Flights between New York and Dubrovnik could launch next year with local authorities seeking a partner for the service. On Friday, the Mayor of Dubrovnik, Andro Vlahušić, said the city expects for the route to be maintained twice per week throughout the year. "The number of visitors from the United States to Dubrovnik has tripled over the past five years, which is why we want to establish direct flights between New York and Dubrovnik. It is unacceptable that Americans visiting Dubrovnik have to fly via Belgrade, instead of nonstop", Mr Vlahušić said. He added that the service should be maintained throughout the year with a wide-body aircraft.
The Dubrovnik Tourist Board and the Dubrovnik Association of Trade and Crafts will jointly carry out an analysis of the US market, from 2010 onwards, and will contact potential carriers and tour operators. On the other hand, Mr Vlahušić noted that Dubrovnik will be linked to the Far East with Turkish Airlines, which recently launched flights from Istanbul. The Mayor added that Asian tourists will primarily use the service during the winter months. Meanwhile, Japan's largest airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), will operate four charter flights from to Dubrovnik in August and early September. Dubrovnik Airport has confirmed that services will run with a Boeing 777 aircraft.
US tourists now rank fifth by visits to Dubrovnik and future flights from the United States could prove popular. Charter carrier National Airlines has previously expressed interest in launching two weekly seasonal flights from New York to Dubrovnik. In 2014, American Airlines began codesharing on Iberia flights from Madrid to the Croatian city, while US Airways added its codes onto British Airways' flights from London. Earlier this year, the Croatian Ambassador to the United States said the Embassy has resumed discussions with various stakeholders in order to explore all possibilities for the establishment of direct flights to Croatia. "We will do all we can to spearhead and facilitate this effort, and achieve direct flights as soon as it is economically possible", the Ambassador said.
Makes sense. Not sure about year round though.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it'll be year round service, at best it'll be May through October service. Most politicians in Croatia, especially HDZ tend to lie profoundly for the benefit of masses.
DeleteCroatia indeed expects around 320 000 US Tourists this year and 100 000 Canadians, however most will come through transfers. London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris and Rome are well connected to North America and transfers are a regular thing. There's a Canadian airliner starting seasonal flights to Zagreb this year and in 2017 Zagreb might be connected with New York too on a seasonal basis.
However as most politicians in Croatia are complete amateurs, the statement by that moron aren't out of the character.
Da but dont forget that many dont travel all the way to Europe just to visit HR.
DeleteThat would be great!
ReplyDeleteIt's seems like the minute Air Serbia announced flights to JFK everyone wants flights to New York.
ReplyDeleteThat said I think DBV-NYC could work during the summer.
'Dubrovnik will be linked to the Far East with Turkish Airlines...'
ReplyDeleteIt is unacceptable that Asians visiting Dubrovnik have to fly via Istanbul.
Just like with the US they should insist that Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Air India... all fly directly year-round because God forbid people have to connect. ;)
It was a silly comment and makes me wonder if these people running the show really have no idea.
DeleteNo doubt at all that Croatia will do anything to get a direct flight to the USA. The connection via Bg hurts. A lot.
DeleteHis a politician. What do you expect?
DeleteVlahusic is an idiot, I know since I was born and live in Dubrovnik. The fact is that there are really many American tourists in Croatia for the last few years, so, regardless Air Serbia, these flights will happen. I doubt all year round, but seasonal flights to US will work, I'm sure. Dubrovnik and Zagreb are, in my opinion, the only 2 cities in Croatia that will be linked to the US in the future.
DeleteAs far as US flights go, I think they have a great potential. They would have already happened if DBV was within the range of a B752.
DeleteThe real question is how often could they be operated? Are we looking at one weekly flight? Two? Three?
If it would be a weekly flight then I guess they will end up with some random US charter airline. If three weekly could be sustained then maybe Delta could be interested.
I do have one question, these US tourists everyone keeps talking about, are they exclusively going to Dubrovnik or are they travelling around the country/region?
I think it's mostly Plitvicka jezera-Split-Dubrovnik. Some individuals have daily trips to Montenegro or Medjugorje/Mostar.
DeleteThank you. Ok, then organizing tours with flight in and out of Dubrovnik make sense. In my opinion they shouldn't bother until they can fill three to four weekly flights.
DeleteAnother thing is that if the current US tourists are not all from the same region then it will make the realization of these flights much more difficult.
