Jat’s numbers slide
Jat Airways has seen its passenger numbers decline for the first time since October 2012 after it handled 61.275 passengers, down 2% on the same month last year. The news comes after the airline was forced to cut down on its frequencies and routes due to a fleet shortage. The number of operated flights decreased by 9% compared to February 2012. This February, the average cabin load factor stood at 59%, down one point on 2012. On services to Montenegro, the Serbian carrier managed to improve its numbers by 4%, though the number of operated flights did increase by 13%. This is because services between the two countries were severely affected last February due to poor weather conditions. With the number of operated flights decreasing by 13% on Euro Mediterranean flights, passenger figures also declined, by 4%. The exception were charter flights where passenger numbers soared by 78%.
Jat will hope that passenger numbers will improve with the upcoming summer season and the addition of six aircraft in its fleet. Yesterday, the Serbian Ministry of Transport held talks with Airbus in order to finalise the financial lease of two A319s and A320s set for arrival in June. Two ATR aircraft are set to arrive next month. As the summer season approaches, the carrier is also set to receive a new management team. Furthermore, talks will be held with Etihad Airways over a potential minority stake in Jat next week.
| Month | PAX | Change (%) | Average load factor (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAN | 77.962 | ▲ 4 | 63 |
| FEB | 61.275 | ▼ 2 | 59 |
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport was also affected by Jat Airways’ service reductions. The airport welcomed 173.396 passengers through its doors, slightly down on last year when it handled 173.606 passengers (a decrease of 0.1%). The airport managed to withstand a larger passenger slump despite the fact that it saw 2.731 arrivals and departures, or 8.6% less than February 2013. So far this year Serbia’s busiest airport has welcomed 383.446 passengers, down 1.2% on 2012.
Does anyone have an insight whether the reason for BEG's good pax numbers (despite fewer a/c movements) are a) larger planes or b) better load factors?
ReplyDeleteOther than that, Jat's numbers are as good as we could expect and I really hope they sign whatever they have to ASAP and we see those Airbuses in Jat livery at BEG.
Do not forget las FEB had 29days, so to compare the data you need to remove average day from last year and compare it to this year.
ReplyDeleteYe ah true, I am sure both jat and BEG are in for a decent year. I am expecting good March.
ReplyDeletei would be very happy if exyu goes into searching for passenger numbers of wizzair, lufthansa, austrian. i am very curious about it. i would like to know especially how many passengers wizzair had in i dont know 2012 or jan 2013, feb 2013...
ReplyDeleteWizz averages in BEG for JAN and FEB were equal, for both months slightly above 139 PAX/flight. In MAR they may be reach 142.
DeleteApparently OS had very good loads on their flights to BEG. My flights with OS last month were full 100%, to the last seat in both economy and business classes. LH tends to fill their ac as well to BEG, with frequent changes in equipment on FRA and MUC.
DeleteDo not forget that last years' February was disaster for Jat with 9% decrease comparing to February 2011, so this year February is some 11% decreasing comparing to 2011, and that is very, very, very bed result!
ReplyDeleteFor sure you we will see even worst results in March and April!
No!! Everything labeled with serbian is superior, successfull, admireing..Even when there is a decline it is a success from some perspective. BEG is the only ex-yu airport that has booked a decline since the beginnig of the year and yet they're the best! Btw. this Feb had much better weather conditions compared to last year when dozens of flights were cancelled so the outcome this year is even worse.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete-2
DeleteAre this -2 coming from the mastermind who compared Belgrade and Singapore few days ago? :)
Delete+1 = +3
DeleteFar from it. Everything in both Serbia and Croatia is quite average, except for the Adriatic which is most definitely the most beautiful sea in the world. I wish both Serbia and Croatia all the best.
Deletewould you please give the Serbs a break? Where did you read something like that in this article?
DeleteOn the other hand, that with Singapore and Belgrade was funny :) And how about the Slovenian with the crystal ball who predicted that the passenger numbers in LJU will double in the next 3 years?
A few years ago on this blog I attempted to predict how long Belgrade's exceptional run would last and gave reasons for this. I stated that we will see solid growth for at least 18 more months or by the end of 2012 before growth will still continue but at a more steady rate. The main reason for this was that Belgrade and Serbia (for whatever reasons) was still behind in economic development compared to other former 'eastern block' countries and was playing catch up.
ReplyDeleteNow we are at a point where Belgrade airport is seeing the expected relative amount of passengers compared to both the size of Belgrade and the air travel demands of Serbia.
If I am right (and this is just a theory by one irrelevant person)than all future growth at Belgrade will be directly related to the performance of the economy, tourism and the buying power of the Serbian people.
Sorry to compare Zagreb and Belgrade here but the exact same thing happened at Zagreb only a few years earlier.
Dont get your hopes very high. Beg got ten more months to go.
DeleteTK will start charter flights ADB (Izmir) - BEG on JUN, 8th.
Delete@ Q400
DeleteI do agree to some point in what you are saying, however your comment was short of perfect for not mentioning the situation with JAT where more than half the fleet was grounded which created a nice cancellation of flights. A decrease of 200 pax is 2 flights max, where as JAT cancelled many more.
Speaking for myself, I recently refused to use JAT in fear of being stuck somewhere in my travel, and my last flight I used OS to VIE even though my first option is always JAT. I prefer JAT as I recieve excellent treatment from them.
This summer will be interesting to follow. I dont believe in this 'fleet expansion' and want to see how those double daily SVO flights and additional flights to Croatia will materialise.
Terrible mistake. They still didn't conider the merge with BH Air. At least they can use their aircraft to do some regional stuff.
ReplyDelete...and take on more debt than they already have? JAT already have aged aircraft and for the amount they have are underutilised, no need for more especially from JA!
DeleteSo, for you to merge with BH Air is to take their planes and to use it? Well, my friend, those days are over! It was like this till 1990 unfortunately, and that is why we don't have Yugoslavia any more. Merging is not about to take something from someone, but to share something for benefit of both sides.
DeleteYou have summarize it perfect.
DeleteNo more taking situation and above all, question, how to manage in such circumstances. Looks like, no way.
Even Moldova is in front in every aspect and Albania is now western country for us, Serbs
The people on this blog sums up why Jat, OU, Adria, BH in fact most of of balkans struggle....... TOO MANY CHIEFS NOT ENOUGH INDIANS
ReplyDelete