Céleste (Morlaix) - the French regional startup founded in 2021 but which never operated any commercial flights - has been placed into compulsory liquidation by the Brest Commercial Court, its president, Dominique Maguer, has confirmed to Agence France Presse (AFP).
ch-aviation has contacted Céleste for comment.
The company was placed into receivership (procédure de redressement judiciaire) on March 14, even before commencing commercial flights.
Despite substantial local support and financial backing from local municipalities, the nascent Breton airline struggled to secure adequate funding to meet regulatory requirements for an operating license from the French civil aviation authority (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile - DGAC).
After entering bankruptcy protection, it continued negotiations with financiers and commercial partners to reorganise its debt and continue its activities, but it was unable to launch before its liquidation was mandated on June 25.
Céleste received its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) a year ago. It secured EUR500,000 euros (USD 543,000) in startup support from the city of Brest and acquired its first CRJ1000ER in November, but its launch was repeatedly postponed due to delays in obtaining its operating license. By March, Céleste publicly expressed frustration over these regulatory delays, warning of potential job losses, halted economic growth, and a loss of local market share if it couldn't commence operations soon.
Céleste aimed to provide direct flights from Brest Bretagne to Paris Orly and Nice in line with European Union efforts to boost air connectivity and economic development in the northwest French peninsula.
