The string of small airlines filing for bankruptcy following the surge in jet fuel prices continues.

Along with the high-profile collapse of major low-cost airline Spirit Airlines, Mexican holiday carrier Magnicharters also filed for bankruptcy protection in Mexico City in May while British cargo airline European Cargo entered administration (the UK equivalent of bankruptcy) at the start of June.

Maeve Aerospace, a Netherlands-based hybrid-electric airplane developer that was once treated like a sustainable aviation wunderkind by investors, was also declared insolvent by a Dutch court at the start of June after failing to meet a €20 million funding round.

Air Mountain, charter airline that flew to the Alps, enters bankruptcy proceedings

The latest airline bankruptcy being reported by Swiss press is that of Air Mountain, a small airline operating charter flights into and out of The Alps.

First established out of Sion Airport (SIR) for the 2021 ski season, Air Mountain flew into the heart of the Valais mountains from cities such as Geneva, London, Rome and St. Tropez. The business model of serving wealthy travelers flying directly into The Alps helped carve out a niche market that was also naturally limited in scope.

Related: National airline cancels flights after bankruptcy filing

“Air Mountain SA is a Swiss aviation company based in Sion (SIR / LSGS) in the heart of the Valais mountains,” the airline writes on its website. “Aviation‚ like the mountains‚ is a fascinating and demanding environment‚ reason why the safety is central to the operations of Air Mountain SA. For our passengers we combine the best of both worlds: a special service with the regularity and reliability of an airline.”

Amid excessive debt, Air Mountain has been declared bankrupt by a local Sion court at the start of the week. With the airline’s accounts frozen and several planes seized, it was forced to cancel the approximately 30 flights taking off from Sion weekly throughout the summer.

Air Mountain operated charter flights to The Alps from several destinations.

The unfortunate situation that led Air Mountain to a delayed season, bankruptcy

Shutterstock Company director Raphaël Délèze said to outlet RTS that the airline already presented a restructuring plan but was hit by the bankruptcy at the worst possible time given that its debt accrued over a three-month plane grounding that delayed the start of the 2026 ski season.

He said that Air Mountain was hoping to make a dent in the debt in the current season, which now cannot start due to the bankruptcy order. Délèze further said that Air Mountain will try to appeal the decision; at the moment, those with booked travel will have to be issued refunds.

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Airlines that filed for bankruptcy in the first half of 2026:

  • Spirit Airlines: The largest airline shutdown of the year occurred when Spirit Airlines canceled all remaining flights on May 2. Although the airline had filed for Chapter 11 protection twice before, the skyrocketing price of jet fuel dealt the final blow to its operations.
  • Magnicharters: The Mexican low-cost airline canceled all of its flights until May 2026 in a shutdown that left thousands stranded.
  • Starflite Aviation: Houston-based Starflite Aviation had its AOC license revoked in March 2026, amid FAA claims that owners falsified pilot training records to bypass safety audits.
  • AlpAvia: Slovenian charter airline AlpAvia also shut down in March 2026 over financial problems.
  • H-Bird: Charter airline H-Bird was declared bankrupt by a Swedish judge after losing its operating license at the end of 2025.

More Travel News: Related: Another airline files for bankruptcy protection and cancels all flights