Two cities in the former Yugoslavia will offer nonstop flights over the Atlantic this summer, with others hoping to follow suit in the near future.
On June 14, Air Transat will link Toronto with Zagreb once per week on a seasonal summer basis. The Canadian airline, which recently upgraded equipment on the planned service, is satisfied with its sales so far. "There is a high level of interest and booking numbers are very good. There is a big Croatian community in Toronto and we can feel the interest from Croatian travellers from both sides (Europe and Canada)", the airline says. However, Zagreb is also hoping to see year-round flights to the United States. The Croatian Embassy in Washington has resumed talks with relevant stakeholders over the introduction of nonstop services between the two countries. The Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Josip Paro, said earlier this year, "The Embassy has again restarted discussions with various players in order to explore the realistic possibilities to establish direct flights to Croatia. However, this will require, among others, a conclusion of a serious independent market study in the US that can verify passenger interest and establish a credible passenger load for the aircraft, which is essential to properly calculate the economics of these direct flights. We will do all we can to spearhead and facilitate this effort, and achieve direct flights as soon as it is economically possible". Last year, the Ambassador of the United States to Croatia, Kenneth Merten, said his country is also working towards establishing flights to Croatia, adding that the foundations for such services are currently being put into place. The CEO of TAV Airports, Sani Sener, believes flights between the Croatian capital and New York would be most desirable. "The most desired route from Zagreb would be New York", he said. TAV has a 15% stake in the consortium that runs the Zagreb Airport.
Air Serbia will launch five weekly flights from Belgrade to New York on June 23 with the airline satisfied with its over 11.000 bookings on the route so far. However, according to the President and CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group, James Hogan, it might be some time before the airline expands its operations over the Atlantic. "We have already considered flights to Chicago and Toronto and these services could be introduced in two to three years. First off, the New York route must become functional. We don't want to make a decision that would set Air Serbia back", Mr Hogan said earlier this year. He added, "This service [New York] opens up the opportunity for Serbia to develop its tourism. We would like to see Serbia establish Belgrade as the gateway to the Balkans. We want Americans to stay in Belgrade for a few days before maybe flying out to Athens".
The Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency says the country is continuing to study the possibility of introducing transatlantic services to and from Skopje. However, the regulator admits that long haul flights are still some way off. "Direct flights from Macedonia to North America have long been discussed. However, there is still no reliable evidence to suggest that such a service could be viable. Canada has more potential than the United States because there is a bigger Macedonian diaspora. However, this argument is still not strong enough to begin procedures for the introduction of flights", the Director General of the Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency, Goran Jandreoski, said earlier this year. He added, "Recently, we have been in contact with the FAA's [US regulator] office in Moscow, which oversees the Balkans. They want to help us prepare for transatlantic flights, so, if there is interest in the future, we can be ready to undergo checks and inspections".
The majority of passengers departing Pristina Airport in 2015 and transferring through other European airports continued on to New York, which was the busiest unserved route from the city. Some 13.000 travellers flew from Pristina to the Big Apple (JFK Airport and Newark Liberty) last year. Of those, 10.000 were headed for New York's JFK Airport. Other routes in North America which saw a notable number of passengers departing Pristina included Chicago, Washington and Toronto. In 2009, Scanderbeg Air, a short-lived tour operator that contracted with Sky King Airlines, launched two weekly flights between Pristina and New York with a Boeing 767-200ER aircraft. Services were maintained twice per week between June and September.
Dubrovnik Airport also hopes to offer transatlantic flights in the coming years. Dubrovnik Airport’s Deputy General Manager, Frano Luetić, previously said that US charter carrier National Airlines had expressed interest to launch two weekly seasonal flights from New York to Dubrovnik. US tourists now rank fifth by visits to Dubrovnik and future flights from the US could prove popular. However, Mr Luetić said that all conditions must be met in order for regular seasonal long haul flights to Dubrovnik to be launched. In 2014, American Airlines began codesharing on Iberia flights from Madrid to Dubrovnik while US Airways added its codes onto British Airways' flights from London.
