Helgoland flight connections suspended due to regulations

The startup Air Taxi Express has suspended its flight connections to the German island of Helgoland due to regulatory constraints. The company had previously offered services from locations including Hamburg, Bremen, Münster, and St. Michaelisdonn.

The cessation stems from specific requirements at the Helgoland-Düne airport (EDXH). According to aviation information, commercial passenger flights at this airfield are restricted to aircraft with at least two engines. Air Taxi Express had been utilizing ultralight aircraft, such as the Tecnam P92 Echo MkII, which only possess a single engine.

This regulatory hurdle follows the departure of the previous carrier, OFD Ostfriesischer Flug-Dienst, which ceased operations due to fleet issues. The loss of regular flight connections coincides with a decline in tourism on the island, which saw visitor numbers drop to approximately 290,000 in 2025.