SKY Express (legallyCretan Aviation Operations Aviation and Commercial Societe Anonyme;Greek:Κρητικές Αεροπορικές Εκμεταλλεύσεις Αεροπορική και Εμπορική Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία)[2] is a Greek airline headquartered inHeraklion International Airport.[2] It was established in 2005[6] and operates a number of flights, serving 35 domestic and eighteen international destinations year round.[7]
In October 2020, the airline placed a firm order for fourAirbus A320neo aircraft (the fleet now includes six of them). In addition, the company introduced a new design for their new Airbus aircraft.[10]
The airline's initial logo was inspired by the flag of theCretan State, a semi-independent state under theOttoman Empire. The flag of the Cretan State was composed of a white cross extending to the edges of the flag, with the upper-hoist canton in red, featuring a white star symbolizingOttoman sovereignty on the island, and the other squares in blue, symbolizing the Greeks ofCrete. The flag has also been adopted as a symbol of the Cretan independence pseudo-movement. The logo was not well-received, and following complaints by the public inGreece, especiallyCretans, the logo was changed. The company said it did not consider the flag offensive, since it represented a milestone in the unification of Crete with theKingdom of Greece,[11] but changed the logo nonetheless to avoid any further confusion.[citation needed]
On 12 February 2009, aBAe Jetstream 31 registered SX-SKY experienced a right main gear collapse after landing inbound fromRhodes International Airport.[43] None of the 15 passengers or threecrew members were injured, but the aircraft suffered considerable damage to its right landing gear, wing and propeller. The aircraft was deemed beyond economical repair and was written off.[citation needed] The accident was caused by two previoushard landings (out of the previous 27) which had gone unreported. One of the hard landings had caused a fracture in a landing gear cylinder, which spread until the cylinder failed, causing the landing gear to collapse. The aircraft was scrapped at Heraklion Airport in late February 2011.
On 2 February 2015, aBAe Jetstream 41 aircraft registered SX-DIA, operating flight GQ-100 fromHeraklion, experienced a left main gear collapse andrunway excursion after ahard landing atRhodes Diagoras Airport caused by strong winds. None of the 16 passengers or three crew members were injured. The aircraft suffered substantial damage.[44]
On 21 June 2019, the 3 PM flight from Heraklion to Rhodes Diagoras Airport performed an emergency landing atKarpathos Airport after one of the engines exploded. None of the 47 passengers suffered any injuries.[45][46]
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