The governments of Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are finalising plans for the introduction of flights between Sarajevo and Skopje via Podgorica. According to a draft agreement between the states, all airlines, including those outside the three countries, will be invited to operate the service, which would be subsidised. "Talks concerning the establishment of this route are ongoing. This service would contribute to improving connectivity between the three capitals", the Montenegrin Ambassador to Sarajevo, Velimir Šljivančanin, said earlier this week. Unless the route is operated by Montenegro Airlines, it would involve a carrier being granted seventh freedom rights, which allows for a company to operate international flights between two foreign nations with no onward service to its own country.
The Prime Minister of Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, said recently, "The contents of the agreement between Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina has been settled and will be forwarded to all airlines operating in the region. Carriers will be requested to make their offers". He added that Bulgaria could also join the regional initiative. The governments of Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina believe the new route will boost trade and tourism, as well as people to people exchange. Bosnia and Herzegovina's former flag carrier, B&H Airlines, maintained flights between Sarajevo and Skopje on an off-and-on basis for several years. At one point, services operated via Podgorica as well, although the airline had no fifth freedom rights between the Montenegrin capital and Skopje.
The only foreign airline to have maintained services between two former Yugoslav states in recent times was Flydubai, which introduced seasonal flights from Sarajevo to Podgorica last winter. The route was made possible as the United Arab Emirates has an open skies agreement in place with both Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, enabling the designated carrier to operate with full flexibility on routes, capacity, frequency and types of aircraft, in any type of service, including the exercise of fifth freedom rights. These rights gave Flydubai the freedom to carry traffic between two foreign countries on a flight that either originated in or is destined for the United Arab Emirates. Macedonia is also a signatory to the open skies agreement with the UAE. Another potential operator for the service between Sarajevo, Podgorica and Skopje could include Wizz Air, which has a base in the Macedonian capital.
I see Adria as likely to operate this route.
ReplyDeleteWith their future Saab. Could work,
DeleteAnd it seems like a route Adria would operate.
DeleteLjubljana-Sarajevo-Podgorica-Skopje. Sounds like a pre WWII route :)
DeleteThis would work only with LCC prices. Otherwise no chance of succeeding.
DeleteBelgrade - Montenegro flights are constantly with good loads and tickets never go below 100 eur return.
DeleteAnon 10:58
DeleteBelgrade-Podgorica flight is not comparable, because Belgrade functions as a hub and there is a lot of business activity between these two cities. OTOH these 3 cities are not hubs and I doubt there will be enough p2p demand. For example, Zagreb-Podgorica flight didn't work out
It would make most sense for it to be Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Could feed their network with low costs
DeleteMontenegro Airlines used to fly this route but they were banned by Skopje Airport because of debt. I read somewhere lthat they finally settled that debt.
DeleteThey have so many debt challenges from the past.
DeleteNo money can be made on this route.
ReplyDeleteThat's why it will be subsidised.
DeleteWhat about Air Serbia aviolet? :D They are flying Banja Luka - Antalya.
ReplyDeleteSo?
DeleteSo it shows it's possible for them to fly from from Bosnia to third countries.
DeleteMaybe the best option would be for three governments to subsidise travel between three capitals through Belgrade during winter season.
DeleteLol and why would they do that?
DeleteChances are slim of course.
DeleteThe best way to achieve inter regional connectivity is to have 3-4 daily frequencies between Belgrade and every airport in the region. It can be sustained only if JU receives subsidies from various governments for that.
Indeed. Could feed their network with low costs.
ReplyDeleteEasy. Have Trade Air operate the following route:
ReplyDeleteOSI-ZAG-SJJ-TGD-SKP
SKP-TGD-SJJ-ZAG-OSI
;)
On another note, Iran Air is sending its A300-600 to BEG today.
Al masria use A330-200 Beg-Hurghada
DeleteInteresting, I see that was yesterday. Thank you.