Zagreb Airport management has plans for flights in the US to start. They have even talked two airlines about it. Fingers crossed there will be some concrete results.
ReplyDeleteYes but it is not their decision. You can talk to all airlines of this world but just because you run a private owned airport does not mean everyone will rush to fly there.
DeleteThere are some variables in that equation that are simply out of ZAG's hands - regardless of who owns and runs it. Star Alliance and Lufty, to name just two of them.
Of course I agree but it's good that the airport is on board regarding this. Agree with you about Lufthansa being an issue.
DeleteI think Dubrovnik will be first to get US flights (seasonal). Then Zagreb. We will see.
DeleteAgree with Anonymous 9:20, would like to add I think Dubrovnik and Zagreb are the only cities in Ex-Yu (besides Belgrade, of course) which are likely to get transatlantic flights in the future.
DeleteUnited and Delta have been holding on and off talks of having seasonal Zagreb service, it is possible one of the smaller US based airlines will pick up Zagreb in 2017 on a seasonal basis, connecting Zagreb and New York on a weekly basis.
Deletein 2015 Zagreb has 30-32000 US tourists, Croatia had 300 000. In 2016 5% Growth is expected conservatively. 25000 Canadians visited Zagreb in 2015 and 80 000 visited Croatia, reason why Transat is coming is pure business, they know Zagreb is in demand as there are no real direct links to the city.
OT: Croatia airlines won't be sold btw, and we are heading for new elections in Croatia sometimes in September, it is quite likely this government won't last more than 3-4 months.
SDP will most likely win the next elections and we might see some strategy as to OU, until late 2017 there won't be any major changes at UO or the direction OU is heading.
Croatian Airlines however is getting more planes in 2017 brining fleet up to 15 aircraft, plan is to have 20 aircraft in the fleet by 2020 and maintain this number, increase the load factor to 80% and utilize better winter schedule so all the aircraft are busy year round.
Strategy how to tackle seasonality is a main priority at OU. However as Croatia is in the EU this solution should be easily dealt with through placing an aircraft an Tallinn, Sarajevo and Pristina.
Longer term establishing a base in Sarajevo, Pristina and few other places to ensure full utilization of the entire fleet all year round.
Does anyone know how much is the lease ? I presume it is less than $5 million per year?
DeleteIf Air Serbia can maintain 3 weekly flights to US and ticket price is $1200, and AS can maintain 75% or higher load factor, A330 might prove interesting adage to the AS fleet.
However as I see it right now, 150 flights per year x $1200 x return x256 x 75% = $6. 912 000, now not sure how much was the lease for an A330, and than we have to add cost of operating the aircraft and crew.
HM, interesting. I am sure AS will make massive profit out of this one, 8-9 million at least, so the accountancy firm will say so.
Anonymus 1:51, welcome back, Nostradamus. Nema sanse da budu izbori na jesen. Iz jednostavnog razloga sto su svi usidreni za svoje fotelje. I te tvoje vizije za OU padaju u vodu.
DeleteI don't agree with most of what Anonymous 1:51 said, but I can confirm that 2 regional jets will be added to Croatia Airlines. I don't like the choice, what more I think this is the worst option, but better than nothing.
Delete@AnonymousMay 12, 2016 at 1:59 PM
DeleteYour math seems to be off ...
150 x (1200 x (256 * 0.75)) = 34.560.000 $
...a bit of a difference in comparisson to approx 7M$.
znaci dolazi i drugi foker, zar ne Purgeru
DeleteNe, nije Fokker. Radi se o potpuno novim (ili daleko novijim avionima). Dream team ekipa (Širac i Kučko) je na pregovorima daleko izvan Europe.
DeleteZlobnici kažu provizijica u posljednjoj sekundi. Bože me sačuvaj zlobnika, svi mi znamo da je to samo radi dobrobiti Croatije. Zar ne?
Japan, Kina ili mozda Kanada
DeleteE dodati tome još Brazil i sve ste nabrojili. Obečao sam da neću reči, a nikada, ali apsolutno nikada nisam izdao povjerenje izvora.
