Wind Jet

{{short description|Low-cost airline}} {{Infobox Airline | airline = Wind Jet | logo = Windjet logo.png | logo_size = | image = EI-CUM in Amsterdam-Schiphol.jpg| | caption = Airbus A320-200 | IATA = IV | ICAO = JET | callsign= GHIBLI | founded = January 2003 | ceased = 11 August 2012 | headquarters = Catania | key_people = Antonino Pulvirenti (founder and president) | hubs = <div> *Catania </div> | bases = <div> * Palermo * Rimini</div> | fleet_size = 12 | destinations = 26 | website = www.volawindjet.it }}

'''Wind Jet S.p.A.''' was an Italian low-cost airline based in Catania, Italy.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20090402073345/http://w2.volawindjet.it/contattaci.aspx?lang=en Contact]." Wind Jet. 2 April 2009. Retrieved on 12 August 2012. "Windjet Spa Baglio della Sementa SP 69/II 95121 Passo Martino (CT)"</ref> It was founded in January 2003, following the disbandment of Air Sicilia by Antonino Pulvirenti, entrepreneur and for some years also owner of football team Calcio Catania. The registered office was in the city and the operational bases were at the airport of the same city and of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. It was 100% owned by the Finaria Group, Pulvirenti-owned holding. On 11 August 2012 the airline ceased operations until further notice due to financial troubles. At that time it was the third-largest Italian airline by passenger numbers, and operated national and European flights primarily from its most important hub, Catania.

== History ==

===Promising start=== The first flight, a Catania-Rome one, took place on June 18, 2003, with 142 passengers aboard an Airbus A320-200. By July, three of this medium-range, medium-capacity twin-engine aircraft were in service. The network's main hubs were Catania and Palermo, with direct flights to Rome, Milan, Forlì (an alternative to Bologna), and even Paris. After a year of operation, it had carried nearly one million passengers. In March 2006, a flight between Forlì and Moscow (Domodedovo Airport) was inaugurated. Two months later, a flight to Romania (Bucharest) was inaugurated as well. During the year, flights also began to Pisa, Verona, and, once again in Russia, St. Petersburg. Eleven A320s were in service. The company subsequently declared that 2.2 million passengers were carried in one year. In 2007, two Airbus A319-100s, purchased from Air France, were delivered and joined the 8 A320s already in service. The following year, with over 2.9 million passengers, Wind Jet became Italy's leading low-cost airline. In 2009, a new permanent operating base was opened at Forlì airport, but was moved to Rimini-Miramare airport two years later.

===Unexpected difficulties=== Difficulties emerged, however, because the company had grown, but beyond its means and capabilities. In January 2012, Alitalia-CAI declared its interest in a three-way merger, including Blue Panorama<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/alitalia-plans-merger-with-blue-panorama-and-wind-jet-367399/ Alitalia plans merger with Blue Panorama and Wind Jet] Flightglobal; retrieved on 26 January 2012.</ref>, but in April, Wind Jet revealed significant financial losses and temporarily laid off over 500 employees. The crisis was attributed to the unfavorable international economic situation, rising raw material costs, and several accidents and exceptional events, such as the purchase of the Wind Jet brand from parent company Meridi for €10 million. On 12 April, Alitalia-CAI chose to pursue the sole acquisition of Wind Jet with a cash payment of between 20 and 30 million €uros.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://borsaitaliana.it/borsa/notizie/mf-dow-jones/italia-dettaglio.html?newsId=978787&lang=it|title=Alitalia: si rafforza in low cost e aggancia Wind Jet (Mess)|date=April 12, 2012|publisher=Borsa Italiana|language=it|trans-title=Alitalia: strengthens in low cost and engages Wind Jet (Mess)|access-date=April 12, 2012}}</ref>

===Bankruptcy and closure=== By the end of July, the Italian antitrust authority granted Alitalia leave to acquire Wind Jet, but in return Alitalia would have to give up slots on key domestic routes. Faced with this, Alitalia cancelled the plans on August 10.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://volaspheric.blogspot.de/2012/08/alitalia-cancelled-wind-jet-acquisition.html |title=Alitalia cancelled Wind Jet acquisition |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-date=2013-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721182142/http://volaspheric.blogspot.de/2012/08/alitalia-cancelled-wind-jet-acquisition.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> ENAC (Italian civil aviation authority) sent Wind Jet a request for guarantees of solvency towards creditors and regularity of flight operations. The agency also asked to stop issuing tickets, a measure that WindJet adopted by closing its website. On August 11, all flights were suspended. Approximately 300,000 passengers with reservations were left high and dry. The Italian authorities tried to prompt Alitalia to acquire Wind Jet, but they did not succeed.<ref>volaspheric: [http://volaspheric.blogspot.de/2012/08/no-hopes-for-grounded-wind-jet.html No hopes for grounded Wind Jet]</ref>

On October 19, 2013, 92% of creditors voted to resume the company's operations. The agreement provided for the repayment of 48% of the debts to privileged creditors and 5% to all others. This agreement was made possible thanks to the intervention of president Pulvirenti, who provided the capital of the holding company he owned. In July 2015, the Catania prosecutor's office placed 14 people under investigation, including the company's top management, on charges of fraudulent bankruptcy. President Pulvirenti, along with CEO Stefano Rantuccio, were arrested on January 29, 2016, by the Guardia di Finanza (Italian tax & revenues Police) on orders from the Catania Court. They were accused of aggravating the airline's financial crisis by over €uros 160 million through fraudulent operations carried out starting in 2005.

