If an airline does not voluntarily file for bankruptcy, it may lose its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) due to its financial condition.
In the US, a certificate allowing an airline to sell and operate flights is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the holder must prove that it has the necessary aircraft, personnel, security systems and financial resources to operate a functional airline over time.
Most recently, charter airline Tailwind Air lost its AOC in January 2025 after struggling to bring in the necessary traffic on routes between northeastern cities such as New York and Boston.
Houston-based charter airline StarFlight Aviation was taken down by regulators after the company’s owners allegedly falsified pilots’ flight records to bypass safety checks.
In December 2025, charter carrier H-Bird lost its AOC when Swedish aviation regulatory body TransportStyrelsen revoked it due to the airline’s poor financial condition.
Now a local judge has officially declared the airline bankrupt, ch-Aviation reported. Founded in 1991 outside Stockholm, H-Bird has, for more than three decades, operated corporate, charter, and ambulance flights to Sweden and nearby Nordic cities using a fleet of Cessna aircraft.
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With very few details of the private company’s financial position being made public, H-Bird has likely struggled to cover higher aviation costs in order to book the flights needed to attract high-spending passengers.
After losing its AOC, the airline has not operated any flights since January 2026. It is unclear whether the airline will be given time to find investors and restructure or go straight into liquidation. Unless it eventually regains its license, it will be unable to fly in the foreseeable future.
“Our planes take up to eight passengers and offer personal service and first-class meals on board,” H-Bird currently writes in the original Swedish on its website. “With easily accessible bases in Bromma, Norrköping, and Oslo, we fly all over the Nordic region and Europe. We offer door-to-door transportation, and our experienced pilots fly you wherever you want.”
