VLM Airlines (Brussels) (Brussels National) filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday, December 18, with a Brussels Commercial Court having since designated three administrators to oversee proceedings.

According to an airline statement issued to the Belgian media, around 80 staff have since been let go.

"We did a good job in the summer, but we could not secure enough contracts to survive the winter," it said.

VLM Airlines (Brussels) was founded when Sino-Dutch firm SHS Aviation BV acquired Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium's operating licences back in 2017. It was then sold to a group of Dutch investors in February of this year. It had operated ACMI/charter operations. Its only aircraft, A321-200 OO-SBA (msn 2730), was returned to its lessor on December 8.

VLM Airlines (Brussels) was the last of the VLM-branded carriers to cease operations after SHS Aviation B.V.'s VLM Airlines (Antwerp) (Antwerp) and VLM Airlines (Slovenia) (Maribor) entered into liquidation in September and November respectively.