Aero Lloyd
| Company type | GmbH & Co |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | September 6, 1979 |
| Founder | Bogomir Gradisnik |
| Defunct | October 16, 2003 |
| Fate | Operations ceased; assets acquired by founder and restructured as Aero Flight |
| Headquarters | Oberursel , Germany |
Area served | Charter flights, initially based at Frankfurt Airport |
Key people | Bogomir Gradisnik (founder), Miso Aksmanovic (leader of Aero Flight restructuring) |
| Products | Charter airline services |
| Parent | Bayerische Landesbank (majority shareholder from 1998) |
Aero Lloyd Flugreisen GmbH & Co, known simply as Aero Lloyd, was a German charter airline headquartered in Oberursel, Germany, with its initial base at Frankfurt Airport.
Founding and Development
Established on September 6, 1979, Aero Lloyd commenced flight operations in March 1981 utilizing a fleet of three Sud Aviation Caravelle aircraft. By 1982, the airline expanded its fleet by acquiring three used Douglas DC-9-32 jets formerly operated by Garuda Indonesia.
The introduction of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft began in 1986 to broaden the airline’s route network. In 1988, Aero Lloyd initiated scheduled services to destinations including London, Paris, and Zürich. Nevertheless, these scheduled flights were discontinued by 1992 after being deemed financially unsustainable.
In 1998, the majority stake of 66% was purchased by Bayerische Landesbank, which intended to find a strategic investor. As the principal creditor, Bayerische Landesbank extended a €20 million loan in 2001 to support the airline’s liquidity. Despite capturing a 12% share of the market in 2002, Aero Lloyd faced challenges from industry overcapacity and generated returns below sector standards.
Demise
Operations were halted on October 16, 2003, following shareholders’ refusal to provide additional capital. This sudden stoppage stranded approximately 4,000 passengers within German airports and another 4,500 abroad. The airline’s assets were subsequently acquired by founder Bogomir Gradisnik. Under the leadership of Gradisnik’s associate Miso Aksmanovic, the business was restructured into a smaller charter carrier named Aero Flight, which was launched in March 2004 and commenced flights on March 26, 2004. Aero Flight eventually ceased operations on October 30, 2005.
Fleet
During its operational years, Aero Lloyd's fleet comprised:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Entry into Service | Withdrawal | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 1991 | 1991 | Leased from Adria Airways |
| 2 | 1994 | 1994 | Leased from Leisure Air and Translift Airways | |
| 11 | 1996 | 2003 | ||
| Airbus A321-200 | 11 | 1998 | 2003 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 | 4 | 1982 | 1994 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 2 | 1994 | 1997 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 16 | 1987 | 2001 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-87 | 4 | 1988 | 1997 | |
| Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle | 3 | 1979 | 1991 |
Accidents and incidents
- On September 1, 2001, an attempted hijacking took place aboard an Aero Lloyd Airbus A321-200 charter flight from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, Italy to Berlin Tegel Airport, Germany shortly after departure. The aircraft executed an emergency landing at Naples Airport, where authorities apprehended the hijacker without any injuries reported.
- On July 1, 2002, Aero Lloyd Flight 1135, operating an Airbus A320-200, arrived late at Friedrichshafen Airport. At that time, only one air traffic controller was on duty at the regional center instead of the mandated two due to no anticipated arrivals. The controller’s involvement in assisting Flight 1135 contributed indirectly to a separate mid-air collision over Überlingen nearby. Flight 1135 itself was unaffected and landed safely soon after.