October 4 (SeeNews) - Romanian flag carrier Tarom said on Wednesday that it has named Daniela Dragne as new interim CEO.
Dragne's term will last 30 days, after which the company's board will decide on a possible extension, transport minister Razvan Cuc told a news conference broadcast by local TV station Digi 24.
"She is a lady with a considerable seniority in Tarom, of over 11 years. So far, she has been Tarom's representative in Tel Aviv, one of the company's most profitable routes," Cuc added.
Tarom's latest interim CEO and former pilot Florin Susanu resigned on September 19, before the end of his term, saying that he prefers to go back to the cockpit.
Dragne will be Tarom's fourth CEO in less than two years years.
Former CEO Eugen Davidoiu resigned in August after only five months on the job following criticism from prime minister Mihai Tudose for the company's huge loss in the first half of the year.
In March last year, Tarom's CEO Christian Heinzmann was fired by the transport ministry due to unjustified losses posted by the company and too many sick leave days taken by its staff.
Eugen Davidoiu stepped in as a CEO in February this year, taking over from Dan Plaveti, the interim CEO that filled up for Heinzmann.
Tarom's net loss widened to 104 million lei ($27 million/23 million euro) in the first half of 2017 from 28.6 million lei in the prior-year period, exceeding by far the transport ministry's estimates.
Earlier this year, the transport ministry said it expected Tarom would close 2017 with a 41.2 million lei loss, 12% narrower compared to 2016.
Tarom's turnover fell 14% on the year to 444.2 million lei in the six months through June. Expenses decreased to 610 million lei at end-June from 612 million lei a year earlier.
In 2016, the company posted a 47 million lei loss, marking its ninth straight non-profitable year.
At the beginning of August, Tarom announced that it has launched a tender to lease three long-haul aircraft manufactured not before 2012.
In May, Tarom signed a contract for a ten-year lease of two series 800 NG new Boeing aircraft of 189 seats each after it had to ground two old Airbus A310 in September 2016. The two grounded aircraft represented one fifth of Tarom fleet's capacity, leaving the company unable to service all of its scheduled flights.
(1 euro=4.5772 lei)