Air Arabia to Priština next month as Flydubai launches Skopje
As was first reported by EX-YU aviation news over a week ago, the low cost Air Arabia has now officially announced it is launching services from its base in Sharjah to Priština. Flights will be inaugurated on November 22 and will operate twice per week, every Monday and Thursday. It will be the first time Priština Airport has been linked to the United Arab Emirates with a scheduled passenger flights. Air Arabia made a brief appearance in the former Yugoslavia last year when it launched flights from Dubai to Tuzla. The flights were cancelled shortly after due to low interest. Tickets for the Sharjah - Priština flights are already on bookable via the airline’s website. Further flight information can be found here.
Meanwhile, Skopje Alexander the Great Airport will see its first link to the Middle East today, as Flydubai launches flights to the Macedonian capital. The two weekly service from Dubai is scheduled to land in Skopje today at 12.40 Central European Time. Airport and airline officials will host a special welcome for the first passengers travelling on the Flydubai flight. The Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency believes that the arrival of the low cost airline will see ticket prices tumble. However, a return ticket for the service is currently averaging just over 400 euros. On the other hand, Flydubai was recently awarded for having the best in flight entertainment system amongst low cost airlines, adding value to money. The low cost airline is currently present in the region with flights to Belgrade. Flydubai has announced it will operate double daily flights to the Serbian capital from December 24, 2012 until January 13, 2013.
Middle East based airlines are showing increasing interest in operating flights to the former Yugoslavia. Earlier in the year Qatar Airways launched services to Zagreb, and will inaugurate flights to Belgrade on November 20. Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines will continue operating its one weekly charter flights from Beirut to Sarajevo throughout the winter months. They will be joined by Air Arabia to Priština and Flydubai to Skopje.
Well done to PRN and SKP
ReplyDeleteAlready???? Wow... that is impressive. Hats down to PRN Management and Kosovo in general. Kosovo didn't give a red cent for subsidizing airlines and yet number of flights and passengers keeps increasing. That's how it's done.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting to me is the SJJ-BEY on MEA. Who would think that there would be enough passengers on this route even during the winter months? Is this related to Medjugorje or could be winter tourism too? If I am not mistaken, JAT used to fly to Beirut in the 80s? BEY is an amazing city with a lot of potential. It's pity that JAT pulled out of the markets such as Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Libya...and Croatia and Adria don't even try.
ReplyDeleteSAM, where are you from?
DeleteJU used to serve BEY until 2005 exactly if i'm not mistaken.
DeleteInteresting read:
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/1956870/
@ Anonymous
DeleteI live in the US.
"BEY is an amazing city with a lot of potential. It's pity that JAT pulled out of the markets such as Lebanon..." Absolutely. Pity that some of the BEG-LCA flights don't extend to BEY and that JAT stopped BEG-BEY-DXB few years ago, so they didn't use to fly there just in the 80's but until a few years ago. In the current situation and with the monopoly of TK on BEG-Middle East routes, flying to BEY ends up with spending exorbitant amounts of money.
ReplyDeleteInterstning, Hope TK pulls down the prices, PRN has many passengers that flyes thru Istanbul to reach Duabi,Qatar and other arabian regions. Maybe this will give them poor loads. But why have Ex-Yu not writed about problems with the contract between Limak and goverment of Kosovo.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice day on the blog without the usual idiots and show-offs: purgers, begmel etc., without insults, provocations and chauvinism. Ex-Yu, you gotta post more frequently news non-related to Serbia and/or Croatia or about Belgrade especially, it gets some people wild and ruins the blog.
ReplyDeleteI am from the Serbian diaspora and I find this news very interesting. It is not a matter of neglecting Serbia or Croatia rather than just finding a way to discourage provocators from posting, that's all. The blogger is not guilty for this.
DeleteToday was first flight to Skopje from FZ ?!
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to read the news about it the
next days !
: )
It seems that UAE is nearer and nearer.
ReplyDeleteWith the current promo offer of Alitalia
I found Geneve - (via Roma) - Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi - (via Roma) - Firenze
for 165.73 eu final price all included!
I checked dep. late late January 2013 return early Feb 2013.
That's a deal :)
GVA seems to be Mecca for AZ flights these last few weeks. There were dozens of crazy deals, some would argue error fares, but there are simply too many to be considered error at this point, originating at GVA, such as GIG for 280 euro, NYC for 170, SYD for 400 etc.
DeleteGood luck Priština!
ReplyDeleteI also would like to invite Air Arabia
to Belgrade!
They would fit in perfectly, as they are even as good as Flydubai and there is room for additional flights into the UAEs.
Especially the two days of the week,that FZ does not fly yet.
When you look at BEGpage you clearly see
that TK on the days FZ does not fly use 737-800
double daily.
But on days like today,when they have to compete with FZ they fly only once and with smaller aircraft (A319).
So in fact Air Arabia would not compete with FZ but with TK!
Btw i am also curious about performance of
FZs inaugural flight to Skopje...
For the Balkan boys and girls (over there)
ReplyDeleteBeograd - (via Roma) - Abu Dhabi round trip is 341 eu final price all incuded. It's Alitalia current promo.
Way cheaper than FlyDubai.
DeleteCoincidence time in Roma is well done: no hurry no hours and hours of waiting just good.
Is that for Dubai as well?
DeleteI couldnt find anywhere near that price on the Alitalia promo website...
ReplyDeletePristina - Sharjah return ticket cost 299EUR taxes included.
ReplyDelete