Head of British Airways: Demand for destinations such as Miami, Dallas and Las Vegas ensures turnover recovery

Emil Delibashev, country manager of British Airways for the Balkans, who runs operations of the airline in 11 countries, says Romania continues to be the ""Balkan locomotive", although the number of passengers transported to and from Bucharest fell 20% last year and revenues were down 15%.

"Demand for business class tickets is on the rise on the Romanian market compared with other countries. On Friday and Monday flights on the Bucharest-London route, up to 30 business class seats are occupied (20% of the total, while the business class average is 10% i.e.), with Romania being the Balkan locomotive in this regard," said Bulgarian Emil Delibashev, who took over at the helm of Romanian operations in 2007, after Corina Enciu, who had been country manager for Romania and the Republic of Moldova fro ten years, stepped down.

The rising demand for business class tickets, which are the most expensive, can be explained by the fact that nearly 20% of the clients of British Airways in Romania are British and American-controlled companies, according to Delibashev.

American companies also ask for aeroplane tickets for transatlantic flights. The London airport, the destination of two British Airways flights departing daily from Bucharest, is only a transit point. The head of British Airways did not disclose the name of companies they work with.