Summary
- HiSky launched its first scheduled nonstop flight to JFK, signaling expansion and commitment to reconnecting with international destinations.
- Flights operate four times weekly between Bucharest and New York, taking a little over 10 hours each way.
- HiSky has plans to launch flights to Canada, following the recent foreign air carrier license granted by the Canadian Transportation Agency.
Romania’s privately owned airline, HiSky, marked a significant milestone by launching its first scheduled nonstop flight to the United States in more than 20 years. This return signals the airline’s expansion and its commitment to reconnecting with international and transatlantic destinations.
JFK-bound flights
HiSky’s first transatlantic flight in years took place on June 7, 2024. The carrier departed from Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) and landed at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Regular flights connecting both destinations will operate four times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. HiSky’s flights are scheduled to depart Bucharest at 8:00 local time and arrive in New York at 11:25 local time, making the whole journey over 10 hours. For return flights, the aircraft will depart JFK at 13:25 local time and arrive in Bucharest at 6:15 local time.
Photo: HiSky
For this route, the airline used its sole Airbus A330-200 (registration YR-KID) widebody aircraft. It is worth noting that HiSky is the only carrier in Romania that has a widebody in its fleet. According to ch-aviation, the airline welcomed the A330 in December 2023, soon after announcing its plans to launch the transatlantic route to JFK.
According to the airline, the tickets for this uninterrupted journey to New York are available in two classes: economy and business. According to ch-aviation data, the airline’s Airbus A330 can accommodate a total of 274 passengers: 250 in economy and 24 in business class. Alongside its single widebody, the airline has eight narrowbodies, including five Airbus A320-200s, two Airbus A321LRs, and a single Airbus A319 aircraft.
HiSky is Romania’s first privately owned airline to operate nonstop scheduled transatlantic flights to the United States and the first to do so in 20 years. Previously, the country’s national carrier, TAROM, operated flights between Romania and the US.
Progressing towards launching flights to Canada
Alongside its recently launched transatlantic flight to the US, HiSky is also taking steps towards launching flights to Canada. In April 2024, the airline obtained a foreign air carrier license from the Canadian Transportation Agency, granting it permission to operate regular flights. This makes Canada the second North American country served by HiSky.
Commenting on this development, the carrier’s CEO, Iulian Scorpan, said:
“Canada is home to a large Romanian diaspora, but it is also an increasingly popular destination for vacations and business. Therefore, we are considering launching the first routes as soon as possible, to meet this need for direct connections between Bucharest and this country’s most popular cities.”
Currently, Romanian passengers do not have any direct travel options to Canada. This follows the suspension of the Bucharest-Toronto route in 2020, previously operated by a foreign company, with no announced plans to resume flights.
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