The Macedonian government has expressed interest for the introduction of nonstop flights between Skopje and Toronto. The Macedonian Ministry for Transport and Communication, which recently held talks with Turkish Airlines over possible services to the United States, says it has now also proposed potential operations to Canada's largest city. Turkish Airlines' CEO, Bilal Eksi, noted that the opening of flights from Skopje to both the United States and Canada will be taken under consideration. Furthermore, Turkish will provide assistance to neighbouring Albania which is seeking to establish its own national carrier. Macedonia and Turkey have an Open Skies Agreement in place with Canada, which permits for a Turkish carrier to be issued fifth freedom rights by regulators from all parties involved.
The Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency said last year that services between Skopje and Toronto would largely rely on diaspora traffic. "Canada has more potential than the United States because there is a bigger Macedonian diaspora. However, this argument alone is still not strong enough for us to begin procedures for the introduction of flights", the regulator said. Previously, the Agency noted that the response from Canada-based airlines for the launch of seasonal flights to Skopje during the peak summer and winter months had been "favourable". Air Transat is the only Canadian carrier which currently maintains services to the former Yugoslavia, with a two weekly seasonal flight to Zagreb.
The Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency first expressed interest for the introduction of services to Canada back in 2011. Two years later, the former head of the regulator, Dejan Mojsoski, who now serves as the Pan European Coordinator at Eurocontrol in Brussels, said that a Canadian airline was interested in launching transatlantic flights to Skopje. “A carrier has shown interest and it is not a typical low budget airline, instead, it offers a mixed product. Its initial interest is a good indicator for us”, Mr Mojsoski said at the time. Furthermore, Skopje Airport's operator, TAV, as well as the Macedonian government, were to carry out a feasibility study into the potential of transatlantic flights to the Macedonian capital.
SKP doesn't have direct flights to major cities in Europe such as CDG, LHR or even MUC or FRA leave alone a flight to North America. First, they must attract airlines such as BA, AF/KL or LH and then we can talk.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok, just because the government wants something it doesn't mean it will get it.
DeleteEvery few months they come out with a wish list of long-haul destination... and each time they are ignored by airlines.
The government will just pay an airline to fly this prestige route!
DeleteThe politicians will be happy cutting ribbons and the tax payers will pay the bills.
They only have to ask Vučić about it.
Why do you have to bring Serbia into this? What's your problem?
DeleteBecause it is a good example. No harm feelings.
DeleteAnonymous at 11:30 AM
DeleteHe makes a valid point about how countries with minimal O&D demand for direct flights to New York or Toronto can get an airline to fly them.
SKOPJE HAS POTENTIAL FOR NEW YORK BETWEN 200K TO 700K PASSENGERS.ONLY THE ALBANIAN FROM KOSOVO LEAVE IN NEW YORK ARE OR EASTER PART ARE 400K PEOPLE THAN ALBANIANS FROM ALBANIA SAME AREA 200K THAN ALBANIANS FROM MACEDONIA MINIMUM 60K OF THEM LEACE IN USA EASTER PART THAN ANOTHER 100 TO 150 ALBANIANS LEAVE IN CHICAGO AND COLORADO AND TEXAS 50K OF THEM...THAN TIRANA WILL START 2018 A FLIGHT WITH SKOPJE ,,,ALBANIA IN FEW MONTHS WITH THE HELP OF TURKISH AIRLINES WILL LAUNCH ALBANIA AIRLINES AND TURKISH PRESIDENT SUPPORT THEY WILL GET 4 OR 5 NICE AIRPLANES AND THE PLAN IS AT THE END THEY WILL START DIRECT FLIGHTS WITH SKOPJE KOSOVA ATHENS ANOTHER FLIGHT WITH CROATIA AND AFTER COUPLE YEARS MAYBE USA....BUT BEST PLACE FOR THIS FLIGHT WILL BE SHKUPI(SKOPJE AIRPORT)..THIS AIRPORT IS BETWEN ALBANIAN AND KOSOVA AND SOUTH SERBIA....IT WILL HAPEND IM REALY POSITIVE TURKISHH AIRLINES FIRST WILL START SEASONAL FLIGHT FROM MAY TO OCTOBER THAN IF IT WORKS BETTER IT WILL BE ALL YEAR LONG...TANKS
