India’s Dove Airlines Enters Voluntary Liquidation After Years Inactive

India-based private jet charter operator Dove Airlines has entered voluntary liquidation, marking the formal end of an airline that has remained inactive for several years. The liquidation process commenced on January 5, according to filings related to the company’s winding-up proceedings.

Dove Airlines was incorporated in 2006 and received its non-scheduled operator’s permit (NSOP) on June 8, 2007, under permit number 4/2007. At the time, the carrier was among a small group of Indian operators focused on business aviation and on-demand charter services, catering primarily to corporate and high-net-worth clients.

Operationally, Dove Airlines maintained a limited fleet throughout its existence. The airline operated a single 2005-built Cessna Citation Jet 2 business aircraft, registered as VT-DOV (msn 525A-0222). Configured with six passenger seats, the light jet entered service with the airline in 2007 and remained its sole aircraft until operations ceased in 2019.

Following Dove Airlines’ exit from active flying, the Citation Jet 2 was transferred and later joined the fleet of Pinnacle Air in 2022. Pinnacle Air operates from Indira Gandhi International Airport and remains active in India’s charter and business aviation market, operating multiple aircraft types across domestic and regional routes.

The voluntary liquidation reflects the prolonged dormancy of Dove Airlines, which had not resumed commercial operations in recent years amid a challenging environment for smaller charter operators in India. The country’s business aviation sector has faced regulatory complexity, high operating costs, and limited scale for single-aircraft operators, leading to consolidation and market exits over the past decade.

As part of the liquidation process, Dove Airlines has invited its stakeholders and financial creditors to submit claims by February 4. The claims process will determine the settlement of outstanding liabilities before the company is formally dissolved.

While Dove Airlines’ operational footprint was modest, its closure underscores the structural pressures facing India’s non-scheduled airline segment, particularly for operators without fleet depth or diversified revenue streams. In contrast, larger charter and fractional operators with multiple aircraft and corporate contracts have been better positioned to withstand market volatility.

The liquidation formally closes a chapter for Dove Airlines, which once participated in India’s early expansion of private jet charter services but was unable to sustain long-term operations in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive sector.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com