Since the first flight operated in Romania, in 2008, and until now, RYANAIR has carried over 10 million passengers. The psychological threshold of 10 million was exceeded on November 21, 2019. The lucky passenger with the number 10 million traveled on the route Bucharest - London Southend.
RYANAIR has evolved in recent years, at least in Romania. He came, he left, he came back again and so on. It opened several bases, including in Timisoara and Oradea. Then he closed them. He currently has flights from Bucharest, Cluj and Timisoara.
For RYANAIR, everything is about money, profitability and aid. After an accelerated expansion in Romania, a period of consolidation followed. And for 2020, Europe's largest low-cost carrier has prepared a few new routes and a timid expansion. But let's see a brief summary!
The Ryanair 2020 program for Romania will offer:
- 3 airports: Bucharest (3 allocated aircraft), Cluj and Timișoara
- 25 of routes in total
- 5 new routes:
- From Bucharest to / from Edinburgh, London Southend, Pisa (all from Winter 2019) and Kavala (Summer 2020)
- From Cluj to / from London Stansted (Summer 2020)
- 2.62 million customers per year (+ 7%)
- Over 1,600 * of jobs (indirect)
Currently, RYANAIR has reached 2.62 millions of passengers carried per year, up 7% from the previous year. It remains to be seen what will happen in 2020.
Ryanair is a more than discreet presence in Romania. The largest low cost operator in Europe is not very crowded in our lands and I do not think at all that the reason is the lack of passengers, so low profitability. How do you think that, for example, from Hungary (Budapest straight), a country with a population about half the population of Romania (!!!), Ryanair flies to destinations of almost 3 (three !!!) times more than from Romania, including to areas such as Gran Canaria, Ibiza or Palma, and from Romania no thought to such destinations? I repeat, I do not think that it is about "efficiency" or "profitability" but, rather, a combination of factors, of which Romania's non-belonging to the Schengen area may be one of them. I'm waiting to be contradicted (with arguments!).
RYANAIR chose not to lose money in Romania :). From the great plan to operate from 10 airports, it has restricted its activity to the best of its ability. RYANAIR has expanded its activities where there is money, subsidies and greater profit 😀