Romanian carrier AnimaWings files for insolvency and grounds six aircraft

Legal filing and operational restructuring

Romanian carrier AnimaWings filed for judicial reorganization at the Bucharest Court on 30 September 2026. The case, registered under dossier number 40903/3/2026 and allocated to the Seventh Civil Section, did not have an initial court hearing scheduled on the day of filing. Company executives explained that entering insolvency protection provides the legal framework required to stabilize flight operations and restructure obligations in a sustainable manner. The filing followed an announcement that the carrier's financial structure was temporarily blocked after weeks of operational strain and mounting financial pressure. Despite the formal insolvency filing, the airline stated that it will not suspend overall flight operations.

AnimaWings decided to initiate the judicial reorganization procedure, a step taken by the company with the objective of accessing the necessary legal protection framework to continue activity, stabilize operations, and restructure obligations in a sustainable manner.

Fleet grounding and technical disruptions

The airline grounded six of the eight aircraft in its fleet on 29 September 2026, halting operations for all of its Airbus A220-300 aircraft. On 30 September 2026, none of the six A220-300 airliners departed for scheduled flights, leaving the airline to operate solely with two available Airbus A320 aircraft. AnimaWings attributed this operational reduction to recurring technical faults that caused successive periods of aircraft unavailability across its network. Management stated that technical difficulties with the A220-300 model are not exclusive to AnimaWings, noting that other European carriers have reported similar equipment reliability problems. The company is reallocating flights to its two operational A320 planes to preserve as many scheduled routes as possible.

Debt accumulation and legal challenges

The technical crisis compounded existing financial difficulties, with state budget arrears exceeding 2 million euros (approximately 11.5 million Romanian lei) at the end of June 2026. Official records from the Ministry of Finance showed 2024 net turnover of 124.68 million lei, a net profit of around 2 million lei, and total debt exceeding 33 million lei, with 2025 financial statements unlisted. Multiple commercial partners have pursued debts in court, including Iași International Airport and Greek airport operator Fraport Greece. Earlier in 2026, AnimaWings avoided two prior insolvency petitions when creditors Dan Air and Chrome Path withdrew their filings. Furthermore, court registries show more than 11,000 cases filed against the carrier, with 3,000 claims registered in September 2026 for cancelled or delayed flights.

Passenger impact and operational outlook

The operational contraction directly disrupted passenger schedules, leading to targeted flight cancellations and route adjustments across domestic and international connections. AnimaWings notified ticket holders that customer support teams would prioritize passengers traveling immediately, offering ticket refunds or alternate travel options where feasible. The disruptions followed a spring expansion drive in April 2026, when new investors joined the shareholding structure with an annual target of carrying one million passengers in 2026. Management cited external economic pressures, including lower consumer purchasing power, prolonged political instability, and rising jet fuel prices, as factors that elevated airline operating expenses.

It is a difficult but necessary decision to protect what we have built in recent years and, above all, to be able to continue.