25 new airlines have launched globally since the pandemic rocked the industry in 2020 — see the list

Not all of the new airlines are traditional upstarts. Some are reboots, rebirths, and brand extensions. But nearly all bring a new name and livery into the marketplace.

A few airline upstarts have already failed – like Brazil’s ITA and Aha in the US.

Determined to never let a crisis go to waste, airline entrepreneurs sensing industry fear and dread have seized on the opportunity to take advantage of the worst crisis in commercial aviation history. Here are 25 airline upstarts that have launched around the globe since 2020.

North America

Wizz Air Malta is the latest entry in the Hungarian budget carrier’s ambitious expansion plan across Europe. Wizz plans to have nearly 80 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft assigned to the new Maltese entity by Summer 2023.

Source: Wizz

Lift, which launched in December 2020, flies to South Africa’s three most populous cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. The new carrier was started in 90 days by co-founders Gidon Novick, the former CEO of South Africa’s Kulula low-cost airline, and Jonathan Ayache, an Uber operations chief in Africa.

Source: Reuters