Air Moldova Attempts to Restart Services After Suspension

DALLAS - Air Moldova (9U) is attempting to restart limited services after being forced to suspend all operations.

The Chișinău International Airport (KIV) based carrier announced the suspension of operations between April 21 and 25, citing the lack of financial resources necessary for the company's activity."

It is hoping to restart services from KIV to Bologna (BLQ), Tbilisi (TBS) and Verona (VRN) with three one-way return flights to each destination. These will operate between April 23 and 25.

9U, which previously operated a fleet of Airbus A320-family airlines, had two airframes returned to lessors in March. This led to a wave of flight cancellations. However, three aircraft were leased to resume flights 'to mitigate and minimize the consequences of the fleet deficiency.'

Recent Struggles

The airline has been struggling financially for some time. The effect of the pandemic, coupled with the war in neighbouring Ukraine, has left the airline with challenges operating in its own airspace.

An online petition requesting the assistance of the President of the Republic of Moldova to step in and save the airline failed to make any impact. The Moldovan Civil Aviation Authority requested the airline set up a restructuring plan.

But the airline failed to work with the authorities, instead choosing to challenge them. In March, it publicly announced that it had 'become the target of a premeditated denigration campaign aimed at bankrupting the company.'

In an official statement released at the time, 9U said that while it had implemented 'prompt and quick solutions to overcome operational difficulties,' it had been 'drawn daily into unsubstantiated political statements.' That the Moldovan CAA had interfered with the company's commercial activity and that it had abused the airline's day-to-day running.

Currently, no solution to these issues has been found, and the airline has warned that it faces the possibility of bankruptcy.

https://airwaysmag.com/air-moldova-caa-safety-inspections/

Featured Image: Air Moldova (ER-AXP) Airbus A320-233. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways.