Let us fly!

March 17 / 2023

In the context of all public statements and pronouncements of the authorities regarding the situation of Air Moldova, we are forced to conclude that we have become the target of a premeditated denigration campaign aimed at bankrupting the company.

As Air Moldova was forced to temporarily return the 2 aircraft from its fleet to the lessor, which led to flight cancellations in March, we became the subject of a public execution, for this reason it is necessary to clarify the situation in chronological order:

1. Until February this year, the winter timetable was operated with a very low number of cancellations and flight delays. The company's plan for 2023 included: renewing the fleet with new aircraft and launching 8 destinations, despite circumstances such as:

  • In 2020-2021, lack of flights for 4 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In 2022, the beginning of the war in Ukraine, resulting in the closure of airspace and lack of flights for 1 month.
  • Loss of key flight destinations for the company's commercial activity.

2. After the March announcement of the low-cost carrier about its withdrawal from the Moldovan market, the lessor of 2 aircraft demanded their immediate return. With this action, the lessor violated all previous agreements on restructuring of late payments from Air Moldova (accumulated as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine).

3. The fleet shortage has caused flight cancellations since March. We took prompt action to stabilise the situation, reorganise the schedule and honour our obligations to passengers. Every passenger has been and will continue to be assisted with:

  • Flight rescheduling
  • Refund of ticket costs
  • Voucher equal to the cost of the ticket

4. In record time, Air Moldova identified and implemented solutions to mitigate and minimize the consequences of the fleet deficiency, leasing 3 additional aircraft to resume flight operations and avoid mass cancellations. We have already been operating our flights for 2 weeks with these 3 aircraft.

5. While the company implements prompt and quick solutions to overcome operational difficulties, we find ourselves in the situation where:

  • We are drawn daily into unsubstantiated political statements.
  • The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), imposes on us limits on ticket sales, which is an interference in the commercial activity of the company, an abusive stoppage of commercial activity in the middle of the operating season. We are deliberately deprived of the opportunity to overcome existing operational and financial difficulties, with the aim of destroying us.
  • CAA's abuse of Air Moldova's activity has taken off in 2022. The CAA deliberately delays the flight approval process. As of 28 November 2022, Air Moldova has applied for approval of 5 new flights. Although the regulation requires no less than 45 days prior to flight operation, Air Moldova applied for approvals more than 118 days before the flight. So far the CAA does not issue flight authorizations for the requested destinations.

Even under the listed conditions, we have found effective solutions to overcome the difficulties, without any advisory support from the State, the authorities or any external support.

We are witnessing a clearly orchestrated campaign of kneeling in front of external partners and denigration in front of passengers of a NATIONAL air carrier, a PRIVATE ECONOMIC AGENT, one of the largest tax payers in the country (tens of millions of lei annually) without having debts to the state budget.

We plead with the authorities of this state, if they are unable to provide at least advisory support, to refrain from creating panic among the population by launching speculations that only lower the air carrier's resilience.

Esteemed representatives of the country's leadership, Esteemed partners, Esteemed representatives of the media, on behalf of more than 290 specialists, who are people and not a criminal group, who have worked with dedication for years at Air Moldova, on behalf of the citizens and tourists of our country, who currently number almost 70 thousand passengers, we ask you to stop the campaign of destruction that you have launched against us!

Although it was destructively managed when it was a state-owned company, AIR MOLDOVA, WE, have stoically resisted all the impediments you have created.

Let us fly!

Dear passengers, we 290 people are still working for your trust and for our dream to see Air Moldova flying again, with its wings up! The management and the team of Air Moldova will not allow the bankruptcy of the NATIONAL operator!

#AirMoldovaAripileSus