Moldova: Air Transport

Civil Aviation. Air transport is crucial for trade development in Moldova. The country has made good progress restructuring civil aviation. The airports are now legally separate from the national airline which has been partly privatized (40% sold to a bank).
	Other private airlines have also been licensed to operate, although recent history of the sector illustrates a concerted effort to eliminate competition in the industry. The country joined the most important international organizations (e.g. European Civil Aviation Conference).
The Chisinau airport terminal was renovated with a cost-effective, low-cost, no frills approach financed by EBRD and which is being repaid by a $10/head airport user charge. The total passenger volume increased by about 12% over the past three years. Due to its central location between Eastern and Western Europe, Chisinau airport could be an excellent hub for international freight forwarders such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL.

Nowadays, the air transport sector in the Republic of Moldova has 31 operators, including 7 state enterprises running international goods and passengers' transport, catering, and other services related to air transport.

Three National operators - J.V. “Air Moldova” Ltd., “Air Moldova International” S.C., J.V. “Moldovan Airlines” S.C. carry 86% of the total number of passengers. At the moment 5 foreign operators are carrying out regular passenger flights. They are: “Tarom” (Romania), “Tyrolean Airways” (Austria), “Turkish Airlines” (Turkey), “KrasAir” (Russia), “Tavrey Airlines” (Ukraine).

At present, international passenger connections have 19 destinations.

The reconstruction of “Chisinau International Airport” was recently completed with the help of the Government of the Republic of Moldova and credit from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The terminal offers high quality services to local and foreign passengers.