NEWS FLASH
Etihad Airways will increase its operations between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade during the 2019 summer season. The Emirati carrier will maintain double daily flights between the two capital cities from June 24, up from twelve weekly services last summer. The second daily flight will also be maintained for a longer period than last year, until September 15. All services will be operated by the Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring sixteen seats in business class and the remaining 120 in economy. Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Jet Airways, Montenegro Airlines, Oman Air, Sri Lankan Airlines, Virgin Australia and Saudi Arabian Airlines all codeshare on the route.
Good news BUT...why did JU stop operating to AUH?
ReplyDeleteBEG needs at least 4 daily rotations to ensure 100% network coverage and good connections to Australia and New Zealand via the AUH hub.
EK is starting to lose its prestige as EY and QR are really gearing up, especially QR.
They have a more favourable reputation in Europe.
JU has a relative fleet shortage in summer and with one AUH they could operate two European routes. Also it's easier for EY to do it because they are getting more aircraft than they need.
DeleteJU also changed their interior in their A319/A320 fleet, so they don't have a favourable business class product and the economy class product would be sub-par on that route
DeleteHope we see the A321 on some days.
ReplyDeleteCan someone correct me if I am wrong. These are the confirmed increases:
ReplyDelete1. Lufthansa +7
2. Swiss +7
3. Aeroflot +7
4. Air France +7
5. Atlasjet +3
6. Austrian Airlines +2
7. ASL Airlines +2
8. Aegean +2
9. Etihad +2
Total: 39 additional flights
Aegean je +1, ne +2
DeleteIt is +2. This summer there were 3 flights, next summer 5 flights.
DeleteSomehow I thought it was 3 weekly last summer.
DeleteIt was 3 weekly
DeleteSummer 2017 - 4 weekly with Dash equipment
Summer 2018 - 3 weekly with Airbus equipment
Summer 2019 - 5 weekly with Airbus equipment
Bravo Grcka!
DeleteExcellent developments in BEG. 2019 is gonna be a very good year for sure. The 6 million mark is guaranteed.
DeleteI am still disappointed about QR. Why don't they add those very convenient late evening departures similar to the ones in SOF? This way, you can even sleep overnight, take the flight after work and not pay the hotel. You can make good connections to Asia, too.
My thought is that FZ and EY are being also very fierce competing with them.
For Sofia, it looks like 2019 will be okayish with LH also adding new 7x morning flights and deploying mainly 320s on both Frankfurt and Munich. TK 3 daily, Ryan starting to Kiev, Chania and Kalamata.
Wizz Air is sleeping in Sofia, similar to Belgrade. They are being very passive, maybe because of the further Luton expansion. Varna is the new star now, it seems. They're having a second jet in summer so less people from the coast will use Sofia as a transfer.
Adria maintains 3 weekly. I hope we see Croatia Airlines, even with a Dash 8 and even seasonal, it's still positive.
Finally, we also hope the government picks a good consessionaire in January, similar to Vinci, who I heard bought 50.01% of LGW! So, BEG will belong to the Gatwick family too.
I can't wait to see how the whole region will develop in the upcoming 5 years or so.
Good luck BEG!
I think 6 million would happen with or without the concession. This year BEG added some 400.000 passengers so I am sure they will do the same next year. We can expect 6.1 to 6.3 somewhere.
DeleteI hope LO increases from 10 to 14 next summer! JU's share will fall under 40% next summer I think.
DeleteI think LOT will either increase frequency or capacity by sending E195 and even 73M.
DeleteThey already sent both this winter so it wouldn't be anything new or an increase.
DeleteAegean will also codeshare on JU's SKG-BEG flights, double daily in summer.
DeleteAnd new announces are behind the corner :-)
ReplyDeleteRoyal Air Maroc ???
ReplyDeleteI hope BT comes back.
DeleteNo, AirSerbia is soon to come out with their new destinations
ReplyDeleteProbably something exotic like INI... or BWK. LOL!
DeleteMadrid and Trieste (instead of Venice)?
Delete