New Moldovan budget carrier HiSky to launch operations next week with an Airbus A320 leased from ALC

The start-up LCC plans to serve six European destinations from Chisinau using its Romanian partner’s permit

HiSky

Following July 1 anticipated lift of a ban to operate regular passenger flights to / from the Republic of Moldova, local start-up budget airline HiSky is set to finally launch operations in early July. Supported by its Romanian partner Cobrex Trans, HiSky has secured a long-term dry lease contract for a used Airbus A320 with the US Air Leasе Corporation (ALC).

Launched in February 2020, the privately-owned low-cost carrier (LCC) is to start direct scheduled low-frequency passenger services from its base Chisinau International Airport (IATA code: KIV) to six destinations in Europe – London, Dublin, Lisbon, Paris, Bologna and Dusseldorf on July 1. Due to the pandemic-induced lockdown the airline had to put off its initial plans of taking-off in April. It was also obliged to refund all the tickets it had sold for its flights. “HiSky was the only airline on the market, which offered complete reimbursement to passengers of cancelled flights during the pandemic. This is yet another proof of our respect for passengers and the principles we conform to,” HiSky’s founder and general director Iuian Scorpan emphasized.

Scorpan, who was previously general director for national flag carrier Air Moldova, also mentioned that HiSky’s first aircraft, a 2010-produced Airbus A320-200 (MSN 4493) is currently being painted in the airline’s colors and is expected to arrive at Chisinau shortly. According to the airline, the A320 will be the youngest aircraft operated commercially in Moldova.

HiSky’s flights will be operated by its Romanian partner Cobrex Trans, which secured Moldova’s Civil Aviation Authority permit for operating flights from KIV on April 7, 2020. A choice of the scheme is believed to be related to the fact that, with the exception of Air Moldova, LCC FlyOne and freight specialist Aerotranscargo, Moldova’s airlines are currently on EU’s black list.

HiSky enters a small, crowded market in challenging times. On all of its announced routes, except Dusseldorf, HiSky is to compete with veteran carrier Air Moldova, FlyOne and the mighty Hungarian-originated budget airline WizzAir, which has three aircraft based at Chisinau.

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