| |||||||
| Founded | 1992 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1992 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | December 2001 | ||||||
| Operating bases | |||||||
| Fleet size | 21 (whole fleet operated) | ||||||
| Headquarters | Atatürk International Airport, Turkey | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
AirAlfa was acharter airline based inAtatürk International Airport,Istanbul, Turkey. It also had an additional base atAntalya Airport. It also operated charter services to tour operators.[1] Air Alfa ceased operations in December 2001 and had itslicence revoked on 17 November 2002.
Air Alfa was founded in 1992 and started operating flights between Turkey andWestern Europe.[1] However, the airline was grounded for the rest of 1992 because it did not meet the rules of the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority. This was because it handled less than three aircraft, beingBoeing 727-200s. The Airline restarted flights in 1993, leasing aBoeing 737. Air Alfa also operated exclusive full charter flights (tourist flights, guest worker flights) to partner tour operators such as Nazar Reisen inGermany and Sultan Reizen in theNetherlands.
In 1994, the airline started long haul flights by receiving its firstAirbus A300, and was joined by a second which was leased fromEgyptAir. A further six were added in the following years, but reduced to five after the accident of an Air Alfa Flight in Istanbul. During 1996, Air Alfa carried one million passengers for the first time.
In December 1996, the airline was acquired fromKombassan, and the fleet was modernised with newAirbus A321-100's, with an Airbus A300B4-203 and a Boeing 727-200 being retired.
In 1996, Air Alfa was acquired byKombassan. In 2000, Air Alfa started to struggle and have financial difficulties, cutting back and reducing schedules until its end in 2001. The airline restarted in 2002 under the name 'Alpha Airlines', but this was quickly forgotten as it ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy on 17 November 2002.[1]
Air Alfa operated the following aircraft during operations:[2]
| Aircraft | Number operated | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300B4-103 | 2 | |
| Airbus A300B4-203 | 6 | 1 leased fromEgyptAir 1 set alight atAtatürk International Airport |
| Airbus A300B4-622R | 3 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 3 | 1 leased fromTransAer International Airlines |
| Airbus A321-100 | 4 | |
| Boeing 727-200 | 2 | |
| Boeing 737-300 | 2 | |
| Boeing 737-400 | 1 | Leased fromPegasus Airlines |
| Boeing 757-200 | 1 | Leased fromTurkmenistan Airlines |
On 17 May 1996, an Air AlfaAirbus A300B4-203 (Registration TC-ALP) was set alight at Istanbul Atatutk Airport. There were no fatalities as it was empty at the time. The aircraft was destroyed and written off.[1][3]
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