Thomson cruises (and others) could be an option, too.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteBravo Dubrovnik!
"It is unacceptable that Americans visiting Dubrovnik have to fly via Belgrade, instead of nonstop."
ReplyDeleteSo connecting via Frankfurt, Amsterdam et al. is OK, but connecting via BEG is unacceptable? I had no idea that BEG-JFK flights would cause this much vitriol among Croatian politicians. One would have thought more competition would be welcomed.
...one would have thought that ANY flights which bring tourists into a destination would be welcome - EXCEPT for the Mayor of Dubrovnik who finds it unnacceptable that tourists bound for Dubrovnik would have to fly through Belgrade
DeleteWell, some visitors to Dubrovnik arrive via Belgrade but not all of them. In fact, I would say that connections via BEG make a small share when compared to connections via LGW, CDG, FRA, MUC and VIE.
DeleteAnd yet this guy wants to introduce JFK only so that he can deal with that minor BEG share. Erm...
Somehow I don't feel he will see too much response. 'Hey, guys, how about you open some long haul routes so that I can have them in my neighbour's face' is a business logic that may exist in the Balkans but certainly not in the US.
LX,
DeleteThe funny thing is that JU doesn't even offer connections to JFK from DBV given that there are no overnight flights to Dubrovnik. lol
None of the 3 big US players will fly just two times a week. It s either 6-7 weekly fm May till end Sep or none
ReplyDeleteSomething else cld be a US charter operator or Norwegian. But this only seasonal. The guy reminds me a lot to the woman fm ZAD re the China flts.
August 1989 i flew JFK-DBV with JU. The flight was packed... my guess wld be a two weekly charter operation to start with. AA flew to BUD but than they stopped again. If BUD is not working for them why shld DBV or ZAG do any better?
Maybe they could see for Delta to extend their Venice flights to DBV with 5th freedom rights. Though that might be complicated because of crew and all that.
DeleteAnonymous 11:55, one could say the same about Air Serbia flying to JFK, if it didn't work for Budapest, what makes you think BEG will do better?
DeleteIn this case there is money to cover the losses. It is a political project that could work.
DeletePeople, you have to undestand that this is a normal reaction in ex yu. It would have been the same in Serbia, if OU announced zag ny flights.
ReplyDeleteI would disagree. Having worked in both countries as a foreigner, I think Serbia is much more present in Croatian media than vice versa.
DeleteNot true, Anonymous 4:03, here's a hint, read some Serbian web pages (RTS, B92, Politika), then compare the articles with Croatian web pages (Jutarnji, Vecernji, HRT, Index) for a few days. You'll see what I mean. Thanks ;)
DeleteQuite true. Croatian media have quite a vindictive, yet obsessive, streak about all things Serb. As a foreign observer, and coming from a neutral point of view, that is quite obvious.
DeleteNot true at all. Read more carefuly, croatian newspapers are not obsessed by Serbia and you don't have a neutral point of view which is quite obvious from your tone.
DeleteJesus. There's not a single day that B92 isn't posting an article mentioning Croatia regarding the economy, politics, tourism...
DeleteI'd appreciate OU for once stating to think out of the box. Triple Sevens are currently available for very cheap money. They could either lease a 777 for half a year and serve high demand leisure routes JFK 2x, ORD 1x, IAD 1×, SEL via ZAG 1x weekly. Or buy an older 777 through lease-and-buy option and serve these routes 9 months a year. In winter it can go to maintenance. No doubt services were a big money maker for 7 or 8 months a year when they don't forget to make contracts with TOs that take over guarantee seats. Biggest issue of course is to take care of a plan B in case the bird goes tech.
ReplyDeleteYes, so much potential, but they do nothing.
DeleteDosta bolja opcija je AA se resava u narednom periodu svojih 16 godina starih A333 sto je jeftinije i flota bi bila jednaka, 1 bi mogao CTN da preuzme za letove 2 pw JFK , 1 pw INC , 1 pw YZZ i 1 pw ORD.
DeleteKad su Evropske letove prepustili strancima ne moraju ovo .
INN-NS
Niko normalan ne krece sa dugolinijskim saobracajem a da pritom ima samo jedan sirokotrupni avion.
Delete@AnonymousMay 22, 2016 at 1:33 PM
DeleteHow much does it cost to lease B777 you've mentioned in your post, and don't the B777s have 300+ capacity, this is way too much for Zagreb and Croatian market. B757 would be best option if there are any for lease cheap.