DeleteIzbor je logičan, ali po meni najlošiji moguć. Za one koji me poznaju znaju za što sam ja drukao, a što nikako ne bih volio, odnosno za što smatram da je najlošije moguće za Croatiju.
CRJ900 !
DeleteCRJ 900 bi bio odlican potez zbog sadasnje flote tako da mislim da je onda E190.
DeleteINN-NS
No, od mene nećete čuti odgovor, ali polako. Neka se "veliki" šefovi pohvale sa obavljenim poslom, samo da se vrate sa putovanja (tek su otišli).
DeleteA konačno, obzirom na njihovo umječe dogovaranja, poučeni primjerima iz prošlosti, pa i ovim zadnjim fijaskom oko nabavke 2 RJ za ovu sezonu (malo E190, malo CRJ, pa na kraju samo jedan Fokker) bog te pitaj hoće li i ovo uprskati. Tako da ja ne bi ruku u vatru za njihove "sigurne" stvari. Kakvi su to maheri mogla bi se nabava novih RJ pretvoriti u produženje ugovora za Fokkera (pa još u veljači je bilo "sigurno" da će se CRJ900 uzeti na lizing tijekom sezone).
I honestly hope we won't have to wait 2-3 years for new destinations in US/Canada like Hogan says.
ReplyDeleteI think you might and I think it is a very smart move. They obviously want to wait until New York turns a profit which probably won't happen until 2019. There is no point in opening a bunch of unprofitable tatl flights all at once.
DeleteI still don't know why they went for JFK when it's a smaller market than Toronto or Chicago. I guess for prestige.
DeleteIf they get another A330 it will be heading to Beijing.
Delete@ AnonymousMay 12, 2016 at 9:15 AM
DeleteAccording to booking data New York overtook Chicago. My guess is that's why they went for it... maybe
Diaspora from Chicago/Toronto cannot and will not make ASL's transatlantic flights work. They rely primarily on transfer passengers in which case JFK is the one and only starting point in North America. Another destination or two may be added once JFK works - but if JFK does not work then nothing will.
DeleteActually, Chicago being the biggest was what I heard in JU so... I am just repeating what I heard.
DeleteI tend to agree that the next A330 will be used for eastward expansion.
DeleteHaving only JFK route for 2-3 years to test the waters sends a clear message to competition that all they have to do is show some teeth, be aggressive with pricing and JU will pull back from the route. If JU’s reasoning is to see if competition will allow them to have succesfull route they should not have started JFK in the first place. It makes more sense for JU/EY to bite the bullet, initially expand to more US/Canada destinations and stake a claim in the TATL market: we are here to stay. To add traffic, use BEG as a jump-off point for EY widebody metal to Latin America and markets where bilaterals allow it. Think about it.
DeleteAs for Hogan’s wish for American tourists to stay in Belgrade for a couple of days before going to Athens, I did not see any effort from Air Serbia to offer, directly or through a partner, packages for Belgrade, Tivat etc. Air Transat has carefully curated a selection of those offers for Zagreb and Adriatic destinations to add tourists to diaspora feed. Opportunity is waiting for Air Serbia.
And lastly, JFK, ORD and YYZ are diaspora centers not just for BEG but the whole region and are bread and butter for JU, they have demand to make TATL routes work for ASL and ASL has the regional network to feed the flights. Air Serbia is primarily going after diaspora, not tourists going to Florida or diplomats going to Washington, otherwise first destination would be IAD or FLL.
@ Decko Tzar
DeleteCompetition would have to lower prices not just in BEG but in many other markets to throw out JU from JFK. Demand is growing and there will be always opportunities to expand offering, not just in BEG but the region in general.
JU has a regional network, but it is incomplete and still has work to do. JU have mentioned they want to link all regional capitals with double daily. We are left with SOF, OTP, TIA, SJJ. JU has to get DBV and SPU as all year routes, PRN must open. ATR's will be a problem with connecting pax to JFK due to the 2 x 23kg allowance and the cargo limitations with the ATR, as already its not uncommon to see weight restrictions on routes such as SJJ and VIE considering its 1 x 23kg in Y.
JFK can also see some diplomats travel as New York is for example where the UN Headquaters is located.
