TAROM facts for kids

"Tarom" redirects here. For other uses, see Tarom (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
TAROM — Romanian Air Transport
*TAROM — Transporturile Aeriene Române*
TAROM Boeing 737-800
Founded	1 January 1920; 105 years ago (1920-01-01) (as CFRNA)
Commenced operations	18 September 1954; 70 years ago (1954-09-18) (as TAROM)
AOC #	RO-001
Hubs	Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Flying Blue
Alliance	SkyTeam
Fleet size	14
Destinations	28
Headquarters	Otopeni, Ilfov County, Romania
Key people	Costin Iordache (acting CEO)
Revenue	315 million € (2019)
Operating income	-35.8 million € (2019) (estimated)

TAROM is Romania's national airline. It is the oldest airline still flying in Romania. Its main base is at Henri Coandă International Airport near Bucharest. TAROM is the biggest airline in Romania for international flights. It is also the second largest for the number of planes and passengers.

The name TAROM comes from "Transporturile Aeriene Române," which means "Romanian Air Transport." The Romanian Government owns most of TAROM (over 97%). In 2018, the airline carried almost 2.75 million passengers. TAROM joined the SkyTeam airline alliance on June 25, 2010.

History of TAROM

A photo of a Blériot-SPAD S.46 on an airmail stamp.

A TAROM RomBAC 1-11 at London Heathrow Airport in 1971.

A TAROM Boeing 707 (YR-ABA) at London Gatwick airport.

A TAROM Tupolev Tu-154B at Vienna Airport in 1977.

A TAROM Airbus A310-300 in 2008.

A former TAROM ATR 42-500 wearing the SkyTeam special livery.

60th anniversary livery on a TAROM Boeing 737-700. The same aircraft had been used to promote the airline's 55th jubilee.

Early Years of Romanian Air Transport

The story of Romanian air travel began in 1920. That's when CFRNA (French-Romanian Company for Air Navigation) was created. This company first used French-made Potez 15 planes. They flew passengers and mail between Paris and Bucharest.

In 1928, the airline changed its name to SNNA. Then, in 1930, it became LARES. In 1937, LARES joined with another airline called SARTA.

After World War II

After World War II in 1945, the airline changed again. It became TARS, owned by both Romania and the Soviet Union. Domestic flights started from Bucharest in 1946.

In 1954, Romania bought the Soviet Union's share. The airline then got its current name, TAROM. By 1960, TAROM flew to many cities in Europe. In 1966, it made its first flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Regular flights to New York City began in 1974.

For a long time, TAROM mostly used planes made in the Soviet Union. These included planes like the Ilyushin Il-18 and Tupolev Tu-154. However, in 1968, TAROM bought six British-made BAC One-Eleven planes. In 1974, it also got Boeing 707 planes for long flights. By the late 1970s, TAROM had a large fleet of 59 aircraft.

TAROM in the 1990s

After the Romanian Revolution in 1989, TAROM started buying more Western-made planes. In 1992, TAROM bought three Airbus A310 planes. These planes were named "Transilvania," "Moldova," and "Muntenia."

By 1993, TAROM had flights to Montreal and Bangkok. They used their new Airbus A310s and older Ilyushin Il-62s. During the 1990s, TAROM replaced its older long-haul planes with Airbus A310s.

TAROM in the 2000s and 2010s

TAROM faced some challenges in the 1990s. It lost a lot of money on flights that were not popular. In the early 2000s, the airline stopped these unprofitable long-distance flights. For example, flights to Bangkok and Montreal ended in 2001. Flights to Chicago, Beijing, and New York City also stopped by 2003.

TAROM decided to focus on flights within Europe and the Middle East. It also focused on its main hubs in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. In 2004, TAROM made a profit for the first time in many years.

The airline started updating its fleet in 2006. It bought new Airbus A318s, Boeing 737-800s, and ATR 72-500s. By 2009, TAROM had 26 planes.

In 2010, TAROM joined SkyTeam, a big group of airlines. This allowed them to work with other airlines. In 2016, TAROM stopped using its two Airbus A310-300 planes. Newer, smaller planes replaced them.

