Romania's Tarom sells London Heathrow slots to Qatar Airways
<p>Romanian flag carrier Tarom has permanently transferred its two slots per day at London Heathrow (LHR) to Qatar Airways for an undisclosed sum, <a href="https://simpleflying.com/tarom-sells-valuable-london-heathrow-airport-slots-qatar-airways/?mc_cid=fa50a7d8ed&amp;mc_eid=cd1f92f96c" rel="noopener" target="_blank">SimpleFlying</a> announced.</p>

<p>However, the price must have been above GBP 20 million (EUR 23.5 mln) since <a href="https://boardingpass.ro/tarom-a-primit-cel-putin-o-oferta-pentru-sloturile-de-la-heathrow/?mc_cid=fa50a7d8ed&amp;mc_eid=cd1f92f96c" rel="noopener" target="_blank">BoardinPass</a> reported last December that the Romanian airline rejected an offer for this amount. Separately, SimpleFlying mentions a very expensive daily pair of slots (yet with a better schedule than Tarom's) sold by Air France in a similar deal to Oman Air for USD 75 mln (EUR 70 mln) in 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The deal comes into force at the beginning of the winter season on October 27.</p>

<p>The arrival for Tarom's pair of slots is scheduled at 14:05 and the departure at 14:50. The schedule was not saluted by the buyer, which asked for another allocation but has to wait at least until the end of the winter season (March 29, 2025).</p>

<p>Qatar Airways will thus have eight daily flights (arrival plus departure) from London Heathrow to Doha (DOH).</p>

<p>Separately, the Qatari carrier has ten flights every week from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to DOH.</p>

<p>Tarom announced plans to break even this year after 16 years in the red amid 30% stronger revenues (including the LHR slot revenues but also from the sale of four Airbus aircraft ).</p>

<p>The company's revenues surged by 40% y/y to RON 1.6 bln (EUR 320 mln) in 2023, when the company's losses narrowed significantly to only EUR 20 mln.</p>

<p><em>iulian@romania-insider.com</em></p>

<p><em>(Photo source: <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Colicaranica/Dreamstime.com</a>)</em></p>