Airbus A310 to be reintroduced on TAROM flights in autumn

The two Airbus A310 aircraft belonging to TAROM company could be reintroduced on the company’s routes next October, for new flights towards the Middle East, China or Central Asia, declared yesterday Alexandros Galiatatos, secretary of state in the Ministry of Transports, Constructions and Tourism , according to Rompres. “We are carrying negotiations with MoD, and thus the two aircraft may be shifted under Romavia administration until March, repaired, and then granted under concession to TAROM, to be used for long courier flights starting from October or November”, stressed the official. Thus, the authorities are trying to avoid problems likely to emerge if the state supports directly TAROM to rehabilitate the aircraft, as it happened in the case of other European air flight companies with majority state capital which benefited from state aid, such as Alitalia, Olympic Airlines and Malev.

The official said that the aircraft could be used for flights to the Middle East, Romania becoming a hub for the route Middle East - Western Europe, but especially for destinations such as Beijing or the capital cities of the states from Central Asia, where new natural gas and oil deposits have been recently discovered, which renders this area extremely attractive for businessmen.

The rehabilitation of the aircraft is estimated by the Transport Ministry at around EUR 20 M, considering that their condition is relatively good, as Airbus representatives who came to check how TAROM maintains the two aircraft have noticed. TAROM spent since 2003 until now around EUR 0.8 M per year for the conservation of the two aircraft.

Source: nineoclock.ro