“The revenue shrank last year because we closed the hub in Timisoara in June and reduced operating frequency by 80%. We returned planes and started a restructuring program,” said Paula Ardelean, vice-president of the company.
“We took cost cutting steps to save the company, which showed in results.”
Carpatair is not offering any regular flights from airports in Romania at the moment, but signed a deal to carry Italians to Greek islands on charter flights.
“We will operate charter flights from Bergamo to all Greek islands. We are focusing on finding business on the charter flight market. We also rented a plane to Spain’s Volotea,” Paula Ardelean added.
Carpatair also signed a contract with Polish tour operators a few months ago to operate flights from Lublin (Poland) to Rome (Italy) twice a week until October.
Until its reorganization plan has been completed, Carpatair will continue to operate on the aircraft rental segment. The company stopped using its hub in Timisoara citing discrimination by airport policy, which offered lower taxes to rival Wizz Air. The first step it took towards reorganization was to cease all flights to and from Romania to cut costs.
Carpatair kept three 100-seat Fokker aircraft and a 148-seat Boeing, returning the SAAB planes it had been using to the leasing companies last year. Aircraft rental is done with payment in advance so this business does not entail any risks unlike operating regular flights.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)