Airlines Darwin Airline ends regular flights

Darwin Airline CEO Klaus Platzer said in an interview with Radio RSI, there will be no scheduled flights from January 1,2018. Darwin Airline would have had to make an investment of EUR 1 Mio. to keep up the regular services. Currently the carrier connects its hub in Lugano with Rome and Geneva and offers additional charter flights to several destinations in Europe. As a result of the ongoing restructuring plan the carrier will cease all ATR72 operations in January 2018 and return the aircraft to the lessor. The regional airline plans to retain a fleet of six Saab 2000 turboprops.

Darwin Airline commenced operations in 2003. In 2013, Etihad Airways bought a 33,3% stake in the regional carrier and rebranded it as “Etihad Regional”. The carrier operated flights for the two European Etihad partner airlines AirBerlin and Alitalia as well as own flights from Lugano and Geneva. In the following years several connections were terminated. The cooperation with AirBerlin ended in 2016.

In July 2017 Darwin Airline was bought by the holding company 4K Invest that owns the Slovenian carrier Adria Airways. Darwin Airline was rebranded and operates all flights as Adria Airways Switzerland.

Adria Airways is the largest airline in Slovenia. The carrier with a fleet of 3 Airbus A319, 3 Bombardier CRJ700 and 7 CRJ900 operates scheduled flights from its primary hub Ljubljana as well as Tirana and Pristina. In addition to the scheduled flights, the Star Alliance member offers charter and ad hoc flights. Two CRJ900 aircraft are currently leased to Austrian Airlines.

Darwin Airline plans to offer ACMI and Charter services for Adria Airways as well as external airlines in Europe.