Onur Air

Defunct low-cost airline of Turkey (1992–2021) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Onur Air (Turkish: Onur Air Taşımacılık AŞ, often styled OnurAir or Onurair) was a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the Technical Hangar B at Istanbul Atatürk Airport in Yeşilköy, Istanbul, Turkey.[1] "Onur" means honour in Turkish. It operated mostly domestic scheduled services, as well as charter flights out of its base at Istanbul Airport.[2] In December 2021, it was forced to suspend all operations until further notice[3] and was declared bankrupt in April 2022.[citation needed][4]

Quick Facts IATA, ICAO ...
Onur Air
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IATA ICAO Call sign
8Q OHY ONUR AIR
Founded14 April 1992 (1992-04-14)
Commenced operations14 May 1992 (1992-05-14)
Ceased operationsDecember 2021 (2021-12)
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer programOnurExtra
SubsidiariesHoliday Europe
Fleet size33
Destinations6 (scheduled)
HeadquartersIstanbul, Turkey
Key people
Employees1,000 - 5,000
Websitewww.onurair.com/en
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History

Summarize
Perspective

Early years

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A former Onur Air McDonnell Douglas MD-88 in 2001
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A former Onur Air Airbus A300B2 in 2002

Onur Air was established on 14 April 1992 and started revenue operations using a wet-leased Airbus A320 with a flight to Ercan in North Cyprus on 14 May of that year.[5] Over the next years, the Onurair fleet grew, so that by the end of 1995, it included nine aircraft.[5] Previously its head office was in Florya, Bakırköy, Istanbul.[6]

In 1996, Ten Tour acquired ownership of the airline. By 1997, McDonnell Douglas MD-80 twin-jet airliners had been added to the fleet. Due to a recession,[specify] Onur Air had to reduce the size of its fleet to 13 in 1998, and then to nine in 1999. Since then, the airline had expanded again. Onur Air also carried out special full charter flights (tourist flights, guest worker flights) for sister tour operators such as Nazar Reisen in Germany and Nazar Travel in Turkey.[5]

Development since the 2000s

In May 2005, the airline was withdrawn from the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, as serious defects on the airline's aircraft had been discovered. As a counter-reaction, Turkey then withdrew the German airlines' landing permits. After protests by the Foreign Office, the entry ban for German aircraft was lifted again. On 14 May, the airline's entry permit was withdrawn by the Swiss and French aviation safety authorities. Until then, Onur Air had been awarded a total of nine certificates by Airbus and Boeing for their maintenance procedures. In the period from July 4 to 6, 2005, the review of the airline was provisionally concluded with a so-called "final meeting" at the home airport of Onur Air in Antalya, in accordance with the requirements from the re-issue of the entry permit.[citation needed]

By 6 April 2019, all of Onur Air's flights from their former base at Atatürk Airport were relocated to the new Istanbul Airport.[7]

In August 2019, Onur Air established a new, partly owned subsidiary named Holiday Europe for leisure flights between Europe and destinations around the Mediterranean. Onur Air provided aircraft and crews for the new brand.[8] In October 2021, the operational license of Holiday Europe has been revoked.[9]

In December 2021, the Turkish aviation authorities did not renew the airline's operational license, suspending all of their operations. Beforehand, negotiations to regain financial stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic failed.[3]

In February 2022, Onur Air's last remaining airworthy aircraft was taken back by its lessor, leaving the airline without a usable fleet.[10] In April 2022, a Turkish court declared the airline bankrupt after legal proceedings of a former employee.[11][citation needed]

Destinations

By September 2021, prior to the suspension of its licence, Onur Air offered scheduled flights (excluding charter services) to the following destinations:[12]

Fleet

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Onur Air Airbus A320-200
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Onur Air Airbus A321-200
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A former Onur Air Airbus A321neo, which was operated for a brief period

Onur Air had operated the following aircraft types:[10][13][14]

More information Aircraft, Total ...
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A300B2 2 2001 2006
Airbus A300B4 5 1997 2006
Airbus A300-600R 1 2001 2001 Leased from Air Alfa
7 2006 2013
Airbus A320-200 35 1992 2021
Airbus A321-100 2 1996 1999
4 2005 2020
Airbus A321-200 18 2003 2020
Airbus A321neo 2 2019 2020 Taken from Wow Air
Airbus A330-200 12 2016 2021
Airbus A330-300 5 2015 2021
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 1 2007 2009 Leased from Bestair
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 4 2005 2010 Sold to Khors Air
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 5 1997 2011
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Incidents and accidents

  • On 17 June 2003, Onur Air Flight 2263, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 (registration TC-ONP) overshot the runway at Groningen Airport Eelde following an aborted take-off. There were no injuries, but the airline was accused of security breaches.[15]
  • On 12 May 2005, Onur Air was denied access to Dutch airspace for a month. Several incidents were the cause of the suspension of the airline. Negotiations took place between the Dutch authorities and Onur Air and on 24 May 2005 Onur Air had permission to fly from and to the Netherlands again.[16]
  • On 1 January 2007, the cargo hold of a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 aircraft burst open upon landing at Atatürk International Airport, spilling luggage onto the runway.[17]
  • On 7 September 2007, an Airbus A321 aircraft lost cabin pressure on a charter flight from Dalaman Airport to Birmingham Airport, resulting in an emergency landing at Atatürk International Airport. Passenger reports included a smoking engine and broken down oxygen masks.[18]
  • On 20 August 2011, an Onur Air pilot forgot to contact Munich Air Traffic Control and caused the quick reaction air defence of both Germany and Austria to send four Eurofighter Typhoons to intercept the company's A321.[19]

See also

References

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