DeleteMy guess is that they are seeing more demand after that one Egyptian carrier was blocked by our lovely Directorate.
Directorate blocked a carrier again?!
DeleteIran air A330-600 seem to be in 3+3+3 configuration. Not very comfortable.
Fly Egypt was blocked a few months ago.
DeleteWow, Iran Air doing great job. Mahan Air starts their flights on 28th June with wide body.
DeleteIs it possible to see Iran Air A330 in Belgrade on regular basis during the summer?
No it is not. They have just one and I doubt BEG is anywhere close to being a priority.
DeleteI don't think so. Only in March we have 8.336 tourists from Iran. To compare, from Croatia 8.321, from Turkey 8.045...
Deletep.s. they are true tourists who mostly arrives in groups(Iranmarkaz touristic agency-biggest in Iran). Immigranst mostly come via IST.
Immigrants mostly come by road after crossing into Europe from Turkey.
DeleteWill be interesting to see how their numbers look in June with Iran Air, Qeshm and soon Mahan Air.
I read on the newsflash the other day that both Markaz and Mahan were in Belgrade. I guess we will see them cooperate more in the future?
Is there any demand for this route. I mean who flies from Podgorica to Skopje?
ReplyDeletePeople doing business, visiting friends and family or going to the seaside. Now you basically have to use unreliable road network through Kosovo or Albania. Or fly through Belgrade/Vienna.
DeleteLast week I was on a trip to SArajevo via Alb/Montenegro.10 hours for ~500 km one way, about 70 euro for gas(lpg).It is interesting the roads in Albania were in best condition, recently modernized and most of our ex-yu roads gave you a 70's-80's feeling.
DeleteSo we said we should go more often, but till some better times plane only (if they make it possible).
And gvmt support is a must if they want to make this work.
Tnx for this account. So 140 EUR return just for the gas
DeletePlease finally get a low cost airline to fly inside ex-Yu!!
ReplyDeleteAnd if it works extend onto other routes too.
DeleteIs there any comparable LCC route with stop over of this type in Europe?
DeleteWell LCCs are increasingly selling connecting flights in Europe.
DeleteIndeed, but this is different.
DeleteI don't think an LCC can make any money on such route, that's why there are none flying inside ex-Yu.
ReplyDeleteWizz is flying Sofia - Varna. I think it can be compared to some of intra ex yu routes.
DeleteYes. If allowed, I think wizz would make a success on Belgrade to Adriatic coast routes.
DeleteGood regional project. I like it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Qatar Airways could extend their Skopje flight to Podgorica.
ReplyDeleteWaste of taxpayers money.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Hungarian taxpayers are financing BUD-SJJ, BUD-TGD and BUD-SKP and all three routes are full!
DeleteWhy on Earth they did not include Belgrade in this scheme for Wizz when we are supposed to have super political relations at the moment?!
DeleteBecause Belgrade already bas nonstop flights to Budapest. It was aimed at cities that are not linked with Hungary.
DeleteAh 2 times a week with Belavia! :)))
DeleteBEG is too close to BUD?
DeleteDoes Zag have BUD flights?
ZAG had them with QR and Air Croatia.
DeleteBelgrade - Budapest are 400km with unpredictable border so not that close!
DeleteWas is/was AirCroatia?
Air Croatia was a great idea which was supposed to increase ZAG's regional connectivity by using Atr-42s. For example they launched both BUD and PRG.
DeleteCrappy and boring OU only thought of Prague after they were bankrupted.
there is so much potential in low cost ex-yu flights:
ReplyDeleteBEG-TGD/TIV, ZAG-DBV, SKP-LJU, SKP-ZAG, BEG-SJJ, BEG-LJU ... not to meantion seasonal flights to HR/MNE coast or OHD
BEG - DUB/SPU could actually be year round.
DeleteOMG! Just imagine also Bulgaria joining this initiative. I don't see this working...
ReplyDelete