View source for Spanair

{{Short description|Defunct airline of Spain (1986–2012)}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Spanair
| image = 
| logo = Spanair Logo.svg
| logo_size = 175
| fleet_size = 28
| destinations = 40
| IATA = JK
| ICAO = JKK
| callsign = SPANAIR
| parent = {{bulleted list|
  | [[SAS Group]] {{small|(1986–2009)}}
  | Consortium of Investors (led by Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona and Catalana d'Iniciatives) (80.1%)
  | iberiojet (19.9%)}}
| founded = {{start date and age|1986|12||df=yes}}
| commenced = {{start date and age|1988|03||df=yes}}
| ceased = {{end date and age|2012|01|27|df=yes}}
| aoc = 
| num_employees = 
| headquarters = [[L'Hospitalet de Llobregat]], [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]]
| key_people = Mike Szücs ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<ref name="spanair1">{{cite web|url=http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/About-Spanair/Spanair-News/Mike-Szucs-new-Ceo-of-Spanair/|title=spanair.com|website=www.spanair.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>
| hubs = {{nowrap|[[Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport|Barcelona]]}}
| focus_cities = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport|Madrid]]
  | [[Palma de Mallorca Airport|Palma de Mallorca]]
  | [[Tenerife North Airport|Tenerife–North]]}}
| frequent_flyer = Spanair Star<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/Spanair-Plus/%3C!--|title=spanair.com|website=www.spanair.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>
| alliance = {{nowrap|[[Star Alliance]] {{small|(2003–2012)}}}}
}}

'''Spanair S.A.''' was a Spanish [[airline]], with its head office in the Spanair Building in [[L'Hospitalet de Llobregat]], near [[Barcelona]]. Until 2009, it was a subsidiary of the [[SAS Group]]; the same parent company in control of [[Scandinavian Airlines]] and held slightly under 20% of the company.<ref name="se.yhp.waymaker.net">{{cite web |url=http://se.yhp.waymaker.net/sasgroup/release.asp?id=179309 |title=Definitive agreement regarding the sale of Spanair signed |date=January 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091224020820/http://se.yhp.waymaker.net/sasgroup/release.asp?id=179309 |archive-date=December 24, 2009 }}</ref> Spanair provided a scheduled passenger network within [[Spain]] and [[Europe]], with an extension to [[West Africa]].  Worldwide charters were also flown for tour companies. Its main hub was [[Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport]], with focus cities at [[Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport]] and [[Palma de Mallorca Airport]]. The airline had 3,161 employees<ref name="spanair1"/> and was a [[Star Alliance]] member from 2003 until its demise on 27 January 2012.

== History ==
[[File:Spanair first logo.png|thumb|First Spanair logo (1986–1999)]]
[[File:Spanair former logo (2007).svg|thumb|Second Spanair logo (1999–2009)]]

===Foundation and early years===
The airline was established in December 1986 and began operations in March 1988.  It was set up as a joint venture between [[Scandinavian Airlines]] and Viajes Marsans, and began operations with European charters.  Long-haul flights to the [[United States]], [[Mexico]] and the [[Dominican Republic]] were launched in 1991, followed by domestic scheduled flights in March 1994.  The airline flew long-haul flights with [[Boeing 767|Boeing 767-300ER]] aircraft to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] and [[Buenos Aires]] in the late 1990s.

Spanair joined the [[Star Alliance]] on 1 May 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.staralliance.com/en/about/airlines/spanair/|title=Spanair Star Alliance information|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>

SAS announced in a press release 13 June 2007 that it would sell its shares in Spanair.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://se.yhp.waymaker.net/sasgroup/release.asp?id=149514 |title=New direction will ensure SASs future |date=June 13, 2007 |access-date=June 13, 2007 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723090520/http://se.yhp.waymaker.net/sasgroup/release.asp?id=149514 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The divestment was cancelled on 19 June 2008 due to SAS not being able to sell for a price that it considered to "reflect the underlying value in Spanair."  On 30 January 2009, however, a one-euro bid from a group of investors from [[Catalonia]], led by the Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona and Catalana d'Initiatives, was later accepted, whereupon SAS became a minority shareholder.<ref name="se.yhp.waymaker.net"/>

A report in the British newspaper ''[[The Times]]'' on the day of [[Spanair Flight 5022|the 2008 Madrid crash]] suggests that staff were threatening strike action due to concerns about the company's viability.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article4574531.ece |archive-url=https://archive.today/20081120183506/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article4574531.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 20, 2008 |title='Organised chaos' at crash airline Spanair - A report suggests pilots were planning strikes as Spanair planned job cuts and fewer flights after sell-off plan failed |author=Steve Keenan |publisher=Times Online |date=August 20, 2008}}</ref>