In 2017 and 2018, TAROM leased more Boeing 737-800 planes. They also signed a deal for five new Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. In 2019, TAROM announced it would lease nine new ATR 72-600 planes. These planes replaced older ATR models. The first new ATR planes arrived in February 2020.

TAROM in the 2020s

The COVID-19 pandemic caused TAROM to stop most regular flights in March 2020. However, TAROM still flew for the Romanian Government. They brought medical supplies from China. Regular flights started again in May 2020.

In 2021, TAROM's CEO said that none of the airline's routes were making money. In October 2022, there were reports that the airport in Bucharest might take legal action against TAROM. This was because of unpaid fees.

In November 2024, a court ruled in favor of the Romanian government. The court said that money given to TAROM during COVID-19 was fair. This decision was made after another airline, Wizz Air, challenged the aid.

How TAROM Works

Who Owns TAROM

TAROM is mostly owned by the Romanian Government. The Ministry of Transport holds 97.22% of the shares. Other smaller parts are owned by Bucharest Airports National Company and ROMATSA.

Shareholder	Interest
The Romanian Government (held through the Ministry of Transport)	97.22%
Bucharest Airports National Company	1.46%
ROMATSA R.A.(Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration)	1.24%
Societatea de Investiții Financiare Muntenia	0.08%
Total	100.00%

Business Information

Here are some facts about TAROM's business over the years:

Year	Money Made (€m)	Profit/Loss (€m)	Number of Employees	Passengers (millions)	Planes Full (%)	Number of Planes
2004	190	1.4		1.1	63.6	16
2005	220	1.1	2,289	1.4	61.0	18
2006	234	12.3	2,333	1.4	62.3	20
2007	261	21.8	2,338	1.8	67.2	22
2008	257	−1.7	2,471	1.9	61.9	24
2009	193	−55	2,517	1.7	55.6	26
2010	218	−79	2,353	2.2	60.9	26
2011	279	−58	2,200	2.1	60.6	26
2012	238	−54.5	2,070	2.1	66.0	24
2013	247	−29.5	2,006	2.1	65.9	24
2014	258	−25	1,969	2.3	66.0	24
2015	256	−6.2	1,880	2.3	70.0	23
2016	239	−10.5	1,841	2.4	68.1	21
2017	255	−37.7	1,776	2.3	71.6	23
2018	306	−27.5	1,773	2.8	74	25
2019	315	−35.8	1,750	3.1	74.9	25
2023		−20

TAROM's Look: Logo and Plane Names

The TAROM logo used in the 1970s and 1980s.

The TAROM logo until 2015.

The TAROM logo shows a swallow flying. This logo has been on all TAROM planes since 1954. In the 1970s, the logo was red. Today, it is mostly dark blue and white.

All planes in the TAROM fleet have a special name. These names are usually Romanian places. For example, ATR planes are named after Romanian rivers. Boeing planes are named after Romanian cities. Airbus A318s are named after famous Romanian aviation pioneers.

In 2009, for its 55th birthday, a Boeing 737-700 plane was painted in an old-style design. This design looked like the first planes TAROM used in the 1950s.

TAROM's Maintenance Team

TAROM has a special team called the Technical Division. This team fixes and maintains all of TAROM's planes. They also help other airlines with their plane maintenance. They work on Boeing 737 and ATR planes.

Their main workshop was built a long time ago, between 1969 and 1972. It was updated in 2000 to meet modern safety rules. This workshop can hold many planes at once. The team can do all kinds of checks and repairs. They also have special storage for parts and tools.

Where TAROM Flies

TAROM flies to 50 places. These include regular flights and special holiday flights. They fly to 22 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. They also fly to eight cities within Romania.

TAROM stopped flying directly to the USA in 2003. Now, you can fly to the USA with TAROM through a partner airline, Air France.

Airline Partnerships (Alliances)

TAROM is a full member of SkyTeam. SkyTeam is a large group of airlines that work together. This means passengers can easily connect between different airlines in the group. TAROM joined SkyTeam on June 25, 2010.

