Airlines in Romania

[Cosmin]

This thread is for all news on airlines currently operating or planing to operate in Romania, whether they are Romanian or foreign, traditional or low-cost, passenger or cargo.

As of May 2008 the following scheduled carriers operate in Romania:
Adria Airways
Aegean Airlines
Aer Lingus
Aeroflot
Air Berlin
Air France
Air Moldova
Alitalia
Austrian Airlines
Blue Air
British Airways
Bulgaria Air
Carpatair
Cimber Air
Clickair
Cyprus Airways
CSA
Delta Air Lines
easyJet
El Al
Finnair
FlyOnAir
Germanwings
Iberia Airlines
KLM
LOT Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
Lufthansa Regional
Luxair
Malév
MyAir
Olympic Airlines
Romavia
Ryanair
SAS
SkyEurope
Swiss International Air Lines
Syrian Arab Airlines
TAROM
Turkish Airlines
Volare Airlines
Windjet
Wizz Air

[Le Clerk]

Hotnews.ro
06/05/2008

Tarom to join Sky Team alliance

Romania's national airline transports company signs on Wednesday the agreement to join Sky Team. The main consequence is that Romanians will have some 841 destinations to choose from as compared to 31 destinations available until now.

According to Transports ministry officials quoted by Romanian newspaper Cotidianul, Tarom will pay some 10 million euro which will be recovered in three years. Skyteam is the second airline alliance in the world, after Star Alliance comprising Air France KLM, Alitalia, Aeromexico, Delta Airlines.

[Cosmin]

Like I said, this is great! But does signing the agreement mean that they'll be SkyTeam associate members from that moment on, or will there be a waiting period?

[Le Clerk]

Let's wait for the official announcement for more details. I do not know more...

[Cosmin]

Yeah... I'm waiting for an official announcement.

Skyteam is the second airline alliance in the world, after Star Alliance comprising Air France KLM, Alitalia, Aeromexico, Delta Airlines.

Those are not all of the members.


It will be interesting to see how Smart Miles (TAROM's frequent flyer program) will look like after joining SkyTeam. I personally hope one will be able to book a TAROM flight, show his Flying Blue card and have the miles flown with TAROM credited to his FB account, like it now happens inside SkyTeam (e.g. you fly with Alitalia without a Mille Miglia account but your miles are credited to any other SkyTeam frequent flyer program you have).

[Qtya]

Which airline is patronizing TAROMs enrollment?

[Cosmin]

Alitalia.

[Qtya]

Originally Posted by Cosmin

Alitalia.

Thanks for the quick info Mr. Moderator!

Wont there be a competition between TAROM and CSA? IMO that was the main reason Malév did not join SkyTeam, but Oneworld... Even so the czech carrier was patronizing Malév...

[Cosmin]

You're welcome, Mr. Qtya.

Competition between CSA and TAROM? How so? I don't see any route that I'd rather take a CSA stopover flight than a TAROM direct one, and for New York we have Delta. For example, there's an offer now for Bucharest - Paris with CSA with a stop in Prague, but it's still more expensive than flying TAROM or AF.

Also, only CSA flies between Bucharest and Prague.

[Qtya]

Originally Posted by Cosmin

You're welcome, Mr. Qtya.

Competition between CSA and TAROM? How so? I don't see any route that I'd rather take a CSA stopover flight than a TAROM direct one, and for New York we have Delta. For example, there's an offer now for Bucharest - Paris with CSA with a stop in Prague, but it's still more expensive than flying TAROM or AF.

Also, only CSA flies between Bucharest and Prague.

I mean in becoming a CE-EE HUB airport user...

[Cosmin]

That remains to be seen. TAROM doesn't seem to have a very clear strategy at the moment though. I hope this year they'll at least decide whether or not they'll buy those 4 Boeing 737-800. They sell/scrap 2 (A-310) and buy 4, at least good thing it's not the other way around.

CSA has a fleet of 51 (+9 orders).

[sanasa1]

Alitalia is not sponsoring Tarom. Air France is. http://corporate.airfrance.com/index...tail&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2773&L=1&no_cache=1

[ionutzyankoo]

Originally Posted by sanasa1

Alitalia is not sponsoring Tarom. Air France is. http://corporate.airfrance.com/index...tail&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2773&L=1&no_cache=1

Alitalia used to sponsor TAROM in joining Skyteam but after the latest events at Alitalia...
It is better with AF.
As it concerns the fleet it is very very small (unlike LOT, CSA or even Malev) but it has potential.

