Executives from Bern Airport are behind the plans for a new regional airline
There’s nothing unusual about an airline going under these days. In 2019, at least 17 airlines have gone bankrupt including India’s Jet Airways, British travel group Thomas Cook and Brazil’s Avianca. There’s also nothing unusual about established airlines moving in to fill the void left by the sudden collapse of a competing airline.
But when Swiss regional carrier SkyWork went bust last year, it left its former hub at Bern Airport without any regular scheduled flights. Airport bosses felt the country’s capital needed more than just a handful of charter and government flights, so they decided to try something different. Little more than one year after the last SkyWork flight, Bern Airport executives announced ambitious plans to crowdfund a replacement airline, FlyBair.
Crowdfunding campaign off to a flier
Since its launch on November 1, the crowdfunding campaign has raised just shy of $700,000 of its initial $1 million target, with 12 days still remaining. Following the first round of funding, the group will look to raise an additional $1.5 million.
A mock-up of potential FlyBair livery.
At a press conference to launch the campaign, Beat Brechbühl said that airport leaders had explored all conventional options to launch a Bern-based airline. After getting no joy, they decided upon a plan to launch a virtual airline and turn to local people and businesses for funding.
The crowdfunding is being managed on the FlyBair website, where the funding options are listed. As with most successful crowdfunding campaigns, there are different rewards offered for different financial levels of support. These range from a keychain for $29 up to shares in the company and four flights in the company’s first year for a $10,000 pledge. If anyone wants to stump up $500,000, the terminal at Bern Airport will be named one their honor.
A new virtual airline for Switzerland
The plan is for FlyBair not to own any aircraft. The new company will market flights and sell tickets, it turn to partners to handle operations. Swiss charter company Lions Air would be responsible for operations while planes would be leased from German Airways, the result of a recent brand merger between WDL Aviation and LGW. Bern Airport director Urs Ryf explained that such a structure would allow the airport to minimize costs and operate flights based on demand.
The planned FlyBair route map for summer 2020, should the funding plans be achieved.
Should funding be secured, FlyBair will offer routes to 10 European destinations from May 2020. It is hoped that links to hubs including Amsterdam or London would be established later that year.
Is a Bern-based airline viable?
While the goodwill and positive publicity should boost the airline’s chances in the first year, the problems facing Bern Airport go beyond the lack of an anchor airline. Switzerland is small and while Bern is the capital, there are three much bigger airports all within a two-hour rail journey. While Bern Airport’s compact size makes check-in and moving through the airport a breeze, getting to and from the airport from Bern itself can be a hassle.
Nevertheless, the regional tourism authority is understandably backing the proposal. Spokesperson Pascale Berclaz said the opening up of Bern Airport as an international air hub benefits the canton of Bern “in competitiveness, attractiveness, reputation and importance.”
