Interisland Airlines
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA defunct Philippine charter airline that operated domestic and international passenger and cargo services.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Interisland Airlines was a Philippine air-charter company that operated passenger and cargo services from its base at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Manila. The carrier was established in 1986 as Interisland Air Services Incorporated by Luke and Consuelo Helgen. It developed within the wider Interisland Resorts & Services organization, which supplied several early executives and administrative personnel, including Lydia Dizon as chief financial officer, Gloria Belen as trustee, and Marcelo Rivera as chief operating officer. The airline began as a small charter operator rather than as a conventional scheduled network carrier. Its initial equipment included two Bell 206 helicopters, identified as a LongRanger and a JetRanger, together with four private aircraft associated with Aero Commander, Cessna, Dassault, Bell, and Pilatus. This fleet allowed the business to support specialized charter activity for passengers and cargo. The company’s early model was therefore based on flexible, aircraft-specific assignments rather than on a broad timetable comparable with the Philippines’ major commercial airlines. A significant change came in 2004, when the company acquired two Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft and sold its helicopters. The transition from rotary-wing equipment and small private aircraft toward larger fixed-wing aircraft reflected an effort to expand its air-charter capabilities. In December of that year, the company adopted the Interisland Airlines name. Over time, its reported fleet included a mixture of Yakovlev Yak-40 and Yak-42D aircraft, Antonov cargo aircraft, and several turboprop or utility types, including the Dornier Do 28, Let L-410, NAMC YS-11, and Antonov An-26. Interisland’s Philippine activity included flights associated with Manila, Vigan, Boracay, Kalibo, Caticlan, Sibuyan, and Busuanga. It also had a reported international destination at Biak in Indonesia. Some destinations were later terminated, and the available route information describes the network at particular points in time rather than as a permanent scheduled system. The carrier’s operations combined passenger and cargo charter work and appear to have served tourism, regional connectivity, and special-purpose transportation requirements. The airline’s operating history was affected by two serious Yak-40 runway accidents in 2005 and 2006, neither of which caused fatalities. A more consequential event occurred on April 21, 2010, when an Antonov An-12BP cargo aircraft leased from Almaty Aviation crashed near Mexico, Pampanga, during a flight from Mactan–Cebu International Airport to Clark International Airport. Three of the six people aboard were killed. The aircraft had issued an emergency call concerning an onboard fire before impact. On March 30, 2010, Interisland Airlines was placed on the European Union list of air carriers subject to an operating ban. On April 23, 2010, the Philippine civil-aviation authority revoked the airline’s air operator’s certificate, two days after the fatal Antonov accident. These regulatory developments effectively prevented the carrier from continuing normal commercial operations. Available reference material states that the company had ceased operations by May 2017. Its former official Facebook page remained accessible after closure, but that does not indicate that the airline resumed service. Interisland Airlines is therefore best classified as a defunct Philippine charter carrier rather than an active scheduled airline.
History
Interisland Airlines originated in 1986 as Interisland Air Services Incorporated, a Philippine aviation business founded by Luke and Consuelo Helgen. It was associated with Interisland Resorts & Services, Inc., and the early organization included Lydia Dizon as chief financial officer, Gloria Belen as trustee, and Marcelo Rivera as chief operating officer. The company was based at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Manila. The business initially operated as an air-charter company. Its first equipment consisted of two Bell 206 helicopters, described as a LongRanger and a JetRanger, as well as four private aircraft connected with Aero Commander, Cessna, Dassault, Bell, and Pilatus. This equipment supported flexible charter work for passengers and cargo rather than a large scheduled-airline operation. In 2004, Interisland acquired two Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft and disposed of its helicopters. The change expanded the company’s fixed-wing charter capability. In December 2004, it adopted the Interisland Airlines name. The later fleet was mixed and included Yakovlev Yak-40 and Yak-42D aircraft, Antonov An-12BP and An-26 aircraft, a Dornier Do 28, a Let L-410, and a NAMC YS-11. The presence of both passenger-oriented aircraft and cargo types reflected the company’s dual passenger-and-freight charter role. The carrier served Philippine destinations including Manila, Vigan, Boracay, Kalibo, Caticlan, Sibuyan, and Busuanga at different times. Manila was identified as its hub. Sibuyan and Busuanga were reported as terminated