines faced financial difficulties and owed the German state approximately €6 million in air-traffic-related taxes. The available material describes this as an issue involving Corendon Airlines rather than clearly attributing the debt to Corendon Airlines Europe.
- 2021
Passenger medical incident on flight XR1050[1]
Other
Several passengers reportedly collapsed or lost consciousness during a Cologne Bonn–Rhodes flight. Assistance was provided by crew and medically trained passengers, and the flight continued.
- 2020
Headquarters moved to Luqa Airport[1]
Other
The company's headquarters were relocated to Luqa Airport in June 2020.
- 2017
Corendon Airlines Europe is established[1]
Other
The Corendon Group established the Malta-based airline subsidiary in February 2017.
- 2017
Inaugural Malta–Naples flight[1]
Product launch
The airline conducted its first reported flight on 26 May 2017 between Malta and Naples.
Sources2 sources
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