Big hopes from big investment
Croatia will fork out 1.4 million euros for Ryanair to set up a base in Zadar from April 2013. It is argued that the money will be well spent and the return for the city and Croatian tourism will be much greater. The Croatian Tourism Association will provide half of the above-mentioned sum while the rest will be paid for by local authorities and businesses benefiting from the new flights. On top of the existing nine cities being served by Ryanair from Zadar on a seasonal summer basis, the low cost airline will also launch flights to Beauvais, Dublin, East Midlands, Gothenburg, Haugesund, Liverpool and Wroclaw. A Boeing 737-800 will be stationed at the airport and will mark Ryanair’s first base in the former Yugoslavia.
Ryanair plans to hire local staff on its flights from Zadar. The airline will employ ten pilots, cabin crew and mechanics with a total workforce of forty. Based on the performance of its flights, the low cost airline will consider operating year round services from Zadar. “This is a major success for our airport and the Zadar region and testament that we are on the right path”, the CEO of Zadar Airport, Katica Pupić Bakrač, says.
These past few years Zadar has been a star performer amongst Croatian airports. In the elapsed eleven months of the year it has already surpassed its end of year 2011 result. By the end of November the airport handled 368.738 passengers, an increase of 30.4% compared to the same period last yaer. For the whole of 2011 the airport welcomed 284.980 passengers. Ryanair’s expansion into Zadar alone is set to boost numbers by a massive 60% in 2013.
It's not such a straightforward investment as the Tourist Board would have you believe. Without trying to sound like a snob, people who travel on Ryanair are not your usual leisure travellers and are definitely likely to spend a lot less on food and accommodation than regular tourists.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the airport itself can only benefit from increased numbers, so good luck to ZAD.
Does not matter how much they spend. This will see a minimum of 300 thousand more people spend money in the Zadar region.
DeleteYou do sound like a snob!
DeleteZAD will have great results next year. Might come close to beating Podgorica?
ReplyDeleteReason why Croatian Tourist Board decide to give money to Ryanair is statistical data that every guest that came by air spend daily 60-80 € (on accommodation, in restaurants, shops and on entertainment). Reason is definitely not to make Zadar airport successful company cause that is just one public company that employ less people than any bigger hotel.
ReplyDeleteWith Ryanair whole Zadar region get more tourists and money of course. I think this is good way how to spend government money.
Sorry for OT!
ReplyDeleteApparently Air One stops flying from MXP to BEG on 7 January. There is still no news on BEG airport site, but flights cannot be booked on Air One site.
If that's the case, i don't think we're going to miss them. Either AZ will come back or JU will introduce more flights which are perfectly affordable anyway.
DeleteIt is only a temporary suspension, flight will resume after some weeks.
DeleteIt's not a temporary suspension. Airone is canceling a number of flights from Malpensa: Belgrade, Kiev, Munich, Warsaw and Cagliari.
DeleteFlights are bookable in May 2013 (Belgrade), flights are the same as the ones now. In other words it is a temporary suspension.
DeleteFlight are not bookable in May. Air One is withdrawing from Belgrade, as well as from Kiev, Munich, Warsaw and Cagliari.
DeleteThis is how Ryanair works, Malmö Airport,In 2005 they did not get the agreements as Ryanair wanted,What happend....they just take off but now have returned to Malmö as they carry 370 000 PAX every year. It stands nothing about the taxes for Ryanair operating in ZAD? What kind of term and agreements have Ryanair got? Normally am against to pay for an airline who will be operating from a airport but this is an sucsess because they are creating 300 jobs and if they are local its werry good for them because after the EU law Ryaniar is obligated to pay them and tax them thru Irish system. So the workforce of Ryanair in Croatia will be payed well, Ryanair pays there workers 2 best after KLM Holland. But dont forget that 300 workers are alot and the Zadar will get more visitors and a grow for them.
ReplyDeleteRyanair do not pay good wages! They are some of the worst in Europe, and working conditions are very poor to keep costs down. Also all cabin crew have to pay for their own training.
DeleteIve worked for Ryanair, They pay for them own training but they wages are second best after KLM, And Ryanair pays them only the hours cabinpersonal gets on the plane, And they dont pay you an hotel ore something like that. But the payment i Ryanair are werry good comparing to other aircompanyes belive me.
DeleteI'm wondering if Croatian wanted to set up a similar service from ZAD would they get the same offer from ZAD as Ryanair is getting?
ReplyDelete--
Charlie
Havent OU received subventions for MUC, FRA, CDG & ZRH routes?
DeleteCroatia Airlines costs are so high that they would not have any chance to make a success of such an operation.
DeleteIt's as simple as that people!
London to Zadar year round? Oh yeah come to papa!!
ReplyDelete