Overview
Helios Airways was a Cypriot low-cost charter airline based at Larnaca International Airport. Established in 1998, it commenced commercial flight operations in May 2000, initially offering charter services and later expanding to include scheduled flights between Cyprus and various European destinations.History
Helios Airways was founded by the TEA (T.U.I. Airlines) Group. Its inaugural flight took place on May 15, 2000, operating a service to London Gatwick Airport. The airline primarily focused on providing flights to popular holiday destinations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other European countries, including Athens, Sofia, and Warsaw. Its operational fleet largely comprised Boeing 737 aircraft.Helios Airways Flight 522
The airline gained significant international attention on August 14, 2005, when Helios Airways Flight 522, a Boeing 737-300, crashed into a mountain north of Marathon, Greece. The aircraft was en route from Larnaca to Prague, with a scheduled stop in Athens. All 121 passengers and crew members on board perished. The subsequent investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the failure to re-set the cabin pressurization system to "auto" after maintenance, leading to a gradual loss of cabin pressure and the incapacitation of the pilots due to hypoxia. The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel and descended uncontrollably.Cessation of Operations
In the aftermath of the Flight 522 disaster, Helios Airways faced severe financial difficulties, a significant blow to its reputation, and heightened scrutiny from aviation regulatory bodies. In November 2006, the Cypriot government suspended the airline's operating license, resulting in the immediate grounding of its remaining aircraft. Helios Airways consequently ceased all operations. Though it was briefly rebranded as Ajet Airways, the successor airline also failed to recover public trust or financial stability and ultimately closed down. Helios Airways was officially liquidated in 2007.Fleet
At its operational peak, Helios Airways maintained a modest fleet, predominantly consisting of Boeing 737 series aircraft.Destinations
Helios Airways served a range of destinations primarily across Europe, which included:- Cyprus: Larnaca (main base), Paphos
- Greece: Athens, Heraklion, Rhodes, Thessaloniki
- United Kingdom: Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle
- Poland: Warsaw
- Bulgaria: Sofia