Low-cost air companies in Romania doubled their passenger number in 2006, the national Rompres news agency reported on Monday.
MyAir Romania representative Antonio Iervolino thinks that low-cost flights are likely going to replace bus transports because a travel by bus may take a three-day journey instead a 2-3 hour flight at a much smaller price.
There are four low-cost companies on the Romanian market, Blue Air, Wizz Air, MyAir and Sky Europe, whereas other low-cost air companies such as Easy Jet, Ryan Air, Air Berlin, German Wings announced their entrance on the market in the upcoming years.
A return flight with a low-cost company, with all taxes included, can even cost below 150 euros, whereas a return journey by bus seldom costs below 200 euros. Airplane ticket prices, both on regular flights and low-cost companies will further drop in the coming years because of an ever-increasing competition on the air flights market.
The biggest road carriers of passengers in Romania already took some measures to this end.
Eurolines representatives estimate in the prospect of upcoming years that a part of the bus traffic is going to re-orient toward low-cost air companies. Although road carriers say that taking the passengers over "from home" is still their main advantage.
(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2007)