British Airways will continue to expand its operations throughout the former Yugoslavia by introducing new seasonal flights between London's City Airport and Split. Furthermore, the airline is soon expected to enter the Montenegrin market by announcing services to Tivat. It comes after the carrier scheduled new seasonal flights from London Heathrow Airport to Ljubljana earlier this month. Services to Split will run three times a week from June 2 to September 30, marking London's inner-city airport’s first link to Croatia. Flights will operate with the 98-seat Embraer E190 jet. British Airways already runs year-long services from London to Zagreb and Dubrovnik, as well as seasonal operations to Pula and Split. It will increase its number of weekly flights from Heathrow to Split from five to seven next year.
Commenting on the latest addition, British Airways’ General Manager for Commercial and Customer Services, Luke Hayhoe, said, “With the arrival of our new aircraft next year we have been looking at a number of new routes and additional frequency possibilities. Split is the second largest city in Croatia and is becoming increasingly popular with customers looking for an alternative holiday destination or who are joining a cruise ship". He added, "It was a natural addition to our summer leisure schedule. This summer, British Airways flew to thirty destinations in the UK and Europe from London City Airport, as well as the daily service to New York. This is ahead of a big boost in capacity for 2019".
London City Airport's Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Hill, said, “For the first time ever, London City Airport will offer a connection to Croatia, and the increasingly popular town of Split - a fascinating gateway to the idyllic Dalmatian coast. This is a stunning holiday destination that demonstrates London City’s increasing offer of leisure destinations for everyone, and British Airways’ commitment to continued growth here. We’re thrilled that Split is a new destination in 2019, meaning the airline has its widest range of leisure routes ever, from the Balearics to the Greek islands, providing summer getaway options that our customers will love”.
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| London City Airport |
British Airways is soon expected to announce seasonal flights from London to Tivat as well. The route is tipped to run twice per week. Although it is yet to be scheduled, the Montenegrin coastal city has already been listed within the carrier's destination network.
Further flight details for the new London City - Split route can be found here.
Now all they have to do is resume cities they formerly operated to - Sarajevo, Belgrade and Pristina.
ReplyDeleteAh back in the day when Sarajevo used to have flights to western Europe :(
DeleteSarajevo was the first of their ex-Yu routes to be discontinued. Back in 2008.
DeleteActually it was Skopje. They started flights to SKP in 1999 but suspended them in 2001.
DeleteInteresting. Didn't even know they flew to Skopje.
DeleteI'm surprised when I read how extensive of a network all these airline had once. I remember reading that Austrian also used to fly to places like Mostar and Banja Luka.
DeleteBecause there was very little connectivity so people used to transfer with these airline all over Europe. Now there is an abundance of LCCs.
Deletedont worry the gastos didnt even know that there is OS.. and they stil dont know
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska
DeleteBravo London! Bravo Split!
Delete@admin
ReplyDeleteDid you have the possibility to make interview with any BA official and asking why they do not introduce BEG?
I mean we have way too smaller airports like TIA (less passengers, not EU country, W6 competition) which are connected to LON but BA888 is not on the map to be re-introduced.
Thank you
The reason would be that unlike TIA, where you only have Wizz flying to London, in BEG you have Wizz and Air Serbia and far more transfer options through other European cities.
DeleteVery little demand from their British customer base to travel to Serbija either for tourism or for business.
DeletePlus the visa requirement for Serbian citizens even if they are just connecting to LHR.
Albanian diaspora in the UK is much bigger than Serbian.
DeleteYep, sadly the Belgrade-London route has surprisingly one of the lowest demands in the market. Even Macedonia, being a non-EU member has more flights to London including OHD.
DeleteI guess it's also because many Macedonians have Bulgarian citizenship, therefore living and working in UK.
BA left BEG because JAT Airways had a better performance in LHR and it was literally pushed out.
How on earth does Macedonia have more flights to London?
DeleteThere are are 13 weekly flights to London from Belgrade in summer 2019.
There are 6 weekly flights to London from Skopje and Ohrid in summer 2019.
Let's stick to facts please.
Let's see if Bulgarian passports will be enough after a hard Brexit...
DeleteMacedonians with BG passports can work and live in 30 more countries at least :) From Iceland to Cyprus and from Estonia to Portugal ;) ;)
DeleteAlmost 30,000 Macedonians have been given BG citizenship during the last 6 years.
