What crisis?
From January 1 until last Friday, Montenegro’s national carrier has transported 385.000 passengers which is 12% more than the same period last year. The financial crisis which has gripped the entire aviation industry of the former Yugoslavia seems to have bypassed only Montenegro Airlines. The airline is reporting a month on month passenger increase of 9 to 12%. The airline’s commercial director, Čedomir Đurišić, said that he expects the airline to carry some 560.000 passengers by the end of the year, compared to 495.000 in 2008. Montenegro Airlines would therefore hold its number 4 spot at the end of the year, passenger wise, amongst the national carriers of the former Yugoslavia, behind Croatia Airlines, Jat Airways and Adria Airways. Interestingly 104.000 passengers (some 35%) so far have been those travelling from Belgrade to Montenegro’s 2 airports, Tivat and Podgorica, illustrating the importance of the Serbian market for Montenegro Airlines. Therefore, Montenegro Airlines has lunched a new camping offering cheap tickets for passengers will to travel from Belgrade to European cities via Podgorica. A similar project has been launched for passengers travelling from Priština.Despite some good results there are serious questions regarding the unscrupulous nature of the airline’s management. The airline’s CEO is being investigated for making damaging aircraft leases, while the airline’s first man in charge of the Serbian market is being investigated for grand fraud by Montenegrin authorities.
YM seem to be doing ok i guess. i love seeing their ERJ's at BEG or watching them take off and depart over the skies of Novi Beograd. I hope YM do assist in bringing airfares down, as airfares are high for Serbian standards. As for the scandal, nothing new there. Where do you have a company from the Balkans that hasnt been involved in some form of scandal? lol
ReplyDelete^
ReplyDeleteIt's not funny at all - it's a disgrace and makes the ex-YU region look a joke in the eyes of other countries, and this has a direct impact on willingness of foreign companies to invest in the region, something that is badly needed in many sectors, not just aviation!
I would like to see Montenegro Airlines join an alliance in the near future, perhaps Star Alliance or SkyTeam.
ReplyDeleteThis article is linked to the one the day before. The rise of YM is at the expense of JU, and the numbers fit like a glove.
ReplyDelete@ ANONYMOUS
Spot on. But how do you stop corruption when the anti-corruption forces are equally to blame? It's a self-perpetuating problem that needs more than generational change...