The Baltia website offers flight information, booking services and shows the airline's former jet.

Its website offers holiday packages, reservations and gives customers information about how to claim lost luggage.

There's only one catch, Baltia​ Air has never had a passenger. It probably never will.

The company has been registered for 27 years and owned one of the biggest jets in the world. But it never flew a passenger, sold a seat or delivered any cargo, Michigan Radio discovered. It was even forced to sell its only plane recently, the US station reported.

Founded in August 1989, the company's former director, Igor Dmitrowsky​, had planned to operate the first service between New York's JFK Airport, USA and Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia.

However, the airline never got off the ground and it continued to exist for years without making any revenue.

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SUPPLIED The airline planned to fly from New York's JFK airport but had to move its plane to a smaller airport.

Baltia​ purchased two Boeing 747 jumbo jets and the company continued to advertise getaways and its premium "Golden Rooster" service.

In reality, however, the company spent 27 years going from mishap to mishap.

In March this year, the USA Securities and Exchange Commission took action against Baltia​'s vice president of finance, Barry Clare.

In describing the airline, the commission said:

"Although Baltia has existed since 1989 - ostensibly for the purpose of flying commercial flights from New York City to St. Petersburg, Russia - it has never operated a commercial flight or otherwise generated any revenue."

Over its years of operation, Baltia​ ran up US$119 million (NZ$163 million) in debt.

To fund the business, the directors began selling shares on an American stock exchange called "the penny market".

The commission reported that they had raised more than US$26 million by doing so.

A video posted in 2014 showed the airline's only functioning plane, a Boeing 747, parked at an airshow in Michigan.

Before the Thunder Over Michigan air show was due to go ahead, Baltia issued a press release saying it was to sponsor the event.

The Jue 2014 release said Baltia would "become the leading U.S. airline in the trans-Atlantic market". However, a disclaimer at the end of the release also stated: "This service is subject to receipt of government operating authority."

According to Michigan Radio, Baltia representatives at the air show claimed operating approval was imminent. A look at the company's current website showed the same disclaimer used in 2014: "This service is subject to receipt of government operating authority."

The first Boeing 747 plane purchased by the airline was engine-less, the second (shown in the video) never gained approval to fly.

The airline was eventually forced to scale back and relocate to a small airport in Ypsilanti​, Michigan. The huge plane sat for years surrounded by small private jets and trainee aircraft. However the airline's headquarters continued to be John F. Kennedy International Airport, its website stated.

Ypsilanti Airport officials told Michigan Radio that Baltia​ employees had not been seen for months.