Level Europe

Last updated

Level Europe GmbH
Level.svg
IATA ICAO Callsign
VKFOOAUSTROJET
FoundedNovember 2017
Commenced operations17 July 2018
Ceased operations18 June 2020
Operating bases
Fleet size6
Destinations18
Parent company Vueling

Level Europe GmbH was an Austrian airline owned by Vueling, and by extension the International Airlines Group (IAG). It operated short-haul flights within Europe from bases at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Vienna International Airport sharing the Level's brand, but at the same time, being completely different airlines. The airline's first flight took place on 17 July 2018. [1] [2] The airline filed for insolvency on 18 June 2020, and ceased operations on the same day. [3]

Contents

History

Level Europe's previous logo as Anisec Luftfahrt GmbH. Anisec Luftfahrt logo.png
Level Europe's previous logo as Anisec Luftfahrt GmbH.

The airline was founded as Anisec Luftfahrt in November 2017 as a subsidiary of Spanish airline Vueling, [2] originally with intended plans to operate flights from Vienna International Airport under the "Vueling Austria" brand if IAG was successful in acquiring defunct airline Niki and its assets. [4] [5] On 28 June 2018, IAG announced that the subsidiary would operate four Airbus A321 aircraft previously used by Air Berlin under the Level brand, as opposed to the "Vueling Austria" brand as first planned, and would later launch 14 destinations from Vienna from 17 July 2018 through 13 August 2018. [4] [6]

On 14 March 2019, IAG announced plans to use the airline to open a new base at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol beginning from 6 April 2019, with seven routes and three Airbus A320 aircraft to be transferred from Vueling, its parent company, between March and August 2019. [7] In late December 2019, the airline's name was changed from Anisec Luftfahrt to Level Europe. [8]

In March 2020, Level Europe's fleet was grounded and its operations were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on air travel demand. Before operations were able to resume, the airline announced on 18 June 2020 that it would cease business operations with immediate effect and enter insolvency. [3] [9]

Destinations

At the time of the airline's closure, it operated to 18 destinations on behalf of the Level brand.

Fleet

Level Europe Airbus A321-200 Airbus A321-200 OE-LCF - Level Austria (Anisec Luftfahrt).jpg
Level Europe Airbus A321-200

At the time Level Europe ceased operations in June 2020, its fleet consisted of the following aircraft: [10]

Level Europe Fleet
AircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersNotes
Airbus A320-200 2—180
Airbus A321-200 4—210
Total6—

    Frequent-flyer program

    Short-haul flights operated by Level Europe did not earn Avios points on any frequent-flyer program affiliated with IAG's airlines.

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    References

    1. ↑ Gruber, Jan (27 June 2018). "Anisec wird Grundlage für Level-Flüge" [Anisec becomes the basis for Level flights]. Austrian Aviation Net (in German). Retrieved 23 July 2018.
    2. 1 2 "LEVEL geht auf die Kurzstrecke" [LEVEL goes on the short haul]. aero.de (in German). 29 June 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
    3. 1 2 "Level Europe (In Administration) ('The Company' or 'Level Europe')" (Press release). 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
    4. 1 2 Casey, David (28 June 2018). "Vienna calling for LEVEL as IAG plots Austrian assault". Routesonline. UBM (UK) Ltd. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
    5. ↑ Hofmann, Kurt (3 July 2018). "IAG's Austrian-based Level increases LCC competition in Vienna". ATWOnline. Air Transport World. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
    6. ↑ "IAG Launches New Austrian Subsidiary" (Press release). International Airlines Group. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
    7. ↑ Steuer, René (14 March 2019). "Amsterdam: Anisec startet Level-Basis am 6. April 2019" [Level confirm Amsterdam shorthaul operation from April 2019]. Austrian Aviation Net (in German). CUBO MEDIA. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
    8. ↑ Gruber, Jan (21 December 2019). "Amsterdam: Anisec Luftfahrt GmbH ist jetzt Level Europe GmbH" [Anisec Luftfahrt GmbH is now Level Europe GmbH]. Austrian Aviation Net (in German). CUBO MEDIA. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
    9. ↑ Gruber, Jan (18 June 2020). "Level Europe meldet Insolvenz an" [Level Europe files for bankruptcy]. Austrian Aviation Net (in German). CUBO MEDIA. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
    10. ↑ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World: 5. October 2019.

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