==Fleet== [[File:Airbusa319-windjet-it.jpg|thumb|right|Airbus A319-100]]

[[File:Piaggio P.180 Avanti.jpg|thumb|right|Piaggio P.180]]

The Wind Jet fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of 23 May 2012):

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;" |+ Wind Jet fleet |- ! Aircraft ! In fleet ! Orders ! Seats ! Notes |- |Airbus A319-100 |align=center|5 |align=center|0 |align=center|140 |align=center| |- |Airbus A320-200 |align=center|7 |align=center|0 |align=center|180 |align=center| |- !Total !align=center|12 !align=center|0 ! ! |}

Under the brand, ''Wind Jet Platinum Line'', Wind Jet operated an air taxi service with two Piaggio P180 Avanti aircraft.

== Incidents and accidents ==

* {{anchor|Wind Jet Flight 243}}On 24 September 2010, Wind Jet Flight 243, operated by an Airbus A319-132, registration EI-EDM (ex. N501NK),<ref name=ASN240910>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100924-0 |title=EI-EDM Accident description |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=25 September 2010}}</ref> landed short of the runway at Punta Raisi Airport, Palermo, Italy after encountering a thunderstorm and windshear on approach. The approach was conducted at night.<ref name="BAAA"/> The aircraft was damaged beyond repair when it impacted the localiser—both main undercarriage sets collapsed and the aircraft was evacuated by the emergency slides.<ref name=AH4315b792>{{cite web|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=4315b792&opt=0 |title=Accident: Windjet A319 at Palermo on Sep 24th 2010, touched down short of runway |publisher=Aviation Herald |first=Simon |last=Hradecky |date=24 September 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010}}</ref> Around twenty passengers were injured,<ref name=ASN240910/> mostly sustaining minor cuts and bruises,<ref name="Repubblica7403869">{{cite web|url=http://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2010/09/24/news/airbus_fuori_pista_a_palermo-7403869/|title=Fuori pista Airbus della Wind Jet Feriti in modo lieve 20 passeggeri|date=24 September 2010|publisher=La Repubblica|language=it|trans-title=Wind Jet off-piste Airbus Slightly injured 20 passengers|access-date=27 September 2010}}</ref> whiplash, and shock.<ref name="Cronaca">{{cite web|url=http://www.cronacalive.it/incidente-aereo-palermo-airbus-wind-jet-fuori-pista-feriti-aeroporto-chiuso-video.html|title=Incidente aereo all’aeroporto Falcone e Borsellino di Palermo: Airbus Wind Jet va fuori pista, feriti|date=24 September 2010|publisher=Cronaca|language=it|trans-title=Plane crash at Falcone and Borsellino airport in Palermo: Aerobus Wind Jet goes off track, injured|access-date=27 September 2010}}</ref> One passenger was reported to have dislocated his shoulder.<ref name="Messagero">{{cite web|url=http://www.ilmessaggero.it/articolo.php?id=120192&sez=HOME_INITALIA|title=Palermo, aereo da Roma fuori pista: venti feriti lievi, forse si è rotto il carrello|publisher=Il Messagero|language=it|trans-title=Palermo, plane from Rome off the track: twenty light injuries, perhaps the trolley was broken|access-date=27 September 2010}}</ref> The ''Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo'' opened an investigation into the accident.<ref name="ANSV">{{cite web|url=http://www.ansv.it/It/Detail.asp?ID=1348|title=A 319 fuori pista a Palermo. Indagine ANSV|date=24 September 2010|publisher=Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo|language=it|trans-title=A 319 off-track in Palermo. ANSV survey|access-date=27 September 2010}}</ref> Wind Jet stated that they believed windshear was the cause of the incident.<ref name=Cronaca/> However the incident was mainly due to pilot error. The crew opted to continue the approach despite not being visual with the runway by the decision altitude.<ref name="BAAA">{{cite web |title=Wind Jet |url=https://www.baaa-acro.com/operator/wind-jet/ |website=www.baaa-acro.com |publisher=Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives |access-date=29 September 2025}}</ref> The pilots were brought to trial in 2013, on the basis that the accident was not caused by windshear but by errors of the two pilots. Both of them asked to be processed via short-trial procedure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2013/04/04/news/l_incidente_aereo_di_punta_raisi_le_voci_in_cabina_prima_dello_schianto-55917076/|title=L'incidente aereo di Punta Raisi le voci in cabina prima dell'urto - Palermo - Repubblica.it|website=Palermo - La Repubblica|language=it|trans-title=The plane crash of Punta Raisi the voices in the cabin before the collision - Palermo - Repubblica.it|access-date=2019-06-08}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|2}}

== Further reading == * "World Airlines", ''Flight International'' weekly magazine directories, U.K., years from 2004 to 2012, last known {{ISBN|978-1-898779-43-8}} * N. Pedde, ''Almanacco delle Linee Aeree Italiane 1947-2007'' (in Italian language), "Landra Helicus", GAN, Roma, 2007, {{ISBN|978-88-89640-06-7}}

==External links== {{commons category|Wind Jet}} *[http://w2.volawindjet.it/ Official website] {{in lang|it}} *[https://web.archive.org/*/http://w2.volawindjet.it/default.aspx?lang=en Official website] (archive) *[https://web.archive.org/*/http://w2.volawindjet.it/default.aspx?lang=it Official website] {{in lang|it}} (archive) *[http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=IV&al_op=1 ch-aviation Windjet Fleet] {{-}}

Category:Italian companies established in 2003 Category:Italian companies disestablished in 2012 Category:Defunct airlines of Italy Category:Defunct European low-cost airlines Category:Airlines established in 2003 Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012 Category:Companies based in Catania Category:Transport in Sicily