TAROM Receives Its First Boeing 737 MAX

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Romanian flag carrier TAROM has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737-8, introducing the 737 MAX into its fleet for the first time as part of a broader restructuring and fleet renewal program.

Boeing and lessor CDB Aviation announced the delivery of the aircraft on September 12, 2026. Named after Romanian football coach Mircea Lucescu, the aircraft is the first of two 737-8s that CDB Aviation is leasing to TAROM, with the second expected to be delivered this autumn.

CDB Aviation said TAROM ultimately plans to operate four 737-8s, acquired through a combination of operating leases and finance leases. The new aircraft will gradually replace TAROM's Boeing narrowbody fleet. According to Boeing, the carrier currently operates four 737 Next-Generation aircraft, and the MAX is expected to improve efficiency and maintain commonality with the existing 737 fleet.

TAROM previously said each of these aircraft would have 189 seats. When the leasing agreement was announced in July 2024, the carrier said the new aircraft would help standardize its fleet and reduce operating costs. The delivery came later than originally planned: in 2024, TAROM said the two CDB Aviation aircraft were expected to be delivered between December 2025 and January 2026.

The fleet renewal is part of TAROM's broader restructuring, supported by up to €95.3 million (95.3 million euros) in Romanian state aid approved by the European Commission in April 2024, with the restructuring plan running through the end of 2026.

TAROM has promoted the new aircraft type to passengers through its "Be MAX! Be happy!" campaign, highlighting flights to Cluj-Napoca, Madrid, Amsterdam and Paris, with travel dates starting September 12. The campaign did not specify a particular commercial maiden flight, nor did it state that all advertised flights would be operated by the 737 MAX. Boeing said TAROM plans to use its growing MAX fleet on routes connecting Bucharest with major European capitals.

TAROM has announced that its second 737 MAX will be named after Romanian Olympic canoeing champion Ivan Patzaichin.