@Anon at 9:34 AM
Delete"Diaspora from Chicago/Toronto cannot and will not make ASL's transatlantic flights work"
Yet mostly diaspora from Toronto makes Air Transat think they can make ZAG flights work. They are upsizing from A332 to A333. They have no regional feed in the Balkans. They have no codeshare with AB, EY and RO. They have no business class. They do have higher cost.
Air Serbia can also make YYZ and ORD work couple of times a week with a single plane.
@anon 9:15
ReplyDeleteChicago and Toronto do not have a higher demand than NYC. Countless studies have already shown this.
Largest US O&D markets to/from Serbia 2014
DeleteNew York (JFK+EWR) 36.175 pax
Chicago (ORD) 24.589
Los Angeles (LAX) 10.896
Washington (IAD) 9.315
Toronto is not in the US, lol
DeleteInteresting, how does Toronto rank vs US cities ?
DeleteWill Air Serbia's A330 offer wiifi as well?
ReplyDeleteYes. It has already been installed on the plane.
DeleteSkopje considering TATL. Right....
ReplyDeleteWhy not? Seasonal flights to Canada could work very well.
DeleteHere are a few photos from yesterday's event - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5BQ5KlupgSRVHIwanl3Y0RFaW8&usp=sharing
ReplyDeleteDejan will you post them on airliners.net?
DeleteYes Aleksandar, I will. But not more than two that were made in the same day can be accepted there.
DeleteDejan thank you, 5 and 10 look very nice. Airliners will process them faster if you say picture is the new entry in the database.
DeleteDejan,
Deleteamazing photo's as always. Thanks for sharing them.
Hey look what I saw in the number 3 position on the top 24 list on anet:
Deletehttp://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-Serbia/Airbus-A330-202/2821434/M/
It's funny that Slovenia is the only ex-yu country whose citizens don't require visas to the US yet no one has even considered flights from the US, be it even several charters per year.
ReplyDeleteMarket is too small and too close to airports which have flights to the US.
DeleteHow about some basic math, to see what exactly is going on with Air Serbia US flights?
ReplyDeleteCEO said that 11,000 seats have been sold. Chairman said 11,000 bookings, similar to the statement above. I'll take CEO's statement into consideration, cause not all the bookings mean sale. And a booking can involve two or more seats, so I believe Kondic is tells the correct info.
The company offers 5 x weekly flights, meaning that they offer around 11,000 seats in one month. (assuming that the A/C is 250 seater). Although it is possible to purchase tickets for the next 365 days, we'll assume that 10,000 of these seats are in the flights until end of October. There are 4 months between end of June and end of October. We can imagine that the sales are higher in near future and during the peak season. So I believe we won't be mistaken if we assume that:
1. month: 3000 seats
2. month: 3000 seats
3. month: 2500 seats and
4. month: 1500 seats are sold.
That means, we must be ready to see LF's of (3,000 seats sold/11,000 seats offered) 27%. Is that surprising? No it's not, because when you login Air Serbia's web page to purchase a ticket, you notice a warning next to JU's direct flight option: "Subject to Government Approval".
Would you risk your transatlantic travel, which'll cost thousands of Euros, and purchase a ticket which still hasn't received a government approval yet?
Well, 27% LF on a transatlantic flight? And people expect other transatlantic routes... I believe in a few years BEG will be a main base for LCCs :)))
Actually the CEO did not mention any numbers of sales or bookings. It was only Mali. So you made up something just so you could deliver your rant. Enough said.
DeleteOh good now we are up to a few years until it becomes a main LCC base. Before it was imminent any time now. It moves up a few years each year.
DeleteSo, it was more than 11000 seats? Less? Who's lying here?
DeleteFrom June till October there will be some 95 flights to JFK.
DeleteThere is 24.320 seats on those flights. So, if they sell jut 11.000 tickets till now that is just 45% sold. And that is if those are return tickets. If 11.000 is one way, it is just 22,5%. In both cases it is not god at all. We have just one and half month till first flight. In top season less than half of plane one and half month in advance is not good at all.
