View source for Styrian Spirit

{{Short description|Defunct Austrian airline}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox Airline 
| airline        = Styrian Airways GmbH & Co KG
| logo           = Styrian Spirit Logo.svg
| logo_size      = 
| destinations   = 11
| headquarters   = [[Graz]], [[Austria]]
| IATA           = Z2
| ICAO           = STY
| callsign       = STYRIAN
| founded        = 2002
| commenced      = 2003
| ceased         = March 24, 2006
| hubs           = [[Graz Airport]]
| frequent_flyer =
| lounge         = 
| key_people     =
| alliance       = 
| fleet_size     = 5
| website        = [https://web.archive.org/web/20051230224615/http://www.styrianspirit.com/index.php?home_de www.styrianspirit.com]
}}

[[File:Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200LR, Styrian Spirit AN0340217.jpg|thumb|Styrian Spirit Bombardier CRJ200]]
'''Styrian Spirit''' was an [[airline]] based in [[Graz]], [[Austria]], the capital of [[Styria]]. It operated services to scheduled and charter destinations within [[Europe]].

The airline also operated as '''[[Slovenian Spirit]]''' and '''[[Salzburg Spirit]]''' on routes to and from [[Salzburg]] and [[Maribor]], [[Slovenia]]. Two of its aircraft were painted in ''Salzburg Spirit'' and ''Slovenian Spirit'' livery.

==History==
The airline was established on December 25, 2002, by HGI Beteiligungs AG, which was established in 2001. It started operations on March 24, 2003. Carinthian Spirit was also one of the brand names due to the participation of the state of [[Carinthia]]. The former Lauda Air manager and later [[Niki (airline)|FlyNiki]] CEO Otmar Lenz was a member of the Management Board from the company's foundation until December 2005. Andreas Rösslhuber then became a member of the board and was appointed as the reorganisation manager. However, due to the catastrophic economic circumstances, the reorganisation was not successful. The primary target group of Styrian Spirit were business travellers, but at weekends there were also offers for tourists.

Salzburg Airport announced at the end of March 2006 that it would contribute 1.5 million euros to the airline.

==Insolvency==
On 24 March 2006, the airline had to file for insolvency due to severe financial difficulties (debts of several million euros). Bankruptcy proceedings were opened on 28 March 2006. According to the insolvency administrator, the liabilities totalled around 9 million euros. Styrian Spirit still owed [[Graz Airport]] and [[Salzburg Airport]] landing and handling fees for the last few months. Graz Airport lost scheduled connections such as [[Stuttgart]] and [[Zurich]] due to the disappearance of the airline. Stuttgart has since been served by Austrian, while Zurich was taken over by Swiss at short notice. From 2007, Zurich was served by Robin Hood Aviation, which itself filed for insolvency in August 2011. Salzburg Airport also lost scheduled services to Zurich and Paris.

In September 2005, at the instigation of [[Carinthia|Carinthian]] Governor [[Jörg Haider]], Hypo-Alpe-Adria-Bank granted a loan of two million euros without collateral to the airline, which was already in dire financial condition.<ref>{{cite news |title=Styrian-Spirit-Prozess : "Haider pochte auf Millionen" |url=https://www.kleinezeitung.at/kaernten/klagenfurt/klagenfurt/3240131/styrian-spirit-zeuge-belastet-angeklagten-ruhdorfer.story |work=[[Kleine Zeitung]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021034334/http://www.kleinezeitung.at/kaernten/klagenfurt/klagenfurt/3240131/styrian-spirit-zeuge-belastet-angeklagten-ruhdorfer.story |archive-date=21 October 2013 |language=de}}</ref> The members of the Executive Board of [[Hypo Alpe Adria Bank]], Wolfgang Kulterer and Gert Xander, were charged with breach of trust in this connection. In January 2013, the trial concerning the granting of loans by Hypo Alpe Adria to Styrian Spirit was resumed at the Regional Court of Klagenfurt.<ref>{{cite web |title=Neuer Prozess um Styrian Spirit beginnt |url=https://kaernten.orf.at/news/stories/2567860/ |website=kaernten.orf.at |language=de |date=20 January 2013}}</ref> Both board members were subsequently sentenced to several years in prison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mehrjährige Haftstrafen im Styrian-Spirit-Prozess |url=https://kaernten.orf.at/news/stories/2570618/ |work=kaernten.orf.at |date=8 February 2013 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Styrian-Spirit-Prozess: &quot;Politikerwillen zum Schaden der Bank gefolgt&quot; |url=https://www.kleinezeitung.at/wirtschaft/hypo/4023696/StyrianSpiritProzess_Politikerwillen-zum-Schaden-der-Bank-gefolgt |work=www.kleinezeitung.at |agency=[[Kleine Zeitung]] |date=21 June 2016 |language=de}}</ref>

On March 24, 2006, Styrian Spirit abruptly canceled all flights. The carrier later announced it was declaring bankruptcy.

==Destinations==
Styrian Spirit final destinations prior to airline closure (December 2005):<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20051230224615/http://www.styrianspirit.com/index.php?home_de Styrian Spirit website]</ref>
;{{flag|Austria}}
*[[Graz]]
*[[Salzburg]]
*[[Klagenfurt]]
;{{flag|Germany}}
*[[Berlin]]
*[[Stuttgart]]
;{{flag|France}}
*[[Paris]]
;{{flag|Poland}}
*[[Kraków]]
;{{flag|United Kingdom}}
*[[Luton Airport|London-Luton]]
;{{flag|Slovenia}}
*[[Maribor]]
;{{flag|Switzerland}}
*[[Zürich]]

==Fleet==
The airline operated a fleet of 4 [[Bombardier CRJ-200]]s and 1 [[Bombardier CRJ-700]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050913132242/http://www.styrianspirit.com/index.php?fleet_de Styrian Spirit Fleet]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline|Styrian Spirit}}
*[http://www.airframes.org/fleet/sty Styrian Spirit fleet]

{{Portalbar|Austria|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Austria}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Austria]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2002]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2006]]
[[Category:Austrian companies established in 2002]]
[[Category:2006 disestablishments in Austria]]
[[Category:Economy of Graz]]