Exploring a Euro Jet Core Location - Constanta, Romania

A couple years ago I ran a workshop for the Euro Jet operations team where I gave them the perspective of what an American thinks of when they view the many Euro Jet core locations.

Well lets test my example – if you are American, answer this question:

Which city would you prefer to visit in the Euro Jet core region: Burgas or Plovdiv? Debrecen or Ostrava? Constanta or Astana? Wroclaw or Podgorica?

If I was a betting man (which I am…) I would put all my chips on the reaction, “Huh?” or “Are those actually cities?” and then spin the wheel.

I explained to my colleagues in operations that America and most of the world outside Europe has never heard of any of these cities.

Instead they are places that many Westerners may recall from an old Soviet spy thriller or James Bond movie. Or likely have no clue where they are and cannot pronounce them.

That lack of knowledge reaction probably does not inspire any confidence in the location’s airport handling. We realize this is why many companies seek out the Euro Jet product as our reliable brand is located as a handling agent throughout this area.

One of the above locations that has seen a huge spike in flights has been Constanta, Romania. The seaside town sits on the Black Sea due west from Sochi and its strategic location has become more critical in light of recent events.

Last October the United States Military announced that it will be shutting down its Manas transit center in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and replacing it with a new facility in Constanta, Romania. In lieu of this, Euro Jet built a new complimentary VIP crew lounge, increased its staff, and renegotiated some very good deals with vendors whose savings we could pass on to the customer.

I recently travelled to Constanta to check out this city that has captured the attention of the US military and won the hearts of many Romanians who flock there during the Summer months.

I had been to Romania in 2008 for the Bucharest NATO Summit and worked with many Romanians while at Euro Jet. So I was very familiar with the place and the energy of Romanians. They are a people very heavily influenced by Italy and France (for trivia buffs out there, it is the only Latin/Romance language speaking country in Eastern Europe).

The drive from Bucharest to Constanta is approximately two hours. If you are looking to replicate a drive through the flatlands of Iowa (minus the corn) on a two lane road with no other car in sight, then this may be the drive for you have always dreamed of experiencing.

The desolate land suddenly ends, the seaside begins, and you enter Constanta. Like Maine or Cape Cod, it is purely a seasonal town. I arrived there at the end of February, and it felt like just me and a lot of stray dogs (that is not an insult, Rome has a lot of stray cats, and Beijing has a lot of stray……well….change of subject).

We stayed at the beautiful Vega hotel, located right on the ocean. Unfortunately it was really too cold or windy to go on the beach, but that just means I will have to return during the Summer!

The Vega hotel has an exceptional restaurant with the best Octopus appetizer I have ever had. Upstairs is a cool bar that plays nonstop the greatest hits of the 1980s (You can’t go wrong with a Michael Jackson and Rick Astley mix).

For the record I did attempt to play piano, but was told the key to open it was “lost.” Based on my piano playing skills that was probably a smart move on the hotels end.

Our visit to the airport allowed us to view the tower, airport operations center, storage facility, and the then under construction Euro Jet lounge. For the record the lounge opened last month and includes couches, cable television, beverages, snacks, computers, and our wonderful Constanta team member Bianca – a native of Constanta, who runs the lounge.

Our Constanta team is lead by Silviu Pavalasc and overseen by our country manager Daniel Rui. These are two of the most capable people I have worked with and exemplify the top quality people that Euro Jet has to offer.

I toured several hotels, visiting our catering kitchen, chatted with visiting American crews and went to their very Americanized mall and walked around the city.

Admittedly, Constanta was a little sleepy, but it is the offseason. Regardless it is a charming place and anyone visiting can understand why the US military has decided to open up this facility.

I left Constanta feeling not only was there a great airport facility, great staff, great vendors, and excellent Octopus, but also very proud of a city that that is going to benefit heavily over the next few years with this expansion.

Stay tuned for more stories from such places as Gorna, Zadar, and Kosice. There are many more locations in our network to educate people about and not just what Ian Fleming wrote 60 years ago.

And if you are looking to adopt a dog, boy have I got a place for you……

In all seriousness, Congratulations Constanta and all the success to your city!