You can buy ticket to JFK from BEG for as low as 650 EUR in July. That shows that selling is very bad.
You are ALL EXPERTS <3
DeleteLook, math is clearly not your special ability. Neither is aviation. And your common sense and logic are in even worse shape.
DeleteAll you have is an endless well of hate. Which you should keep for yourself because it's very toxic.
I wonder who purchases subject to governmental approval tickets?
DeleteAnonymous 10:08, could you, please, explain this to us, we are not so good in maths...
DeleteI don't care about haters or non haters, it's certainly common sense that I prefer to wait 2 hours in zurich or frankfurt or somewhere else to catch my flight to new york and pay 500€ than pay as I can see from air serbia site 700€.
DeleteWeren't you complaining a few days ago that they are way too cheap. Now they are way too expensive... Make up your minds people.
DeleteMath is very simple science.
DeleteBy calculating simple prime school math we are stupid, we don't know basic math and our mind is toxic of hate.
But still you did not show any calculation. You just said we are stupid and wrong, please show us your, different math!
If not than someone else is brain toxic.
Here is calculation
95 flights x 256 seats per flight = 24.320 seats
11.000 ticket sold / 24.320 seats *100 = 45% sold.
Is there any other math? Parallel universe maybe?
There is no 'we'. There is only you. Could be a split personality though. And why the admin tolerates your systematic trolling of this blog is beyond me.
DeleteMy friend anonymous 10:39 AM, are you okay? Is there anybody who complains if something is cheap?
Delete^ Yes a few days ago people were complaining that the tickets are cheap and that Air Serbia is doomed because of it. Now they are too expensive.
DeleteI don't remember anyone complaining that they were cheap (they never really were). People complained that they reduced the prices by 35% during season travels which can mean only one thing.
DeleteAll European airlines decreased prices to US this summer, which can only mean one thing.
DeleteThat they are afraid of JU?
DeleteNo but it is not worth wasting my time to discuss anything with you.
DeleteOk then anonymous 10:54 AM I give up, this is crazy by those people!
DeleteEuropean airlines did not reduce their fares to North America, they have been the same as always. Some like TK or AF have actually become more expensive!!
Delete^^^
DeleteAs I wrote yesterday, the figures are not that bad. Remember, 3 times have tickets been sold for N American flights in that past 15 years only for nothing to happen. There is some people who are skeptical that the flights might not launch. 'Subject to Government Approval' doesn't help either.
For transit pax it is weird connections, some days work some don't. The flights are split 5 weekly flights. Not all regional destinations are yet double daily, and PRN is still waiting to be announced.
Going by the figures above, at 45% sold for a 4 month period is not bad considering the above. It is a new route after all with decent frequencies. Considering the current limitations, the numbers are quite ok.
PRN won't happen until next summer, not so much because of permits and so on but because JU doesn't have the necessary aircraft. Even when it initially planned to launch flights it scheduled it with a B733.
DeleteDoes anyone know how much is the lease ? I presume it is less than $5 million per year?
DeleteIf Air Serbia can maintain 3 weekly flights to US and ticket price is $1200, and AS can maintain 75% or higher load factor, A330 might prove interesting adage to the AS fleet.
However as I see it right now, 150 flights per year x $1200 x return x256 x 75% = $6. 912 000, now not sure how much was the lease for an A330, and than we have to add cost of operating the aircraft and crew.
HM, interesting. I am sure AS will make massive profit out of this one, 8-9 million at least, so the accountancy firm will say so.
"You can buy ticket to JFK from BEG for as low as 650 EUR in July. That shows that selling is very bad."
DeleteHow on earth can you consider this as cheap!!?! You can find way cheaper alternatives to this price which is actually expensive considering its originating from BEG. Few days ago I bought a tickets from YYZ to BEG for 850 CAD or 580 euros and we all know that tickets from N.America to BEG are more expensive. So please stop with the bulls*it that 650 euros is cheap, since its NOT
"Considering the current limitations, the numbers are quite ok."
