VLM Airlines (Slovenia) (Maribor) is set to start flights between Belgium and the United Kingdom later this winter season in what has been seen as an homage to its namesake predecessor, VLM (1992) (Antwerp).
According to Belgian news portal aviation24, a preliminary winter 2017/18 schedule shows the Slovenian carrier is planning to offer Antwerp-London City return flights from October 28 onwards. The route's launch will follow Irish carrier CityJet's withdrawal from the market a day earlier.
Other VLM Slovenia routes listed include a service from Antwerp to Zurich. From its Slovenian hub of Maribor, VLM is also looking to serve Zurich as well as Belgrade Nikola Tesla.
Operations are on-board Fokker 50 equipment although the carrier has alluded to introducing its first jet equipment, A320-200s, later this quarter.
Dutch holding firm SHS Aviation B.V., which owns VLM Slovenia, is also in the process of establishing a similarly named and branded unit in Belgium - VLM Airlines (Antwerp) (Antwerp). As previously reported, the start-up is currently pursuing its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) with the Belgian Ministry of Mobility. It does, however, also have access to the license of Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium (Brussels National) which SHS acquired earlier this year as part of a buy-out of the carrier's overall shareholding.