In 2009 the airline asked for public input on a new logo,<ref>"[http://www.spanair.com/web/es-es/juntos/?nw=20090505_JK&sid=banner_principal Juntos elegimos la nueva identidad visual de Spanair]." ''Spanair''. Retrieved on 6 May 2009.</ref> with a winner being officially confirmed on 13 May 2009. As of June 2009, Spanair began applying the new corporate identity to their aircraft.<ref>"[http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/viewphoto.main?LC=&picid=5766 Spanair's new livery on a first A320]." ''Skyliner''. Retrieved on 6 June 2009.</ref>

===Demise===
On 25 January 2011, the company was in an "Emergency Financial Situation". The [[Government of Catalonia|Catalan government]] approved a €10.5 million loan plan in order to save it. Revenue improved and the company began cutting costs. Financially troubled during its last few years, Spanair ended operations on 27 January 2012, after [[Qatar Airways]] pulled out of talks to inject cash into the airline.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldairlinenews.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/spanair-to-shut-down-tonight-after-qatar-airways-declines-to-invest/|title=Spanair to shut down tonight after Qatar Airways declines to invest|date=27 January 2012|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref> As a result, SAS had a write-down of 1.7 billion [[Swedish kronor]] ($251 million U.S.).<ref>Alder, Tony and Ola Kinnander. "[https://archive.today/20120720172925/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-31/sas-shares-drop-as-spanair-ends-operations-stockholm-mover.html SAS Shares Drop as Spanair Ends Operations: Stockholm Mover]." ''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] [[Businessweek]]''. 31 January 2012. Retrieved on 31 January 2012.</ref> Ana Pastor, the development minister of Spain, said that the Spanish government may fine the airline 9 million euros (US$12 million) after breaking serious aviation security rules by shutting down without proper notice.<ref>"[https://archive.today/20120715224838/http://new.kuwaittimes.net/2012/01/28/spanair-shut-down-strands-passengers/ Spanair shut-down strands passengers]." ''[[Agence France Presse]]'' at the ''[[Kuwait Times]]''. Retrieved on 31 January 2012.</ref><ref>Minder, Raphael and Nicola Clark. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/business/global/spanair-shutdown-strands-thousands.html?_r=1 Spain Threatens Fine After Airline's Quick Close]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. January 30, 2012. Retrieved on January 31, 2012.</ref> The carrier said all flights would remain suspended, but it did not say whether it planned to file for bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/avd/2012/01/30/04.xml&headline=Spanair|title=Shuts Down; Future Uncertain&channel=comm/ Spanair Shuts Down; Future Uncertain|access-date=13 November 2017}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="UPI-Jan28">{{cite web|url= http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2012/01/28/Spanair-shutdown-strands-23000-travelers/UPI-53921327727191/?spt=hs&or=bn|title=Spanair shutdown strands 23,000 travelers |publisher=United Press International |date=January 28, 2012}}</ref> The last passenger flight was JK1326 from [[Trondheim]] to [[Las Palmas]].

==Corporate affairs==
===Head office===
[[File:Spanair headquarters Hospitalet.JPG|thumb|Spanair head office in [[l'Hospitalet de Llobregat]], near [[Barcelona]]]]
Spanair's head office was located in the Spanair Building (Edifici Spanair) in [[L'Hospitalet de Llobregat]], near [[Barcelona]].<ref>"[http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/Contacts/ Contacts]." Spanair. Retrieved on 29 December 2009. "Edifici Spanair. Plaça d'Europa 54-56, 08902 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona)"</ref>