I hope we will develop this part of the forum coz i'm an avionics guy

[Cosmin]

Crap! I remember reading several times that TAROM is under Alitalia's wing regarding SkyTeam. It even says so on Wikipedia.

Anyway, if I was wrong I'm really happy. I prefer AF over Alitalia.

Edit: oh, so they used to sponsor TAROM but dropped out because of their own problems.

Originally Posted by Air France

TAROM signe un accord pour rejoindre skyteam en tant que compagnie associée

La compagnie roumaine TAROM a signé aujourd’hui un accord avec SkyTeam en vue de devenir compagnie associée de l’alliance.

Dans le cadre des procédures habituelles d’adhésion, TAROM devra répondre à un certain nombre de conditions préalables, afin que ses standards de qualité de service et de performances opérationnelles correspondent à ceux des compagnies de SkyTeam.

Une fois ces conditions satisfaites, TAROM recevra l'agrément formel du Comité directeur (Governing Board) de SkyTeam et deviendra la quatrième compagnie associée de l’alliance, après Air Europa (Espagne), Copa Airlines (Panama) et Kenya Airways.

La cérémonie de signature a eu lieu aujourd’hui au Palais de Snagov à Bucarest, en présence notamment de Ludovic Orban, ministre roumain des Transports, Gheorghe Birla, président-directeur général de TAROM et de Jean-Cyril Spinetta, président-directeur général d’AIR FRANCE KLM.

« Notre programme de compagnies associées illustre bien la stratégie de l’alliance en matière de réseau mondial. Il nous permet en effet d’étendre et de densifier notre offre sur des marchés régionaux porteurs », a déclaré Jean-Cyril Spinetta. « En Europe, TAROM est depuis longtemps considérée par SkyTeam comme un partenaire potentiel important. Avec son hub de Bucarest, déjà desservi par plusieurs compagnies de l’alliance, la compagnie roumaine apportera aux passagers de SkyTeam 130 vols quotidiens supplémentaires vers l’Europe orientale et le Moyen-Orient ».

Les clients voyageant sur les lignes de TAROM bénéficieront des mêmes avantages offerts par les onze compagnies membres et par les trois autres compagnies associées de SkyTeam. Ces avantages incluent notamment des programmes de fidélité coordonnés et un accès élargi aux salons en aéroport.

« L’association de TAROM à SkyTeam sera une étape importante dans l’histoire de notre compagnie » a déclaré Gheorghe Birla. « En regardant l’avenir, cette initiative ouvrira une phase nouvelle du développement de TAROM : les alliances sont des leviers puissants pour la création de nouveaux services à la clientèle ».

Le programme de compagnies associées de SkyTeam concerne les compagnies aériennes souhaitant bénéficier des avantages d’une grande alliance, sans toutefois devoir participer à sa gouvernance.

Chacune des compagnies associées est parrainée par une compagnie membre qui, agissant comme parrain, facilite son adhésion et son intégration dans SkyTeam. Le parrain représente également les intérêts de l’associé au moment des prises de décision par les compagnies de l’alliance. TAROM sera ainsi représentée par Air France au sein des instances managériales de SkyTeam.

Le programme de compagnies associées fait partie de la stratégie de SkyTeam pour développer son réseau mondial et améliorer les services proposés à ses 428 millions de clients annuels.

Air France press release

Tarom intră în SkyTeam

Cu o întârziere de trei ani, Tarom semnează azi înţelegerea de preaderare la a doua alianţă aeriană mondială. Pasagerii companiei naţionale vor avea acces direct la 800 de noi destinaţii.

La finele anului viitor, cel târziu, românii vor putea cumpăra bilete Tarom pentru nu mai puţin de 841 de destinaţii mondiale, oferite de cele 14 linii aeriene partenere Tarom în SkyTeam. Înţelegerea de preaderare la alianţă, în calitate de membru asociat, va fi semnată azi, iar procesul de aderare se va încheia la finele anului viitor.

În absenţa acestei calităţi, clienţii Tarom pot alege între cele 31 de destinaţii naţionale şi internaţionale oferite de linia aeriană, unele pe baza acordurilor code-share semnate cu zece linii aeriene. Pentru alte destinaţii, clienţii Tarom sunt obligaţi să cumpere bilete de la diferite agenţii, care cuplează ofertele diferitelor linii aeriene, inclusiv ale Tarom, pentru a răspunde cererii.

