Blue Air

Blue Air is a Romanian low-cost airline headquartered in Bucharest,[1] with its hub at Henri Coandă International Airport. It is the largest Romanian airline by scheduled passengers flown.[2] In 2017, Blue Air carried over 5 million passengers, a 40% increase over the 3.6 million passengers flown the previous year.[3] As of February 2019, Blue Air flies to 57 scheduled destinations.

Not to be confused with Air Bleu, Airblue, Blue1, Blue Panorama Airlines, JetBlue, Pacific Blue Airlines, or Virgin Blue.
Blue Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
0B BLA BLUE AIR
Founded2004
Commenced operations2004
Operating bases
HubsHenri Coandă International Airport
Frequent-flyer programMy Blue
Fleet size19
Destinations57
HeadquartersBucharest, Romania
Key peopleOana Petrescu, CEO
Revenue €458 million (2019)
Net income €15.1 million (2019)
Employees1,145 (2019)
Websitewww.flyblueair.com

History

Founded by Nelu Iordache,[4] Blue Air started operating in December 2004. Blue Air initially operated domestic and international flights, although domestic services were soon discontinued due to low sales and competition from TAROM, as well as Căile Ferate Române, the Romanian rail company. Blue Air resumed domestic operations in 2015, starting with Bucharest-Iasi flights, followed by further routes in 2016.

On 12 April 2013, Blue Air's management announced that the airline was for sale.[5] On 17 May 2013, the company was purchased by four Romanian shareholders, and BlueAir Transport Aerian SA's flight operations were transferred to Blue Air – Airline Management Solution SRL, a company that bailed the business out with EUR 30 million.[6] In 2015, Blue Air reported a net profit of EUR 6 million, contrasting to the company's loss of EUR 400,000 in 2014.[7]

The airline transported 1.5 million passengers in 2014, an increase from the 1.35 million passengers in 2013.[8] In 2015, the airline transported for the first time more than 2 million passengers.[9] With a total of 25 new routes announced for 2016, the airline forecasts carrying close to three million passengers in 2016.[10]

Blue Air became a full member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on 19 January 2016.[11] Furthermore, Blue Air received the IATA Operational Safety Audit certification in December 2015,[12] being a member of the IATA Clearing House).[13]

In March 2017, Blue Air started a base in Liverpool John Lennon Airport, operating to 8 destinations across Europe. Blue Air also created a 'welcome to Liverpool' Livery for their Boeing 737-800 Aircraft (YR-BMH).[14] This aircraft included slogans such as 'Cool city, Warm welcome' and 'Liverpool Music city' to help use the aircraft to promote its new base in Liverpool, England, by flying this logo jet across Europe. This aircraft is also the only full special livery aircraft within the Blue Air fleet. In July 2017, Blue Air exchanged the aircraft in Larnaca International Airport, Cyprus, for a smaller Boeing 737-700 aircraft.

Since November 2017, with the entry into force of the Territorial Continuity in Sardinia, Blue Air connects the Alghero airport with the Rome-Fiumicino Airport, a route operated in the past by Alitalia. The airline, following a conference held at Alghero Airport in early November, announced that the Riviera del Corallo became his fourth international base of operations, after those in Torino, Liverpool and Larnaca. In January 2018, Blue Air launched a new subsidiary in the Czech Republic, known as Blue Air Moravia. The airline should have commenced operations in March 2018, however, this will likely not happen due to some issues between the company and the Czech authorities.[15]

In 2018 the legal status of the company was changed, from a limited liability company to a joint-stock company; it also changed its legal name to Blue Air Aviation SA.[16] In that same year (2018), Civil Aviation Group (a joint venture between Moldovan investors and Blue Air) won the privatization process of Moldova's airline, Air Moldova, for the sum of 50 millions MDL (2.56 million EUR). Civil Aviation Group took over Air Moldova's debts, worth 1.2 billion Moldovan lei (61 million euro).[17]

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Turnover (€m) 24 50 95 124 140 150 149 137 135 148 199 291 412 495 458
Net profit (€m) - - - - - - - - - (0.3) 5.9 (26) (32) (31) 15
Number of passengers (m) - - - 1.1 1.72 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.37 1.6 2.05 3.6 5.1 5.2 -
Number of aircraft (at year end) 3 4 5 6 10 8 8 8 8 11 15 24 29 25 23
Number of employees - - - - - - - - 437 504 585 921 1,240 1,121 1,145
Notes/sources [18][19] [18][19] [18] [18] [18] [18] [18] [18] [18][20] [18][21][22] [21][6][22] [22][21] [22] [22] [22]

Operations

Bases

Blue Air has used Bucharest as its primary hub for most of its history. Initially, the airline's hub was located at the Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (Băneasa), until the airport became overcrowded and was increasingly surrounded by urban development. This fact led to the airport's closure for commercial airlines in 2012. (The airport was not closed officially, but the operating taxes for airlines were suddenly increased until no airline could afford them.[23]) As a result, all airlines moved their operations to Bucharest's largest airport, Henri Coandă International Airport. The company uses this airport as its primary hub.

A base maintained at Liverpool John Lennon Airport since March 2017[24] was closed in February 2019, as well as the base at Alghero–Fertilia Airport which was inaugurated in 2017[25][26] and closed in April 2019.[27] The base at Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport, which was maintained since April 2017[28] closed in 2019 as well. The base at Larnaca International Airport closed in September 2020,[29] the one at Iași International Airport shut down in November 2020.[30]

As of December 2020, the other bases of Blue Air are located in Romania and Italy:

Destinations
Main article: List of Blue Air destinations

As of February 2021, Blue Air offers flights to 57 scheduled destinations. There are additional seasonal charters operated on behalf of tour operators.

