"Let's play airline" is how you could describe the ticket seller Green Airlines, because so far not a single one of the announced flights from Weeze to Berlin and/or Munich has been operated. There are no slots at the two major airports, but only an AOC holder could get them anyway - and that's not Green "Airlines".

In the meantime, even Weeze Airport, which just a few weeks ago had clearly become a ticket seller, seems to be at a mailbox address in Karlsruhe resided, had known to keep his distance. For example, in the most recent media release regarding Easter 2022 Green “Airlines” was not mentioned at all. In the meantime, the intrusive pop-up advertising has also been removed from the Niederrhein Airport homepage.

There is more to running an airline than renting a sales system from Worldticket and offering trolleys and T-shirts for sale. Probably the most important points would be security and trust. In Germany, it is the task of the Federal Aviation Authority to ensure exactly this, because holders of AOC and operating license are subject to strict conditions and controls. A real airline must have numerous people who have specialist training and/or relevant experience and have been examined by the LBA. However, this is not the case with a pure ticket seller, because they are not subject to the supervision of the Federal Aviation Office.

Travel agencies and tour operators must have customer money protection

It may be difficult for laypeople to understand that it is possible to set up a letterbox company and "play with this airline" - without the annoying supervision of the Federal Aviation Office or another EU civil aviation authority. Licensed travel agencies and tour operators offer charter flights on their own account, but for legal reasons they require customer money protection. Most of these players have been on the market for decades and enjoy a good reputation and thus the trust of airlines and passengers.

A pure ticket seller like Green "Airlines" is neither an airline nor a licensed travel agency or a licensed tour operator. You are simply a GmbH whose company headquarters are located at a relevant mailbox provider located near the Karlsruhe train station. So the ones published last year by the portal Airliners.de Greenwashing allegations are done with once and for all, a small hedge was planted in Weeze, which is said to be an "all-rounder for climate protection". Groningen Airport even received one for advertising Green “Airlines”. Fine.

The climate should be more grateful to Green "Airlines" for not having operated a single Munich and/or Berlin flight from Weeze so far. Last weekend, aircraft of the type Cessna 208B "Grand Caravan EX", operated by IAS Itzehoer Airservice, were used for the Sylt charter flights. The company is actually specialized in dropping flights for parachutists, but - in contrast to green "airlines" - they have an AOC and operating license, and they have been on the market for a long time.

Flight cancellation with a one-liner – hotline not available

Flights with a "green turbo fleet" - whatever that may be - are advertised together with the statement that they are used "via ACMI". However, a non-airline company cannot operate an ACMI aircraft. At most you can charter. It is now common knowledge that not a single aircraft in the “green turbo fleet” actually belongs to green airlines. Green "Airlines" also doesn't seem to care that the IATA two-letter code "GN" used in the booking system is used illegally because it has not been assigned at all. In the meantime, the passenger rights, which, according to a letter from a lawyer, should not apply to the ticket seller anyway, have been removed from the homepage.

For example, passengers whose flights are canceled close to the date stated on the ticket are entitled to alternative transportation and compensation. In reality, things are different, because a passenger said he was informed only one day before departure by means of a one-liner that his flight from Munich to Weeze would not take place. He cannot reach the hotline and the callback advertised on the homepage is said not to have taken place. Substitute transport, as required by EU Regulation 261/2004, or care services were not provided. This approach is reminiscent of that of Alk Airlines and Just Us Air canceled hot water flights. Back then, Green Airlines wanted not aware of substitute transportation and/or compensation and even hired a law firm to get rid of angry passengers.

Product apparently not in demand on the market

Green "Airlines" obviously has a sales problem, because in the course of the recent postponement of the first flights to Munich and Berlin, it was admitted that had almost no bookings. But who should be the operating carrier was not answered. The slot lists from Berlin and Munich show that no airline with a valid AOC has take-off and landing rights for the flights coming from Weeze. There has also been no formal registration at the two major airports so far. Green "Airlines" cannot do this themselves, because they are not an airline. Registrations are the responsibility of the operating carrier. At least for this week only Sylt tickets are sold.

After all, there were a single-digit number of passengers on board the caravan operated by IAS last weekend. The single-engine aircraft cannot carry more than nine passengers anyway. The company emphasized to Airliners.de that it was chartered for the past weekend. Thus, the "airline carousel" should continue with Green "Airlines". With regard to environmental protection, it should also be clear to laypeople that using a large taxi – for example between Paderborn and Westerland – emits less carbon dioxide than an airplane, regardless of whether it has 9 seats or 100 seats. However, it is completely unclear whether the Weeze hedge can compensate for the pollutant emissions produced last weekend...