The aviation sector recovered to pre-COVID levels of travel and income in 2023. As the sector grows, more airlines enter the race to gain market share and turn a profit. After all, the aviation industry in the world is expected to expand at an average annual rate of 4% until 2040, so the possibilities are endless.

Many airlines made their debuts last year as well, but this year has seen a huge increase in the number. Only three of the twenty airlines that launched this year are still in operation, despite Ch Aviation’s description of these new entrants.

Fly Red Sea

Red Sea Global, the company in charge of Red Sea and Amaala, two popular tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia, introduced it. The specially designed airline will transport travelers to different Saudi Arabian beach resorts.

Four Cessna Caravan 208 seaplanes with opulent interiors that will transport passengers to their destinations in style make up the airline’s first fleet. By 2028, the airline hopes to have nine aircraft, and by 2030, twenty.

The aircraft, which can carry nine people for scenic tours or six people with luggage, will be flown by a single pilot.

Fly Red Sea has run its whole fleet entirely on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Along with working with aviation company ZeroAvia to test aircraft with hydrogen-electric powerplants, it is also looking into the possibility of using electric aircraft.

The Red Sea International Airport, whose construction started in 2021, will serve as the home base for Fly Red Sea.

Centrum Air

The goal of the ambitious Uzbek startup Centrum Air is to capitalize on the nation’s expanding economy and the quick development of its aviation sector. The Uzbek cargo airline MyFreighter founded the airline, which specializes in low-cost domestic and international travel.

The airline has been expanding its fleet and had originally intended to buy 20 planes by the end of the year, but it has fallen well short of that target. Three A320-200s, two of which are in service and one of which is in maintenance, make up the fleet as of right now, with an average age of 20.5 years. However, the ultimate goal is to reach 100 aircraft by 2026.

It returned the two Boeing 737-800s it had wet-leased from GetJet Airlines in Lithuania in May. The lease ended in January. The A320s that are currently in use are leased from MyFreighter, the company’s parent.

The airline, which is headquartered in Tashkent, says it intends to start operating flights between Uzbekistan and fifteen other nations, including Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, South Korea, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Initially, the airline will operate flights to Nukus, Urgench, Termez, Namangan, and Fergana, five domestic destinations.

With the exception of the information mentioned above, very little is known about the airline.

Phenix Jet Singapore

In 2023, the business/private charter airline Phenix Jet established a branch in Singapore. The parent business, Phenix Jet Group, was founded in 2017 and serves the market for premium aircraft.

The airline has three hubs: Singapore, the United States, and the Cayman Islands. Two Bombardier Global 7500s, a Bombardier Global XRS, two Gulfstream G650ERs, a Gulfstream G650, and a Boeing 737-700 Business Jet make up the fleet as of right now.

In summary

Starting an airline is far more difficult than opening and operating a successful business. Only a small number of the airlines on the list that debuted in 2023 have been able to secure aircraft, and even fewer have taken off. I hope the upcoming year brings success for the others.