DeleteI agree with that statement as well. Ticket sales should pick up in the next month or so. Many people I know here in Toronto have not yet bought a ticket to Balkans even thought they plan on travelling during July/August period. Its a myth for old people that buying tickets early is cheaper by the way. From what I noticed the prices have been quite constant for the last 4 months excluding few days of promotions.
Anon 2:01,
DeleteThere is something wrong with your math. (150*1200*254)*75% = 34,290,000 USD.
Lease of this bird is ~500k USD monthly or ~6M per year.
However, 5 flights p/w means 260 flights per year (not 150) in which case your math gives the revenue of 59,436,000 USD.
Looks like a dream. The problem is, there is no way that the average price of ticket will be 1200 USD. Something between 700-800 would probably be more realistic.
Average LF will probably be below 70% in the first two years. Perhaps 65% is more realistic than 75%.
Finally, the cost of the JFK route involves much more variables than the aircraft lease. In fact, total costs are several times the cost of the aircraft lease.
650 EUR in middle of July is very cheap!!!!
Delete12.7.-19.7. I compare the cheapest prices in every company.
BEG-JFK-BEG JU 650 EUR
VIE-JFK-VIE OS 703 EUR
IST-JFK-IST TK 768 EUR
WAW-JFK-WAW LO 912 EUR
MUC-JFK-MUC LH 921 EUR
VCE-JFK-VCE DL 950 EUR
FCO-JFK-FCO AZ 966 EUR
Even Norwegian price is 640 EUR with just hand luggage (1 peace 10 kg in cabin), and with one peace of luggage it is 779 EUR + CPH-JFK-CPH is much shorter than BEG-JFK-BEG.
So, please can you show me where you can find ticket for 650 EUR in middle of July?
I just booked a return ticket from YYZ to BEG in July for 610€. Jet Airways via AMS then AS.
DeleteJet is same think as Air Serbia. They must do dumping because they can not attract passengers. That is why they are in huge minus this winter.
DeletePurger is right, available prizes show load factors of the flights. 650 EUR is not ideal, however maybe JU is keeping low rates despite good loads in order to attract as much as possible new travellers. Checked LX on different days in JUL
DeleteBEG to NYC with checked in bags: over 1000 EUR return
Purger,
DeleteI was referring to the situation from the perspective of a passenger. What I mean by that is that with a stopover you could find tickets for around 500-550 euros (I am sure you can find these). I see you are talking about direct flights here, so yes you are right then.
OT: Turkish (possibly) interested in OU
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jutarnji.hr/biznis/direktor-jedne-od-najmocnijih-aviokompanija-ozbiljno-razmisljamo-o-kupnji-croatia-airlinesa/3738297/
OU CEO denied this a few days ago, though the title of the article has little to do with the rest of the article. We will see anyway.
DeleteРекордна загуба во првиот квартал од 2016 за Turkish Airlines, рекордни 1,24 милиони лири.
DeleteOT:
ReplyDeleteWizz Air has just announced TGD-BGY and TGD-FMM.
Congrats to both Wizz Air and TGD!
Oh wow... this was highly unexpected! Congrats to both the airport and Wizz Air!
DeleteUnexpected? This blog wrote just last week that a LCC will start flying one route from Italy and Germany to Montenegro. It was down to Wizz or Ryan.
DeleteYeah but I am sure few expected Wizz given that Ryanair already operates flights in and out of MNE.
DeleteCongrats TGD! INI has to catch up..HEL,BRU,PAR needed!
DeleteINI is doing fine especially with more flights to be added by Ryanair.
DeleteCould we expect something new from BEG? I am sure they could reconsider CRL, or are BVA and EIN just too close?
DeleteBy the way, seems like Wizz Air will be keeping both Eindhoven and Maastricht this summer from Belgrade.
DeleteI know that Maasticht was introduced as an alternative to EIN which was temporarily closed but bookings are open for both destinations throughout the summer AND winter.
Maastricht is also three times per week which means that the bookings are quite strong.
DeleteThu-Sat
10.50-13.05 // 13.35-16.00
Tue
10.00-12.15 // 12.45-13.00
With DUS only 80 km away, it will be interesting to see how well JU responds. Maastricht is even closer to DUS than Baden is to STR.
