Soon in Priština?
Last week, officials from Lufthansa, one of Europe’s largest airlines, visited Priština as the airline is interested in commencing flights to the airport from several German cities in 2011, the “Telegrafi” portal reports. The Managing Director of Priština Airport, Agron Mustafa said, “We had an important meeting with high ranking officials from Lufthansa which is interested in commencing flights to and from Priština. The interest on Lufthansa’s behalf displays the increasing attractiveness of our airport”. The German national carrier is interested in commencing flights to Priština early next year. Currently, Lufthansa does not operate flights to the airport.Priština Airport is served by several large European carriers. Presently, Air Berlin offers flights to five German cities: Hannover, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich. Recently, the low cost easyJet commenced flights to the city. However, planed flights from Tirana to Priština, which were to be operated by Albanian Airlines from July 1, did not commence. The route is served by Belle Air.
In the first six months of 2010, Priština Airport registered a 9% passenger increase compared to the same period last year.
http://www.telegrafi.com/?id=46&a=5611
ReplyDeleteLH are a little late to PRN. Definately FRA and MUC will go, possibly DUS and TXL.
What is up with Belle Air operations at PRN? Do they have flights out of PRN other than to TIA?
@ JATBEGMEL
ReplyDelete1.
LH will be extremely welcome at PRN and I would bet my house that LH will become a significant player at the airport. Germany is by far the biggest destination for PRN and it's served poorly - in my opinion - by a number of operators. At the very least it will force the competitors to be more lean.
I think that JP, OU, MA and YM operations at PRN will also feel the LH effect. But we have to wait and see because no decision has been taken yet.
2.
Belle Air used to operate the Liege route via PRN but it no longer does. Its only connection from PRN is TIA. There is talk of opening direct routes from PRN (LYS in particular) but so did Albanian Airlines about resuming the route to TIA -- they even published the news on their website yet nothing has happened. On a positive note, Albanian Airlines seem to have appointed a representative for PRN.
This is great for PRN. Wonder if they're gonna start with Frankfurt or Munich first.
ReplyDeleteTotally unrelated but it seems that BA will be restarting (autumn) services to SJJ. Still nothing official though...
ReplyDeleteGermanwings has been in the market with charter flights for quite a while. I am surpised it took LH so long to join the party. German and Swiss markets both have thirds of the Kosovo market. But the German one is more fragmented which complicates the picture for any new entrant. FRA is definitely a go if they optimize those flights for connecting passengers across the pond. On other destinations, some pressure on AB, which in Prishtina behaves far from it usual self, is quite welcome.
ReplyDelete@ Visit Kosovo
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think LH will make an effect on other carriers serving PRN. What ever happed to Kosova Airlines btw? If i remember correctly, they just sell tickets to Euro destinations via other carriers now?
I think Belle could do good in PRN. I remember seeing that they had PRN-Liege flights, always thought it was strange and illogical route for them out of PRN.
Albanian Airlines is an intresting carrier imo. Apparently the owners of Albanian have 2 B744 a/c and a 757 which could be transfered to them. I remember seeing on their website adds for flights to Dubai and Tehran and saudi Arabia.
I wish there were a better way to get to Pristina from Belgrade.
ReplyDelete@ Doot
ReplyDeleteThere are 4 buses daily between Belgrade and Pristina: 2 x Nis ekspres (run via Fjolla and Erhan bus companies) and 2 x Adio Tours. Return ticket is around 2.500 din and travel time, one way, is 5 hours.
@ JATBEGMEL
ReplyDeleteWarm greetings.
1.
Kosova Airlines was not a bad idea. They were seeking reciprocity from countries that had airlines flying into PRN. In particular, they were interested in flying to VIE, ZRH, GVA and a number of destinations in Germany. However, they were not successful at this and UN administration at the time did not provide the necessary assistance. So, they were not able to fly to VIE and probably gave up on trying to obtain the rights to fly to other destinations. This was their business model, if -- say -- Adria Airways wants to fly to PRN then Slovenian CAA must grant the same right to Kosova Airlines, i.e. they were after some level of protection. This seems sensible to me. So, they failed in this and -- I am guessing -- Hamburg International pulled out of the deal with Eurokoha Travel. Eurokoha Travel is a travel agency, much like TUI, except minuscule and they maintain the copyright over the name Kosova Airlines. Eurokoha now has an agreement in place with Air Berlin, but continues to sell air tickets of a number of other airlines too.
2.
Belle Air had identified a gap in services between TIA/PRN and Belgium/Netherlands and want to use Liege as a low-cost airport. Most people that I know were using this line lived in Germany though, places near Aachen.
3.
Albanian Airlines is now owned by a Turkish/Azeri business group. They seems amateurs to me. Look at the new livery, I would have done a better job myself without hiring an agency. If business starts picking up and there is demand they have quick access to large a/c but I think the management needs to think what sort of airline do they want to develop: low-cost or legacy, regional or intercontinental (with routes to Middle East and beyond) and then decide what a/c best fit their business model.
@ Visit Kosovo
ReplyDeletePershendetje dhe mirembroma :)
1. The protection policy to me seems fair for Kosova Airlines for a while, but i would think that after a while would be good for some competition to come in to make the price of flying more affordable to the traveling public. Any chance they could come back any time soon in your opinion?
2. Maybe Brussels Charleroi could of been a better alternative to Liege? To me they seem to be doing better than LV.
3. I agree. Waste of money i have to say.
Saw this some time back, wondering if youve seen it as well.
http://www.cardatabase.net/modifiedairlinerphotos/search/photo_search.php?id=00003375
I agree. The management hasnt done much with the airline and i dont think much has changed to the schedule in the last couple of years, with the exception of London if im not mistaken. I reckon 4 ERJ170's to replace the BAe's would be a nice move. I think they should just stick to Euro destinations and work with TK for Australia bound passengers and AZ for N. America.
Pozdrav iz Beograda
Would anyone have any idea what sort of numbers may use the Pristina to Tirana daily could be ?
ReplyDelete