Even if the aviation industry across the world is experiencing one of the bleakest times in its history, the predictions for the local market are still positive, insiders expecting roughly 5% growth in 2009.
“Although it is too early for predictions, I think the aviation market in Romania will grow by roughly 5% in 2009, and Air France KLM plans to maintain the growth. If the Romanian market will not record any increase in 2009, I don’t see any other European market that could”, Alexandru Dobrescu (photo), director of Air France KLM Romania told Wall-Street.
The January results don’t seem to attune to the optimistic predictions, however the peak season in the aviation industry starts no sooner than April. “The signals we pick up both from outside and from domestic market are not the most positive: in January, some 25% less airplane tickets were sold via billing settlement plan (through which nearly 80% airplane tickets are sold in Romania), from a year-ago period, and it never happened before,” said the representative of Air France KLM, operator who reported 81% occupancy rate of aircrafts in January this year.
He expects many airline operators to ground aircrafts and eliminate flights this year. “Adaptability will be the core factor in 2009. Only companies with proper, comprehensive vision and flexibility in business plan will withstand the tough market conditions”, Dobrescu pointed out.
The fact that Romania is one of the most profitable, and an important market for large carriers is proven by the appointment as local managers of very important persons inside the airline companies. “The operators have a special approach for Romanian market: they appoint people with the ability to understand the local market, with expertise and who make strong recommendations inside the group. For example Malev, which grew significantly since Madalina Cretu t
