Romanian Airline AnimaWings Files for Bankruptcy, Stranding Hundreds of Israelis

Romanian airline AnimaWings announced it has filed for bankruptcy, leaving hundreds of Israeli passengers stranded in Bucharest without return flights. The airline, which operates direct flights between Tel Aviv and Bucharest, cited financial difficulties as the reason for its bankruptcy filing this week. Passengers who were scheduled to fly back to Israel have had their return flights canceled and are now facing unexpected expenses for extended stays and hotels.

One passenger, Ziva from Harish, described the situation as being "up in the air" with no available flights and no one taking responsibility. She and her husband were part of an organized tour group that arrived last week and were supposed to return on Tuesday. "We received a notification yesterday that our flight was canceled due to the company's situation, and here we are, dozens of people on an organized trip with no way to get home," she said.

Ziva added that information received indicated a request was made to Israeli authorities to approve additional flights for Tarom, but it has not yet been approved. "Meanwhile, we are left hanging and not getting answers from anyone," she stated. She expressed frustration that while efforts are being made for rescue flights from Dubai, hundreds of Israelis are stuck in Romania with no clear path home.

The passengers are currently covering their own hotel costs and other expenses. The initial outbound flights with AnimaWings had reportedly been normal and on time, making the bankruptcy announcement a complete surprise to those affected.