Air Alps

Establishment and first years

Air Alps was founded in 1998 by Air Engiadina (49%) and its Manager Dietmar Leitgeb (51%) as Air Alps Aviation Alpenländische Luftfahrt GmbH with head office in Igls/Innsbruck and was entering soon an agreement with the Dutch KLM. Therefore, the company used the brand name KLM Alps and participated at the frequent flyer program Flying Dutchman. The flight operation started in 1999 with the take over of two Dornier 328 as KLM- franchisee (KLM Alps) from Innsbruck respectively Salzburg to Amsterdam.

In 2000 three more Dornier 328 were added to the fleet and Air Alps was able to enlarge its network with connections Innsbruck – Vienna and Amsterdam – Linz, including a “Mini-hub” in Klagenfurt with new lines (always via Salzburg) to Hamburg, Cologne and Amsterdam. However the routes to Hamburg and Cologne were abandoned soon. In 2000 Air Alps operated a total number of 68 flights per week from Austria to Amsterdam. Furthermore, the head office was relocated from the airport to the city. The shares of Air Engiadina were taken over by Dietmar Leitgeb and the capital was increased to 2 Mio. Euro.

Starting from winter-flight-plan 2000/2001 a Codeshare-agreement was in force with Swissair (and later with its successor Swiss) on the new established route Klagenfurt-Zurich and the in 2001 added route Innsbruck – Zurich.

Early 2001 a new uniform was introduced and operation started on the routes Vienna – Stuttgart and as mentioned already Innsbruck – Zurich. In spring the same year the company was forced to register compensation due to an over-indebtedness of 34 Mio. Euro, the seventh biggest bankruptcy in the country The same year the stricken airline was taken over by an alliance of 28 South-Tyrolean industrialists around the ham-producer Franz Senfter (85% South-Tyrolean investors, 7% province South Tyrol, 7% state Tyrol) from Dietmar Leitgeb, who resigned from the post of CEO of Air Alps. It was followed by a capital increase to 7 Mio. Euro. The operative name KLM Alps was dropped and the operation resumed under the name Air Alps Aviation with a new Corporate Identity. The cooperation with Swissair/Swiss could not be maintained and Air Alps had to cease all flights to Zurich in autumn 2001.

In 2002 the former Manager of Alitalia and Alpi Eagles Dr. Aldo Bevilaqua was appointed as new CEO. The airline got a new strategic orientation with focus on Italy respectively South Tyrol. In the following a base was opened in Bozen including the stationing of an aircraft and the planned start of operation on routes to Cagliari, Olbia, Napeli and Lamezia Terme in cooperation with Alitalia. In summer 2002 a cooperation with Austrian Airlines was established on the route Vienna – Banja Luka and own routes from Vienna respectively München to Siena and Olbia were opened, followed by further connections from Rome to Stuttgart and Bern. By acquiring a sixth Dornier 328 the company was able to continue to enlarge its network and to open the routes from Parma to Rome and Olbia. In 2002 Air Alps was therefore operating two Dornier 328 from Innsbruck, two from Salzburg, one from Linz and one from Bozen.

In 2003 the airline introduced again a new uniform and acquired a seventh Dornier 328 (OE-LKG) which enforced the network further. A new base was established in Bern and operation started on the routes Bern – Amsterdam and in the summer to Elba (also from Zurich), followed by further routes from Stuttgart to Bologna and Lamezia Terme, from Bozen to Lamezia Terme and Bozen via Rome to Tortolì. The cooperation with Alitalia was further increased and it was planned to acquire five more Dornier 328-110 (two from former Minerva). However the cooperation with City Air on the route Berlin-Tegel – Linz – Salzburg had to be discontinued.

In 2003 followed a further capital increase this time to 16 Mio. Euro and in 2004 operation started on the route Bozen – Munich in cooperation with Lufthansa. During the year the operation on the route Bologna – Lamezia Terme had to be ceased, however it was planned to establish a base in Brescia.

The number of passengers had been increasing continuously from 72.000 in the beginning (1999) to 180.000 (2000), 190.000 (2001) and reached in 2004 the number of 400.000.

Development since 2009

On 4 June 2009 settlements proceedings over Air Alps started at the regional court of Innsbruck.^[1] In December the same year Air Alps was taken over by Welcome Air.^[2] With this transaction Welcome Air acquired 76% of Air Alps. The other 26% remained with the South Tyrolean entrepreneurs, the region Trentino-South Tyrol and the Südtiroler Transportstrukturen AG (STA).

Due to financial problems Air Alps ceased all flight operation on 13 January 2012 until further notice.^[3] Welcome Air arranged the relocation of the complete Air Alps fleet to Innsbruck. The flight operation was discontinued due to “operational reasons” – including all flights for Bozen, Rome, Milano, Parma and Salerno.^[4] On 1 February the flight operation resumed, however for the time being without cooperation with Alitalia and only from Bozen to airport Rome-Fiumicino.^[5] But this route was cancelled again and Air Alps then implemented only single charter flights. In June 2013 the airline ceased its flight operations again and the aircraft were immobilized in Innsbruck.^[6]

On 20 August 2013 the owners decided to liquidate the airline.^[7] Prior to this decision the search for investors was unsuccessful.^[8] End October 2013 in course of liquidation the company dismissed the majority of its employees.^[9]

In November 2013 a group of investors expressed its interest in a take-over of Air Alps and the continuation of the company.

In connection with the planned take-over by the group of investors the first aircraft started on 3 February 2014 after almost one year of ceased operation for an inaugural flight from Bremen to Zurich

Due to the collapse of the take-over negotiations the airline ceased the scheduled flights on 28 February 2014 again.

In October 2014 the company shares of “Welcome Air” equivalent to 76% of Air Alps were acquired by an investor. In November 2014 the investor reversed the liquidation of Air Alps.

Currently Air Alps undergoes a restructuring process with expected changes of the business model and new-orientation on the market.

Codesharing

Air Alps had Codeshare-Agreement with Alitalia and Austrian Airlines, in the past also with KLM, Swissair, Swiss International Air Lines and City Air.