This is one in an ongoing series of articles on Winglets that will summarize past airlines and other operators of CRJ aircraft that are no longer in existence.
Styrian Spirit – Styrian Airways GmbH & Co KG
- IATA Code: Z2
- ICAO Code: STY
- Callsign: STYRIAN
- Austrian airline offering charter and scheduled services
- Also operated CRJ-200s under Salzburg Spirit and Slovenian Spirit colour schemes
- Operated 2003-2006
- Number of CRJs Operated: 1 CRJ-700, 4 CRJ-200s
- Order for 1 CRJ-900 cancelled before delivery
- Option for 1 CRJ-700 cancelled
Styrian Spirit Route Map
Styrian Spirit was an airline based in Graz, Austria, the capital of Styria which began service on March 24, 2003. The airline operated both scheduled and character services within Europe. The airline also operated as Slovenian Spirit and Salzburg Spirit on routes to and from Salzburg and Maribor, Slovenia with two CRJ-200s painted in Salzburg Spirit and Slovenian Spirit titles, but otherwise basic Styrian Spirit colours. On March 24, 2006, the airline abruptly canceled all of its flights and later announced it was declaring bankruptcy. At the time, Styrian Spirit operated a fleet consisting of one CRJ-700 and four CRJ-200s. After the airline’s closure, the fleet were repossessed and leased onto other carriers. As an additional note, the planned CRJ-900 would have displayed Carinthian Spirit titles.
Airports served By CRJs
The following list is all of the airports Styrian Spirit served.
- GRZ – Graz, Austria
- SZG – Salzburg, Austria
- KLU – Klagenfurt, Austria
- DBV – Dubrovnik, Croatia
- TXL – Tegal Airport, Berlin, Germany
- STR – Stuttgart, Germany
- DUS – Dusseldorf, Germany
- CDG – Paris, France
- KRK – Krakow, Poland
- LTN – London-Luton Airport, England
- MBX – Maribor, Slovenia
- ZRH – Zurich, Switzerland
CRJ Fleet
Styrian Spirit operated a total of four CRJ-200s and a single CRJ-700 during its operational life. Of the four CRJ-200s, one, OE-LSE, MSN 7990, was painted with Salzburg Spirit titles. Another CRJ-200, OE-LSD, MSN 7329, was painted with Slovenian Spirit titles. The other two CRJ-200s wore the standard airline colour scheme as did the single example of the CRJ-700 that the airline operated. At the time of the airline’s closure, it held an order in 2006 for a single example of the CRJ-900 to be added to its fleet during that year in Carinthian Spirit titles, but this event never occurred. One option was also held for an additional CRJ-700 but this was never converted to an order.
The following CRJ aircraft were operated by Styrian Spirit:
CRJ-200 Fleet
OE-LSE (To: D-ASBA) MSN 7990 CRJ-200LR
OE-LSS (To: N208BC) MSN 7283 CRJ-200LR
OE-LSC (To: N299BS) MSN 7299 CRJ-200LR
OE-LSD (To: N329BS) MSN 7329 CRJ-200LR
CRJ-700 Fleet
OE-LSF (To: D-ALTE) MSN 10217 CRJ-702
Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7990
OE-LSE in service with Styrian Spirit
Salzburg Spirit Titles
(Mr. CRJ Collection)
Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7329
OE-LSD in service with Styrian Spirit
Slovenian Spirit Titles
(Mr. CRJ Collection)
Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7299
OE-LSC in service with Styrian Spirit
(Photo By: Martin Štěpánek / planes.cz)
Canadair Regional Jet RJ702 MSN 10217
OE-LSF in service with Styrian Spirit
(Mr. CRJ Collection)
Before the airline ceased operation, an order was placed for a single CRJ-900 with Bombardier. The aircraft was to be registered as OE-LSG, but an airframe was never assigned to the airline nor was any aircraft painted in Styrian Spirit’s colour scheme. As part of the promotion by Bombardier of this order, an artist’s conception was released showing a CRJ-900 in the airline’s colour scheme in flight.
Artist’s Concept Artwork of a CRJ-900 in full Styrian Spirit colour scheme