Both Brussels and Cologne are less than 100 km away so there is quite a lot of passengers there.
DeleteNo we have 3 LLC in this small country. Finally Montenegro started to move a bit. Congratz.
Delete"By the way, seems like Wizz Air will be keeping both Eindhoven and Maastricht this summer from Belgrade. "
DeleteI searched flights during August and while there is the option to choose Maastricht all the flights are thought Eindhoven. Trying going through the booking process and you will see what I mean.
Maybe they are testing the market before introducing regular flights, they are introducing Maastricht-Katowice flights.
DeleteMaastricht has the potential to become Luton #2
So, does that mean INI will be connected to MST? BEG is becoming more and more expensive every year with the JU monopoly. Etihad Group is an epic failure in Europe..
DeleteWith Wizz joining Ryan, Montenegro has firmly decided to go the "SKP way" (LCC) in terms of aviation, instead of helping sell Montenegro Airlines to Etihad/Air Serbia. This is the final nail in the Montenegro Airlines coffin. State will have to absorb the debt but with expected LCC expansion it does not make sense to invest in the future of the airline.
DeleteGreat news for TGD and Montenegro!
DeleteHopefully more flights to/from TIV.
I'm really happy ex-Yu countries are finally getting trans Atlantic flights. Looked very unlikely a few years back.
ReplyDeleteWell done. The region is finally waking up
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNadam se da ce u narednim Godinama Wide-Body flota izgledati ovako:
Delete1 A333 za letove LAX i PEK
2 A332 za letove YYZ,ORD i JFK
A za ime A332 moze da se zove Crew i da napravi nesto kao LX od 77W da zalepi na sredini sva Lica zaposlenih posto su oni ipak za to najzasluzni.
INN-NS
Ali ne svi... mahom su piloti zasluzni.
DeleteBEG-LAX sa A333, wow!
DeleteKo leti iz Europe za LAX sa A333?
Svako ima pravo na svoje misljene pa i vi i ja.
DeleteINN-NS
Samo treba maknuti onih 10% za koje INN misli da nisu zasluzni i pobegoše sa posla juče ranije da ne vide A332.
DeleteWhat about flight to Denver?
DeleteAnd to Las Vegas, Anchorage, do not forget Hawaii...
DeleteAnd than immediately Adelaide, Pepeete, Bali, Bandar Seri Begawan, Seychelles...
DeleteKo ne razume salu za 10 % ne mogu nista .
DeleteA za linije sam ozbiljan treba malo i rizikovati da bi se ostvario neki uspeh.
INN-NS
To je bila šala? Jao majko, ti stvarno misliš da su ljudi ovde retardirani i na razini 17-godišnjaka?
DeleteRizikovati? Da, rizikovati se mora ako se želi uspeti, ali LAX? Pa to nije rizik, to je samoubistvo.
BUD will have flights to SEL. They already have flights to PEK. Ever since Malev went bust, the monopoly game was over and now it's very affordable to go anywhere worldwide. MA were dominating the airport.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect plan for FRA and MUC: LH should go bust so that in a couple of years it will become "very affordable to go anywhere in the world" from FRA and MUC.
DeleteAir Serbia flights to NYC could be profitable even with lower loadfactor .
ReplyDeleteFull Cargo loads really can make the difference .
Full cargo loads at below market rates make no positive difference whatsoever.
DeleteHahaha nice joke :) Couriers (DHL, UPS, TNT) are flying to Belgrade with turboprop aircraft (ATR, Saab 340, ...) and now you expect to enough cargo on route BEG-JFK (5pw to be exact) to cover the loss made by low pax load factor?
DeleteWell something is sure, there is no lack of glass-half-full optimists on this blog :)
TK sends us their A330F weekly to BEG. We also get EK B744F, SilkWay B744F as well as quite a çouple IL76's to JED recently. Cargo this year has grown by 35% and last year by 28%, figures excluding mail.
DeleteJATBEGMEL,
DeleteOther than TK, all of the mentioned carriers are charters mostly carrying military equipment to you know whom.
