Skopje likely to see Budapest flights resume
Wizz Air is considering launching flights between Skopje and Budapest in the coming period which would cater for transit passengers but also tourists. The Macedonia - Hungary joint committee on economic cooperation held its first session on Tuesday in Budapest, focusing on Macedonia's investment benefits and projects of mutual interest. The meeting was attended by Wizz Air officials who expressed interest in launching flights between the two capital cities. "We discussed the opening of direct Wizz Air flights between Skopje and Budapest, as well as charter flights to cater for Hungary’s largest tour operator", Valon Sarancini, Macedonia’s Economy Minister said.
Malév Hungarian Airlines served Skopje until it went bust in early February last year. It was one of the busiest carriers operating flights to the airport, carrying a significant number of transit passengers continuing onwards to Western Europe. Since then, Wizz Air has set up a base in Skopje, opening direct flights to several destinations in the West. However, Macedonian travellers still heavily use other carriers and transfer through other cities. Austrian Airlines is still the carrier of choice for Macedonians. EX-YU airlines also rely on transfer passengers from Skopje. Of the approximately 80.000 passengers which used Jat Airways from the Macedonian capital in 2012, the majority transferred onto other flights in Belgrade. Similar results were recorded by Croatia Airlines and Adria Airways. Flights to Budapest would allow Macedonian travellers to connect onto Wizz Air’s network of over 30 destinations from the Hungarian capital.
Wizz Air plans to handle at least 120.000 passengers to and from Skopje by November 2013. In its second year of operations the number of passengers is projected to rise to 135.000 and a further increase of 20.000 passengers is expected to be seen by November 2015. As Wizz Air’s flights from Skopje are proving to be successful, a new expansion has been widely tipped for 2013. Malmo in Sweden continues to be Wizz’s most successful route from the Macedonian capital.
Isn't the LCC model completely unsuitable for connecting traffic? Typical LCC uses point-to-point model, while connections strongly favour hub-and-spoke model. Basically, you need to have a hub and organize waves to facilitate connections. For that you need twice daily connections to regional airport which I don't see happening with wizz and their a320 which is just too big. To adopt the "legacy" model with connections they need different fleet structure and different scheduling policies.
ReplyDeleteSince that's not gonna happen, we'll continue to connect in VIE, MUC, FRA, BEG to go to SKP...
It is unsuitable, more or less. Germanwings allow connections for financial compensation (which is not small), easyJet formally does not have this possibility but in same time you can buy several legs with one ticket and even for some financial compensation can have money for ticket back or new ticket. But Wizzair is totally unsuitable, because they delayed more than other LCC, they don't have any compensation or guarantees, their time-table does not have possibility of connection and not more than 10% flights (usually that is just very good luck) have possibility of connections with several hours of transfer time.
DeletePurger, do you have any vested interests in writing lies about Wizz Air? I suggest you stop with this practice.
DeleteDelay statistics are actually in favor of Wizz Air, especially compared to easyJet.
Compensation is the same as other European LCC carriers, and there are services like the on-time arrival guarantee and WizzFlex that target potential delays and ticket changes.
I can only assume you have had some unfortunate experience with them, which the cause for might as well be traced to ignorance on your part. Please move on.
Last anon, when you disregard wizzair's on time performance, the point still stands: WizzAir cannot make a successful business with connecting flights without serious changes to their model. No need for personal attacks.
DeleteI see you're less sensitive to smear campaigns than to what you qualify as 'personal attacks'.
DeleteThe point about lack of connecting flights was not challenged and is deeply connected to Wizz Air's business model.
The issue is with repeated cases of mixing up a valid point with a list of personal complaints misrepresented as factual arguments. Sticking to the main point would have sufficed, and Purger can rest assured further instances of hate speech will not be taken lightly.
You can fly from Malmo but dont forget if you will in other side of sweden, cost for transport to this airport are not cheap. Austrian are operators from all main airports that is more easy to get transport to. Park at the airport is not either an opption, It cost me 120 euro pr week when i flyed with Wizz from MMX to SKP. Macedonian,Albanian will use this route and serves good for the diaspora who livs in the south-Sweden.
ReplyDeleteI read on the Internet Wizzair planing DXB from Skopje , they already applied to uprava za civilna plovidba na R.M . Oslo Flydubai ask for more friquencies too , anyone knows more about this ?
ReplyDeleteSmall OT:
ReplyDeleteIts unofficial, but confermed: INI will definitely get one weekly charter flight on AYT-INI-AYT route every wednesay in the morning, operated by Turkish charter airline Sky Airlines. SKY Airlines will also increase its AYT-BEG-AYT route from two (days 4,7) to three ( days 3,4,7).
wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that we will keep on seeing continuous growth for Skopje. Wiz might be just a bit too optimistic
ReplyDeleteAbout BUD I am not sure too but I am convinced in SKP's potential. I flew on Thursday DXB-SKP and the plane was 90 percent full! Especially now when Southern Serbia is left without YM single connections SKP is ready to capture this market. Hope to see destinations in Spain and Paris!
ReplyDelete1 June 2013 Ural Airlines to begin flights
ReplyDeletefrom Podgorica to Moscow-Domodedowo,
Nizhny Nowgorod and Ufa with A320 .
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ReplyDelete