Sky Alps Europe, the Bratislava-based Slovak subsidiary of South Tyrolean regional carrier Sky Alps, has secured its air operator certificate (AOC), clearing a key regulatory requirement for independent operations. The new airline is preparing to begin flying with De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops, initially using two aircraft transferred from the parent group’s fleet.
The first aircraft registered to Sky Alps Europe is Dash 8-400 OM-TOM, previously operated by Sky Alps under the registration OE-IMQ. The 76-seat turboprop was registered in Slovakia in September, ahead of the subsidiary’s planned launch.
The AOC award came after the certification process ran beyond the originally expected September timetable. Sky Alps Europe had still been awaiting approval in mid-October, but the certificate has now been issued by the Slovak aviation authorities, aviation data provider CH-Aviation reported through aeroTELEGRAPH.
No date has been confirmed for the start of commercial operations, and the subsidiary has not disclosed its initial routes or operating schedule. A separate Slovak certificate could allow the Sky Alps group to deploy aircraft more flexibly in Central Europe and conduct operations independently of the Italian parent’s AOC.