The first Airbus A330 to appear on the civil aircraft register of Romania has touched down at its new home base at Bucharest’s Henri Coanda Airport (OTP). The aircraft arrived at the airport on December 19, 2023, after a ferry flight from Timisoara where it had been undergoing entry-into-service checks following maintenance in Shannon, Ireland.
The aircraft has been acquired by Romanian airline HiSky Europe (HiSky) and is leased from global leasing giant Air Lease Corporation. The aircraft is just over 13 years old, having first been delivered to Sichuan Airlines of China in July 2010.
HiSky’s new addition to its fleet, registered as YR-KID, is the only one of its kind operated by a Romanian company. Upon its arrival in Bucharest, the plane was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute on the airport’s taxiway.
The aircraft joins seven other Airbus family aircraft in the current HiSky fleet. The carrier also operates a single A319, four A320s plus a pair of new A321neo XLRs which arrived earlier in 2023.
The arrival of the widebody passenger jet means that HiSky now has the capability to perform regular long-haul flights and allows the company to offer flights anywhere worldwide. In its current configuration, the aircraft seats 245 passengers in a two-class layout (36 in business class and 209 in economy class).
According to HiSky, “The cabin is designed to maximize personal space, offering wider seats and more legroom. Passengers traveling with the A330-200 will also enjoy an onboard entertainment system, with individual screens from which they can choose content from a wide range of movies and music.”
“When we put in place our fleet expansion strategy, we start from the capability we need, then choose the best aircraft that meets criteria of autonomy, efficiency, and, last but not least, passenger comfort,” said Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky. “After all the analyses, the A330-200 emerged as the best option for long-haul flights and we are pleased that we managed to bring the aircraft to Bucharest in a very short time, ready to start flying.”
“We are approaching the end of a highly productive year for the HiSky team, with passenger records, a high position at the top of the main companies operating in Romania, three new aircraft in the fleet, and a large number of destinations in the program. For 2024, the wide-body aircraft and authorization for flights to the USA outline even more interesting prospects and we look forward to sharing them with our passengers,” he added.
The destinations to which the company will operate scheduled flights with its new arrival are due to be announced in the coming weeks.
The A330-200 selected by HiSky is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 772B engines and can reach a cruising speed of 870 km/h, with the ability to operate on sector lengths of up to 14 uninterrupted flight hours.