Air Moldova
Encyclopedia
Air Moldova is an airline
with its head office on the grounds of Chişinău International Airport
in Chişinău
, Moldova
. It is the national airline of Moldova and operates scheduled services to 17 destinations in Europe. Its main base is Chişinău International Airport. The Air Moldova air operators certificate permits the transport of passengers, goods and mail (at July 2007). Air Moldova is IATA and ICAO member.
unit. Since its very start, the company’s efforts were targeted at integration to the international market and compliance with the modern standards and requirements to high-end airlines. Air Moldova joined the management team improvement program in 1999.
On 13 July 2004, Air Moldova became an IATA member. Air Moldova have also passed the operation safety audit and received the IOSA
operator certificate.
Aside from fifteen aircraft Po-2 biplanes operating domestic flights and serving in the agricultural role, there were also two LI-2
, which were used on flights to Moscow, some Ukrainian cities and to Black Sea and Caucasus summer resorts.
In the 1960s, considerable steps in the development of the local airline industry were made. A new airport in Chisinau able to accommodate gas turbine aircraft opened early in the decade.
The enterprise received status of Civil Aviation Administration in 1965 and new An-10
, An-12
and An-24
aircraft expanded its fleet. Regular flights to many cities in the USSR were begun and the transportation of fruits and vegetables grown in Moldova to the largest industrial centers of the USSR was established.
The beginning of the 1970s was marked by the appearance of jet aircraft on Moldova's main air routes. The first Tu-134
began service in Moldova in 1971 and became the main aircraft of the enterprise, increasing in number until at one point 26 of them were in use. In Chisinau there was even an all-union test basis for aircraft of this type.
The fleet was further enlarged in 1972 with the Yak-42
regional aircraft and in 1974 with the An-26 cargo aircraft. The route map kept expanding and the flow of traffic kept growing throughout the decade. In the middle of the 1980s, Moldovan operations received ten Tu-154
aircraft, furthering the development of Moldovan aviation. At that time Moldovan aircraft flew to 73 cities in the USSR and carried over 1,000,000 passengers per year. In 1990 the first international route between Chisinau and Frankfurt-am-Main was opened.
The Air Moldova fleet consists of the following aircraft (at 7 October 2010):
120 and 145 aircraft. The two Yakovlev Yak-42
s went back to Russia in late 2003 and 2004. The last Tupolev Tu-154
B (ER-85285) was destroyed on July 5, 2006.
In November 2006, 93.1 million Moldovian lei (about 6 million euro) were transferred from the 2006 state budget to Air Moldova. With another 9 million Lei taken from a bank, one of the six Airbus 320 will be bought. The opposition has doubts about the transparency of this deal.
In June 2007, Air Moldova gave back one Airbus 320 to the lessor after 38 months of service.
A MD-82 (SX-BSQ) from SkyWings has been leased for 5 months from 15. May till end of October 2007.
The Tupolev Tu-134 operated the Moscow and Istanbul flights more often when the second Airbus left the fleet. In the past Air Moldova chartered a Cirrus B735, the Moldavian Airlines Fokker 100, a Bulgarian Air VIA A320, Jet Tran Air MD81/82s and a Khors Aircompany M82 as a replacement. The Yak-40 replaced the Embraer 120 (e.g. to Prague or Vienna) when that aircraft was in maintenance.
The first Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia
was part of the fleet from 12 October 2001 until 28 September 2006 when it was transferred to Tandem Aero. The second Embraer 120RT flew between 23 April 2004 and 26 March 2005 for Air Moldova.The second EMBRAER EMB-120 Brasilia was bought in 2006
Embraer
has signed a firm order with the Moldovan flag carrier Air Moldova for two one-class Embraer 190 regional jet. The contract includes purchase rights for another aircraft. Delivery was on 10 May 2010.
Air Moldova's in-flight magazine, Open Skies, is printed every two months. In 2010, Air Moldova transported 464.000 passengers.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
with its head office on the grounds of Chişinău International Airport
Chisinau International Airport
Chișinău International Airport is the main international airport in Chișinău, Moldova, located southeast of the centre of Chişinău, the capital city.-History:...
in Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. It is the national airline of Moldova and operates scheduled services to 17 destinations in Europe. Its main base is Chişinău International Airport. The Air Moldova air operators certificate permits the transport of passengers, goods and mail (at July 2007). Air Moldova is IATA and ICAO member.
History
The airline was established and started operations in 1993 on the basis of the local Aeroflot'sAeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
unit. Since its very start, the company’s efforts were targeted at integration to the international market and compliance with the modern standards and requirements to high-end airlines. Air Moldova joined the management team improvement program in 1999.
On 13 July 2004, Air Moldova became an IATA member. Air Moldova have also passed the operation safety audit and received the IOSA
IATA Operational Safety Audit
The IATA Operational Safety Audit programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a...
operator certificate.
