Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) has announced a long-term lease placement for one Airbus A330-200 aircraft with HiSky. Scheduled to deliver to the European carrier in 2023, this A330-200 aircraft joins one A319-100, four A320-200s, and two A321-200neo LR aircraft currently leased to HiSky from ALC.
“We are pleased to continue our support of HiSky Europe with the lease of this first widebody aircraft to the airline,” said David Beker, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Head of Aircraft Sales and Trading at Air Lease Corporation. “After two and a half years of steady and successful growth with their all-ALC narrowbody fleet, HiSky came to us ready to launch widebody operations. ALC is delighted to provide high-quality aircraft, enabling the carrier to realize their commercial objectives.”
“Over the past two years, we’ve experienced consistent growth that has brought us to this pivotal moment—when we are prepared to acquire our first widebody aircraft. We’ve become the fourth-largest air carrier at Romania’s primary airport and the largest operator of Airbus aircraft registered in Romania. Our partnership with ALC has undeniably proven to be a successful one. The aircraft they have provided us have been instrumental in helping HiSky achieve record-breaking passenger levels during this summer season. Having accomplished all the goals we set for ourselves over the years, we’re profoundly grateful for the trust and support of our partners as we embark on this exciting new venture,” said Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky.
HiSky is Recruiting
In addition to expanding its fleet, the airline is recruiting personnel to support its growth. HiSky is hiring pilots and flight attendants. The airline is holding recruiting and interview events in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Oradea, Baia Mare and Iași.
HiSky is seeking experienced certified pilots and newly graduated aviation school students. They are committed to investing in the training and development of novice pilots, offering them the opportunity to gain the necessary experience and advance in their careers.
“We are a young company, and from the beginning, we wanted to do more than just occupy a place in the market. We want to bring our own contribution, and in terms of the job market in this very specialized field, we have chosen to give a chance to talented and passionate pilots who are still at the beginning of this road. It is an investment we are willing to make to be part of the solution. One of the reasons there is such a staff shortage is precisely this: very few airlines allocate the necessary resources to train staff. There are hundreds of young people who, with great financial sacrifices, obtain their pilot’s license only to later not find a job. We have already been applying this strategy with great success for several years. Most of the best co-pilots we have today came to us with very few hours of experience but with a lot of talent and the desire to build. We are already recognized in the market as having some of the best pilots, and the fact that we trained them makes us even more proud. The main criterion for a pilot to join our team is professionalism, so I hope to meet professionals at any career level at the interviews,” said Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky.
The airline also invests in training flight attendants. Those who want to start a career in the field are invited to interview. They are encouraged to do so even if they haven’t held such positions or attended training courses. After completing the recruitment process, the company will provide, free of charge, all the necessary training and instruction courses for selected candidates. Training will be carried out in an accredited European aviation school.
The first step for those looking to become a HiSky pilot or flight attendant is to submit a CV to crewapplication@hisky.aero. Company representatives will contact selected candidates to schedule an interview.
HiSky Growing Passenger Numbers
HiSky, one of Romania’s top airline operators, is seeing a boost in its market share. In July, they had over 210,000 passengers, the highest ever for the company in a single month. This number is 50,000 more than in June and double the same time last year. Bookings for August suggest we will surpass this record. HiSky aims to transport two million passengers by the end of the summer season. These include passengers on scheduled flights from various airports and charter flights in collaboration with travel agencies.
“Since the beginning of this year, our numbers have been on a steady rise, and we are confident that August will surpass all our reports so far. We are pleased to have far exceeded the market growth average reported for this summer at 7% over 2022. We have, of course, the advantage of a very good fleet, affordable rates, and hours. But probably what helped us win the passengers’ confidence was that we were not part of the problem that ruined many holiday plans this summer. At HiSky, we plan our flights responsibly and don’t make promises we can’t keep. Some situations cannot be controlled and sometimes cause delays. But the principle behind our operations is not to base our growth on passenger risk. And although we are not in a rush for records, they will come if you do your job seriously,” says Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky.
From Otopeni Airport to More Destinations
Otopeni Airport remains the company’s main operating base. More than 78,000 passengers flew in July with HiSky, departing from Bucharest. The second airport was in Chisinau by passenger traffic volume, followed closely by Cluj Napoca and the other airports where the company operates scheduled flights: Iași, Timișoara, and Baia Mare. In addition, in July, the airline also operated charter flights from ten other airports in Romania.
In the spring of this year, HiSky added two new Airbus A321 LR aircraft to its fleet. Thanks to the performance of this aircraft type, which can cover distances of up to 7400 km non-stop, the airline introduced more distant holiday destinations in Asia and Africa. This summer, the airline operated both scheduled and charter flights with eight aircraft and a total capacity of 1,500 seats. In terms of market share, HiSky ranks fourth among the airlines operating in Romania, after Wizz Air, Ryanair, and Tarom. HiSky is the largest operator in the Republic of Moldova.
About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL)
Air Lease Corporation is a leading global aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California, with airline customers worldwide. ALC’s dedicated and experienced professionals purchase new commercial aircraft and lease them to its airline customers through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. Learn more at www.airleasecorp.com.
About HiSky
HiSky is an EASA-certified airline that operates in Romania and Moldova from three operational bases: Bucharest, Cluj, and Chisinau. HiSky combines charter and scheduled flights. This month, the airline expects to celebrate the two million passengers milestone transported since the start of operations in March 2021. The airline’s team of enthusiastic and seasoned professionals has hundreds of years of combined experience in aviation. HiSky currently operates a fleet of four Airbus A320s with 180 seats, an Airbus A319 with 144 seats, and two brand new A321neo aircraft with 220 seats each. To learn more about HiSky, visit www.hisky.aero.