Blue Air moves to Otopeni, announces expansion plans

Budget carrier Blue Air will run all its flights from and move its operational base to the Henri Coanda International Airport (Otopeni) from March 25, following the authorities’ decision to transfer low-cost flights from their present hub at Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (Baneasa).

The shift will not cause a significant hike in fares, according to Sherif Ussama, GM of Blue Air. “Some have spoken of price increases of EUR 4, 5 or 10. In fact, prices are set by supply and demand and on most of our routes they will not increase,” he said.

The company reported fewer than 1.5 million passengers last year, down by about 200,000 against 2009. The decrease comes after the airline reduced its flight capacity by 15 percent in 2011, following a restructuring program. Blue Air estimates a EUR 149.5 million turnover for 2011, down 9 percent y-o-y, but said that it has managed to “slightly” increase its profitability. This year it is hoping for a turnover increase of 3 to 4 percent.

For 2012 Ussama has disclosed that the airline has plans to expand to a neighboring country but the only detail he gave was that it was not Hungary.

The airline has also announced that it will increase its number of flights on several routes. At peak season it will operate 85 flights per week from Otopeni and another 37 from Bacau, its second hub. For this the carrier has acquired two more airplanes and a third should be added this summer, taking Blue Air’s fleet to 10 aircraft.

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Simona Bazavan