The European Union has banned Southwind Airlines from operating in its airspace after an investigation by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) concluded that Russian shareholders hold a substantial controlling interest in the airline.
Southwind Airlines, which is incorporated in Turkey, was created in April 2022 shortly after the EU banned Russian airlines from its airspace following the invasion of Ukraine.
The stated goal of the airline is to keep Russian tourists flying to the resort towns on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, although services to destinations in Germany and other EU cities began shortly after its launch.
As of April 2024, Southwind Airlines operates a fleet of 12 aircraft, with a mix of Airbus and Boeing types, both narrowbodies and widebodies (three A321s, two A330s, three B737 MAX 8 and four B777s).
Southwind Airlines is linked to Pegas Touristik, a Turkish tour operator which also managed Nordwind Airlines, a charter Russian airline.
The Finnish investigation was launched as a result of Southwind’s application to operate flights between Helsinki and Turkey. These plans will now have to be abandoned.