Low-cost air carrier Blue Air,controlled by businessman Nelu Iordache, expects a 44% turnoverincrease this year, to over 200 million euros, and says it willcarry 2.2 million passengers, 500,000 more than in 2009, afteracquiring five aircraft and launching new routes.
"In 2010 we intend to continue toexpand our fleet. We are in negotiations to acquire three Boeingaircraft, the first of which will be delivered at the end ofFebruary, and we are considering acquiring two SAAB 340 aircraft.At the same time we are seeking to consolidate our position on theforeign market and identify opportunities for destinations thatwill see our aircrafts full to capacity. We will open a third basein Larnaca, for flights to Vienna, Warsaw, and Milan, and a fewcharter flights, as well as a fourth base in Sibiu, for externalflights," says Adrian Ionascu, general manager of BlueAir.
Ionascu took the reins of thecompany last year in June after Gheorghe Racaru was promoted to thehelm of the development department of the group controlled bybusinessman Nelu Iordache, which includes Blue Air.
The biggest low-cost operator onthe Romanian market currently has 830 employees and intends to hireanother 200 this year - pilots and maintenancetechnicians.
Last year the company hired 155staff and posted around 140 million euros in turnover, 20% lessthan originally estimated, but 12% more than in 2008.
"The rise in last year's number of passengers does notautomatically translate into a turnover increase. We had to makesignificant cuts to ticket prices. Our main target has been to keepour market share at 42-44%. We will have the final results for lastyear at the end of March and I don't think we will see losses. Thecompany will either break even or make between a few hundredthousand and a million euros in profit," Ionascu added.
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