DeleteTurkish airlines was told from macedonian goverment to start direct flight than they talk to tav company which build and has 20 year concension over skopje and ohrid airport..tav build brand new terminal for 7 milion capacity in skopje expand the runway to 3050 metter and but all new navigation and full light on runway,,,turkish is thinking first of course dont say hey guy yes we will do it....before they say yes they make sure tirana have to start direct flight to skopje soo this 30k albanians come from usa thru erupian companies will go from skopje and lot of them can drive 3 hours to skopje to fly than the hughway from prishtina has to connect skopje so they can come to skopje to fly to new york they have 20k plus albanians visit everyyear sometimes number go 40k a year ...but in 3 years it will hapent watch
DeleteMacedonia used to have charters to Toronto in 2008 or 2009 if I remember correctly. So it's not impossible.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember which airline operated these?
DeleteSky Service?
DeleteCould be, I know they operated into both BEG and ZAG with a B752 with a technical stop in DUB.
DeleteI wonder which carrier showed initial interest all those years ago. Sounds like Transat.
ReplyDeleteThe only way Skopje or any other ex-Yu city could get flights to the US or Canada is that either their own airline starts flights (Air Serbia) or some mafiosi leases an aircraft and starts flying (Skygreece, Scanderbeg Air)
ReplyDelete+1
Delete@AnonymousMay 14, 2017 at 9:12 AM
DeleteSkopje has no chance of intercontinental flights. It is an LCC base, not much else.
Only airports in ex-Yu that has direct link with north America is Belgrade and Zagreb. With very much likely by 2020, Zagreb getting connection to US, by an US airline, after all 357 000 US visitors in Croatia in 2016, already warrant such connection.
Bu 2020, I am certain Zagreb will have this connection, either to New York, or some other major US based hub.
Air Transat is LCC
DeleteAir Transat is not LCC but leisure airline. Learn the difference.
DeleteIF IT HAPEND IT WILL NEVER BE SANDERBEH AIRPLANE FROM 1970 THE 757 OR OTHER GARBAGE IT WILL BE ONLY TURKISH AIRLINES,,,,ALBANIA HAS MORE POTENTIAL TO GER NEW YORK FLIGHT OR KOSOVA THEY HAVE 500K EMIGRANTS EACH OF THEM IN IN USA IN EASTER PART AND 200K IN WESTERN PART,,,MACEDONIANS FROM MACEDONIA ARE NOT EVEN 50 TO 80K IN USA,,,HOW U WANT A FLIGHT BASED ONLY MACEDONIANS IS MICRO POTENTIAL,WHEN U OPENA FLIGHT IN SKOPJE U SEE POTENTIAL UR COUNTRY AND KOSOVA AND ALBANIA AND MONTENEGRO MOST OF THIS COUNTRYS 30 PERCENT OF THIS COUNTRYS POPULATION IS IN USA AND EUROPE HELLO,DONT EVEN THINK THIS WAY
DeleteWHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WE DONT NEED 300K NUMBER TO GET THAT FLIGHT,,,THEY ARE 1.1 MILION ALBANIANS IN USA 550K IN NEW YORK NEW YERSEY PENSYLVANIA AND CONNECTICUT ARE....IF FLIGHT IN SKOPJE STARTS ALL ALBANIANS FLY WITH FROM TURKEY TO TIRANA FROM AUSTRIA TO PRISHTINA FROM OTHER COUNTRYS OF EUROPE WHICH THEY DO THE STOP FROM NEW YORK TO COME OVERSEAS THEY WILL USA SKOPJE..100K A YEAR ONLY OUR COUNTRY PEOPLE VISIT THOSE 3 COUNTRYS EVERY YEAR SOMETIMES 120 OR 150K A YEAR...THAN LOT OF BOSNIANS THEY ARE 150K BOSNIANS OR 200K OF THEM IN NEW YORK AND MARYLAND AREA.AMD THEM ALBANIANS FROM MONTENEGRO 100K THEY USING EUROPIAN COCUNTRYS CONNECTIONS TO COME OVERSEAS,,,YOU GUYS DONT EVEN KNOW