Time for entire ex-Yu to join the EU family by 2025!
Anonymous at 13:17
DeleteAfter Brexit the UK will have to deal with the E.U. as a single block and not with each member individually.
So if the UK wants visa-free travel for its citizens in continental Europe will have to give visa-free travel to every single EU nation. Bulgaria included.
the INI troll is sunstoppable
Deleterather in 2099 if at all
DeleteInteresting that Ljubljana is 2 weekly while Split is 3 weekly.
ReplyDeleteBut they said they may add frequencies to LJU.
DeleteAnd also extend to year round.
DeleteLJU is operating with A319. SPU with E190.
DeleteYes but let's not forget that SPU will also have daily flights from Heathrow by BA ;)
DeleteYeah and LJU 15+ weekly flights with Wizz and Easy to other airports... It seems hard competition for BA
DeleteBA has to compete against Croatia Airlines, easyJet, Jet2.com, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Thomas Cook, TUI Airways and Wizz Air to London from Split.
DeleteWow Tivat is also going to be a nice addition. So TIV will get Lufthansa and British next year.
ReplyDeleteBig year.
DeleteWell done Split. I think next year will be the one it overtakes ZAG.
ReplyDeleteLikely. This year ZAG managed to overtake Split only in November.
DeleteIt is dissapointing for ZAG. Many people have expected much more once new owner took over the airport but now we have the situation that SPU will almost have more passengers than ZAG.
DeleteNot to mention that gap between ZAG and BEG got even bigger this year
LCY is a cute airport.
ReplyDeleteVery efficient compared to Heathrow and Gatwick.
DeleteAnd very expensive compared to the rest too ;)
DeleteCute if you don't get stuck there due to a delay, the cuteness disappears rapidly and it stops looking efficient. If you travel from the City, i.e. you are a business traveller, it's usually really good.
DeleteI'm surprised by their sudden interest in ex-Yu.
ReplyDeleteWell it says in the article that hey are getting a lot of new planes which allows them to focus on other markets.
DeleteIf the flights are well connected to their JFK route from City Airport, there might be some transfers.
ReplyDeleteThey are not. And besides BA flies with an all business class A318 from London to New York. On the way to New York it makes a stop in Shannon. Not very convenient.
DeleteBut passengers pre-clear US customs in SNN, so less waiting time on arrival to the USA.
Deletehope that BA will be finally convinced to fly to Skopje
ReplyDeleteSkopje really needs a link with LHR, especially after the demise of Malev. See the success of Wizzair on the LTN-SKP route, and also the need of more connection points with North America.
DeleteIn 2010 they were interested in Skopje. They even held talks with the government. But it didn't work out.
DeleteThat's right about the time Wizz Air launched London-Skopje. 'Coincidence' .
DeleteIt's probably the reason BA didn't launch Skopje.
DeleteZagreb should go double daily in summer, loads are fantastic from what I heard. BA does really well.
ReplyDeleteWhy did they decrease frequency in winter?
DeleteProbably they needed a slot for a more profitable route.
DeleteZagreb flights are totally packed even with larger planes. Frequencies are reduced in (especially the beginning of) January and in February, a bit in March, and then from April it's full on again.
DeleteTrue about ZAG, they're doing really great, especially now that Monarch is gone. Surprised they decreased ZAG, makes no sense!
DeleteThey even decreased it after OU reduced its ops. I guess the market isn't that big.
DeleteSo, the planes are packed with whom exactly? And they are, trust me.
DeleteThem starting Tivat will really hurt Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Montenegro Airlines offers a better on board product then British Airways on intra-European flights.
DeleteEveryone offers a better on board product then British Airways on intra-European flights.
DeleteBut the benefit of BA will be it will probably fly from Heahthrow, whereas MGX flies to Gatwick.
DeleteI doubt you will get many connecting pax from Tivat that would need to transfer through Heathrow. Plus Montenegrins also need visas for the UK. So I don't see this as major challenge to YM.
DeleteUmm guys, Montenegro Airlines already competes against easy jet on the route between Gatwick and Tivat.
DeleteBA really focusing on Croatia.
ReplyDeletetrue four cities is not bad.
DeleteNo wonder, Croatia is really popular in the UK!
