Romanian flag carrier TAROM has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8. The aircraft, registered YR-BGO (c/n 60196), arrived at Bucharest/Henri Coandă International Airport on September 8.
Named Mircea Lucescu, after the renowned Romanian football player and manager, the 189-seat jet is the first of two MAX 8s being leased from CDB Aviation. A second aircraft is expected to follow during the autumn.
TAROM ultimately plans to operate four 737 MAX 8s, acquired through a combination of operating and finance leases. The new aircraft will progressively replace its older Boeing 737s. TAROM currently operates four 737-800s and a single -700, alongside ATR 72-600 turboprops.
Boeing said the MAX will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by around 20% compared with the aircraft it replaces, while retaining commonality with TAROM’s existing 737 operation. According to Flightradar24, YR-BGO is scheduled to enter service on September 15 between Bucharest and Amsterdam.
The airline’s CEO Cristian Anghel said the 737 MAX’s addition to the fleet was a “pivotal moment in the company’s transformation process”. The delivery forms part of TAROM’s wider restructuring programme, supported by up to €95.3m in Romanian state aid approved by the European Commission in 2024.
TAROM originally ordered five 737 MAX 8s directly from Boeing in 2018. Deliveries were planned to begin in 2023. Boeing has not clarified the current status of that earlier order.