The roots of the national civil aviation
The origin of Air Moldova can be traced to 19 September 1944, when the first unit of Po-2 transport aircraft arrived in Chisinau and the Moldovan Independent Squadron was established.Aside from fifteen aircraft Po-2 biplanes operating domestic flights and serving in the agricultural role, there were also two LI-2
Lisunov Li-2
The Lisunov Li-2, originally designated PS-84 , was a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by the GAZ-84 works at Moscow-Khimki, and subsequently at GAZ-33 at Tashkent-Vostochn. The project was directed by aeronautical engineer Boris Pavlovich Lisunov.-Design and...
, which were used on flights to Moscow, some Ukrainian cities and to Black Sea and Caucasus summer resorts.
In the 1960s, considerable steps in the development of the local airline industry were made. A new airport in Chisinau able to accommodate gas turbine aircraft opened early in the decade.
The enterprise received status of Civil Aviation Administration in 1965 and new An-10
Antonov An-10
The Antonov An-10 was a four-engined turboprop passenger transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union.-Design and development:...
, An-12
Antonov An-12
The Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10.-Design and development:...
and An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
aircraft expanded its fleet. Regular flights to many cities in the USSR were begun and the transportation of fruits and vegetables grown in Moldova to the largest industrial centers of the USSR was established.
The beginning of the 1970s was marked by the appearance of jet aircraft on Moldova's main air routes. The first Tu-134
Tupolev Tu-134
The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
began service in Moldova in 1971 and became the main aircraft of the enterprise, increasing in number until at one point 26 of them were in use. In Chisinau there was even an all-union test basis for aircraft of this type.
The fleet was further enlarged in 1972 with the Yak-42
Yakovlev Yak-42
The Yakovlev Yak-42 is a 100/120-seat three-engined mid-range passenger jet. It was designed as a replacement for several obsolete Aeroflot jets as a mid-range passenger jet...
regional aircraft and in 1974 with the An-26 cargo aircraft. The route map kept expanding and the flow of traffic kept growing throughout the decade. In the middle of the 1980s, Moldovan operations received ten Tu-154
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range narrow-body airliner designed in the mid 1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. As the mainstay 'workhorse' of Soviet and Russian airlines for several decades, it serviced over a sixth of the world's landmass and carried half of all passengers flown...
aircraft, furthering the development of Moldovan aviation. At that time Moldovan aircraft flew to 73 cities in the USSR and carried over 1,000,000 passengers per year. In 1990 the first international route between Chisinau and Frankfurt-am-Main was opened.
Fleet
Air Moldova has a fleet of Airbus and Embraer aircraft. Starting from May, 10, 2010 the fleet were expanded by adding a new Embraer E-190 jet.The Air Moldova fleet consists of the following aircraft (at 7 October 2010):
| Type | In Fleet | Passengers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
3 | 8 | 162 | 170 |
| Embraer 120 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 30 |
| Embraer 190 | 1 (operating for RAK Airways RAK Airways RAK Airways is the national airline of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven states in the United Arab Emirates. The airline has relaunched operations in 2010 under a new livery and new management.-History:... |
6 | 108 | 114 |
History of the fleet
In 2001, Air Moldova leased EmbraerEmbraer
Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
120 and 145 aircraft. The two Yakovlev Yak-42
Yakovlev Yak-42
The Yakovlev Yak-42 is a 100/120-seat three-engined mid-range passenger jet. It was designed as a replacement for several obsolete Aeroflot jets as a mid-range passenger jet...
s went back to Russia in late 2003 and 2004. The last Tupolev Tu-154
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range narrow-body airliner designed in the mid 1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. As the mainstay 'workhorse' of Soviet and Russian airlines for several decades, it serviced over a sixth of the world's landmass and carried half of all passengers flown...
B (ER-85285) was destroyed on July 5, 2006.
In November 2006, 93.1 million Moldovian lei (about 6 million euro) were transferred from the 2006 state budget to Air Moldova. With another 9 million Lei taken from a bank, one of the six Airbus 320 will be bought. The opposition has doubts about the transparency of this deal.
In June 2007, Air Moldova gave back one Airbus 320 to the lessor after 38 months of service.
A MD-82 (SX-BSQ) from SkyWings has been leased for 5 months from 15. May till end of October 2007.
The Tupolev Tu-134 operated the Moscow and Istanbul flights more often when the second Airbus left the fleet. In the past Air Moldova chartered a Cirrus B735, the Moldavian Airlines Fokker 100, a Bulgarian Air VIA A320, Jet Tran Air MD81/82s and a Khors Aircompany M82 as a replacement. The Yak-40 replaced the Embraer 120 (e.g. to Prague or Vienna) when that aircraft was in maintenance.
The first Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
was part of the fleet from 12 October 2001 until 28 September 2006 when it was transferred to Tandem Aero. The second Embraer 120RT flew between 23 April 2004 and 26 March 2005 for Air Moldova.The second EMBRAER EMB-120 Brasilia was bought in 2006
Embraer
Embraer
Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
has signed a firm order with the Moldovan flag carrier Air Moldova for two one-class Embraer 190 regional jet. The contract includes purchase rights for another aircraft. Delivery was on 10 May 2010.
Services
Passenger transportation is operated on scheduled and charter routes. In May 2006, Air Moldova implemented e-ticketing on all its flights.Air Moldova's in-flight magazine, Open Skies, is printed every two months. In 2010, Air Moldova transported 464.000 passengers.