Codeshare agreements

Blue Air codeshares with the following airlines:

Fleet
Blue Air Boeing 737-500
Blue Air Boeing 737-800

Current fleet

As of January 2021, the Blue Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:[34]

Blue Air Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-300 2 — 148 To be retired by the beginning of 2021.[35]
Boeing 737-500 6 — 120
126
Boeing 737-700 1[36] — 148
Boeing 737-800 11 1[37] 189 One in Carol I – King of Romania livery
Boeing 737 MAX 8 1[38] 9[39] 189 Currently grounded.[40]
Total 21 10

Historical fleet
Aircraft Number Introduced Retired Notes
Boeing 737-300 3 2004 2016 [41]
Boeing 737-400 15 2006 2020 [41]
Boeing 737-500 2 2005 2011 [41]
Boeing 737-700 1 2015 2019 [42]
Boeing 737-800 7 2008 2019 [41]
Saab 2000 1 2009 2009 Leased from Carpatair[42]

See also

References
  1. Concept, Openmind. "Contact | Blue Air". www.blueairweb.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  2. "Compania aeriană românească Blue Air a depăşit pragul de 5 milioane de pasageri | Ziarul Financiar". www.zf.ro. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
  3. Stefan, Teodor (21 January 2018). "Peste 5 milioane de pasageri au ales Blue Air in 2017". Aeronews.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  4. "Nelu Iordache își vrea Blue Air înapoi". Capital.ro. 25 May 2016.
  5. "Compania aeriană Blue Air, scoasă la vânzare" (in Romanian).
  6. "Afacerile Blue Air au depăşit pentru prima dată pragul de 200 de milioane de euro în 2015".
  7. "Romanian low-cost airline posts record turnover". Romania Insider. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  8. "Blue Air Estimează Că A Transportat 1,5 Milioane de Pasageri În 2014" (in Romanian). 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  9. "Peste 2 milioane de pasageri transportati de Blue Air in 2015". T2T.ro (in Romanian). 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  10. dcnews (8 July 2016). "Blue Air "suflă" în ceafa TAROM" (in Romanian). Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  11. "Blue Air joins IATA – Airlines International Blue Air joins IATA". IATA.org official. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  12. "Blue Air a primit certificarea IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)". T2T.ro (in Romanian). 3 December 2015.
  13. IATA Clearing House Members List
  14. "YR-BMH". www.jetphotos.com. 5 April 2017.
  15. Blue Air Moravia
  16. "Romania's largest airline Blue Air becomes joint venture, changes name to Blue Air Aviation". Business Review. 9 August 2018.
  17. "Civil Aviation Group takes over Air Moldova for 50 mln Moldovan lei". Agerpres. 2 October 2018.
  18. "10 ani de Blue Air. Compania închide anul 2014 pe profit şi cu afaceri de 150 de milioane de euro". Economica.net (in Romanian). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  19. "Blue Air Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  20. "O companie aeriană din România e în top cinci mondial al operatorilor low-cost cu cele mai vechi avioane".
  21. Aproape 3.6 milioane pasageri au ales Blue Air in 2016 , Aeronews.ro, Retrieved on 27 January 2017
  22. "Blue Air Aviation SA". Romanian Companies. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  23. "Închiderea aeroportului Băneasa dezvăluie o comoară imobiliară de un miliard de euro" (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. 5 March 2012.
  24. "LJLA to become Blue Air's latest European base bringing more flights, more international visitors and more jobs at LJLA". Liverpool Airport.
  25. https://www.mediafax.ro/economic/compania-aeriana-romaneasca-blue-air-a-depasit-pragul-de-5-milioane-de-pasageri-16941623
  26. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/aho/arrivals
  27. http://www.castedduonline.it/continuita-territoriale-roma-milano/
  28. "Compania aeriană românească Blue Air a depăşit pragul de 5 milioane de pasageri" (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
  29. boardingpass.ro - RUTE AERIENEOficial: Blue Air închide în 15 septembrie 2020 baza din Larnaca (Romanian) 3 September 2020
  30. ch-aviation.com - Romania's Blue Air axes Iasi base; to relocate Euro ops 17 November 2020
  31. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/bcm/arrivals
  32. boardingpass.ro - RUTE AERIENEBlue Air anunță 12 rute noi care vor fi operate din Cluj Napoca în 2021 (Romanian) 21 October 2020
  33. seenews.com - Romania's Blue Air to station second aircraft at Turin base in Sept 11 August 2020
  34. "Blue Air – Fleet". www.blueairweb.com. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  35. "Blue Air adds one more Boeing 737-800ng to its fleet". boardingpass.ro.
  36. "Blue Air Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net.
  37. "The company Blue Air adds one more Boeing 737-800ng in its fleet". boardingpass.ro./
  38. St. John, Laura (19 June 2017). "Air Lease Corporation Announces the Lease Placement of Six New Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Six 737-800 Aircraft with Blue Air". Air Lease Corporation. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  39. "FAA: the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft receive green light to return in commercial service". boardingpass.ro.
  40. Press (January 20, 2020). "As new Boeing CEO takes over, it's unclear when the 737 Max will fly again". CNET.COM. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  41. "Blue Air Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  42. "Blue Air Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2019-07-14.

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