However OU has all Airbus/Bombardier Fleet and adding a 3rd type might be too expensive for OU. Would be nice if A310s were still around, or Airbus had similar capacity wide body aircraft with 10-12000km range. So 210-225 passenger aircraft would be ideal.
But, I think OU will not do that, because they will not risk. They are so conservative,slow, opens new rotues every 25 years... I think they definetly colud find market in USA, Canada, China... Bot no! Lets do nothing.
Delete@ INN-NS 3.47 pm Zasto bi letil do YZZ. To ti je trail British Columbia. Grad ima 7681 stavnonika a Aerodrom ti je manji od INI. Znam sta si mislil ili moguce neznas da je code za Toronto YYZ
DeleteLast Anon
Delete+1000 :D
Desila se greska u pisanju ali bolje i tako nego nikako i naravno znam da je YYZ za Toronto.
DeleteINN-NS
Da li znas? To je pravo pitanje jer sada smo svi kolektivno razocarani. :(
DeletePa nemoraju ici preko BEG moze Gospodin da plati pa da ASL napravi stop-over.
ReplyDeleteINN-NS
Very Intresting improvement for Croatia and espacially Dubrovnik
ReplyDeleteOT: Do you, guys, know if CSA route from Prague to Zagreb is only seasonal? On another forum someone mentioned that it is seasonal, although they're doing really well. For example, for tomorrow's flight to Prague, the business class has been sold out and there are only few seats left in economy class.
ReplyDeleteCSA has a business class on the ATR? I feel bad for people paying that much HAHA
DeleteBusiness class??? Ha ha
DeleteSmijala se sova sjenici :) vi se sprdate kako može biti business na ATR7 a koliko ja znam i Air Serbia to ima u svojim propelercima.
DeleteNe, Er Srbija nema na Atrovima. Jat je imao svojevremeno.
DeleteAir Serbia nema niti prodaje biznis klasu u propelercima.
DeleteOT: interesting article in Telegraph today related to Wizz and Norwegian.
ReplyDelete"IAG is also in codeshare talks with China Eastern and China Southern and is thought to be considering bids for Wizz Air, Hungary’s low-cost airline, Norwegian Air, and the UK’s Monarch Airlines."
Wizzair is looking for a quick sale before Ryanair makes more damage.
DeleteW6 can easily establish an airline in ex-Yu and simple compete with JU, OU and most importanly YM that think they can do it all with their high fares. They can base open more routes from BEG, ZAG and the problem will be solved forever.
DeleteI can see IAG looking to combine Vueling and Wizz into a bigger competitor.
DeleteSimilar story to Easy, mostly Western Europe, common fleet and common adversary.
easy should not pass the chance. Wizz can fetch a good price if IAG and Easy enter into a bidding war.
I can't quite see the attractiveness of Monarch.
my2cents
I will NOT be surprised if DBV even makes it to second position behind BEG airport in terms of passengers. For me, it´s the BEST performing airport in Europe!!!
ReplyDeleteOT: Air Sebia A319 YU-APA from Milano landed with one engine tonight, the other one had to be turned off during approach to Belgrade. These planes are no better than good old 737s which were much older when they started having technical issues.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get this information?
DeleteIf you work for a company at BEG Airport you should be sacked!
This happens even to newer aircrafts!
Engine failure may happen even to brand new A380. The only thing that matters is that the crew reacts appropriately. Your comment is malicious.
DeleteAnon 12.23
DeleteWhy should he be sacked? Isn't he allowed to spread the news? Isn't that why we are here? If anyone should be sacked it's the head of maintenance or simply top management for failing to do their job (in general).
So according to your logic, airlines around the world sack their HOMs and replace the entire top management every time there is an engine shutdown?
DeleteI was speaking in general terms. They qualify to be sacked because they hae generally failed to properly run the airline. Loss or market, failure to replace old aircraft, failed in BUD, WAW, LCA...
DeleteEY is ruthless when it comes to sacking CEOs. Just look how many they changed in AB over the last few years.
Also, mechanical problems are not uncommon at JU. A few weeks ago YU-ALN had a system failure right after take off (to TIV, morning dep.).
Well it seems that Etihad does not share your view on the competency of JU's management because their jobs are pretty safe at this point.
DeleteAnd it is a little bit pathetic to use an engine shutdown as a cover for your general rant against JU which has now expanded to their routes, fleet, etc.