THE NUMBERS AND U COUNT ONLY MACEDONIAN PEOPLE LEAVE IN USA.....WITH SKOPJE NEW YORK FLIGHT MACEDONIA HAS POTENTIAL OF 800 thousands albanians from three countrys to use this direct flight and all other albanians and macedonians in west usa which are like 300 will come to new york to use skopje,,,,,u guys have to understand than albanian ppopulation in kosovo albania and macedonia and montenegro is almost 7.5 milion plus 2.5 milion emigrants thats 10 milion...1.4 milion of them are in usa and cannada most of them 1 milion or 1,2 in usa and other in cannada.same macedonians from macedonia i mean the skopje macedonia they have 200k plus people in usa and canada...clean potential 1 milion,,,,they are 3 times more albanians than serbian croatian slovenian and bosnia all them together in number....plus skopje has new terminal for 7 milion people capacity plus runway 3020 or 3000km brand new with full light enough for a300-300 or 767-300 ....this year turkish airlines flew couple times with a330-300 and austrian with 767 and 2 more planes a330-300 and another from findland last month 767...if u have 320 people in a330-300 full capavity and full loaded u never need more than 2300 to fly and less than 1500 to 1900 to land hello skopje runway is 3000 metter plus brand new and parking for 3000 or 5000 cars go fb and see alexander the great airport guys.....we can talk here all day in 3 year from now u will see turkish airlines fly a330-300....turkish airlines already ordering 787-9 and is finalizing another a350-900 40 of them...skopje airport in under turkey private company tav soo they are talking together to do this,,,tirana will connect skopje with tirana-skopje flight in 2018 they starting albanian airlines with the help of turkish airlines and i hope turkey gets the tirana airport from china and build another terminal for 8 milion passengers.tirana airport has 2 milion passengger plus a year...20k plus came from usa and prishtina 20k and skopje 15k thats 60k people a year from usa came in this airport,,,non stop flight start this number will duble and pass air serbis like nothing,,,in fact air serbia will lose 10 percent profit from passengers going to belgrade and get to new york and bosnians too
DeleteIs there a big Albanian diaspora in Canada?
ReplyDeleteIt's not massive but a respectable number. There is a lot from Kosovo as well.
DeleteIt's not that big, and most of the Albanians I've met are from Albania itself. Albanians, just like Bosnian Muslims, mostly chose America as their new country
DeleteBRO THEYRE MORE MACEDONIAN AND ALBANIAN FROM MACEDONIA IN USA THAN CANNADA,,,IF U OPEN A FLIGHT FROM SKOPJE TO NEW YORK YOU WILL HAVE POTENTIAL OF 200K THOUSAND PEOPLE TO 300K...ALL ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVA MACEDONIA ALBANIA MOST OF THEM WILL GO FROM SKOPJE TO AMERICA,,ALL TOGETHER ARE 600K IN NEW YORK NEW YERSEY AND CONNECITCUT ,,,,THE POST DONT MAKE SCNENCE,,,IF MACEDONIA THINK TO START A FLIGHT TO USA AND THEY THINK THEY BASED OPEN A FLIGHT ONLY WITH MACEDONIANS FROM MACEDONIA AND NOT ALBANIANS FROM MACEDONIA THEY WILL NEVER HAVE THAT FLIGHT,,,WHEN TURKISH AIRLINES WANT TO SEE THIS FLIGHT FROM SKOPJE TO JFK,THEY SEE KOSOVA ALBANIA SOUTH SERBIA AS POTENTIAL ,,,IF U SEE ONLY MACEDONIA IT WILL EVER HAPEND IN 100 YEARS LOL,ARE U GUYS SERIOUS,,
DeleteThere have been plenty of examples of things that didn't make sense to experts who make comments here actually happening... So who knows.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite hard for a predominantly LCC airport like SKP to initialise flights to Canada. I mean even BUD and ZAG only have them during the summer. But hey, SKP has surprised us before, so who knows? But like the very first comment above, SKP desperately needs to connect to the main European cities first.
