Ryanair to spread its wings to Montenegro
Ryanair is likely to begin flights to Podgorica in September as talks between Europe’s biggest no frills airline and the Montenegrin government continue. Ryanair is interested in commencing flights from Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport and London Stansted to the Montenegrin capital. In return for operating an all year round service to Montenegro, Podgorica Airport will finance the airline’s marketing campaign and some handling fees will be slashed. Montenegro Airlines, based in Podgorica, said that low cost airlines should fly to Montenegro only if they offer flights during the low winter season as well.With a contract between the government and Ryanair in the works, the airline will be obligated to carry 100.000 passengers out of Podgorica in 1 year and carry 50.000 passengers during the low season, from October until May, local media reports.
Ryanair offers many flights out of Croatia but does not serve any other EX-YU nation. Many Montenegrins and tourists choose to fly to nearby Dubrovnik in Croatia with low cost airlines and then find alternative transport to Montenegro. Montenegro Airlines does not operate flights to Glasgow although it serves London Gatwick Airport. Earlier, the Montenegrin national carrier said it would suspend flights to London this year due to low interest.
Why only to Podgorica and not Tivat? Tivat is more touristic..
ReplyDeleteLOL
ReplyDeleteI agree, why not Tivat?
ReplyDeleteI assume that Brits that come to MNE are not interested in Montenegrin capital whatsoever, the coastline is what it counts
I am so courious to see numbers at the year end, may next year, then sept...
ReplyDelete... as well as YM position on those dates.
I don't understand what on earth to do in Montenegro out of season (15. july - 15. august)?
ReplyDeletei need to see the passenger number while montenegro airline service from podgorica to london i need the passenger number please thank you...
ReplyDeleteThe off-peak pax levels are far too low in that contract: FR operates their planes with a dense 189 seats, that's only a 4-weekly service for 7 months of the year if the planes are full to just one destination (i'd assume STN).
ReplyDeleteThe article doesn't mention how much the govt is actually paying for these flights, is that public knowledge? (or more importantly, who knows what the actual figure is?)
It's a ridiculous move and the sooner people stop sponsoring FR the better. In this case though this is a direct attack at struggling YM.
Answer to why flights are using TGD: that's where the govt is!
How do you oblige an airline to carry X amount of people!? Do you round randoms off the street and shove them off to London? Podgorica also seems very suss, and no doubt a family favour for someone at the airport. I'm sure the Government is also thinking, 'lets try and rip off "rich" English people as much as we can, as they make their journey to the coast, the longer they're on the road, the more we can get out of them'
ReplyDeleteNobody at Ryanair cares ...
ReplyDeletewhen plane flies with empty seats .
EVERY EMPTY SEAT is paid by
the Government =Montenegrin Tax-
payers !
For Ryanair a good Deal !
btw: Montenegro is richer than
Dubai and Monte Carlo together..
...so no Problems !?
Wow this piece of news is interesting!
ReplyDeleteSo,Montenegro airlines cannot fill the cabin to London and economically sustain this route BUT the Montenegro government will PAY RyanAir to fly to Podgorica all year round!? WTF?
Firstly, it is logical to open this line to Tivat (seriously folks, what is there in Podgorica for an English tourist to see and do?).
Second, one has to be very careful when inviting RyanAir to any airport. They will come only under their own rules which often go against domicile airline (and even airport itself), they will kill of some of the competition of the regular airline but if things don't work out their way (or if the local government refuses to keep paying) they will suddenly take off for good and leave the said airport in bigger crisis then it was before.
We the travelers often think and welcome these predators of the sky thinking how much we can save on our trips, but they don't give a damn about us and will screw us all in the end...
In some ways Podgorica seems an odd choice yet it is as near or nearer to Budva, Petrovac, Bar and Ulcinj as Tivat. It is also near the inland mountains which have a ski season as well (the resorts need improvement but Zabljak has spectacular potential). Inland in spring and autumn is also beautiful - fall colours and spring flowers. Kotor Bay and Tivat can be accessed in just over an hour from both Dubrovnik and Podgorica. Perhaps there is pressure on Tivat airport to become exclusive for private jets.
ReplyDeleteRyanair should go to Tivat as a alternative to dubrovnik which might offer high landing fees. Anything close to the coast because getting there in the winter for cheap is a big hassle
ReplyDeleteThe reason the Government want them to fly to Podgorica is that they want the winter tourists to go up in the Mountains as that where there familly lands are, sadly here is about the pocket and nothing else, the only way Ryanair will be sucessfull will be to fly to Tivat, look at how many Croatian cars there are in Monty thousands all renting from Dubrovnik and flying in there, thats all business that an airline could have if it was cheap to fly to Tivat, the Croatian Government must be laughing all the way to the bank, when the Government wake up and get the Hotels around Kotor and the coast then the holliday companies from the UK and Ireland will fill them all the year around, for example there is a bridge Company in the UK a card and match stick game that have over 4000 members looking for Winter hollidays all people over 60 with money to spend, they would like to come here but there are no decently priced large Hotels so they all go to Croatia, could go on and on
ReplyDeleteThe Montenegrin government does it again! Renown for gross stupidty, they do a deal for Podgorica, when Tivat is the needed destination airport.
ReplyDeleteIdiots!