Nelu Iordache reorganises Direct Aero Services

Autor: Mirabela Tiron 20.03.2011

Direct Aero Services, the air taxi and travel services provider controlled by businessman Nelu Iordache, transferred the catering unit that helped it reach 127m-euro turnover in 2009 to another firm and gave up almost 50 employees after SAAB aircraft no longer flew on internal routes.

"The company entered a financial crunch after SAAB aircraft no longer flew on internal routes for Blue Air (as the low-cost airline owned by the same businessman gave up all internal flights i.e.). We had to let all the 20 pilots and 15 flight attendants go," stated Cătălin Popescu general manager of Direct Aero Services.

The company last year had over 200 employees, and at present it has around 100, according to Popescu.

While 52 were transferred to Blue Air, the rest were laid off, namely 48 people, according to ZF calculations.

This year, Direct Aero Services axed the marketing and sales department, and employees were made redundant.

The company in 2009 reached turnover worth 536m lei (127.6m euros) and income worth 16m lei (3.8m euros). Starting last year, though, the catering unit was transferred to Infra Group firm. The company's officials did not explain why they made this decision.