Belgrade Airport on a roll
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport welcomed its second millionth passenger of the year last week. The number came two weeks ahead of 2011. The second millionth passenger of 2012 passed through the airport’s doors on August 8. The result indicates that the busiest airport in the former Yugoslavia is on course to surpass its 1987 passenger record when it handled 3.311.951 travellers in what was a record year for the aviation industry across the country.Despite all its woes, Jat Airways has played a major part in boosting Belgrade’s numbers. Despite a decrease in the number of operated flight by 3%, Jat managed to welcome 755.555 passengers in the first seven months of the year, all of which passed through Belgrade either on arrival or departure. The figure represents an increase of 12% compared to last year. On the other hand, the airport has lost high profile airlines such as Malév and Spanair due to bankruptcy but anticipates the arrival of Air One, Qatar Airways and Pegasus in the following months.
After welcoming 409.807 passengers in July, Belgrade has also seen a strong start to August. In the first ten days of the month a total of 138.878 passengers used the airport. The most popular services in August remain charters to Greece, Turkey and Egypt. On scheduled services, Jat Airways is recording outstanding loads on flights to Skopje, Berlin, Dubrovnik, Pula, Split, London-Heathrow, Milan, Moscow, Paris and Larnaca. Other airlines seeing big numbers this August on their services to and from the Serbian capital include Wizz Air, Montenegro Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Alitalia, Aeroflot and Norwegian Air Shuttle.
Belgrade needs a scheduled service to Egypt as opposed to charters only. When could Egyptair step in?
ReplyDeleteThere was talk about that, EgyptAir subsidiary is considering launching flights soon...
DeleteI believe that Air Cairo is starting scheduled flights to Cairo from October
DeleteMaybe soon but not now it not a good time but i like the idea you have and i agree they should
ReplyDeleteThe sentence about record load factors strikes me as somewhat strange wrt Milan vs e.g. Zurich. Roundtrip fares on Jat for the ZRH-BEG route were high (>380EUR) throughout the summer, while MXP-BEG could be found for much more reasonable 180EUR. Does anyone have numbers for these 2 routes? Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThe article mentions August lf not summer
DeleteI have no official data, but from my own frequent flier experience on BEG MXP BEG route I can confirm that average LF is above 80%. My last two flights were in June and July and both time Y was packed and C class 4 to 6 seats occupied. A friend of mine has just come from MXP and she told me the same. Her flight was packed even C class was almost full
DeleteDon t know numbers ZRH-BEG but LX has quite a lot of morning flights operated with A321. Afternoon departure is steady A320. Evening most times A320 instead of Fokker 100 or RJ100.
ReplyDeleteDef a sign for good loads.
Does anyone know what is happening with the numbers of ZAG, it has been two weeks now and still nothing.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
The answer is contained in your very question: nothing.
DeleteOT: numbers for Macedonian Airports for July
ReplyDeletePassengers:
Macedonia 114.621 +1%
Air Traffic Movements:
Macedonia 1.271 -9%
Oh no, how come?! Well Wizz air will boost the traffic! ;)
DeleteEven the Beograd numbers are rising, Serbia has no space for celebrations, overflights are in big fall, 8% due some new routes in Hungary and Bulgaria/Romania
ReplyDeleteCan you explain yourself better? What Serbia has to do with the overflights fall, is it some sort of Serbian fault or just airlines cancelling routes or what? Bad air over Serbia? Help us understand please.
ReplyDeleteRoutes are not very well conected, the guys who had to do that didn't do their job properly so the north neighbours have stolen traffic.
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