DeleteCool fact is that SPU becomes the second ex-YU city to be connected to 5 out of 6 London airports.
ReplyDeleteThe sole airport that is missing is SEN.
DBV was first but not connected to LCY yet.
If we compare ZAG, it is only connected to LHR! I can't think of another major (EU) capital not connected to at least more than 1 London airport.
Even TLL, which is smaller than ZAG is connected to 4.
The coast of Croatia is its spine literally.
Speaking of LCY, we also see the gradual presence of LOT by launching BUD, VNO and WAW!
LOT are really sneaky lately. Yesterday, they also announced VAR and I am sure we will see more ex-YU cities connected> INI, SJJ and maybe SKP.
Interesting times ahead!
+1
DeleteBTW SKP already has LOT flights ;)
I don not thnink INi is an option for LOT
DeleteCould JU eventually launch LCY?
DeleteJU has no aircraft capable landing in LCY.
DeleteCan the ATR fly from BEG to LCY?
DeleteATR: Probably with 12 passengers as max payload
DeleteMaybe Split could be extended into winter next year?
ReplyDeleteIt's possible. If they can maitnain Dubrovnik, why not Split.
DeleteDBV is not operating for large portions of the winter this year and before someone says "it is because of runway overhaul", it has nothing to do with the runway.
DeleteGreat news. Hope BA will expand even more in the region.
ReplyDeleteTivat is next :)
DeleteSpeaking of BA, they are rolling out their new A320 & A321 Neo aircraft next year and ZAG and SPU are included in the list :)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/282063/british-airways-schedules-new-a320321neo-routes-in-s19/
The A32N is really really sexy, especially the A321 Neo with the sharklets!
https://www.airbus.com/aircraft/passenger-aircraft/a320-family/a321neo.html
Unfortunately, these planes are not very good for customers.
Deletehttps://travelupdate.boardingarea.com/a320neo-seats-british-airways/
Those seats in the A320 classics look great but the slim ones in the neos look exactly like the ones in Croatia Airlines (ie uncomfortable).
DeleteStill, will be great to see them in SPU and ZAG!
Deleteit sounds funny but I got bored of these Split announcements ... good that i have visited it before it turns into another souless DVB
ReplyDeleteBy souless do you mean abandoning its character in favor of what they think tourists want? If so, I have seen that way to often in many different places in Europe and outside of it. Selling Chinese made trinkets and magnets with the city name stamped on it, having the same monotonous menus in restaurants catering to tourists and not authentic at all, etc. If that is what you mean I think it is coming anyways regardless of these new flights.
DeleteIt is funny that tourists come to these places and make them famous based on authenticity and then the places think they need to change everything in order to satisfy them. Then the same tourists find the next "authentic" place and the cycle continues.
totally agree but its just wrong.
DeleteIt will be really Split's year to shine next year and I agree with predictions that it will overtake Zagreb in 2019. With so menay new flights: Ryanair, Air Transat, BA and more, as well as the new terminal, it will do fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWhen you look at the right hand side with the new route launches you see how many are to Split/Dubrovnik. But overall, I don't remember there ever being so many new routes announced to the whole of ex-Yu for next summer.
DeleteHow many weekly flights are there from Split to London in summer? There are like 10 airlines flying between the two cities.
ReplyDeleteAlmost 60 flights per week.
DeleteWhat?! That's huge! Bravo, SPU!
DeleteI wonder what the rationale was of introducing these flights from City Airport.
ReplyDeleteThis is for the rich and prestigious tourists ;)
DeleteThe same as for any other holiday destination for which there is demand. For instance Malaga, Bergerac, etc.
DeleteCroatia sticks to its plans: luxury travellers and prestigious routes. LCY is one of them.
DeleteI will not be surprised if Croatia gets a link with SIN or HKG, also rich, high-class and financial centres.
you sound like the INI troll
DeleteLuke Hayhoe
ReplyDeleteMust be a scenic descent into London CIty Airport.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the approach. From the east, not so much. From the south/west, yes. The best descent is at Heathrow via Docklands and Westminster. If you have a window F seat, especially if it is sunny or if it's a clear evening/night. However, that's a lot of ifs.
