gosh, nochblad, did they think that the papers wouldn't notice? how stupid.

Even more amazing than Alitalia's PR stunt is that they got official permission to do so.
I would have guessed that the site of an incident was off-limits to anyone but aviation authority investigation teams for at least a day or so.
As that aircraft had probably been wet-leased from Carpatair, they probably did not have to paint it white, though. But just peel off the aircraft wrapping foil.

Cowboy1968

You are probably right on both points!

Take a look at the two photos:

http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2013/02/03/pop_alitalia-nasconde-logo.shtml

There's something funny here: what happened to the windows?

This is an enigma enveloped in mystery!!!

BTW, one passenger interviewed shortly after the accident saddles the blame on the Romanian pilot, who allegedly didn't know how to land the plane safely:

http://video.repubblica.it/edizione/roma/aereo-fuori-pista-a-fiumicino-me-lo-sentivo-dalla-partenza-il-volo-non-era-tranquillo/118205/116669?ref=NRCT-51842668-3

The practice of covering up airline logos after a crash is not restricted to Alitalia. Air Canada did the same after one of their crashes.

From Canadian Encyclpedia:
"Air Canada came in for its own share of criticism the day after the crash when it painted over its logo on the Bombardier-built Canadair Regional jet. A spokeswoman for the airline explained that removing the logo was standard practice after a crash: "The aircraft no longer belongs to Air Canada; it is now in the possession of the insurance underwriter."

Mark

Why do you think Alitalia did this rather than say the Italian crash investigators? I doubt very much anyone unauthorised would have been allowed near the plane with a spray gun full of white paint.

No concern for those injured in the crash? No interest in how it might have happened? No you'd rather complain about what an airline may or may not have done.

GAC - looking closely at the photos it almost looks as if there is a line which would indicate a quick paint job.

I listened to the video and there does not seem to be a problem of strong wind. The plane looks like an ATR 42 which I know is used by both Aurigny and Flybe in the UK as well as many other airlines. I have flown into Guernsey in very high winds (gale force) and in strong crosswinds. In proper hands the plane is reliable. No so in this case it appears.

I can understand the desire of any company to remove its logo from a crashed aircraft: other passengers on taxing aircraft would be distressed enough to see a damaged aircraft on the edge a runway, and even more distressed if they were on another aircraft of the same airline involved in the accident!

But the "whitewash job" (if it is indeed such) does look quite odd: why the need to paint over the windows?

It's confirmed: no photoshop but definitely a whitewash job. The accident was covered on the Italian evening news (8 p.m.), and the video shows (and commentary confirms) that the Alitalia colors and logo were obliterated from the sides of the aircraft a few hours after the accident.

The wind factor the time of the accident reportedly was 40 knots.

The official investigation will also focus on potential pilot judgment error in attempting the landing.

Alitalia has now suspended all its flights operated by Carpatair Romanian Airlines.