Previously Spanair's head office was in the Spanair Building on the grounds of [[Palma de Mallorca Airport]] in [[Palma de Mallorca]].<ref name="TheMallorcaRetain">"[http://themallorca.net/2008/12/23/spanair-to-retain-hq-in-palma/ Spanair to retain HQ in Palma]." ''The Mallorca''. 23 December 2008. Retrieved on 18 October 2009.</ref> In 2008, during the changes in ownership, Spanair said that its head office would remain in Palma de Mallorca, despite rumors that the company would relocate its head office to Barcelona.
<ref name="TheMallorcaRetain"/>
In 2009 the company announced that it planned to relocate its corporate offices to Barcelona.<ref name="Thinkspainprotest">"[http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/16716/spanair-workers-demonstrate-against-move-to-barcelona Spanair workers demonstrate against move to Barcelona]." thinkSpain, Wednesday 17 June 2009. Retrieved on 18 October 2009.</ref> In May 2009 Spanair made Barcelona its registered domicile. The airline began to search for a site for the Spanair headquarters in Barcelona.<ref>"[http://www.acc10.cat/catalonia/en/pressroom/2009/05/spanair.jsp Spanair moves its registered domicile to Barcelona]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." Invest in Catalonia. 14 May 2009. Retrieved on 18 October 2009.</ref> In June of that year around 200 employees protested outside of the Spanair offices in Palma, saying that the timetable to move the offices was too hasty.<ref name="Thinkspainprotest"/>

===Service concept===
For economy-class passengers traveling within Western Europe the airline offered a [[buy on board]] service offering food and drinks for purchase.<ref>"[http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/Services/During-the-flight/Menu-and-minibar/ Menu and Minibar]." ''Spanair''. Accessed March 15, 2011.</ref> Spanair also had revamped their own frequent flyer programme, which was renamed Spanair Star. It was innovative for allowing members to redeem points immediately, in the form of a discount on a future flight.

===Sponsorship===
Between 1995 and 2005, Spanair was the main kit sponsor of Spanish football club [[RCD Mallorca]].

==Destinations==
===Codeshare agreements===
Spanair had codeshare agreements with the following airlines until of January 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/About-Spanair/Star-Alliance/|title=spanair.com|website=www.spanair.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref> Airlines marked with * were members of [[Star Alliance]] at the time of Spanair's collapse.
{|
|- valign="top"
|
* [[Aegean Airlines]]*
* [[Air Canada]]*
* [[Air China]]*
* [[airBaltic]]
* [[Air Europa]] {{small|([[SkyTeam]])}}
|
* [[Austrian Airlines]]*
* [[Blue1]]*
* [[British Midland International]]*
* [[Brussels Airlines]]*
* [[TAM Airlines]]*
* [[Asiana Airlines]]*
|
* [[All Nippon Airways]]*
* [[Croatia Airlines]]*
* [[Egyptair]]*
* [[Estonian Air]]
* [[Lufthansa]]*
* [[LOT Polish Airlines]]*
|
* [[Scandinavian Airlines]]*
* [[Singapore Airlines]] *
* [[Swiss International Air Lines]] *
* [[TAP Air Portugal]] *
* [[Thai Airways International]] *
* [[Turkish Airlines]] *
|
* [[US Airways]] *
* [[United Airlines]] *
* [[Continental Airlines]] *
|}

==Fleet==
[[File:Airbus_A320-232,_Spanair_AN1973054.jpg|thumb|Spanair [[Airbus A320-200]] in a hybrid livery with old titles and new tailfin design]]
[[File:Airbus A320-232, Spanair AN1669070.jpg|thumb|Spanair [[Airbus A320-200]] in the final full livery that was only applied to a few aircraft]]
[[File:Airbus A320-232 - Spanair - EC-INM - 200503051646.jpg|thumb|Spanair [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-200]] in [[Star Alliance]] livery]]
[[File:McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (DC-9-83) - Spanair - EC-FXA - LEMD - 20050305.jpg|thumb|Spanair [[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]] in the former livery (2005)]]
===Final fleet===
The Spanair fleet consisted of the following aircraft at the time of closure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/airlinepage.php?code1=JK|title=Spanair on ch-aviation|website=ch-aviation|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spanair.com/web/en-gb/About-Spanair/Spanair-Fleet/|title=spanair.com|website=www.spanair.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seatmaestro.com/airlines-seating-maps/spanair.html|title=Seatmaestro page for Spanair|access-date=13 November 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110013328/http://www.seatmaestro.com/airlines-seating-maps/spanair.html|archive-date=10 November 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Spanair fleet
|-
!rowspan=2|Aircraft
!rowspan=2|In  service
!colspan=3|Passengers
!rowspan=2|Notes
|-
!<abbr title="Premium Class">C</abbr>
!<abbr title="Traveller Class">Y</abbr>
!Total
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|rowspan=2|19
|48
|108
|156
|rowspan=2|Flexible two-class layout
|-
|&mdash;
|180
|180
|-
|[[Airbus A321-200]]
|5
|&mdash;
|212
|212
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]]
|2
|&mdash;
|153
|153
|Leased from [[Scandinavian Airlines]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-87]]
|2
|&mdash;
|125
|125
|Flexible two-class layout
|-
!Total
!28
! colspan="3" |
!
|}

