Air Nostrum Group doubles reservation order for Airlander 10 aircraft

Under the initial agreement, announced in June 2022, Air Nostrum Group had reserved 10 Airlander 10 aircraft, with a 100-passenger configuration. Under the new agreement, Air Nostrum Group has reserved a further 10 Airlander aircraft to underpin expansion of the Airlander network from Spain into the Mediterranean region, including Malta.

With the first Airlander 10 services planned within five years, additional potential route networks for Airlander aircraft were recently presented by leaders from Mel Air - part of the Air Nostrum Group - and Hybrid Air Vehicles to Transport Malta. Discussions included the advantages of Airlander’s potential land and water-based operations for routes including Malta-Gozo, Malta-Sicily, and other links with Italy, Tunisia, and Libya.

In a statement, Miguel Ángel Falcón, chairman of Mel Air and Vice President of Air Nostrum, said: “There are many factors that motivate us in flying Airlander, including a very low fuel consumption, bringing great ecological and economic benefits; the high operational versatility of being able to take-off and land on land and water; the family concept offering from 10 to 50 tonnes of payload starting with 100 passengers on the Airlander 10, all in an environment of great passenger comfort. These are just some critical factors that make the Airlander an excellent aircraft for regional flights.”

Air Nostrum has also become the first commercial airline partner in the Airlander 50 Development Partner Programme, which enables partners and future Airlander 50 customers to influence and enhance Hybrid Air Vehicles’ Airlander 50 specification. Airlander 50 is designed to accommodate a 50-tonne payload of cargo or people point-to-point with minimal infrastructure.

Tom Grundy, CEO of Hybrid Air Vehicles, said: “Our growing partnership with Air Nostrum Group continues to demonstrate leadership towards the future of flight, and revolutionising how we fly. Airlander is designed to deliver a better future for commercially appealing and truly sustainable aviation services, by enabling new transport services and better growth options for our customers. Airlander 10 will make this possible by 2027, and Airlander 50 will build on it.”