Germanwings to replace rival on key routes
Priština will become the causality of Air Berlin’s network reductions in face of mounting losses. The airline, which operates flights from Hamburg and Dusseldorf to Priština will suspend the flights on October 15 and October 30 respectively, as the summer season comes to an end. Germany is the biggest market served out of Priština. There are dozens of weekly flights out of Priština to a handful of German cities.
The airport’s management won’t be too worried about Air Berlin’s exit. One of the airline’s biggest rivals, Lufthansa’s Germanwings, will fill in the void left by Air Berlin and commence new flights from Cologne, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Munich to Priština. As a result, Germaniwngs will become the airline with the largest network out of the city. These new flights will accompany Germanwigs’ already existing flights to Priština from Berlin, Hanover and Stuttgart. The new flights begin on November 2 and 5. They will compete with Adria Airways which offers direct services from Priština to Frankfurt and Munich. Details for the new flights can be found on the right hand side in the new route launches section.
Priština Airport has had a strong start to the year. The airport has seen an average passenger increase of 11% in the first half of 2011. Furthermore, the construction of its new terminal has begun. In 2011 Priština Airport handled 1.305.533 passengers. It is now more than certain that it will surpass Ljubljana to become the third busiest airport in the former Yugoslavia by the end of the year.
Why both Cologne and Dusseldorf? Maybe they offer different connections then?
ReplyDeleteGermanwings is no longer a low cost, but nice for Pristina.
ReplyDeleteHow is the load of Adria flight's out-in of Priština?
ReplyDeleteAnyone have data by destination (direct Adria flights from Priprina)?
Neither Air Berlin nor Germanwings are 'low-cost' when it comes to PRN flights. In any case, Kosova Airlines (Eurokoha Travel) organises these routes so when Air Berlin pulled out they signed a deal with Germanwings to cover the same routes.
ReplyDeleteIf you were to travel one-way, say CGN-PRN, you could find a 50 euro flight including taxes, but the return leg would put you back at least 200 euros or so.
Finally, I would not say that PRN will 'more than certainly' become the 3rd largest airport in Ex-YU, however it's certainly looking very likely that they will overtake LJU. SPU and DBV could take that spot just as easily. But I do think that for PRN to become the 3rd largest airport in Ex-YU is an exceptional achievement. With the new terminal and major investment from the new international (professional and non-political) airport operator the future is looking bright for PRN.
@VisitKosovo
ReplyDeleteHave you seen any improvements on the new terminal at PRN? It's been a while since I've been there.
Speaking of constructed terminals, SKP is going to inaugurate its own on September 6th.
@PRN Spotter
ReplyDeleteBy improvement do you mean progress on the construction of the new terminal? If so, the progress is not visible yet. I think they are still working on the basement. I am currently in the US and I will not be back to Prishtina for another three weeks (Sep 16 to be precise). I am happy to report back then ;)
SKP terminal looks great. What a difference from 1998-2001 when I was a regular flier out of there, hey? All they have to do now is make sure pax numbers increase because if the numbers do not improve significantly, the terminal is so large it will feel very empty/dead. Neither undersizing nor oversizing is good.
Btw, I forgot to point our an inaccuracy in this report. Germanwings will not "become the airline with the largest network out of the city." Germanwings network our of PRN will consist of eight (8) destinations while Belle Air already has a network of nine (9) destinations: Basel, Bergamo (Milano), Düsseldorf, Liège, London Stansted, Munich, Stuttgart, Venice and Verona.
ReplyDeleteI always go for plane spotting at PRN, expect this summer, hence I haven't seen the latest improvements out there.
ReplyDeleteI figure Belle Air is doing pretty great on these routes, but it would be even more fabulous if they resume TIA-PRN service again.
^No, they will fly throughout the winter 2X per week. Their deal with EK continues as normal. Flydubai said it is only looking for point to point pax
ReplyDelete