ReplyDeleteEurowings will fly to Mun soon an btw Air Transat is LCC
DeleteNo, it is not. It is leisure airline.
DeleteBravo Makedonija!
ReplyDeleteWould be nice but it is very far fetched.
ReplyDeleteOT:
ReplyDeleteLX2512 ZRHINI A320 C1/8 Y96/168
LX2513 INIZRH A320 C1/8 Y173/168 (overbooked -5)
LX is doing good I would say. Cheers.
Wow... that's beyond fantastic. What's even more interesting is that there is more demand out of INI than from ZRH. Usually it's the other way around.
DeleteI guess Germania might be experiencing same loads if they decided to extend the route into the winter months. Let's hope LX does the same.
That is bad news for ASL. INI's massive success and these loadfactors can only put pressure in ASL's yields from BEG to ZRH.
DeleteBravo INI!
But it won't put preassure on LX's yields from BEG to ZRH? Right.
DeleteYes it will. But LX and the LH group can afford to lower their yields on a few routes a lot more than JU.
DeleteAnd why should we care? Lower yields equals cheaper fares.
DeleteAlso, this will primarily impact Wizz Air.
If you are not a Serbian taxpayer you shouldn't care.
DeleteLOL, W6 doesn't even fly to Zurich!
Turkish is just being polite. There is no chance for these flights.
ReplyDelete+1
DeletePerhaps JU can strike a deal with TK and transfer pax between BEG and SKP for flights to North America and offer a daily flight to JFK. Let's face it JUs business plan to make BEG a transfer point has been a massive flop
ReplyDeleteYes, pax numbers going from 3 mil to 5 mil in a couple of years certainly qualifies as a flop.
DeleteWhere did he mention number of passengers? He was referring to the transfer passengers.
DeleteTURKISH WILL LIKE MORE SKOPJE THAN TIRANA OR PRISHTINA FOR NEW YORK FLIGHTS,,,BECAUSE SKOPJE IS BETWEN THEM AND MOST OF ALBANIANS ALMOST 600K OF THEM LEAVES IN NEW YORK NEW YERSEY AND PENSLIVANIA AREA....EVERY YEAR 50K TO 100K OF THEM FLY FROM EUROPIAN AIRLINES TO TIRANA AND PRISHTINA AND SKOPJE,,,SERBIA IN ONE YEAR HAD 70K PASSENGERS ,,,PRISHTINA HAD 17K AND ALBANIA HAD 20K AND MACEDONIA HAD 15K,,PLUS ANOTHER 25K AROUND SERBIA....IM REALY POSITIVE AND PEOPLE WILL LOVE THAT FLIGHT ,,,IF THAT HAPEND SERBIA WILL LOST 7 TO 10 PERCENT OF THOSE PASSSENGERS
DeleteSORRY
Wizzair wants to be future of aviation. Ask Wizz to solve this problem for SKP.
ReplyDeleteYeah that might be kind of difficult with TATL.
DeleteWhy? With the NEOs they could do it, ok they could add a technical stop but I wonder if they could pull of a SKP-LJU-US.