DeleteTivat is an occasional charter destination for BA so I'm not surprised they will start scheduled flights there. Lots of Brits going for holiday in Montenegro now.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised by Tivat, considering they fly to Dubrovnik which is very close.
DeleteThey cater for different markets.
DeleteWe often hear that BA's service levels have dropped. Has anyone actually flown with them recently? Would be nice to to hear about their overall service first hand. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI fly with them regularly. Yes, it is not quite what it used to be, and travelling with them long haul has been a mixed bag at least in my case. Yes, there is no free food in economy on short haul any more. However, what they had served just before dropping free food in economy... it's better that they dropped that. Their pilots are good, cabin crew is normally super polite and efficient. At boarding they can sometimes mess up at Heathrow if it's busy, but in general, they are good in that respect. Delays due to their own disorganization are rare. This year I flew with Ryanair from one smaller Italian airport to Rome. If I had to do that regularly, as I have to with BA, I think I would shoot myself. Boarding was absolutely shambolic and I almost didn't make it to the flight even though I was there well on time. With BA, I survive regular short haul travel and it can even be enjoyable. Plus you don't fly from the middle nowhere (the likes of Luton and Stanstead) to the middle of nowhere. In the case of Zagreb-London route, it's one major airport to another super major airport. I am really looking forward to their new planes.
DeleteThanks, good to get some insight.
DeleteCalling Zagrab a major airport is a bit of a stretch.
DeleteThere is a recent trip report LHR-ZAG
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2018/06/trip-report-british-airways-london.html
Nice. Thank you
DeleteIt will be interesting to see from which airport they will start TIV.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Hethrow. Little point starting Gatwick with easy and Montenegro Airlines already flying that route.
DeleteLOL. as if BA cares about Monte Airlines.
DeleteIt cares. If dilapidated Jat Airways outperformed them on Heathrow route thanks to great interline with Virgin Atlantic at the time and better slots, don't be so sure MA could not ouperform them here.
DeleteCould JU eventually use LCY like LO?
ReplyDeleteDo they have a suitable aircraft for it?
DeleteNo they don't.
DeleteExcellent news!
ReplyDeleteIn the light of no-deal brexit and recent rulling of EC: Certificates issued before the withdrawal date by the competent authorities of the United Kingdom on the basis of the provisions of the Basic Regulation and its implementing rules will no longer be valid as of the withdrawal date in the EU....
ReplyDeleteI thought there was a deal about brexit?
Deleteyes, but not regarding aviation. And it looks like there will be Brexit with no deal. That's why Easy has registred a company in Switzerland.
DeleteU2 will also transition its UK registrations to Austrian ones to secure EU passporting rights and free movement, open skies, etc., hence the birth of easyJet Europe.
DeleteInteresantno da BA nema putnika za odrzavanje linije za Beograd. A tako plodni politicki i privredni odnosi. Bas za cudjenje za neobavestene...
ReplyDeleteKakvi su odnosi Srbije i UK može se reći da imamo dobar broj letova 9pw JU BEG-LHR i 3-4pw W6 BEG-LTN
DeleteBA says LCY-SPU route will be popular for passengers who are joining a cruise ship. Search for mid to large cruise ships using Split as a port of departure returns nought. What is BA talking about?
ReplyDeleteYou said it yourself : Split is not departure point for mid and large cruise ships. But there are dozen marines around Split which are home to HUNDREDS, maybe even thousands of smaller sailing ships and yachts, used to cruise Adriatic mostly or only, chartered by richer clientelle, precisely the one which can afford legacy carriers in combination with expensive "business" airports. And the fact is that structure of tourists is changing, and quality of product/offer in Croatia increasing, and the introduction of this service proves it.
Deletejedan Makedonac pilot sa kim sam razgovarao prije tri mjeseca objasnio mi je da samo nekoliko aviona visokih performansi-Embraer 170/190,Bombardier dash Q400,Boeing717-200 i neke druge putnicke avione imaju certifikat i mogucnost za poljetanje i sljetanje na London City airport kad imaju putnike iznad 81% kapaciteta i kad je vrijeme dobro.
ReplyDeleteVećina avio kompanija u Europi nemaju dovoljno snažan avion za Sljetanje i poljetanje na London-City aerodrom.jedino British Airlines,Tui Airline dok Croatia Airlines ima 1 avion koji ima certifikat za City.
ReplyDelete