AIRLINE - Animawings in financial trouble

Trouble is brewing at Animawings. On 29 September 2026, the airline was forced to park its Airbus A220s due to unpaid lease fees and conflict with their lessors. A day later, the airline began insolvency proceedings at the court in Bucharest.

The proceedings will enable the airline to restructure and find new investors. For now, it will continue operations with its A320s while they work on resolving the issue with the lessors of the A220s.

Animawings said that technical issues with the A220s, as well increased fuel prices has impacted the airline's financial outlook in a very negative way.

The airline was founded in 2019 and began flying a year later. It currently has a fleet of six Airbus A220-300s and two A320s.

Scramble / Photo: Ton Jochems - YR-CHR-A220-300-RHO

FLEET / ROUTES - AnimaWings took delivery of its eighth Airbus aircraft, a leased A220-300 with serial 55443, and announced the launch of five new scheduled routes from Bucharest, Timișoara, and Cluj-Napoca.

Ton Jochems - YR-FUN / A220-300 / Anima Wings - NCE

ANIMA WINGS / A220-300 / YR-FUN

Ton Jochems 
 

FLEET - AnimaWings (Romania) plans to expand to 14 aircraft by the end of 2027.

The aircraft are configured with 137 to 180 seats.

Image: AnimaWings
 

ROUTES - Animawings will begin operating in 2026 to five new destinations

Timisoara, Athens, Olbia, Kefalonia, Thessaloniki, and Kavala.

Photo: Ton Jochems - PRG

ROUTES / FLEET - Animawings (Romania) plans Bucharest – Geneva route from 23 March 2026, with A220-300.

Animawings (Romania) plans Bucharest – Munich route from 05 November 2025, with A220-300/A320.

Animawings (Romania) aims to reach a fleet of 18 aircraft by the end of 2027. Four more aircraft will be received in 1H 2026, with the rest in 2027.
Photo: Animawings

NEW LIVERY - Anima Wings / A220-300 / YR-CHR

Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport

Photo: Ton Jochems

NEW LIVERY / ROUTES - ANIMAWINGS SCHEDULES DUBLIN SERVICE IN 2H25

Animawings in the second half of 2025 schedules regular service to Ireland, where the airline plans to add Bucharest – Dublin route. Airbus A220-300 aircraft to serve this route 3 times weekly, effective 21JUL25.

A2658 OTP1820 – 2010DUB 223 135

A2659 DUB2100 – 0240+1OTP 223 135

 Photos: Animawings

FLEET - Animawings received its first A220-300 in December 2024

YR-CHR / Airbus A220-371

Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport - LROP, Romania

Photo: Marin Ghe.

• It is the only aircraft of its type in Romania

• A220 aircraft emit 25% less CO2 and use 25% less fuel compared to previous generation aircraft

• The special AnimaWings configuration offers 12 seats in business class

With the most spacious economy class seats among single-aisle aircraft, the Airbus A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat segment.

This state-of-the-art aircraft produces 50% less noise, emits 25% less CO2 and burns 25% less fuel than an older generation aircraft. The A220 is already capable of operating with up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Thanks to the innovative features of the A220 cabin, AnimaWings passengers will enjoy a superior flight experience. Additionally, as a next-generation aircraft, the A220 offers 25% lower CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft.

To begin with, the new aircraft will serve international routes such as Paris, Stockholm, Larnaca, Dubai, Marrakech, Nice, Ibiza and domestic routes such as Cluj, Iaşi, Oradea. They will join charter flights organized by local tour operators to tourist destinations in Greece, Turkey, Spain or Portugal during the summer of 2025.

AnimaWings’ specially configured A220 has 137 seats, including 12 fully reclining business seats, with much greater seat pitch than other models in the same category on the market and a five-abreast seating configuration in economy class.

 

FLEET - Animawings welcomes 1st A220

Animawings took delivery of its first Airbus A220. The aircraft, YR-CHR (55316), arrived at Bucharest via Reykjavik a day later. Unfortunately, the aircraft is currently all white.

The Airbus is the first of two A220-300s the airline is planning to take delivery of this year. Both are leased from Azorra. The next fun is going to be YR-FUN (55321).

Earlier this year, Animawings announced a plan to expand the fleet to twelve aircraft by 2027. It plans to do so by adding the A220 as well as A320s. Before the delivery of the A220, the airline was operating a single A320.

Photo by Animawings.

FLEET - Animawings has new owner and plans A220s/A320neos

Aegean announced that it has sold its 51% stake in Animawings to the Romanian company Momento Group, which is now the sole owner of the airline. As a result of the sale of its shares, Animawings is also returning both of its leased A320s to the Greek carrier. YR-AGA (3162) was returned on 27 December 2023 and is now flying again as SX-DGI, while YR-AGB (3316) is currently in Bucharest and being prepared for its return.

Once both aircraft are returned, Animawings will have no aircraft in its fleet until March/April, when it plans to take delivery of two leased Airbus A220-300s. It is currently unclear where the aircraft are coming from.

According to its new owner, Animawings plans to increase the fleet to twelve aircraft over the next three years and specifically mentions more A220s, but also the A320neo as types.

Animawings illustration.

Scramble

 

Aegean becomes majority shareholder of Animawings

Aegean has increased its stake in Romanian airline Animawings from 25% to 51%, effectively taking control over the airline as majority shareholder. The greek carrier will take care of the operational aspect of the airline, while the other shareholder, Memento Group, will focus on the commercial side of the business.

Animawings was founded in 2019 and launched operations in July 2020. Previous to its launch, in April 2020, Aegean acquired 25% of the airline and supplied the start-up with one A320 (YR-AGA, 3162). Next year, Animawings will add two additional A320s which will all be sourced from Aegean.

Photo: Ton Jochemans

Animawings / A320-200 / YR-AGA

 Ton Jochemns - AYT

Animawings launches individual ticket sales

Animawings (AWG, Bucharest Otopeni) has launched individual ticket sales for flights out of Bucharest Otopeni and other Romanian airports that have been hitherto operated entirely on behalf of tour operators.

According to the carrier's internet booking engine, it is now selling individual tickets for the following routes:
from Bucharest Otopeni to Hurghada, Gazipasa, Antalya, Bodrum Milas, Kerkyra, Zakinthos, Heraklion, Enfidha, Tenerife Sur, Dubai Int'l, and Zanzibar,
from Cluj-Napoca to Hurghada, Burgas, Zakynthos, Kerkyra, Antalya, Gazipasa, and Enfidha,
from Timisoara to Hurghada and Antalya,
from Suceava to Hurghada, and
from each of Iasi, Arad, Sibiu, Tirgu Mures, Craiova, and Oradea to Antalya.

Flights to Egypt and Zanzibar are available for individual bookings between late January and early March, to Dubai between March and May. The remaining services are due to launch in early June 2021.

Animawings currently operates a limited number of flights on behalf of tour operators using its only aircraft, an A320-200 sub-leased from its 25%-shareholder Aegean Airlines (A3, Athens Int'l). Although its internet booking engine does not reflect that yet, it said that it would also wet-lease an A321-200N, SX-NAC (msn 10189), from the Greek carrier for the forthcoming Bucharest-Zanzibar route. Currently, Animawings has to operate its services to Tanzania with a refuelling stop at Luxor. The newer-generation Airbus narrowbody wet-leased from Aegean will be able to operate the route non-stop.

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