DeleteTheir A321NEO orders are not LR, the range at Y238 and bags will not be long and nobody will buy a ticket to fly in a sardine can with 2 stops to USA (SKP-LJU-XXX-USA). Especially when operating a narrowbody on such route is not cheap/profitable from the start.
DeleteSKP getting flights to Canada??? Are they joking? lol
ReplyDeleteRead the article.
DeleteYeah... Very logical - cities like Bucharest and Budapest don't have year-round service to the US and North America (BUD have to Canada), but Skopje will have lol
DeleteIf BEG can have why not SKP?
DeleteBEG's flight is a political route that is greatly loss making and only possible through the government ordering the national airline to fly it.
DeletePlus you shouldn't compare Belgrade with Skopje or Serbia with Macedonia.
Why not? Both countries have 2 airports, 2 modern airports. Besides MK is a future EU member and will have lots of potential. Also, we also recently learnt from the blog that INI is trying to catch up with SKP due to its proximity.
DeleteBoth countries are doing great if you ask me.
Also UAE has a couple of airports! Dubai and Abhu Dhabi! What does that have to do with the potential for air travel?
DeleteAlso MK will never become an EU member as long as it is called Macedonia.
So please, keep it real.
One cannot comapre DXB and AUH to SKP and OHD
Deleteare you seriously trying to compare Skopje to Belgrade??? In what world do you live? I understand you hear on TV every day how great your country is doing but even BUD and OTP are not economically strong enough to sustain something like this
DeleteSurprise surprise:
DeleteSR:
GDP per capita: 5,143.95 USD (2015)
MK:
GDP per capita: 4,852.66 USD (2015)
In other words, MK is likely to even surpass SR within a couple of years.
Both countries have developed a lot but never underrate MK please.
LOL then by this logic San Marino would have 30 transatlantic flights.
DeletePS been there so not trusting the statistics
Norwegian is building up their N America network (destinations and frequeancies). They will soon offer decent alternative to Star Alliance.
ReplyDeleteYes, but they wont be starting transatlantic flights from SKP any time soon.
DeleteGranted. Not sure if they fly to Skopje at all at the moment, but with all the planes on order, who knows. Wizzair could potentially make it to US east coast from Luton even with standard A321.
DeleteNo they couldn't, LTN has too short runway for A321 at max takeoff weight. And I don't think with neo things would be much different.
Deletedont put too much weight into this, this ministry is going to be changed soon anyway
ReplyDeletebut its a fact that both Macedonia and Albania aproached TK to start some flights out of SKP and TIA.
TK could change some of their doube daily TIA flights into TIA-SKP-IST and TIA-PRN-IST
+1
DeleteSkygreece airlines used to do flights between Toronto and Thessaloniki in Macedonia, Greece via Budapest about 2 years ago. Unfortunately that airline was not a success and that route lasted only 2 months. It's was the only overseas flight between North America and the region of Macedonia in Greece. I don't think that other airlines have plans to start another overseas flight from Thessaloniki and there's already Athens that has some routes to Canada and USA. Also I don't think that Skopje has the potential to sustain a long route like that. Thessaloniki or Sofia which are nearby have more potential. This country need to resolve it's issues about the county's name dispute before doing that.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask the admin to delete the comment above mine. It has clearly nothing to do with the aviation, and in promotes a nationalistic view on a complicated political question. Since this is an aviation blog, I believe we should all stick to the aviation and to the current topic. Cheers.
DeleteThe post above yours has clearly something to do regarding aviation. You just try to provoque nationalistic slavic propaganda with your point of view. The post above states facts about aviation in the real region of Macedonia which is in Greece. With all the respect every person has the right for an opinion and that post states true facts.
DeleteThe problem with SkyGreece was that in that moment the banks in Greece where shut down and they didn't have the cash to pay for fuel even. If the bank crisis didn't happen at that moment they would be very successful.
DeleteCountry name disputes have no bearing on aviation. Few passengers care and even fewer airports.
Delete