The air operator’s certificate, commonly shortened to AOC, is the single most essential piece of documentation that commercial airlines all over the world need to sell flights to passengers or transport cargo. They also need it to conduct certain types of search and rescue or medical evacuation flights that fall under commercial flying (general aviation flights fall under different categories of regulation).
The AOC is handed out by the aviation regulatory agency in a given country — the Federal Aviation Authority in the U.S., Transport Canada in Canada, and the Civil Aviation Authority in the United Kingdom, among others.
The most common reasons for an airline to see is AOC suspended or revoked are either due to a failed safety audit or financial situation that puts its future viability and ability to continue operating into question.
In March 2026, Houston-based Starflite Aviation had its AOC license revoked by the FAA after an investigation into the owners falsifying pilot training records to bypass safety audits. The AOCs of Bahamian airline Flamingo Air and Peruvian airline Aerodiana are currently suspended temporarily amid investigations into fatal crashes earlier this month.
Eliance Aviation Global Services no longer has active AOC: Report
Dating back to 1958, Eliance Aviation Global Services is a Spanish specialized air transport company providing services such as aerial firefighting, helicopter medical evacuation, search and rescue and aeronautical aircraft maintenance.
The company operates a fleet of approximately 100 rotary helicopters like the Airbus H145 and H135 and fixed-wing planes while operating out of its base at Madrid–Cuatro Vientos Airport used for general aviation, flight training and various operations of the Spanish government and police.
Related: Another airline in bankruptcy, will be dissolved
Eliance Aviation is one of the largest private air rescue providers in Spain and employs approximately 550 people.
But according to a report by Swiss aviation news outlet ch-aviation, Eliance Aviation no longer has an active AOC which means that it is unable to run air rescue or any other types of flights ordered by clients.
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What is happening with Eliance Global Aviation Services rescue flights
More information on why the air company does not have an AOC, as well as whether it has been temporarily suspended or permanently revoked, is currently not available.
Past reporting showed that the air company has sought to refinance debt provided by majority backer Swiss Life Asset Management in 2025.
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Other air companies that shut down in 2026:
- Flamingo Air and Aerodiana: The regional airlines with large client bases among tourists to the Bahamas and Peru, respectively, currently have suspended AOCs after fatal accidents in their home countries in July 2026.
- Spirit Airlines: The largest airline shutdown of the year occurred when Spirit Airlines canceled all remaining flights on May 2. Although the airline had filed for Chapter 11 protection twice before, the skyrocketing price of jet fuel dealt the final blow.
- Magnicharters: While not yet fully shut down, the Mexican low-cost airline canceled all flights and filed for bankruptcy in a shutdown that left thousands stranded.
- Starflite Aviation: Houston-based Starflite Aviation had its AOC license revoked in March 2026, amid FAA claims that owners falsified pilot training records to bypass safety audits.
- AlpAvia: Slovenian charter airline AlpAvia also shut down in March 2026 over financial problems.
Related: Another airline shut down in bankruptcy, to liquidate
