With the demise of Wind Jet in 2012, the largest island in the Mediterranean lost its airline. However, for some time now there have been efforts to change this. Entrepreneurs are planning a new airline called Aerolinee Siciliane. Their aim is to connect the island with the rest of Italy and with Europe at «honest prices».
Initially, at least in a first step, the region of Sicily was to become the owner, but now it is planned that the people of the island will also participate in Aerolinee Siciliane in addition to regional entrepreneurs. On its website, the airline is already looking for small investors. According to the regional press, around 800,000 euros have already been raised. A capital of 10 million is planned for the start.
Launch with two Airbus A320
Aerolinee Siciliane plans to launch as early as 14 June. Two leased Airbus A320s will then fly twice daily from Aeroporto di Comiso to Rome and Milan. The former military base near Ragusa has so far been regularly served mainly by Ryanair. At its main base, the company also wants to establish its own maintenance facility.
A further two A320s are to be stationed in Catania in the following months, and two more in Palermo. But also A319s or A321s would be a possibility for the fleet, they say. On its website, the airline also talks about taking a look at Embraer E175 and E190 for servicing smaller islands. It is also planning to apply for routes subsidised by the region of Siciliy.
In an interview with the newspaper Corriere della Sera, co-founder Luigi Crispino revealed the first further goals. First of all, he said, ethnic transport, i.e. Sicilians who visit relatives in Europe or emigrated Sicilians who want to fly home. Flights are therefore planned to Bologna our times a week, to London, Paris, Stuttgart and Tunis twice weekly. Elsewhere, Frankfurt and Malta were also mentioned as destinations.
Crispino is no stranger to aviation. He was the founder of Air Sicilia (which ceased operations in 2004) and a shareholder of Wind Jet. In addition to capital, his new project Aerolinee Siciliane now lacks one thing above all: an Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
