Valletta Airlines, a new airline which is set to launch this year, recently announced that it has been issued an Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

The airline will focus on global charter and ACMI markets, also known as wet lease markets, where a lessor provides an aircraft with crew, maintenance, and insurance. The airline, which will target Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Asia, had described the AOC issue as “one of its biggest milestones so far”. The Airbus A320-200 which it is set to start operations with, was transferred from Lithuanian charter airline Heston Airlines, which has been contracted to provide supporting services to the new airline.

But who is behind Valletta Airlines?

The airline was created by Air Valletta Group Ltd, a company that is registered in Malta. According to the Malta Business Registry (MBR), it is fully owned by Heston Services Ltd, a Cypriot firm which is operated by Heston Aviation Group.

Information on the group’s website shows that it is also comprised of Heston MRO, which is based in Australia and Europe, Heston Aviation DAC, based in Ireland, and the aforementioned Heston Airlines.

Additionally, the MBR lists Heston Airlines Chief Operating Officer Gediminas Smilgevicius and CEO Jonas Rinkauskas as Air Valletta Group’s Directors. The pair have been a part of Heston Airlines since 2020, and have a wide range of aviation experience from a number of firms. They previously also worked together at Lithuania's GetJet Airlines, where Mr Smilgevicius served as Chief Operating Officer, while Mr Rinkauskas was Chief Commercial Officer.

Heston Airlines is a European carrier that is headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, and is focused on aviation assets leasing, trading, maintenance, repair and overhaul. It provides short and long-term aircraft wet lease services, full charter programmes for airlines and tour operators, ad-hoc flights, and also special cargo projects.