Star XL German Airlines
Encyclopedia
XL Airways Germany GmbH is a charter airline headquartered in Mörfelden-Walldorf
, Hesse
, Germany
, operating charter and ad-hoc lease services, mostly out of Frankfurt Airport
. The airline belonged to now bankrupt Straumur Investment Bank
from Iceland
(together with XL Airways France
).
from Iceland
and received its AOC
on 3 May 2006. On 30 October of the same year, the Avion leisure business was bought out
and re-organized as XL Leisure Group
, resulting in the airline changing its name to XL Airways Germany. On 11 September 2008, BBC News Channel reported that XL Leisure Group
had filed for administration due to rising fuel prices, although initially Simon Calder
confirmed the group's website was still taking bookings, the group folded the next morning. Operations of the German and French airline subsidiaries were not affected, however. On 12 September 2008, Straumur Investment Bank
acquired XL Airways Germany and its French sister company, XL Airways France.
As of March 2011, the XL Airways Germany fleet consists of five leased Boeing 737-800 aircraft with an average age of 8.6 years, each being equipped with 189 passenger seats in a high-density all-economy class
cabin layout. Previously, the fleet had consisted of Airbus A320
airliners.
, which was to be returned to its owner Air New Zealand
by XL Airways Germany, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea
East of Perpignan
during a pre-delivery test flight, resulting in the death of all seven people on board.
Mörfelden-Walldorf
Mörfelden-Walldorf is a town in the Groß-Gerau district, situated in the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region in Hessen, Germany.- Location :Mörfelden-Walldorf is situated within a triangle formed by the South Hessian cities of Frankfurt am Main, Darmstadt and Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt International...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, operating charter and ad-hoc lease services, mostly out of Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S...
. The airline belonged to now bankrupt Straumur Investment Bank
Straumur Investment Bank
Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank hf. was a regional investment bank headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, that was closed by regulators in March 2009.The company was mainly owned by Björgólfur Guðmundsson and his son Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson...
from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
(together with XL Airways France
XL Airways France
XL Airways France is a French airline with its head offices on the grounds of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and in Tremblay-en-France. It operates scheduled flights mainly to long-haul destinations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean as well as charter flights to medium-haul destinations...
).
History
The airline was founded as Star XL German Airlines by Avion GroupEimskipafélag Íslands
Hf. Eimskipafélag Íslands is a large Icelandic investment company, focused on investments in the transportation industry. The company was formed on January 1, 2005, from several long standing companies. In 2005, Eimskipafélag Íslands was ranked the second fastest growing business in Europe by the...
from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and received its AOC
Air Operator's Certificate
An air operator's certificate is the approval granted from a national aviation authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and system in place to ensure the safety of its employees and the general public...
on 3 May 2006. On 30 October of the same year, the Avion leisure business was bought out
Buyout
A buyout, in finance, is an investment transaction by which the ownership equity of a company, or a majority share of the stock of the company is acquired. The acquiror thereby "buys out" control of the target company....
and re-organized as XL Leisure Group
XL Leisure Group
The XL Leisure Group was a major tour operating company in the UK, consisting of charter and scheduled airlines, holiday companies and flight-only tour operators. It also has operations in France, Germany, Ireland, Australia and Cyprus...
, resulting in the airline changing its name to XL Airways Germany. On 11 September 2008, BBC News Channel reported that XL Leisure Group
XL Leisure Group
The XL Leisure Group was a major tour operating company in the UK, consisting of charter and scheduled airlines, holiday companies and flight-only tour operators. It also has operations in France, Germany, Ireland, Australia and Cyprus...
had filed for administration due to rising fuel prices, although initially Simon Calder
Simon Calder
Simon Calder , is an English travel writer, currently the senior travel editor for The Independent newspaper.-Biography:...
confirmed the group's website was still taking bookings, the group folded the next morning. Operations of the German and French airline subsidiaries were not affected, however. On 12 September 2008, Straumur Investment Bank
Straumur Investment Bank
Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank hf. was a regional investment bank headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, that was closed by regulators in March 2009.The company was mainly owned by Björgólfur Guðmundsson and his son Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson...
acquired XL Airways Germany and its French sister company, XL Airways France.
Fleet
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
cabin layout. Previously, the fleet had consisted of Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
airliners.
Incidents and accidents
On 27 November 2008, a leased Airbus A320Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
, which was to be returned to its owner Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
by XL Airways Germany, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
East of Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
during a pre-delivery test flight, resulting in the death of all seven people on board.