And for sure there would be no military equipment sent to USA.
DeleteA330 as stop over to IST for sure is not as 5pw to JFK.
These charters are more and more common is all I'm saying. Charters or not, fact is cargo has grown quite significantly and continues to do so. So has been the amount of mail carried.
DeleteJU has also had great increases in cargo carried as well regardless that pax numbers have decreased over the winter months.
Zastava Arms exports a lot of civilian arms to America. I heard that they are interested in shipping with JU because it will mean they won't have to ship it via a different country. Apparently it is a huge headache to ship arms via a different county so this could help their business.
DeleteVery bad April for LJU
ReplyDelete-10.5%
http://www.fraport.de/content/fraport/de/misc/binaer/investor-relations/verkehrszahlen/2016/verkehrszahlen-april-2016/jcr:content.file/04-traffic-sheet-2016-april_deutsch.pdf
Is it because of the terrorist attacks in Brussels?
DeleteAll other airports are growing, so I don't believe that this is the reason.
DeleteNot all. Belgrade lost more than 16.000 passengers in April.
DeleteComments made yesterday about the JU flights potential to bring more tourists to Belgrade, as well as Purger making an interesting comment, something that I have been thinking about is JU offering a product similar to the one TK has.
ReplyDeleteI notice a number of people do travel into the city when the connection times are longer, even myself offering seat companions recommendations on what to do, see and eat.
JU in co-operation with TOB could say do various tours, day and night. Have a TOB office/desk near the transfer desk would be great to have as a meeting point, and have programs such as:
13:00 - 22:30
* Belgrade: Kalemegdan, Skadarlija, Hram Svetog Save, Gardos etc with opportunities to grab snacks and a booked restaurant for dinner.
* Belgrade Museums: National Museum, Historical Museum, Nikola Tesla Museum etc.
* Sremski Karlovci, Novi Sad with dinner in Petrovaradin.
* Serbian wine and cuisine sampling.
23:30 - 05:30
* Belgrade by night
Thoughts? Suggestions?
A good idea. I know Icelandair has had programs similar to that for a long time where you could spend some time in Iceland between connections.
DeleteAlso I think it is beyond time to build a hotel at BEG. It doesn't have to be big. Having a hotel is necessary for every hub. Now that BEG will have longhaul flights, the necessity is increased.
@ Aleksandar
DeleteBEG lacks a lot, and I think a hotel is the bottom of the list. Some hotels offer free transfer, and the airport isn't too far from a variety of hotels (Crowne Plaza, Radison Blu, Holiday Inn...), probably as close as some hotels around CDG.
Having sleeping cubicals in BEG transit zone would appeal to especially those needing visas to enter Serbia, but are having long transfers in BEG.
So many times I get free vouchers for transfer to city, sightseeing, entrance to museums... in case of long stay in city by air company.
DeleteAir Serbia does not have that?
OT:
ReplyDeleteHere is a photo of JA ATR72 E7-AAD parked in SJJ from a couple months back.
https://flic.kr/p/GSxwQX
More pics in my album from Air Serbia WiFly look, Air Serbia catering, JP CRJ cabin as well as some spotting in BEG and LJU.
OT:
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know whether SKP has had (at any point in the past) direct flights to Moscow?
99% never..
Deleteyes, aeroflot and palair macedonian flew directly to mow in nineties, but for the future 99% not in two zears time
DeleteYU-ARA is now official on flightradar.
ReplyDeleteThey should do their training flights with pax like LX does with the B777. Max 1:30 flight, so that the pilots do as many landings as possible. 6 per day would be the best.
Greetings from LX
JU is not giving connections BEG to JFK for ZRH passengers departing days 5,6. Day 5,6 JU 500 is ETD 1255h and would easely connect JU 371 which arrives 1135h
ReplyDeleteanyone knows why? Current set up for outbound ZRHBEGJFK is on 3 weekdays only with overnight BEG and travel time of over 20hours. Return is ideal. Travel time 12h30min
What a concern? And I'm pretty sure passengers in ZRH are worried about not being able to fly to East for 1.5 hrs, in order to catch a flight to West :))
Delete