Lalona Air: The next virtual air number?

Visualization of a Lalona Air ATR72-500 (Photo: Lalona Air).
Visualization of a Lalona Air ATR72-500 (Photo: Lalona Air).

Lalona Air: The next virtual air number?

Visualization of a Lalona Air ATR72-500 (Photo: Lalona Air).
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Lalona Air, which is currently being established, is scheduled to take off from Düsseldorf for the first time on January 15, 2022. According to their own statements, the Danish Air Alsie could be won as a flight partner. Domestic and foreign destinations are to be flown to with a 60-seat ATR72-500.

It is actually a well-known game. A company that is often newly founded sees a market for itself and then wants to offer appropriate flights. However, since you do not have an AOC (Air Operator Certificate), you have to find a partner who then has the appropriate certificates and aircraft. So even though you are not legally an airline, you still call yourself one. This is also the case with Lalona Air.

Ticket sales for various routes on www.lalona-air.de are to be launched in just one month. So far, Friedrichshafen and Klagenfurt have leaked the first two destinations. Lalona Air would like to position itself in the business sector, which also appears possible in view of an ATR60 only equipped with 72 seats. The company's website uses the phrase “Business Airline for Special Needs” to be advertised. You get even more specific on social media. The sales manager, Sean Niefer, says: “Lalona Air is an airline for business travelers without compromise”. Marvin Augustiniak, the managing director says: “We will establish a new way of business travel in Germany”. Strong words from people unknown in the industry.

And Lalona Air actually wants to do a lot differently and thus attract business passengers. According to a press release, passengers will be able to enjoy a shuttle service to Düsseldorf Airport. They also want to make themselves attractive with free meals on board, baggage allowance and access to a lounge. But at what price? Lalona Air mentions in the same press release that the average price should be 225 euros.

Aviation.direct did the math. At full capacity, Lalona Air can earn 13.500 euros. A large part of this, however, will receive Air Alsie commissioned for flight operations. The remaining services (shuttle service, catering, lounge, taxes or fees) must then be paid for. But not everything is paid for with that. Wages and salaries, office rent, electricity, insurance, office supplies, advertising costs, booking platform, and much more. We leave it up to you, dear readers, to decide whether this is worthwhile.

Düsseldorf Airport mentions on its website that 150 destinations can be reached from there - many of which are within the range of an ATR72. So does the fourth largest German airport need more routes? The writer doubts that Düsseldorf is the right basis for a new “airline”. Many routes are already occupied and you would have to fly in competition. Other virtual airlines in German-speaking countries have specialized in smaller local airports (e.g. Lübeck Air in Lübeck, flyBAIR in Bern, Rhein-Neckar Air in Mannheim). From there, the connection to the wide world is ensured and holiday transport is also offered. Lalona Air tries differently. But we doubt whether the flight to Klagenfurt represents a high-demand business connection. Are two weekly flights to Friedrichshafen enough to get business travelers on board? According to a statement by Wolfgang John (spokesman for Bodensee-Airport Friedrichshafen) to SWR Aktuell, there have been good discussions with Lalona Air. But before the airport decides whether Lalona Air will land there, they want to see a business plan. In other words, Bodensee-Airport Friedrichshafen is not 100% convinced of the virtual airline. In addition, you are still not entered in the company register, although allegedly you have already hired twenty employees.

So there could be a lot to suggest that Lalona Air will be the next air number. Aviation.direct will monitor and accompany the implementation and future of Lalona Air.

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Editor of this article:

Stefan Steiner previously worked for an airline and has been part of the Aviation.Direct editorial team since August 2021.
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Stefan Steiner previously worked for an airline and has been part of the Aviation.Direct editorial team since August 2021.
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Nobody likes paywalls
- not even Aviation.Direct!

Information should be free for everyone, but good journalism costs a lot of money.

If you enjoyed this article, you can check Aviation.Direct voluntary for a cup of coffee Coffee trail (for them it's free to use).

In doing so, you support the journalistic work of our independent specialist portal for aviation, travel and tourism with a focus on the DA-CH region voluntarily without a paywall requirement.

If you did not like the article, we look forward to your constructive criticism and / or your suggestions for improvement, either directly to the editor or to the team at with this link or alternatively via the comments.

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