destinations, while the other locations represented provincial or tourism-related links. Interisland also reported service to Biak in Indonesia, although that destination was likewise identified as terminated. The available route list should be read as a historical snapshot rather than evidence of a continuously operating scheduled network. Interisland experienced two serious but nonfatal Yak-40 accidents at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. On July 19, 2005, one aircraft touched down short of the runway after a flight from Manila and was damaged beyond economic repair. On November 2, 2006, another Yak-40 suffered a burst left-main-gear tire while landing and left the runway; it too was damaged beyond repair. No injuries were reported in either incident. The most serious event in the company’s history occurred on April 21, 2010. An Antonov An-12BP cargo aircraft leased from Almaty Aviation was flying from Mactan–Cebu International Airport to Clark International Airport when it crashed near Mexico, Pampanga. Flight control had received an emergency call about an onboard fire. The aircraft broke apart and caught fire after impact, killing three of the six occupants. Regulatory consequences followed in the same period. Interisland Airlines was added to the European list of banned air carriers on March 30, 2010. Its Philippine air operator’s certificate was revoked on April 23, 2010, two days after the fatal cargo accident. These actions curtailed the airline’s ability to operate. Reference material indicates that Interisland had closed its operations by May 2017. Although its former official Facebook page remained accessible, no evidence in the supplied material establishes a restart. The brand is consequently classified as defunct.
- 2017
Operations closed
[1]Available reference material records the company as having ceased operations by May 2017.
- 2010
European operating ban
[1]Interisland Airlines was added to the European list of banned air carriers on March 30.
- 2010
Fatal Antonov cargo accident
[1]An Antonov An-12BP operated on a cargo flight crashed near Mexico, Pampanga, killing three of six occupants.
- 2010
Air operator’s certificate revoked
[1]The airline’s air operator’s certificate was revoked on April 23, two days after the fatal accident.
- 2006
Second Yak-40 accident
[1]A Yak-40 suffered a burst tire while landing, left the runway, and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries.
- 2005
Yak-40 runway accident at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport
[1]A Yak-40 touched down short of the runway and was written off. No injuries were reported.
- 2004
Transition to larger fixed-wing charter aircraft
[1]The company acquired two Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft and sold its helicopters, marking a shift in fleet strategy.
- 2004
Adoption of the Interisland Airlines name
[1]The company rebranded under its current name in December.
- 1986
Company founded as Interisland Air Services Incorporated
[1]Luke and Consuelo Helgen established the Philippine charter aviation company, which began with helicopters and private aircraft.
Products and positioning
A flexible regional charter operator serving passenger and cargo requirements in the Philippines and selected international markets.
Air transportation · 1986
Passenger charter services
Interisland Airlines provided domestic passenger charter services from Manila to Philippine provincial and tourism destinations. Reported destinations included Vigan, Boracay, Kalibo, Caticlan, Sibuyan, and Busuanga at different times. The operation was charter-oriented rather than a large, continuously published scheduled network.
Air transportation · 1986
Cargo charter services
The airline also carried cargo on domestic and international charter missions. Its historical fleet included Antonov An-12BP and An-26 aircraft, giving the company access to larger cargo capacity than its initial helicopter and private-aircraft operation.
Air transportation
International charter services
Interisland reported international charter activity in addition to its Philippine operations. Biak, Indonesia, appeared in its historical destination list, although the route was later identified as terminated.
Brand decisions
2010
Air operator’s certificate revokedOtherBackground
The action followed the April 21 fatal crash of an Antonov An-12BP cargo aircraft near Mexico, Pampanga, and came after the airline had been placed on the European list of banned carriers.
Action taken
The Philippine civil-aviation authority revoked Interisland Airlines’ air operator’s certificate on April 23, 2010.
Aftermath
The revocation prevented the carrier from continuing its authorized air operations and preceded its eventual closure.
2004
Shift from helicopters to fixed-wing charter aircraftStrategyBackground
The company began with two Bell 206 helicopters and several private aircraft. In 2004 it acquired two Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft and sold its helicopters.
Action taken
Interisland moved toward larger fixed-wing aircraft and subsequently operated under the Interisland Airlines name.
Aftermath
The change supported a broader passenger and cargo charter profile, although the company remained a charter-focused operator.
Sources1 sources
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