AirExplore used by Jet2 and TUI shuts down after 16 years
European ACMI and charter airline AirExplore has ceased operations after 16 years, surrendering its Air Operator Certificate amid sector pressures.
AirExplore, a prominent European airline relied upon by major carriers like Jet2 and TUI, has ceased operations after a trading history spanning 16 years, compounding a turbulent period for regional and charter aviation across the UK and Europe.
Founded in 2008, the Slovakian carrier initiated its ACMI (wet leasing) operations in 2010, supplying aircraft and flight crews to support services across the UK and Europe. Its aircraft became familiar sights at major British aviation hubs including Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle International, and London Stansted. Avia Solutions Group acquired the airline in June 2023. However, mounting sector pressures forced a sudden halt.
Media additions
In an official statement published on its website, the company confirmed:
"The Slovakian ACMI and charter airline AirExplore has ceased operations on 10 November 2026 and has submitted a request to surrender its Air Operator Certificate (AOC). We thank all our employees, customers, partners, and team for their support over the years."
AirExplore, Corporate Statement, via NW Evening Mail
The sudden closure of AirExplore arrives amid a wider wave of aviation collapses and insolvencies affecting UK travellers and carriers. According to reports compiled from The Gazette and industry filings, several other high-profile airline and travel operators have failed or entered restructuring proceedings. Among them is the virtual airline project Global Airlines, founded by James Asquith, which was ordered into compulsory liquidation by the High Court of Justice in London following mounting debts and creditor pressure according to reporting via Yahoo Finance.
Global Airlines had aimed to operate transatlantic budget services utilizing Airbus A380 aircraft. Following an initial damp-leased flight from Glasgow to New York, the carrier's sole purchased A380 was placed into long-term storage in southern France due to extensive maintenance backlogs. Following legal petitions brought by creditors, the High Court issued a winding-up order, freezing the company's bank accounts and assigning Official Receiver V Prime based in Birmingham to oversee the liquidation of assets as reported by TheStreet.
The wider aviation market has faced unrelenting pressures, including soaring jet fuel costs driven by geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, alongside supply chain backlogs and regulatory hurdles. Aviation expert John Strickland noted that higher operating costs severely affect smaller regional airlines that must navigate intense price sensitivity from communities with lower passenger volumes according to The Times Jersey.
These operational headwinds have claimed multiple regional and charter operators throughout the year. The collapse of carriers such as Blue Islands, Ascend Airways, Zenith Aviation, and EcoJet has left airports, regional governments, and passengers scrambling to adapt. In the Channel Islands, the collapse of Blue Islands left over £7.3 million still owed to the Government of Jersey, while administrators at Ernst & Young (EY) confirmed that preferred creditors are expected to receive full payment as detailed by The Times Jersey. Replacement carriers like Aurigny and Loganair stepped in to provide rescue fares and maintain vital air links, with Loganair CEO Luke Farajallah noting that his airline carried almost 150,000 passengers during its first year of operating replacement services.
| Airline / Company | Operational Base / Origin | Primary Issue / Outcome | Reported Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirExplore | Slovakia | Ceased operations and surrendered AOC | November 10, 2026 |
| Global Airlines | London, UK | Ordered into compulsory liquidation | November 4, 2026 |
| Zenith Aviation Limited | London Biggin Hill, UK | Entered administration, all 41 jobs lost | May 15, 2026 |
| Ascend Airways | Hertfordshire, UK | Collapsed into liquidation, flights cancelled | April 2026 |
| EcoJet Airlines | Edinburgh, Scotland | Entered voluntary liquidation | Early 2026 |
Compounding these localized airline failures, international passengers faced severe macro-level disruptions when a nationwide air traffic control system failure in the United States forced thousands of cancellations and delays. The IT outage — traced to an upgrade project replacing copper wiring with fibre optic cables — resulted in the first nationwide US ground stop since January 2023 according to the South Wales Argus. Flight tracking services reported that more than 4,100 flights were cancelled worldwide, impacting departures and arrivals at London Heathrow and other UK facilities.
US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that authorities were investigating whether contractor incompetence or faulty wiring caused the overload via Yahoo News UK. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator Bryan Bedford stated that while the technical issue was resolved and normal scheduling was expected to resume, lingering disruptions would persist as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued warnings for travellers flying between the UK and the United States to check with their airlines before heading to airports as reported by Yahoo News UK.
What to watch next
- Independent receivers and official receivers, such as Official Receiver V Prime for Global Airlines, will continue evaluating remaining corporate assets and securing property to satisfy outstanding creditor claims.
- Airlines operating transatlantic and European routes will implement schedule adjustments and aircraft repositioning following the clearance of the US air traffic control system.
- Further regulatory scrutiny is expected regarding the cost pressures and wet-leasing frameworks governing UK and European air operator certificates.
