Romanian carrier Animawings has taken delivery of its – and the country’s – first Airbus A220, with the arrival of a -300 leased from US-based Azorra.
The initial twinjet (YR-CHR), powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines, was flown from Montreal to Bucharest, via Reykjavik, on 13 December.
Animawings had disclosed earlier this year that it intended to expand with A220s after Greek operator Aegean Airlines sold its majority share of the company to a travel firm.
Azorra has direct orders for 22 A220-300s and has received two of them. It also agreed to take a dozen of the type previously operated by EgyptAir.
The lessor – which is providing four A220s to Animawings – says the aircraft are being sourced from its direct order with Airbus.
“This advanced aircraft enables us to commit to delivering connectivity to sought-after destinations such as Dubai, Cluj, Iasi, Oradea, Paris, Larnaca or Stockholm,” says Animawings co-owner Marius Pandel.
He says the A220 enables the carrier to modernise its operation and “deliver exceptional travel experiences” to its passengers.
“Our partnership with Azorra has been instrumental in helping us take this significant step,” says Pandel.
“With its unmatched performance and efficiency, this aircraft is perfectly suited to support Animawings’ growth objectives and will play a vital role in the future of aviation in Romania,” says Azorra chief John Evans.
Animawings will bring the number of European operators of A220s to 10, according to Airbus Canada.