Riscurile şi dezavantajele sunt în astfel de situaţii majore, printre care cel de rătăcire a bagajelor, nevoia de emitere a mai multor bilete, pierderea legăturilor pe aeroporturile unde trebuie schimbată cursa.

Tarom are în prezent 150 de acorduri tip interline cu diferite linii aeriene, însă biletele nu pot fi cumpărate decât de la agenţiile de turism.

Intrarea Tarom în SkyTeam va schimba radical situaţia. Odată semnat azi acordul de preaderare şi înţelegerile noi de code-share presupuse de acesta, pasagerii cu bilet SkyTeam în buzunar vor face check-in-ul doar o dată pe aeroportul de îmbarcare, terminalele pe aeroporturi vor fi unice, respectiv cele ale alianţei, iar procedurile vor fi simplificate.

Calitatea serviciilor va fi unică indiferent de linia aleasă. Destinaţii exotice, ca insulele Fiji, Barbados, şi Vladivostok vor deveni disponibile. Pentru biletele vândute, Tarom va primi un comision care poate ajunge la 10% în funcţie de negocierile care vor avea loc pentru semnarea de code-share-uri. Biletele SkyTeam vor putea fi cumpărate de la oricare din cele 2.100 de ghişee din lume ale alianţei.

Tarom a început negocierile de aderare la SkyTeam în 2004, o dată cu AirEuropa, Copa Airlines şi Kenya Airways. Ultimele trei linii au devenit membri asociaţi în 2006, însă Tarom a rămas pe afară. Motivul este explicat de un oficial pentru transporturi aeriene al Ministerului Transporturilor. „Fiecare conducere care a venit după 2005 a considerat că ceea ce a făcut precedenta este prost şi a luat de la capăt totul. Nici negocierile cu SkyTeam nu au avut altă soartă“, spune acesta.

Oficiali ai MT susţin că la plecarea fostului ministru al Transporturilor Radu Berceanu, în primăvara lui 2007, documentele de preaderare erau ca şi semnate, însă schimbarea acestuia cu Ludovic Orban a mai trenat cu un an intrarea Tarom în SkyTeam. Noua conducere a reluat negocierile, de data aceasta şi cu alianţa rivală Star Alliance. SkyTeam a rămas preferată ca urmare a unor avantaje, cum ar fi libertatea lăsată Tarom de a-şi păstra un valoros acord code-share avut cu Austrian (membră Star Alliance).

Importanţa Tarom pentru SkyTeam este dată de faptul că Tarom este singurul membru al alianţei în această zonă a Europei, iar membrii SkyTeam vor putea opera destinaţii interne din România cu ajutorul Tarom. Politica celor de la Star
Alliance este de a opera pe cont propriu aceste destinaţii, Lufthansa sau Austrian având propriile zboruri spre aeroporturile din Transilvania.

Potrivit unor oficiali ai Ministerului Transporturilor costul aderării va fi de aproximativ zece milioane de euro, sumă care va fi recuperată în trei ani. Principalii membri SkyTeam sunt Air France/KLM, Continental, Delta şi Northwest din SUA, China Southern, Korean Airlines şi Alitalia. Alianţa transportă anual 428 de milioane de pasageri.

Cotidianul

So it's official!

[ionutzyankoo]

Great

[Cosmin]

Meet the future.

[Le Clerk]

Nice signage! And good thing they thought of Traian Vuia and put its name on the plane. I'm assuming Tarom did similarly with the other Romanian aviation pioneers?!

[Cosmin]

Well, the SkyTeam logo is actually pasted by me. It's unlikely we'll see it on TAROM's aircraft before it becomes a full member of the alliance.

However, all their A318 got aviation pioneers' names.
YR-ASA "Aurel Vlaicu"
YR-ASB "Traian Vuia"
YR-ASC "Henri Coandă"
YR-ASD "Smaranda Brăescu"

[Le Clerk]

Your fake was a good one.
Anyway, I think it's a good marketing approach to place such aviation pioneers' names on the planes! Hope that Tarom starts thinking like an international company.

[Cosmin]

It has nothing to do with international companies. Air France, for example, doesn't baptize its aircraft. Neither does Malev. But KLM or Austrian do. No pattern here.

But I hope TAROM starts applying some special paint schemes like other companies do in order to promote company products (like the TAROM-American Express credit card) or events.
Air France no name


KLM's Maria Callas