From April 2, 2026, the Romanian airline Dan Air will expand its services at Vienna Airport (Schwechat) with a new direct connection to Bacau. The airline, which is thus serving the Austrian market with scheduled flights for the first time, initially plans two weekly rotations. The flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, with flight times designed for efficient travel by commuters and business travelers. The outbound flight departs Vienna in the morning, while the return flight from Romania lands in the Austrian capital shortly after takeoff due to the time difference. The company will operate Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft on this route.
Dan Air has evolved from a pure charter service provider to a scheduled airline. Founded in 2017 as Just Us Air, the company initially focused on wet leasing for other European airlines before launching its own route network under the new brand name Dan Air in 2023. Initially, its operational focus was heavily on Brașov Airport, but following operational challenges and disagreements with air traffic control there, it largely shifted its operations to Bacau. George Enescu International Airport in Bacau now serves as a key base for the airline's expansion into Western Europe.
The launch of the Vienna route comes in a market environment where demand for direct flights between Austria and Romanian regional centers is steadily growing. Bacau is considered a significant economic hub in eastern Romania and is home to, among other things, important companies in the aviation industry, such as the aircraft manufacturer Aerostar. The new flight route significantly improves the connection between the Moldavia region and the international hub of Vienna. Previously, travelers from this region often had to resort to time-consuming overland routes or connecting flights via Bucharest.
With a current fleet of three Airbus aircraft, Dan Air pursues a strategy of controlled growth. In addition to Vienna, other European metropolises such as London, Brussels, and Madrid are served from Bacau. The airline positions itself as a price competitor to established low-cost carriers, but relies on fixed flight schedules and a classic cabin configuration. The success of the new route, starting in April 2026, will depend significantly on how reliably the airline can integrate its capacity at the busy terminals in Vienna-Schwechat.