The German holiday airline Sundair started the first route in mid-December 2020 that does not start or end in Germany. The carrier has been flying from Stockholm-Arlanda to Beirut since December 11, 2020. In the meantime, competition in this niche route has already been announced.

“We are already very experienced with flights to Beirut, a destination that we serve from Berlin Brandenburg International and Düsseldorf International. Stockholm with its large Lebanese and Syrian population was the next logical step for us to expand, ”said Sundair boss Marcos Rossello in a broadcast. 

The German airline had to register a protective shield procedure due to the corona pandemic. Operation is currently severely restricted due to entry and quarantine regulations. From Germany there are currently only a few flights to the Canary Islands.

In Sweden, Northern Airlines announced non-stop flights to Malaga and Beirut from Stockholm-Arlanda. These are scheduled to start in March 2021, which will inevitably lead to competition from Sundair. However, the start-up has not yet carried out a single flight, so it remains to be seen whether the launch will actually take place. Northern Airlines wants to take off as a newcomer with Boeing 737-800.