Three institutional investors, including two Romanian funds and one from Slovakia, have acquired a 50% stake in Animawings (A2, Bucharest Henri Coanda). The transaction, whose value was not disclosed, remains subject to regulatory approvals.

The new shareholders are BT Asset Management SAI, part of Banca Transilvania Financial Group, Slovakia-based Winners Holding Investments, and Bucharest stock market-listed EVERGENT Investments.

Founders Marius Pandel and Cristian Pandel will remain shareholders of the airline, with the former staying on as the CEO.

"This moment represents much more than a financial transaction - it confirms that the project we have built has substance, direction, and long-term potential. We have chosen to grow alongside investors who understand that AnimaWings is not just an airline, but a project of national significance," Marius Pandel said.

The airline was initially launched as a joint venture of Aegean Airlines and Memento Group, a Romanian-owned travel holding headquartered in the Netherlands. The Greek carrier initially owned a 25% stake, but took a majority stake of 51% in 2021, before divesting entirely two years later.

Animawings' fleet now comprises five A220-300s and two A320-200s. The airline aims to expand its fleet to 18 aircraft by the end of 2027, building on the A220 fleet. Its growth comes amid the perennial struggles of loss-making flag carrier TAROM, which is now in EU-approved restructuring and has its fleet capped at 14 aircraft.