Tarom

Tarom is the name of the official domestic and international airline of Romania.

History

Tarom can trace its origins to 1920. That was the year the French-Romanian Company For Air Navigation, (CFRNA) was formed. The airline used French built POTEZ planes to perform all types of services, from carrying passengers to carrying mail, from Paris to Bucharest, stopping in various European cities along the way.

Tarom Boeing 737-700.

In 1925, the city of Galati became the first domestic Romanian destination for the airline, and in 1926, the airline changed its name to become The International Air Navigation Company, (CIDNA).

By 1930 it changed its name to LARES, and in 1937, LARES was merged with top competitor SARTA.

September 18 of 1954, the airline became known as Tarom (Transporturi Aeriene ROMane, meaning Romanian Air Transport). It took Tarom six years to link to most important capitals in Europe, and 12 years to fly trans-atlantic for the first time. By 1974, Tarom began services to JFK International Airport in New York, and it also reached Australia, flying to Sydney, via Calcutta.

During the 1980s, and with Romania being an Eastern Bloc country, Tarom was forced to buy Russian aircraft exclusively. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tarom has re-introduced western built jets to their fleet.

Nowadays

Nowadays, Tarom is one of the former Eastern Bloc airlines that have been able to once again flourish, taking advantage of the opportunity to buy western made equipment. Its fleet consists of 7 Boeing 737-200's, 2 Boeing 737-700's, 2 Airbus A310-325's, and 7 ATR 42-500's. It also has a frequent flyer service, which has been on service since 1996, and it is under contract with Schabak and Wooster Plastic Planes, to make their model airplanes. Tarom is trying to enlarge its flight opportunities too, and decided to focus on Otopeni International Airport (OTP), Timisoara Traian Vuia International Airport (TSR) and Cluj-Napoca International Airport (CLJ)(in order of traffic).