Italian startup airline Ego Airways, which launched operations less than a year ago, starts 2022 with neither a plane nor an operating license. 

The airline does not have operations permits as of January 4, 2022, according to the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, ENAC.  

Established in 2019, the airline launched flight operations in March 2021.  

It operated one Embraer E190 aircraft, leased from German Airways. However, in December 2021, the airline’s only aircraft was returned to the lessor.  

Earlier in January 2022, Russian aviation media reported that the airline was negotiating a potential lease of two regional Russian aircraft, the SSJ100. Ego Airways was reportedly in talks with SuperJet International, a company responsible for international sales of the Russian regional jet.