Romanian flag carrier TAROM will retire its final Airbus A318 in operation, leaving Air France as the final operator of the “baby bus.”
TAROM Will Retire Final Airbus A318 In Late 2024
For years, TAROM has operated four Airbus A318 jets, the smallest variant of the Airbus A320 family. These 120-seat jets operate various continental routes for TAROM but were staples on routes including London Heathrow (LHR) or Istanbul (IST) to Bucharest (OTP).
TAROM has struggled financially and recently received state assistance to remain in operation. As a condition of its bailout, it will sell its remaining A318 jets. Two frames have already been sold (YR-ASB and YR-ASC), one is parked (YR-ASD), and one remains in operation (YR-ASA).
All four will be sold to 3TOP Aviation Services and will likely be used for spare parts.
As an aside, TAROM also recently sold its London Heathrow slots to Qatar Airways and will suspend service to London altogether at the end of this week on October 26, 2024.
It Won’t Be Missed All That Much…
Earlier this year I flew the A318 from London (LHR) to Bucharest (OTP) and found the product…quaint. I am thankful I tried it, though, since it was my first (and perhaps only) trip on the A318. The seat was ancient and the entire onboard product felt more like circa 1994 than 2024.
But I’d imagine economy class passengers quite liked the old-school seats with immense padding when compared to the slim-line seats of the current generation of narrowbody aircraft operating within Europe.
Still, with no power, no wi-fi, no screens, it’s not a jet I would seek out.
Next year, TAROM plans to introduce leased Boeing 737-8 jets into its fleet.
CONCLUSION
TAROM will retire its final A318 in operation in the coming days as part of its ongoing restructuring.
Air France still has six A318 jets in operation and no concrete plans to retire them, but it also had no plans to retire its Airbus A380 fleet before it did with virtually zero notice. As Air France takes more A220-300 deliveries, the A318 will certainly be retired.
If you want to fly it, now is your last chance!
“TAROM also recently sold its London Heathrow slots to Qatar Airways and will suspend service to London altogether at the end of this week on October 26, 2024.”
Ouch. They couldn’t have kept that route going even with the leased 737-8s? Wonder if they will eventually switch over to one of the other London airports.
The 738 which is as old as the A318 and far more noisy would incur noise penalties at LHR which is why an airline losing money probably can’t use it on an LHR service.
Even KLM who still operate the 738 and are the only operator at LHR to do so are pulling them and upgrading the service to their nice new A21Ns as quickly as they can to reduce costs.
TAROM has not been profitable since 2008. It’s a shame because if it were at full strength, ST would have a strong connection across Europe and not just western Europe.
Tarom sounds like the name of a dude from a terrorist country so it’s easy to see why you were so interested.
And this is probably the only time you ever say “ouch” at this point in your “ripped wide open” life. The thing probably leaks more than someone eating a full bag of chips make with Olestra.
I don’t understand the mean-spiritedness toward Aaron. It’s really not cool, Dave.
Do you read Aaron’s comments? Everyone who says anything he disagrees with is a “racist” and other vile things. I just give him a taste of it back…..period.
Let’s face it, I’m not the only one who has issues with his behavior here.
And you have to admit you laughed a little at the Olestra comment.
I’m no Chi but that was funny.
It was only funny in your own head.
Matthew and I may disagree on certain things but he definitely has was more class than you ever will.
And let’s also face something, I’m not the only one who has issues with your behavior here either.
Because people like you who say racist and other vile things should be called out for it.
It’s not a disagreement, racism and other “isms” should be called out.
Of course, the difference is, you are obsessed me with and comment about me when you can, whereas I have never made a comment about you unless it was a reply to something vile and gross.
You literally called Malik and other black people who frequented this blog as “not black” so I don’t know how you’re on this high horse when you are as equally racist as other people like Chi Hsuan and others. Been a long lurker here and as a black man, I’m honestly sick of you and the politicos making everything about politics and spewing racism against my community. Please stop.
Who are the other black people? Calling out someone for being a fake account isn’t racism, it calling out someone for being fake. What racism exactly have I spewed against your “community”, exactly?
Aaron, please educate yourself in how much of a racist you are. You claim that everyone who disagrees with you isn’t the race they claim to be unless they’re white.
Antjuan, ignore this troll. He’s always like this.
Oh look, new poster Patricia.
I never said racists can’t be white. Sounds like you need the education.
Aaron is the type of person who would throw a banana on the floor and slip on it and then blame it on someone else.
Not even ashamed for calling black people “not black” because they disagree with him and insulting neutrals who call him out. Literally on the same level as Alert, Random Gawande, Dave Edwards, and Chi Hsuan but more brazen. Keep up the good work!
Now there is some real asinine gaslighting there. Bravo for effort, though.
He calls black people “not black” and “trolls” if they disagree with him in the past: look at posts in August 2023. Also agreed with Random Gawande who also said a lot of racist things.
I’m not saying you’re in the right either, Dave, but you do have a point.
Other than Malik who I have accused of being a fake poster, who else have I have called out for “not being black”?
“What do you mean your ‘community’ ”
“Calling out someone for being a fake account isn’t racism, it calling out someone for being fake”
I see what you mean, Antjuan. He doesn’t apologize for his wrong doings to you or other black people in the comments and immediately attacks you for calling him out. I bet he really wanted to type that you “weren’t black” either.
There’s also receipts of Aaron backing Random Gawande and when Aaron got outed as white, by Santastico or someone, he then immediately tried to say that he wasn’t white. This is comedy gold especially for people who couldn’t care less about politics and just want to read a travel blog.
How can TAROM not support a daily flight to London? There are a ton of Romanians in London, and many are well established and have been there for quite some time.
Flight was half empty when I flew it, though it was Feb…
Why didn’t you just post as Patricia this time? lol
What wrongs have I done to the black community, exactly?
The reason I said I wasn’t white is because I am not. I’m not sure how that makes me being outed as white.
Regardless of my race or ethnicity, I am going to call out BS on here when I see it.
If only you called out the people who really do bring politics into the comments section, Mark.