Romanian airline AnimaWings has launched a new scheduled service between Vienna Airport and Cluj-Napoca Regional Airport in Romania. Flights will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
According to the flight schedule, the planes depart from Romania in the early morning and return after a short stop in Vienna. For the upcoming 2026 winter schedule, the company has already announced an increase in frequencies to three weekly flights. The airline, founded in 2020 by the Eastern European tour operator Christian Tour, focuses on a classic full-service concept with various travel classes.
The market launch comes during a period of significant change in the Romanian air transport sector. Following the insolvency of the low-cost carrier Blue Air and the ongoing consolidation of the state-owned airline TAROM, the market is heavily dominated by foreign providers such as Wizz Air. Cluj-Napoca has developed into a major aviation hub in the Transylvania region. AnimaWings' targeted approach to establishing a connection to Vienna reflects the need for transport capacity for Romanians living abroad and for business travelers. On routes between Austria and Romania, the airline primarily competes with established network carriers and low-cost carriers that have a strong presence in the Austrian market.
The planned expansion of the fleet from the current eight to 14 aircraft by the end of 2027 represents a significant operational and financial risk for the young company. AnimaWings is relying primarily on the Airbus A220-300 aircraft type. Although this type is well-suited for regional routes due to its capacity, the aviation industry worldwide is struggling with persistent supply bottlenecks for engine components and spare parts for this model series, which has already led to unplanned disruptions at several European airlines. Furthermore, operating a full-service model on short-haul routes requires higher revenue per seat compared to pure low-cost carriers, which poses an economic challenge given the price-sensitive clientele in ethnic travel.
For Vienna Airport, the arrival of the new airline represents an expansion of its Eastern European route network, which had suffered significant losses following the geopolitical changes of recent years. While the Cluj-Napoca region, a university and business hub, is experiencing growing passenger numbers, it remains to be seen whether demand outside the peak travel season will be stable enough to economically support the planned increase in flight frequencies during the winter. The success of the connection will depend largely on how reliably the airline can adhere to its flight schedules and whether the service is consistently embraced by regional businesses and travelers.