Article from BTNews 6 NOVEMBER 2017
SkyWork back from the brink
Fears over the future of the Swiss carrier SkyWork Airlines were lifted on Tuesday when authorities renewed the company’s air operator certificate (AOC), enabling it to relaunch scheduled winter operations the following day.
The regional airline, based at Belp, near Bern, was forced to cancel all flights on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday last week because it had been unable to provide proof of financing necessary to continue operating.
However, the carrier, which has flights to 17 destinations including London City Airport with a fleet of five turboprops and carries 140,000 passengers a year, submitted documents on Tuesday to the Federal Office of Civil Aviation, which renewed the AOC for an unlimited period.
Earlier, SkyWork CEO Martin Inäbnit said the airline’s home base was too small to operate year-round and cover costs and “it is therefore essential that we generate additional passenger and turnover outside Berne”.
He added: “Only in this way can the Berne home base be secured. This is part of the business plan 2018-22, which focuses on growth strategy,” he said.
As a result of SkyWork’s financial issues, Slovenian Star Alliance member Adria Airways said it plans to base two aircraft at Berne and would launch services to Berlin Tegel, Hamburg, Munich and Vienna from today, 6 November.
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