Small Planet Airlines
A defunct Lithuanian leisure and charter airline that operated across Europe and through overseas wet-lease and charter contracts.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Small Planet Airlines was a Lithuanian leisure airline headquartered at Vilnius Airport. It began in 2007 as FlyLAL Charters, a charter-focused carrier established in the aftermath of the collapse of the earlier flyLAL operating environment. The company obtained the authorizations required for passenger operations in October 2008 and initially concentrated on holiday and tour-operator flying from Lithuania. It later developed a broader European presence, with related companies and operating bases in Estonia, Poland, Germany, Italy and Cambodia, while planned operations in Thailand did not commence. The airline’s core business was not a conventional global scheduled network. Instead, it supplied seasonal charter capacity and aircraft-and-crew services to travel organizers and partner airlines. Its principal leisure markets included Greece, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt and Bulgaria. In Lithuania, it worked with tour operators including Tez Tour and Novaturas, and it also operated special flights for government delegations, sports teams and private groups. During winter periods, aircraft and flight crews could be repositioned outside Europe to support partner carriers and local airlines. FlyLAL Charters was renamed Small Planet Airlines in July 2010. The rebranding accompanied an expansion from a Lithuanian charter operator into a multi-country leisure aviation group. A subsidiary intended to serve Estonia was registered in 2009, while a Polish company was created the same year to support flights from Warsaw, Katowice and Gdansk. The carrier was authorized to operate scheduled services to destinations including Greece, Spain and Italy in 2010, although holiday charter work remained central to its identity. Passenger volumes grew rapidly. The company reported carrying about 400,000 passengers in 2009 and 2010 combined, nearly 700,000 in 2012, more than one million in 2013, and approximately 1.212 million in 2014. In June 2009, FlyLAL Charters carried 33,600 passengers from Vilnius and held a large majority of Lithuania’s charter market by the end of that year. These figures reflected the airline’s dependence on seasonal demand, contracted flying and the use of multiple operating bases rather than a single home-market schedule. In April 2013, management announced the acquisition of 99.5 percent of the shares in the Lithuanian and Polish Small Planet entities that had been held by Avia Solutions Group. Small Planet Group UAB was established as a holding company in 2014. The group subsequently built or controlled related operations in Lithuania, Poland and Germany and pursued expansion in Asia. A Thai company was formed in 2014 with the intention of securing a local air operator certificate, but it never began operations. In 2015, Small Planet Airlines GmbH entered the German market from Berlin. The group also pursued substantial contract flying. During winter 2015-2016, aircraft and crews were planned for operations from Siem Reap in Cambodia on behalf of Sky Angkor Airlines. Polish aircraft and crews were based in India and Saudi Arabia during the 2016 winter season for GoAir and Nesma Airlines. Small Planet later returned to India for IndiGo during winter 2017-2018. In Europe, it received authorization to operate to and from Amsterdam Schiphol, serving mainly southern European holiday destinations. The expansion left the group exposed to high operating complexity, seasonal utilization, leasing commitments and financial pressure. The German and Polish subsidiaries entered restructuring in October 2018, followed by the Lithuanian company on 24 October. The German and Polish operations stopped by November, and the Cambodian affiliate ceased operations shortly afterward. On 28 November 2018, Lithuania’s Civil Aviation Administration revoked the Lithuanian airline’s operating license, grounding its remaining aircraft and ending the brand’s airline operations.
History
Small Planet Airlines was registered on 14 March 2007 under the name FlyLAL Charters. It was created as a Lithuanian charter airline and was based at Vilnius Airport. The company received its operational licenses for passenger flying in October 2008. Its early model centered on holiday charters arranged with tour operators, particularly from Lithuania, rather than on a large year-round scheduled network. The business expanded through affiliated companies. A flyLAL Charter Eesti entity was registered in 2009 to support charter services to and from Estonia. In December of that year, flyLAL Charters PL was registered to organize operations from Polish airports including Warsaw, Katowice and Gdansk. In 2010, the Lithuanian company received authorization for scheduled services to Greece, Spain, Italy and other destinations. It adopted the Small Planet Airlines name in July 2010. The renamed airline grew quickly. It carried roughly 400,000 passengers during 2009 and 2010, and passenger traffic rose to nearly 700,000 in 2012. In 2013 it became the first Lithuanian-capital company reported to have carried one million passengers in a year. Traffic reached about 1.212 million in 2014. Much of this volume came from holiday markets such as Greece, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt and Bulgaria. The carrier also conducted special flights for official delegations, sports teams and private groups. In April 2013, Small Planet Airlines announced a transaction involving 99.5 percent of the Lithuanian and Polish companies’ shares previously held by Avia Solutions Group. The acquiring management participants identified in the reference material were Vytautas Kaikaris and Andrius Staniulis. Small Planet Group UAB was established in 2014 to hold and coordinate the operating companies. The group controlled the Lithuanian and Polish businesses and later developed a German subsidiary, while a Thai venture intended to obtain a local operating certificate never started flying. International expansion continued during the middle of the decade. Small Planet Airlines GmbH was incorporated in Germany in 2015 with an office in Berlin. The group arranged aircraft and crew deployments to Cambodia, India and Saudi Arabia. Cambodian flying was planned for Sky Angkor Airlines from Siem Reap, while Polish aircraft and crews operated for GoAir in India and Nesma Airlines in Saudi Arabia. The airline later returned to India to operate for IndiGo during the winter of 2017-2018. In Europe, it gained permission to operate from Amsterdam Schiphol, principally to southern European holiday destinations. The group’s multinational and seasonal model was accompanied by financial difficulties. The German and Polish subsidiaries entered restructuring in October 2018. On 24 October, the Lithuanian company announced its own restructuring process. The German and Polish companies ceased operations during November, and the Cambodian affiliate also stopped operating shortly afterward. On 28 November 2018, Lithuania’s Civil Aviation Administration revoked the operating license of Small Planet Airlines. The decision grounded its remaining flights and fleet, effectively ending the Lithuanian brand as an operating airline. The Lithuanian, German, Polish, Cambodian and related group operations are now defunct.
