The airline was established and started operations in 1996 as a joint-stock air company using a Tupolev Tu-134A. In 1995 Aurela Airlines became the first private aviation company in Lithuania.
In 1996 the company acquired a VIP configured aircraft, a TU-134A for charter flights.
In 2001 an eight-seater business class plane, Hawker HS-125-700, was purchased for VIP flights. Further demand on the market for chartered flights allowed the Company to take a loan on a newer and more economical YAK-42D containing 120 seats.
In 2003 as the number of charter flights increased, the Company rented out another YAK-42D.
In 2005 as soon as the EU had tightened its position in respects to the use of Russian aircraft, the company updated its fleet by acquiring western manufactured planes. In December, upon expiration of the rent agreement, the remaining YAK-42D was returned to the lessor.
In July 2006 a second Boeing 737-300 was rented out. In December the Company's shareholders purchased a brand new nine-seater plane, a Hawker 850XP for VIP charter flights. That same year the key client for chartered flights had become Novaturas Travel Company.
In spring 2009 Aurela announced plans to expand its aircraft fleet by acquiring a Boeing 767-200. Aurela have signed a three-year contract with Thomas Cook airlines to provide them with Boeing 757-200 aircraft for summer months at its UK bases, and provides a charter service for Small Planet Airlines to Samos island and Limnos. In 2012, Aurela began to operate several routes for Monarch Airlines due to Monarch opening new routes and not having sufficient fleet. Routes such as Birmingham to Málaga. Monarch ceased their partnership with Aurela in September 2012 due to extensive delays, customer complaints and an Aurela aircraft skidding off the runway at Birmingham Airport. On 18 February 2013, the decision was taken by the Lithuanian CAA to suspend the licence of Aurela.
Services
The core activities were:
Regular charter Flights - one of the key operational activities by Aurela was travel agencies chartered flights to different resorts in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Individual charter Flights - Aurela Airlines organizes individual or so-called exclusive charter flights.
ACMI Lease - Aurela provided aircraft with all maintenance and crew including engineers to a lessee. In 2006 Aurela had a successful cooperation with Estonian Air. One of the aircraft was leased to the Estonian company for three and a half months. Airlines such as airBaltic, Small Planet Airlines and Star1 Airlines also hired the service, when necessary.
VIP Flights - Aurela was the only aviation company in Lithuania operating a commercial category, VIP class aircraft.
