Surprise drop in numbers at Skopje Airport
Following a year of strong passenger growth, Skopje Airport has seen a small decline in numbers in July compared to the same month last year. Macedonia’s busiest airport welcomed 95.890 travellers during the month, down just 0.3% on last year. Despite the small decrease, the figure is surprising considering the airport has seen average growth of over 18% throughout 2012. In the first seven months of the year, Skopje Alexander the Great Airport handled 469.582 passengers, with its busiest month being July. The decline in passengers can be attributed to a fall in the number of operated flights, which slumped by 9%.On the other hand, Ohrid Airport is recording one of its busiest years. During the months of June and July the airport handled 28.658 passengers, an increase of 16.5% compared to the same period last year. Numbers have been boosted by the arrival of several new airlines this season including Corendon and Jetairfly. Corendon Airlines has already confirmed it will continue with seasonal summer flights to the lakeside town through to 2015, with six weekly flights planned for the 2013 summer season. Along with the existing services from Amsterdam and Eindhoven, the airline plans to launch flights from Brussels to Ohrid next year.
Skopje is recording the fastest growth amongst EX-YU capital city airports. Despite the hick up in July, the airport can expect a boost to its figures come winter as Wizz Air will open its base in the Macedonian capital from late October. However, August figures will be closely watched for signs of a slowdown.
What exactly is fuelling SKP’s growth anyway?
ReplyDeleteOdusevljen sam novim izgledom bloga! :)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!
Turkish Airlines/Tepe Akfen(TAV) concession of skp/ohr is a strong growth factor.Hope we will see the inercontinental fligts from skp to the USA in cooperation with owners of concession tav/turkish and one of their own A330 flying intercontinental from skp.
ReplyDeleteKeep dreaming...
DeleteNot even during the time of exYu SKP didnt have transcont flights.
DeleteThere are 7,8 regional airports that need em more than SKP: SOF, SKG, BUH, BEG, ZAG, LJU..(i am not even sure if BUD has US bound flights).
Just be realistic.
Delete"Not even during the time of YU did SKP have intercontinental flights."
False! Some of the BEG bound flights from Australia would land at SKP first.
Just check the 1980s JU schedules.
Even Ath lost Usa flights for this winter.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where are now all those excited and euphoric Macedonians who were constantly bragging about SKP numbers increasing while convincing themselves and others that they will even compete with BEG and ZAG. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, there has been constant growth throughout the past two years or more, the "drop" (which, if true, is not even relevant as a number), and in addition, there will be even more growth in the upcoming months (peak summer season is August, Wizz Air and FlyDubai will start operating)... all in all, too early to say anything - especially anything negative :)
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