Lego closes its aviation unit: the end of a story from 1961

Kirkbi A/S, the family investment group and majority shareholder of the Lego Group, shut down its corporate aviation unit. According to Danish media, the corporate business jet operation was closed by 28 February 2025.

The company was direct about it: a sharp fall in demand for corporate aircraft in recent years, combined with greater focus on sustainability and CO2 reduction. This was not financial distress — the tool simply stopped matching the company's needs and policy.

In 1961 Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, son of the founder, bought land north of the Lego factory and built a private runway with a hangar to fly staff and partners. In 1964 it opened as a public airport — today it is Billund international airport, the second largest in Denmark.

No. Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk did the same earlier, and in 2025–2026 flight departments were closed by the American companies CSX, Steelcase and VF Corporation. The motives are similar: new leadership, cost-cutting programmes, environmental reporting.

First, falling utilisation: when the aircraft flies less, fixed costs for crew, hangar and maintenance spread over fewer hours and the hourly cost rises. Second, environmental reporting. Third, a change of leadership prompting a review of non-core spending. Giving up an aircraft rarely means giving up private flying — companies usually move to charter or jet cards.

The standard path takes 6–10 weeks. Step 1: a letter of intent (LOI) with price and terms — 3–5 days. Step 2: a 5–10% deposit into escrow and signing of the purchase agreement. Step 3: a pre-purchase inspection — 1–3 weeks. Step 4: rectification of findings and price adjustment. Step 5: closing — simultaneous transfer of funds, title and risk, technical acceptance and ferry of the aircraft.

A pre-purchase inspection (PPI) is an independent check at a certified centre: airframe, engines, corrosion, records and compliance with airworthiness directives. It takes from 3 days on a turboprop to 2–3 weeks on a heavy jet and costs $15–100K — paid by the buyer. By market practice the seller pays to rectify airworthiness-affecting defects. A seller refusing a PPI is grounds to walk away.

The import budget depends on jurisdiction. In the EU the main items are any customs duty (most business-jet codes carry reduced or zero rates) and import VAT, which varies by country of entry (for example 19–22% in much of Europe). Registration in Aruba, San Marino or the Isle of Man under operation outside the EU allows a temporary-admission regime. We produce an exact calculation before the LOI is signed — an error here costs millions.

The standard is 24–48 hours before departure: that is enough to confirm the aircraft, crew and slots. For regular clients we arrange a domestic flight from 4–6 hours. International routes need 48–72 hours: overflight permits for some countries take 3–5 working days. On peak dates — Christmas, summer holidays, major forums — aircraft are booked out 2–3 weeks ahead, so plan early.

An empty leg is the ferry of an empty aircraft to its next job or home to base. Such segments sell at a 30–75% discount to the usual price: a flight that would cost $25K can come to $8–12K. The limits: the date and route are fixed to the aircraft's schedule, and if the main booking is cancelled the flight may shift. We publish current empty legs weekly — watch the listings.