With Air Antwerp and Stobart Air, two regional airlines left the market for good on Friday. The former is a joint venture between KLM and Cityjet. The second airline recently flew almost exclusively as a subcontractor for Aer Lingus.

Both airlines have in common that before the corona pandemic, business was going very well, but business was no longer going properly. Air Antwerp resumed flight operations several times, but due to the entry and quarantine regulations, there was no demand. The owners, KLM and Cityjet, have now pulled the plug from the regional project with a completely outdated aircraft (Fokker 50). Antwerp is once again losing a home base carrier.

Stobart Air is a threefold sacrifice, because Brexit makes it difficult for the Irish regional airline to continue flying on its own from the United Kingdom, primarily London-Southend. In addition, Flybe broke away as a sales partner. The Stobart Air flights were not wet lease flights for Flybe, but this brand was used as part of a distribution and franchise agreement. What these two factors and Corona did not achieve, was then done with a buyer who could not afford the agreed purchase price.

Stobart Air no longer has any alternatives and the previous owner is no longer willing to invest money in this airline. Why? Simple, the Aer Lingus wet lease contract would have expired next year anyway, because the Irish IAG member has decided to start a new company that has so far neither AOC nor an operating license. Thus, the outlook was bleak and, from the owners' point of view, the bankruptcy filing was unavoidable.

While the effects of Air Antwerp's exit were very narrow, as they served a market for which there was hardly any demand anyway, the situation at Stobart Air is a little different. The main customer Aer Lingus now has to reschedule the route network quickly because the fleet does not have its own turboprops. Although it is not a Mission Impossible, there should be noticeable effects for the passengers in the next few days. There is more than enough suitable aircraft that can serve as a replacement. Numerous operators should already be ready, because it would be a good opportunity to get parked turboprop aircraft or small jets back into the air.