The company’s General Manager, Gheorghe Racaru, said the company plans to maintain the same growth rate in the second half of 2008. “As a low-cost operator, maintaining low ticket prices is one of our top priorities. We decided that the next aircraft to become part of the company’s fleet will be the Boeing 737 Next Generation, which has a higher capacity and makes transportation more efficient by reducing fuel consumption,” he said.
In H1 2008, the company carried 425,000 passengers, 21.5 percent higher than in the first six months in 2007. Last year, it transported 900,000 passengers and posted business worth €95 million. By the end of 2008, the company expects turnover to amount to €120 million.
In spite of the increase in business, Racaru said the company could post losses this year, due to higher fuel prices. “Costs have doubled compared to last year. We hope to maintain last year’s level and not post losses, but are considering this possibility,” he told Business Standard.
In 2007, Blue Air posted some €1 million worth of profit, although it registered higher expenditures.
