Former Air Moldova chief Iulian Scorpan is heading up a private start-up budget carrier, branded HiSky, for the Central European republic.
While all Moldovan carriers, with the exception of Air Moldova, FlyOne and Aerotranscargo, are blacklisted, the start-up will be formed through a partnership with a Romanian operating carrier, Cobrex Trans, based in Brasov.
Cobrex Trans is listed in the Romanian civil aviation authority’s operator registry as having a single Boeing 737-300 and an Airbus Helicopters AS365.
But HiSky says it intends to commence operations with a pair of Airbus A320s. The airline, with the IATA designator code ‘4H’, will begin services on 10 April.
It is planning to start flights on a network of six European destinations including London, Paris, Dublin, Lisbon, Bologna and Dusseldorf.
HiSky will compete with local carriers Air Moldova and FlyOne, among others, with only the Dusseldorf route currently unserved. London will be flown three-times weekly while the other routes will be served weekly or twice-weekly.
“The pricing policy underpinning this partnership [with Cobrex Trans] combines low-cost principles with a range of additional services charged in a simple manner so that passengers have complete control over their choice,” says HiSky.
It will offer a four-tier fare structure – ranging from ‘basic’ to ‘premium plus’ – and chief executive Scorpan says the airline intends to import a “Western culture” to its services.
“The primary interest of our company is high standard at low cost,” says Cobrex Trans commercial director Mihaela Apavaloaie.
“We want the passengers who take advantage of our services to travel to their chosen destinations in a pleasant, safe, comfortable environment.”
Scorpan headed Air Moldova until around September last year when he was replaced by a new general director.
