Romanian carrier TAROM unveils first Boeing 737 MAX 8
TAROM, Romania’s ailing national carrier, has presented the first Boeing 737 MAX 8 that will enter its fleet. The company released a video of the plane on Tuesday, August 11, showing the stages through which the new aircraft is passing before it will be put into operation.
The aircraft, currently at the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, has already carried out its first test flight, has been painted in TAROM colors, and is to be delivered to the Romanian air operator.
The new Boeing 737-8 has a capacity of more than 180 passengers, a wingspan of 35.8 meters, a length of 39.5 meters, and a height of 12.5 meters. The aircraft can fly at a cruising altitude of approximately 12,497 meters, and the maximum flight distance is about 5,680 kilometers.
TAROM said that this is the first of the four Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that will enter its fleet. The plane's cruising speed reaches approximately 850 km/h, while fuel consumption and carbon emissions are up to 20% lower than those of the aircraft it replaces. At the same time, the company indicated a reduction of up to 50% in the noise footprint, while the aircraft’s windows are approximately 20% larger. Approximately two million parts are required for the assembly of a single Boeing 737 MAX.
The introduction of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft is taking place in parallel with the implementation of TAROM’s restructuring plan, approved by the European Commission and with a completion deadline in December 2026. The plan provides, among other things, for the temporary limitation of the company’s network to 27 routes and the fleet to 14 aircraft until the restructuring process is completed.
The company has been affected in recent years by the geopolitical context, including through the loss of certain routes, rising kerosene costs, and delays in the delivery of new aircraft, according to Economedia.
The first Boeing 737 MAX 8 intended for TAROM will bear the name of Mircea Lucescu, one of the best-known Romanian coaches, who died earlier this year. The right to use the coach’s name was granted to the company by his family free of charge.
“My father dedicated an entire lifetime to Romanian and European football. The fact that his name will be carried by a TAROM aircraft is a tribute that our family receives with emotion and gratitude,” declared Răzvan Lucescu.
Bogdan Costaș, until recently the general director of TAROM, explained that the name is meant to associate the company with Romanian personalities who have represented the country at the international level. In 2024, the company assigned the name of Nadia Comăneci to a Boeing 737-800. The aircraft transported Romania’s delegation to the Olympic Games in Paris and continues to be used on the company’s flights.
(Photo source: TAROM on Facebook)