===Retired fleet===
Spanair operated the following aircraft before its closure:{{Cn|date=January 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Spanair former fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 717-200]]
|4
|2007
|2011
|Transferred to [[Blue1]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Boeing 757-200]]
|2
|1996
|1998
|Leased from [[Airtours International Airways]]
|-
|4
|1999
|2000
|Leased from [[Air2000]], [[Air Holland]], and [[Monarch Airlines]]
|-
|[[Boeing 767-300ER]]
|3
|1991
|2002
|One leased from [[Lauda Air]]
|-
|[[Fokker 100]]
|3
|2005
|2008
|Leased from [[Girjet]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]]
|1
|1989
|1989
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-81]]
|3
|2005
|2006
|Leased from [[Scandinavian Airlines]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
|15
| rowspan="2" |1990
|2009
|Flexible two-class layout
|-
|1
|2008
|crashed as [[Spanair Flight 5022|Spannair Flight 5022]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-83]]
|25
|1993
|2011
|
|-
|1
|1991
|1991
|Private Jet expedition use
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-87]]
|18
|1996
|2011
|
|-
|}

==Accidents and incidents==
<!---NOTICE: Please do not add speculative material to this article. Only include things that have been confirmed and are properly sourced.--->
*On 10 May 2001, Spanair Flight 3203 ([[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]] EC-FXI named "Sunseeker") was substantially damaged when the starboard undercarriage collapsed while landing at [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1323469.stm|title=Passengers in Liverpool plane drama|date=10 May 2001|access-date=13 November 2017|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> All 45 passengers and 5 crew members on board safely evacuated from the aircraft by using the escape slides.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.people.cn/english/200105/11/eng20010511_69651.html |title=Passengers Survive Liverpool Plane Crash |publisher=En.people.cn |date=2001-05-11 |access-date=2017-11-13}}</ref> The substantially-damaged aircraft was repaired and returned to service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ALERT+RAISED+OVER+CRASH+PLANE'S+UNDERCARRIAGE+CRACK.-a079117098|title=ALERT RAISED OVER CRASH PLANE'S UNDERCARRIAGE CRACK. - Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>
*On 20 August 2008 at 14:45 [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]], [[Spanair Flight 5022]] ([[McDonnell Douglas MD-82]] EC-HFP named "Sunbreeze"), crashed with 166 passengers and six crew members on board moments after takeoff at [[Madrid–Barajas Airport|Madrid's Barajas Airport]] on a scheduled flight to [[Las Palmas de Gran Canaria]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphop-universe.com/underground/daily-news-press/267615-aug-25-spanair-operated-jet-has-technical-problems.html|title=Aug 25 - Spanair-operated jet has technical problems - Hip Hop Universe|website=www.hiphop-universe.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Initially 19 of the 172 people aboard the aircraft survived, but one person died in a hospital three days after the crash.<ref name="AP-Aug21">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=20080821&id=HKs0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=62wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5713,3430576|title=Spanish plane that crashed had overheated valve |agency=Associated Press |date=August 21, 2008}}</ref> The initial investigation reports no deployment of flaps, with failures in the [[take-off warning system]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2011/09/2008-spanair-flight.html|title=Login|website=www.fireengineering.com|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[AeBal-Spanair Link]]
*[[List of airlines of Spain]]
*[[List of airports in Spain]]
*[[List of companies of Spain]]
*[[Transport in Spain]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Spanair}}
*[http://www.spanair.com/ Spanair]{{in lang|en|es|ca}}
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040403221053/http://www.spanair.com/ |date=2004-04-03 }} (Archive)
*[https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.spanair.com/web/es-es/Mobile/ Spanair mobile version] {{in lang|es}} (Archive)
*[http://www.sasgroup.net SAS Group] {{in lang|en}}
*[http://www.1001crash.com/index-page-description-accident-MD82_Spannair-lg-2-crash-212.html Spanair MD-82 crash - August 20th 2008] - Investigation and photos

{{Portalbar|Spain|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Navboxes
|list =
{{SAS Group}}
{{Star Alliance}}
{{IATA members|europe}}
{{Association of European Airlines}}
{{Airlines of Spain}}
}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Spain]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1986]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Spanish brands]]
[[Category:SAS Group]]
[[Category:Former Star Alliance members]]
[[Category:Spanish companies disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Spanish companies established in 1986]]