Update (00:10 UTC, 1 October 2026): Economica.net reported that two grounded AnimaWings Airbus A220s — registrations YR-BUN and YR-RUN, leased from SMBC Aviation Capital and Air Lease Corporation — have left Romania and were heading to Toulouse Blagnac. Boardingpass.ro first reported the lessors moving the jets to France; the other four A220s are leased from Azzorra Aviation. Sources including Jurnalul, citing Boarding Pass, give Bucharest Tribunal case 40903/3/2026 for the insolvency petition, with no hearing date set yet. AnimaWings still says it continues flying on its two A320s in an adapted schedule.
Romanian carrier AnimaWings has filed for judicial reorganization at the Bucharest Tribunal, a day after it began grounding most of its Airbus A220 fleet, the airline said on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
In a company statement carried by Business Review, AnimaWings said it initiated the procedure to obtain legal protection so it can continue operating, stabilize its finances and restructure obligations in a sustainable way. Ziarul Financiar separately reported that the insolvency petition was registered the same day with the Bucharest Tribunal’s Civil Section VII.
The filing follows Tuesday’s operational shock: AnimaWings said it would progressively withdraw six of its eight aircraft — its Airbus A220-300s — citing repeated technical problems affecting availability. The airline did not detail the nature of those defects. It said it continues flying with its two remaining Airbus A320 jets and is working to keep as many scheduled flights and routes as possible.
“It is a difficult decision, but one that is necessary to protect what we have built over the past few years and, above all, to ensure we can continue,” CEO Marius Pandel said in the statement. He linked the cascade of operational, commercial and financial pressure to fleet technical issues and a difficult economic backdrop, and said AnimaWings chose to act within the judicial reorganization framework rather than wait for conditions to worsen.
Under the Romanian process the airline described, its current financial structure is temporarily frozen while a restructuring plan is prepared. AnimaWings stressed that it is not shutting down: flights will continue in an “adapted format,” with the timetable adjusted to available capacity. Passengers should expect possible rescheduling or occasional cancellations in the coming days. The carrier said affected travellers will be contacted using reservation details and offered refunds or alternative arrangements where a flight cannot operate. Customer-support response times may lengthen; inquiries closer to departure will be prioritized.
Ziarul Financiar noted AnimaWings is controlled by Cristian and Marius Pandel, founders of tour operator Christian Tour. Citing Romanian Finance Ministry figures, it said the airline’s 2025 revenue was about 330 million lei, nearly triple the prior year, while losses exceeded 107 million lei and debts rose to about 157 million lei. Listafirme data cited in the same report put mid-2026 tax arrears near 11.5 million lei. Those figures are company and registry data, not court findings on insolvency causes.
AnimaWings grew quickly on thin-haul European and leisure routes with a mixed A220 and A320 fleet. Pulling six A220s at once leaves a two-jet A320 core — a sharp capacity cut that will force network pruning until more airframes return or replacements arrive. The airline asked passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and said it remains focused on protecting operations while the court process advances.
Judicial reorganization is designed to keep a company trading under court supervision while creditors negotiate a plan. It is distinct from liquidation. No hearing date or administrator appointment has been confirmed in the sources used here. Further updates will depend on court filings and any additional AnimaWings operational notices.
Sources: AnimaWings statement via Business Review; Ziarul Financiar court and company reporting, 30 September 2026.
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