The Sion court has declared Air Mountain Compagnie d'Aviation SA bankrupt, effective May 27, 2026, according to official documents from the Swiss registry. The company is now in liquidation, marking the end of a small but high-yield carrier that operated seasonal leisure flights from Sion, Saint-Tropez, and La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Fleet Grounding and Capacity Loss
Air Mountain operated two eight-seat Beechcraft King Air B200s, with build years 1977 and 1979. Both aircraft were grounded as of June 29, according to ch-aviation data. The grounding wiped out more than 30 weekly flights, representing over 240 one-way seats each week. The fleet concentration was a critical vulnerability: one plane (HB-GJM) had an extended grounding for maintenance in 2025, and the other (HB-GJI) has been parked at Teuge in the Netherlands since November 12.
Financial and Operational Strain
The airline's finances deteriorated significantly in 2025 when HB-GJM was stuck on the ground for over three months with expensive repairs. Despite flying again in May up to the bankruptcy ruling, the capacity loss proved fatal. Air Mountain's summer schedule listed adult return fares between CHF 965 and CHF 1,459, positioning it firmly in a high-yield niche. However, with only two aircraft, yield alone could not sustain operations when one plane went into maintenance and the backup was unavailable.
Regulatory and Legal Actions
The Swiss official gazette reported the bankruptcy filing on June 2, and the company's name changed to Air Mountain Compagnie d'Aviation SA en liquidation. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation removed Air Mountain from the list of Swiss AOC holders on June 10. Director Raphaël Délèze told Swiss broadcaster RTS that the airline may appeal and expects to resume flying, calling the timing unfortunate with the summer season just beginning and tickets already sold.
Impact on Tour Operators and Passengers
VT Vacances reported that several hundred customers were affected by the grounding of flights from La Chaux-de-Fonds. Co-director Stéphane Jayet said 95% of those bookings were made through Swiss Travel Federation agencies, ensuring clients would receive follow-up, support, and alternative proposals. VT Vacances had been operating four weekly flights to Corsica and Sardinia using eight-seat planes. The tour operator offered travelers the option to switch to departures from Bern, Basel, or Geneva with financial compensation, or receive a full refund.
Market Implications
For investors, the Air Mountain collapse underscores counterparty risk in small, seasonal lift operations. The loss of over 30 weekly flights from Swiss airports affects not only passengers but also airports and service providers. Les Eplatures airport director Raphaël Boichat noted that landing fees have been lost, though the full financial impact remains difficult to quantify. The broader Swiss aviation market, including carriers like EasyJet Switzerland, Edelweiss Air, Helvetic Airways, and Swiss International Air Lines, remains unaffected, but the incident highlights the fragility of niche operators with limited fleet diversity.