Draft:Ajet (Cyprus airline)
| Submission declined on 17 June 2025 by DoubleGrazing (talk). Thank you for your submission, but the subject of this article already exists in Wikipedia. You can find it and improve it at Helios Airways instead.
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Comment: There already exists Helios Airways, which includes much of this content. I'm not sure we need two articles, esp. given that this Ajet incarnation only operated for a few months? DoubleGrazing (talk) 10:15, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
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| Founded | 1998 (as Helios Airways) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 14 March 2006 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | November 2006 | ||||||
| Hubs | Larnaca International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 3 | ||||||
| Destinations | 14 | ||||||
| Parent company | Libra Holidays Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Larnaca, Cyprus | ||||||
| Website | ajet.com (archived) | ||||||
Ajet (stylized as αjet, formerly Helios Airways) was a Cypriot airline based in Larnaca, operating charter and scheduled flights. It emerged after the fatal crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 and rebranded in March 2006 but ceased operations later that year.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]Helios Airways was founded in 1998 and started charter flights in May 2000.[4]
After the August 2005 Flight 522 crash, which killed all 121 aboard, the airline rebranded as Ajet on 14 March 2006 to distance itself from the tragedy and focus exclusively on charter operations.[5][6]
Despite rebranding, regulators flagged safety concerns—Ajet lost its low-visibility landing rights in late September 2006.[7]
On 31 October 2006, Ajet announced it would cease flying within three months amid financial pressure and legal liabilities.[8]
Legal disputes intensified—relatives of crash victims and government creditors challenged the airline’s obligations.[9]
The government grounded all aircraft on 3 November, citing tax arrears and asset freeze orders amounting to €3 million, effectively ending operations.[10][11]
Experts warned Ajet’s collapse would cut up to 250,000 passenger seats, potentially harming tourism in the Cyprus–UK market.[12]
In November 2006, Ajet officially announced it would cease all operations, citing financial difficulties and reputational damage following the 2005 Helios Airways crash.[13]
Fleet
[edit]AJet fleet at time of cessation
[edit]When the airline ceased operations in 2006, the fleet consisted of the following aircraft:[14][15]
| Aircraft | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-800 | 3 | Registered as 5B-DBI, 5B-DBJ, and 5B-DBK |
Aircraft previously operated as Helios Airways
[edit]The airline also operated the following aircraft prior to rebranding:[16][17]
| Aircraft | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | Crashed as Helios Airways Flight 522 |
| Boeing 737-400 | 1 | Operated from 2000 to 2001 |
| Airbus A319-100 | 1 | Leased from Lotus Air in 2005 |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | Leased from MenaJet in 2005 |
Aircraft previously operated as Helios Airways
[edit]The airline also operated the following aircraft prior to[18][19]
| Aircraft | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | Crashed as Helios Airways Flight 522 |
| Boeing 737-400 | 1 | Operated from 2000 to 2001 |
| Airbus A319-100 | 1 | Leased from Lotus Air in 2005 |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | Leased from MenaJet in 2005 |
Destinations
[edit]As a charter and short-haul airline operating under the Libra Holidays Group, Ajet served a variety of seasonal and year-round destinations across Europe from its hub in Larnaca. These routes were primarily focused on transporting tourists to and from Cyprus.[20]
Regular destinations included:
[edit]
- Birmingham (Birmingham Airport)
- East Midlands (East Midlands Airport)
- Glasgow (Glasgow Airport)
- London (Gatwick) (London Gatwick Airport)
- London (Luton) (London Luton Airport)
- Manchester (Manchester Airport)
- Teesside (Teesside International Airport)
- Newcastle (Newcastle International Airport)
See also
[edit]- Helios Airways Flight 522 – The fatal crash that led to Ajet's rebranding and closure.
- List of defunct airlines of Cyprus
- Cyprus Airways (1947–2015)
- AJet – Turkish airline not to be confused with Ajet (Cyprus).
References
[edit]- ^ "121 dead in Cypriot jet crash". The Guardian. 15 August 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Cypriot airline Ajet to shut down". Reuters. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Cypriot airline to stop flying". BBC News. 30 October 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Helios Airways Profile". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Helios Airways' parent to relaunch carrier as Ajet after August crash". Flight International. 15 March 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "What Happened To Cypriot Carrier Helios Airways?". Simple Flying. 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ajet banned from landing in fog". Cyprus Mail. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ajet to cease flights in three months". Cyprus Mail. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ajet: we're not dodging justice". Cyprus Mail. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "End of the road for ajet". Cyprus Mail. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Airport chaos as government grounds ajet". Cyprus Mail. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ajet demise could spark tourism crisis". Cyprus Mail. 26 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Closure announcement". ajet.com. Ajet. 12 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "AJet fleet details". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "AJet Boeing 737-800 (5B-DBI)". JetPhotos. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Helios Airways fleet details". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Helios Airways 737-300 (5B-DBY) photo". Airliners.net. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "AJet fleet history". CH-Aviation. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Helios Airways fleet details". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Flight Destinations". ajet.com (Archived). Ajet. October 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2025.