Scottish airline Ecojet Airlines has entered voluntary liquidation following a failed bid to raise £20million, with planned all-electric flights never taking off
(Image: EcoJet)
A British airline has collapsed into liquidation following a reported attempt to raise £20million.
Scottish company Ecojet Airlines had been promoted as the world’s first all-electric airline, founded in 2023 by businessman Dale Vince, a well-known Labour donor and owner of Forest Green Rovers football club.
The airline had ambitious plans for long-haul flights and European routes, with an initial service between Edinburgh and Southampton pencilled in.
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However, a petition was brought to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for the business to be wound up and joint interim liquidators appointed, according to documents from the end of January.
At the time of the launch, Mr Vince declared: “This is a vital frontier in the move to net zero, green living, whatever you choose to call it – and it’s absolutely doable. It’s a matter of when, not if.”
The Herald reports that Paul Dounis and Mark Harper, of Opus Restructuring, were named as provisional liquidators. Opus confirmed the move followed a “voluntary liquidation initiated by the company’s board”, reports the Mirror.
It added: “Ecojet was a start-up business and has no material assets. The members have elected to fund the liquidation process to ensure that the company’s employees receive their full statutory entitlements.”
Ecotricity had proclaimed on its website at the time of the launch: “The move marks the beginning of an aviation revolution by making net-zero, emission-free air travel possible for the first time.
“Ecojet’s fleet will comprise conventional planes retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains. Once converted, the aircraft will operate with the same power output as before, but with a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions.
“The decision to repurpose old planes rather than build new models from scratch will save 90,000 tonnes of carbon per year. The only byproduct will be water, which can be captured and released into the lower atmosphere to avoid the harmful effects of contrails.”