- 2018
Restructuring and license revocation
[1]The Lithuanian company entered restructuring in October, and its operating license was revoked on 28 November.
- 2015
German subsidiary enters the market
[1]Small Planet Airlines GmbH was incorporated in Germany with an office in Berlin.
- 2014
Small Planet Group established
[1]A holding company was created to own and coordinate Small Planet’s Lithuanian and international airline operations.
- 2013
Passenger traffic exceeds one million
[1]The airline became the first Lithuanian-capital company reported in the source to carry one million passengers.
- 2010
Rebranded as Small Planet Airlines
[1]FlyLAL Charters adopted the Small Planet Airlines name in July and expanded its authorized destination scope.
- 2008
Passenger operating licenses obtained
[1]The company received authorizations to begin passenger flight operations in October.
- 2007
Company registered as FlyLAL Charters
[1]The Lithuanian charter carrier was registered on 14 March 2007.
Products and positioning
Leisure and charter aviation focused on seasonal holiday routes, tour-operator capacity and flexible aircraft-and-crew contracts.
Charter aviation · 2008
Leisure charter flights
The airline’s main offering was seasonal charter transportation for holidaymakers. It connected Lithuanian and other European departure airports with leisure destinations, especially in Greece, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt and Bulgaria. Flights were commonly arranged in cooperation with tour operators rather than sold solely as a conventional scheduled network.
Airline outsourcing · 2015
Wet-lease and contract flying
Small Planet supplied aircraft and flight crews to other carriers and aviation partners. Its overseas deployments included work associated with Sky Angkor Airlines in Cambodia, GoAir in India, Nesma Airlines in Saudi Arabia and IndiGo in India. This flexible contract model allowed aircraft to be used during European winter periods.
Special-purpose air transport · 2008
Special and ad hoc flights
In addition to tourism flying, the company operated special services for government delegations, sports teams and private groups. These assignments complemented its charter portfolio and used the carrier’s ability to position aircraft across different bases.
Brand decisions
2018
Lithuanian restructuring processStrategyBackground
The German and Polish subsidiaries had entered restructuring earlier in October, and the wider group faced financial difficulties.
Action taken
On 24 October, the Lithuanian airline announced that it was entering a restructuring process.
Aftermath
The Lithuanian operating license was revoked on 28 November, grounding the fleet and ending the airline’s operations.
2013
Management acquisition of Lithuanian and Polish sharesM&ABackground
Avia Solutions Group held 99.5 percent of the shares in the Lithuanian and Polish Small Planet companies.
Action taken
Small Planet Airlines announced a buyout involving management participants Vytautas Kaikaris and Andrius Staniulis.
Aftermath
Small Planet Group was subsequently formed in 2014 to hold and coordinate the group’s airline businesses.
2010
Rebrand from FlyLAL Charters to Small Planet AirlinesStrategyBackground
The company was broadening its European leisure and charter proposition beyond its original Lithuanian identity.
Action taken
It adopted the Small Planet Airlines name in July 2010 and pursued additional scheduled and charter permissions.
Aftermath
The rebranded carrier expanded passenger volumes and developed affiliated operations in several countries.
Recent events
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines announces restructuring amid financial difficulties[1]
Bankruptcy
The Lithuanian carrier announced that it was entering a restructuring process after its German and Polish affiliates had begun similar proceedings.
- 2018
Lithuanian operating license revoked and flights grounded[1]
Bankruptcy · Regulation
Lithuania’s Civil Aviation Administration revoked Small Planet Airlines’ operating license on 28 November, bringing the Lithuanian carrier’s operations to an end.
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines announces restructuring[1]
Bankruptcy
The Lithuanian airline announced on 24 October 2018 that it was entering a restructuring process because of financial difficulties. The announcement followed similar proceedings involving its German and Polish subsidiaries.
- 2018
Lithuania revokes Small Planet Airlines operating licence[1]
Regulation · Bankruptcy
Lithuania’s Civil Aviation Administration revoked the airline’s operating licence on 28 November 2018, grounding its fleet and ending its flight operations.
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines group operations end after license revocation[1]
Regulation · Bankruptcy
The Lithuanian civil aviation authority revoked the operating license of the group's Lithuanian airline on 28 November 2018. The action followed the cessation or restructuring of affiliated operations, including the Cambodian business.
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines enters restructuring amid financial difficulties[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Small Planet group announced a restructuring process on 24 October 2018 after its Polish and German subsidiaries had entered similar proceedings earlier that month.
- 2018
Polish and German subsidiaries cease operations[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Polish and German Small Planet companies stopped operating by November 2018 as the group’s financial problems intensified.
- 2018
Small Planet Group companies enter restructuring amid financial difficulties[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Small Planet's German and Polish subsidiaries entered restructuring proceedings in October 2018, followed by the group's Lithuanian airline announcement on 24 October. The developments marked a broad financial crisis across the group's airline network.
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines group operations collapse[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The group's German and Polish airlines stopped operating by November 2018, while the Cambodian operation ceased shortly afterward. The breakdown also affected the Italian brand structure.
- 2018
Small Planet Airlines GmbH entered restructuring amid financial difficulties[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The German subsidiary entered a restructuring process in October 2018 as financial problems affected several companies within the Small Planet group.
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