Airlines Remembered

Gandalf Airlines

Photos © R.Leeuw

Ceased operations: 20Feb04
Homebase: Milan-Orio al Serio, Italy
Founded: 1998
ICAO callsign: Gandalf
Prefix IATA: G7 / ICAO: GNF
Operations: Passengers

(c) Ruud Leeuw
D-BGAE Dornier D0.328-300 (c/n 3147 at Paris-CDG on 24Jun01.

Gandalf Air started as a regional airline and operated a route network through Europe. However, in its struggle for survival it tried to revamp itself as a low-cost 737 operator, while operating 3 Boeing 737-500s from Montechiari (nr Brescia & Verona, Italy) to various national and international destinations.
Its troubles did not go unnoticed and Cirrus Airlines considered a take over, while the Italian carrier was teethering on the brink of bankruptcy. Before that Air France had shown interest in a take over, during 2001.
And then Air One was reported to have shown an interested in Gandalf Airlines, by then -end 2003- Gandalf was operating under bankruptcy protection.
But no takeover materialized and investors shied away too. On 20Feb04 is was all over and bankruptcy was declared.

 

REG. Type of Aircraft C/n
D-CGAP Fairchild Dornier 328-110 3107
D-BGAB Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3134
D-BGAE Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3146
D-BGAG Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3133
D-BGAL Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3131
D-BGAQ Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3130
D-BGAR Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3152
D-BGAS Fairchild Dornier 328JET (328-300) 3139

 

This was published on AirWise News:
March 25, 2004
Italian airline Alitalia will buy bankrupt rival Gandalf for EUR7.1 million (USD$8.6 million) after offering almost double the amount tabled by other bidders, a Parma court ruled on Thursday.
Judge Pasquale Liccardo said four offers had been made for Gandalf's assets.
The deal gives Alitalia 89 new winter slots and 135 summer slots. It will also get warehouses, the Gandalf brand and other minor assets.
A Parma court declared Gandalf bankrupt in February after talks with a string of potential buyers fell through.
Alitalia acquired Gandalf via its 100% subsidiary Alitalia Express S.p.A., a branch of Gandalf S.p.A.. The portfolio acquired was made up of 135 slots for the summer 2004 season and was especially interesting for the following reasons: slots at overcrowded international airports (Madrid, Barcelona, Brussels, Paris CDG) as well as slots at domestic airports (important for business reasons, such as Rome FCO, Florence, Catania and Naples). Also the slots at airports in the Milan area were strategically important.

Gandalf Airlines on Airliners.net
Sources:
JP Airline Fleets, 2003 edition
AeroTransport Data Bank
Skyliners magazine, May/June 2003 issue
Thomas Jaeger Newsletter www.ch-aviation.ch, 20Oct03


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Last updated 20.4.2006