EX-YU airports see greater long haul interest

Airports across the former Yugoslaiva are begining to attract a greater number of long haul carriers or are actively trying to secure such flights, with Zagreb, Belgrade, Skopje and Dubrovnik among them.

This summer season, Croatia's busiest airport will add another long haul carrier with Air Canada Rouge to commence flights from Toronto. The leisure airline will offer a total 20.586 seats each way between Canada's largest city and Zagreb during the June 2 to October 7 period, over which it will maintain the seasonal service. Asked whether the route could be extended into winter or upgraded to its mainline operations, the airline noted, "This is a seasonal service. Any potential modifications will depend on a range of factors. We are always assessing every route’s performance to ensure our schedule meets demand". Another carrier to have announced its plans to commence long haul operations to Zagreb is Korean Air's low cost long haul subsidiary Jin Air, which intends on launching operations to the Croatian capital next year. Thai Air Asia X this week reaffirmed its interest in flying between Bangkok and Zagreb in the foreseeable future. Its CEO, Nadda Buranasiri, noted, "We haven’t been able to grow for the past two years because of Thailand’s red flag [ban by regulators over safety]. So this is going to be the year that we start expanding, but in a profitable way. We hope our network will cover north and south Asia and we imagine we’ll also be in Europe. If the market makes sense then we’ll look at it, even if it is unserved. We’d assess whether we can build a story on both sides to ensure people will be interested in going to that destination". Earlier this year, the carrier said, "Croatia has been one of the possibilities that we are currently engaging in a feasibility study".

Belgrade Airport is expected to add a second long haul route from China this year. Services from Shanghai are anticipated after operations were introduced from Beijing via Prague last year. Initial talks concerning the service are believed to have taken place with Hainan Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines. The Chinese Ambassador to Serbia noted earlier this month, "We are currently discussing the introduction of a second service between Belgrade and another Chinese city". Air Serbia is also expected to revisit its long haul plans in 2019 after deciding against introducing flights from Belgrade to Toronto this year. A spokesman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority told EX-YU Aviation News, "At this time, Air Serbia service will not be starting this summer, but we will continue to work with Air Serbia to find an opportunity to add Toronto Pearson as one of their newest travel destinations". VINCI Airports, which will sign up for a 25 year concession of Belgrade Airport tomorrow, recently said, "VINCI Airports will aim at improving airport operating conditions to enable Air Serbia to offer new long haul routes as part of its hub strategy". Meanwhile, Korea's Jin Air has noted that services between Seoul to the Serbian capital are planned to launch in 2020.

Skopje Airport has also expressed interest in offering long haul flights and has suggested for Turkish Airlines to launch services from the Macedonian capital to North America. "We have always established close relationships with our airline clients through our world-wide airport operations. This is also the case in Macedonia and we are ready to provide the utmost support to an airline which would consider flying transatlantic from Skopje. Skopje Airport is operationally capable to handle such transatlantic flights and ready to support carriers which would consider operating", the General Manager of operator TAV Macedonia, Alper Ersoy, said. He added, "The Balkan region is still immature in terms of connectivity to US and Canadian destinations. Still, most of the passengers originating from the Balkan region must make at least one connection to fly transatlantic, which is a hassle. In this regard, if Skopje manages to serve a transatlantic flight in the future, this will be beneficial for the whole Balkan area. A nonstop flight to North America would lead to additional feeder flights from the Balkan region to Skopje. The airport would attract many passengers from surrounding countries". Over 40.000 passengers originating from Skopje travel to North American destinations each year.

Dubrovnik Airport has identified the United States and South Korea as two markets which could sustain services to the coastal city but noted that the development of long haul flights is still some way off. General Manager, Frano Luetić, told EX-YU Aviation News, "These two far-away markets are the most important for Dubrovnik. According to the city's tourist board, visitors from the US are the second most common, behind those from the United Kingdom, which is specific to the Dubrovnik region. On the other hand, Korean tourists are most plentiful during the winter months". With exception to several summer charters from Japan, operated by All Nippon Airways, Dubrovnik Airport currently has no regular long haul flights. Mr Luetić noted that despite the potential, there are still no concrete announcements concerning the establishment of such services.