Tarom flies high again after 50m-euro losses of 2009: 30% growth in H1

State-owned Tarom, the biggest player in air transportation in terms of turnover, in the first half of 2010 carried 900,000 passengers, up 31% from a year ago, according to company's officials. "In H1, the company's turnover rose to 420m RON (100m euros) from 313m RON (74.5m euros) in H1, 2009," stated the company's representatives without disclosing the level of profit or losses. The state-owned airline ended last year with 193m-euro turnover and record high losses of 55.8m euros, the biggest losses posted in the past decade, in line with Trade Registry data. Ruxandra Brutaru, 29, the company's general manager, previously stated the trend of financial figures depended on the direction of the Romanian economy, with losses being also caused by the US dollar rise, as well as by the soaring oil prices. In her opinion, the airline will end this year with losses, too, should fuel prices go up again. Tarom last year carried 1.7 million passengers and this year expects 2.1 million passengers on internal and external routes, owning a 20% share of the air transportation market, in line with estimates by the company's officials.