Helios Airways

Infobox Airline
airline = Helios Airways
logo_size = 100
fleet_size = 3
destinations = 14
IATA = ZU
ICAO = HCY
callsign = HELIOS
parent = Libra Holidays Group
company_slogan =
founded = 1998
ceased = 2006
headquarters = Larnaca International Airport, Cyprus
key_people = Bryan Field (Managing Director)
hubs = Larnaca International Airport
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance =
website = [http://www.flyhelios.com www.flyhelios.com]

Helios Airways was a low-cost airline operating scheduled and charter flights between Cyprus and many European destinations. Its main base was Larnaca International Airport. Flights ceased on 6 November 2006 because the Company's aircraft were detained and its bank accounts frozen by the Cypriot Government. [ Cyprus Weekly, text copied to http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=64566 ]

History

The airline was established as "Helios Airways" on 23 September 1998 and was the first independent privately owned airline in Cyprus. On 15 May 2000, it operated its first charter flight to London Gatwick. It was formed by the owners of TEA (Cyprus), a Cypriot offshore air operator specialising in Boeing 737 wet leases worldwide. Originally, it offered charter services and added scheduled services on 5 April 2001. Helios was acquired in 2004 by [http://www.libraholidaysgroup.com Libra Holidays Group] of Limassol, Cyprus.

On 14 March 2006 it was announced that Helios Airways would be rebranded as αjet and would withdraw from scheduled operations. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6099632.stm BBC NEWS | Business | Cypriot airline to stop flights ] ] Responding to rumors, on 30 October 2006 αjet announced that it was to cease operations over the period of the following 90 days. In light of this, the Cyprus Government demanded that back taxes be paid immediately. Also, private suppliers demanded that they be paid in cash for any further goods and services provided to the company. On 31 October 2006 the airline announced that it was ceasing operations immediately. On 11 November 2006 the Company website announced that The Government of the Republic of Cyprus had "illegally detained αjet’s aircraft and frozen the Company’s bank accounts", which was in "direct contravention to the successful appeal lodged by αjet in the District Court, causing substantial financial damage to the Company". As a result αjet announced that all flights that were scheduled to be operated by other Carriers to all destinations, would no longer be operating as of Monday, 6 November 2006 and that passengers would therefore have to make their own arrangements.

All αjet flights were suspended from 1 November 2006 and the majority of its schedules were taken over by XL Airways, a United Kingdom charter carrier. According to owners, Libra Holidays, the decision to close was due to poor financial results and pressure from creditors [Airliner World January 2007]

Incidents and accidents

*14 August 2005: Helios Flight 522, a Boeing 737-300, crashed en route from Larnaca to Athens, killing all 121 aboard. Loss of cabin pressure because the regulating valve was left open on manual is suspected to be the cause.

Destinations

Helios / αjet has ceased operations.

Fleet

Before going out of business, the αjet fleet consisted of the following aircraft [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006] :

*3 Boeing 737-800 (all acquired new from Boeing)

References