In Zagreb from December 9
British Airways has set an official date for its inaugural flight from London Heathrow to Zagreb. Services will launch on December 9. Daily flights will operate with the carrier’s Airbus A319, which will face off against Croatia Airlines on the route. The carrier is hoping to attract transit passengers heading to the United States and Canada with tickets already on sale. British becomes only the second airline from the Oneworld alliance to operate flights to the Croatian capital, following its partner Iberia.Emil Delibashev, British Airways’ Commercial Manager for the region, said yesterday, “We are overjoyed to be launching direct flights between London Heathrow and Zagreb in the upcoming winter season and complement our existing service from Gatwick to Dubrovnik. British Airways has been present on the Croatian market since 2003 and we are happy to be expanding our presence ahead of Croatia’s entry into the European Union”. Delibashev emphasised the importance of transit passengers for the airline.
This winter a total of three airlines are planned to operate flights to London, with Croatia Airlines flying to both Gatwick and Heathrow while easyJet also offers services to Gatwick. Meanwhile, on a flight from London yesterday, Zagreb Airport welcomed its millionth passenger this year. The airport handled its millionth passenger on the same date as last year. Flight details for the new London Heathrow - Zagreb service can be found here.
It will kill Croatia Airlines's London route!
ReplyDeleteWell, British was in Zagreb some years ago, I remember that I was flying to LHR with 737. And after few years they terminate the route.
ReplyDeleteI thing that they smell that Croatia is in bottom and that it is an easy target.
It will not only kill OU route to LHR it will also damage the so much needed LH feeders to FRA and MUC, since lots of transatlantic traffic will now go via LHR. Bad news for OU and LH!!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t be so quick to say OU would be killed. Remember that Jat and Wizz killed BA in Belgrade.
ReplyDeletetoday US announced its code share on OU flights and vice versa
ReplyDeleteGood news. Hope will work.
ReplyDeleteI try to stay away from LHR as well as Paris and Frankfurt when I go back to visit family and vacation from the USA.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to fly through Amsterdam even if it is $150 more per ticket. I would also chose Munich or even Vienna before I would go through LHR.
Croatians will not need a visa for the UK anymore starting next year unlike the Serbians. Congrats Zagreb, keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteAnd yet BA flown to Belgrade even with visas. Btw croats dont need visas to the UK a while ago, and yet CA flight to LOndon doesnt make profit, unlike Jat's flight to London....
DeleteDamn :-))) :P
Croatian citizens don't need a visa for the UK since 2006.
DeleteHow can you know that Jat flight to London makes profit? I was also sure that CTN flight to London is profitable one, and than management present us different numbers. Not that I believe CTN managers and their numbers...
ReplyDeleteI saw Jat's numbers to London and they are in the black, actually more than you can imagine. The reason for this is a good deal with Virgin Atlantic and the fact that the majority of Serbs in London are quite wealthy and do not mind paying a lot to fly on them.
DeletePlease tell more about that deal with
DeleteVirgin Atlantic!
I do nbot see them codeshare..
It’s an SPA. JU actually has a load of really good agreements. They turned AMS into one of its most profitable routes thanks to code share with KLM.
DeleteFunny they call it "a new service".
ReplyDeleteBA (originally: BEA) has been flying to ZAG for decades. Back in sixties and early seventies they used Tridents on this route.
Btw off topic but has anyone heard about two new airlines introducing flights to Belgrade? Actually i've read some topics on other forums saying that one of them might be the reintroduction of BA's flights to London, and other is unknown. Supposedly, the Airport management half-confirmed that but they are waiting for the end of negotiations to make an actual press release. Any insider info?
ReplyDeleteWell I guess the other one is TAP as they had announced their intentions in serving Belgrade. As for the management of BEG, they are finally going to be changed now that we have a new government. I guess it will be someone from SPS.
DeleteI really doubt it, only with a stopover (Like Zagreb Bologna), but if that happens, nice.. But Id sure as hell like to see someone other than star alliance here ;)
DeleteNope, the head of BEG Airport is from URS. The party is going to be in the new government and have more ministries then before.
DeleteThey have the ones related to economy and finances. SPS has infrastructure which includes both Jat and BEG.
DeleteI see no reason why someone from URS would stay there. Especially not someone like Velimir Radosavljevic who until recently did not know what kind of airline Singapore Airlines is.
ZAG people, how does that BLQ stopover work? Do LIS bound pax from ZAG get out, go through passport control in Bologna, and then back on the plane? Is ZAG (or Croatia for that matter) in line with Schengen standards for security control?
DeletePax from ZAG wait in a plane ;)
DeleteOK, so how do they separate them once in LIS - as BLQ pax should not go through passport control, while those from ZAG most certainly have to.
DeleteThat also means ZAG is "Schengen clear"?
ZAG ( and any other CRO airport) won't be Schengen clear for at least 2 years after joining EU, which means 2015, by then all Schengen flights will be treated as up to now (this doesn't include customs).
Delete"Schengen clear" is security standard, not necessarily corresponding to the fact that certain state is part of the Schengen zone, even though it usually does. For example, BUD had their "Schengen clear" license revoked in 2010 if I remember correctly, which meant that pax from BUD had to re-clear security if transfering inside Schengen zone, but did not have to go through passport control, obviously.
DeleteAnd my question regarding separation of pax - if those from ZAG wait on the plain - stands :)