Shared Flights (Codeshare Agreements)

TAROM shares flights with these airlines:

Air Europa
Air France
Air Serbia
airBaltic
Bulgaria Air
El Al Israel Airlines
ITA Airways
KLM
Middle East Airlines
Turkish Airlines

TAROM's Planes

Planes TAROM Uses Now

As of June 2025, TAROM has these planes:

TAROM fleet
Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers			Notes
Aircraft	In service	Orders	C	Y	Total	Notes
ATR 72-500	2	—	—	68	68
ATR 72-600	4	3	—	72	72
Boeing 737-700	4	—	14	102	116	These planes will be replaced by Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.
Boeing 737-800	4	—	16	144	160
Boeing 737-800	4	—	—	189	189
Boeing 737 MAX 8	—	9	TBA			New planes arriving from August 2025.
Total	14	12

New Planes for TAROM

A former TAROM Airbus A318-100

TAROM Boeing 737-800

TAROM ATR 72-600 at Bucharest Air Show 2022, wearing a revised livery.

TAROM is getting new planes to update its fleet.

Short Flights: TAROM is leasing new ATR 72-600 planes. These will replace older ATR models.
Medium Flights: After retiring its Airbus A310s in 2016, TAROM leased new Boeing 737-800 planes. They also ordered new Boeing 737 MAX-8 planes. Older Airbus A318s and Boeing 737-700s will be retired soon.
Long Flights: TAROM has been looking into leasing large planes like the Boeing 787. This would allow them to start flying long distances again, like to China and the United States.

Planes TAROM Used to Have

Over the years, TAROM has used many different types of planes, including:

Plane Incidents and Accidents

Sometimes, planes have accidents or incidents. Here are some that involved TAROM:

In 1957, a TAROM Ilyushin Il-14P crashed near a runway in Moscow. Four people died.
In 1962, an Ilyushin Il-18V lost power in all its engines over the Mediterranean Sea. It made a safe landing on a field in Cyprus. All 100 people on board survived.
In 1963, a VEB 14P crashed in Hungary after engine problems. All 31 people on board died.
In 1964, an Ilyushin Il-14P broke apart in the air and crashed in Romania. All 31 people on board died. The plane flew into strong winds.
In 1966, a Lisunov Li-2 crashed in Romania. All 24 people on board died.
In 1970, TAROM Flight 35, an Antonov An-24, hit a mountain in Romania. 20 of 21 people died.
In 1974, an Antonov An-24 crashed into a mountain in Romania. All 33 people on board died. The crew made a mistake during landing.
In 1980, a Tupolev Tu-154B-1 landed in the water near a runway in Mauritania. All 152 passengers and 16 crew survived the impact.
In 1986, an Antonov An-24 caught fire while landing in Romania. Three crew members died, but all 50 passengers survived.
In 1989, during the Romanian Revolution, an Antonov An-24 was shot down by a missile. All six crew members and one passenger died.

TAROM YR-IMH, an Ilyushin Il-18 that crashed in 1991 near Uricani

In 1991, TAROM Flight 785A, an Ilyushin Il-18, crashed in the Retezat Mountains. All 9 people on board died. The official cause was pilot error.
In 1994, TAROM Flight 381, an Airbus A310, suddenly pointed its nose up and almost stalled. The pilots were able to get control of the plane again. It landed safely with 186 people on board.

TAROM YR-LCC, the Airbus A310 in 1995 that crashed 4 days later near Bucharest Otopeni Airport

In 1995, a TAROM Airbus A310 (Flight 371) crashed near Balotești. All 49 passengers and 11 crew members died. This was due to a problem with the plane's controls and the crew not being able to fix it.
In 2007, a TAROM Boeing 737-300 hit a car on the runway while taking off. No passengers were hurt.
In 2019, a TAROM ATR 42-500 had its tires burst while landing. No passengers were hurt. An investigation found that the parking brakes were on when the plane touched down.