Montenegro Airlines
Montenegro · MONTAIR · Active
Airline Identity
History
Montenegro Airlines was established by the Montenegrin government on 24 October 1994 and began commercial flights in 1997 with an inaugural route between Podgorica and Bari, Italy. It grew its fleet from a single Fokker 28 to Fokker 100s and later Embraer E-Jets, joined IATA in 2000, and served as Montenegro's flag carrier for over two decades, connecting Podgorica and Tivat to destinations across Europe. Persistent mismanagement and mounting debt left the airline financially fragile well before the pandemic, and the collapse in air travel during 2020 pushed it into liquidation.
Current Operations
Montenegro Airlines no longer operates: the state-owned carrier was liquidated on 26 December 2020 after years of accumulating losses were compounded by the collapse in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Montenegrin government launched a new flag carrier, initially branded "To Montenegro" and then renamed Air Montenegro in April 2021, which started flying with two former Montenegro Airlines Embraer E195 jets from Podgorica. Air Montenegro is the country's current flag carrier but is a separate corporate entity from Montenegro Airlines and has itself reported ongoing financial losses in the years since launch.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.