AirExplore (ED, Bratislava) has been granted a tentative and conditional US Foreign Air Carrier Permit (FACP) and an exemption nearly nine years after the airline filed its application in October 2015. The permit will be restricted until Slovakia obtains an FAA IASA Category 1 assessment.

Until the country is audited by the FAA, AirExplore will only be able to serve the US through wet-lease arrangements with duly certified carriers from Category 1 countries. The airline voluntarily offered to "accept economic authority limited to use of the services of duly authorized air carriers or foreign air carriers under wet lease arrangements" until Slovakia is audited.

The Slovak Transport Authority did not respond to ch-aviation's request for comment regarding the country's plans to compete the FAA audit.

AirExplore initially applied for an FACP in 2015 but the US Department of Transportation took no action until 2024. In April 2024, following its acquisition by Avia Solutions Group, AirExplore resubmitted the application, asking for limited authority until the FAA IASA audit is completed.

The Slovak ACMI/charter specialist operates nine B737-800s, four B737-800(BCF)s, and four B737-800(SF)s.