Wizz Air will be making notable changes to its network in the former Yugoslavia this coming winter season with five year-round routes being suspended, five seasonal routes extended and one new route launched.
The only new city pair to be introduced within Wizz Air’s network in the former Yugoslavia this winter will be between Vienna and Pristina. Flights will begin on December 18. The service will be maintained four times per week and has been scheduled to run throughout the summer of 2020 as well. The budget carrier has also upgraded all its seasonal flights from Skopje and Ohrid to a year-round basis. Last year, the airline downgraded its operations from Skopje to Barcelona and Vaxjo, as well as from Ohrid to London Luton, to seasonal summer flights. However, this coming winter, Wizz will maintain services on all three routes twice per week. Similarly, flights between Tuzla and Billund, as well as Belgrade and Larnaca, have been extended into the winter months.
Wizz Air will exit the Slovenian market on a temporary basis this winter following seven years of continuous operations by suspending its flights from Charleroi and Luton. The carrier has confirmed it will resume services between the Belgian city and Ljubljana starting April 2, 2020, with tickets recently going on sale. The airline is yet to confirm whether it will resume flights from London to the Slovenian capital. The no frills carrier has also reversed its decision to maintain its newly launched operations between Belgrade and Lyon throughout the year. Although it initially scheduled flights to run through the winter, ticket sales have now been suspended past October 26. The route was launched this June and is being maintained twice per week.
Wizz Air will also discontinue flights between Tuzla and Vienna at the start of the 2019/2020 winter season. Services between the two cities were introduced last year. "Wizz Air did not include Vienna in its winter schedule, however, during our talks with the company, we found out that the service will resume in the summer of 2020. Loads on this route have somewhat decreased", the General Manager of Tuzla Airport, Rifet Karasalihović, said. On the other hand, flights between Basel and Osijek, which were discontinued this summer, will not resume over the winter either.
Wizz is launching flights from London Southend. Maybe LJU flights will move to there next summer?
ReplyDeleteDidn't Adira used to fly from Ljubljana to Southend?
Delete*adria
DeleteNo, they used to fly Maribor-London Southend for a very short period of time.
DeleteOh I see forgot about that. Still it could be an option for them to fly from Southend to Ljubljana. Maybe the costs would be lower.
DeleteIf Luton didn't work out, Southend won't either.
DeleteFlights were full. Wizzair bring more flights to LJU!
DeleteMost benefits from Wizzair decision will take EasyJet with his daily flight to STN.
DeleteNot a lot of new stuff from them this winter. Hopefully they will grow more next summer though their area of focus seems to be London and Vienna.
ReplyDeleteAnd Poland.
DeleteYesterday they announced BUD-BRU in order to attack LO. Hilarious and miscalculated move. They can't compete with an evening flight with A321 while LO offers double daily flights onboard the jungle jet. This is best proof of how limiting their business model is, it doesn't take much for them to reach the glass ceiling.
ReplyDelete? Really? Hahaha
DeleteThey simply cannot compete on a route where majority of pax, especially better yielding pax, are governmental/UE officials and thus totally unwilling to use lcc. LO having a corporate contract with the Hungarian government will just smile at their face. Crazy. It seems as if Wizz somehow lost control over its own route planning.
DeleteLast time I visited Brussels I found it to be quite a normal city with normal people not involved in EU business. Ok, but if you claim the only purpose for flying int Brussels must be for business/political reasons, I would suggest you book such a WIZZ flight and fly the full flight to BRU. You can just enjoy a coffee there and do some sightseeing- of course you can also fly LOT.
DeleteBusiness and politics passengers is where you make the money. Others not so much as they chase the lowest fare.
DeleteCould anything else work from Ljubljana for Wizz?? I can't believe these were the only two routes that could be sustained from LJU.
ReplyDeleteObviously not. These could not be sustained either.
DeleteIt goes to show how small the Slovenian market truly is.
DeleteAll cities in Poland are larger then Ljubljana it is really hard for them to work in exYu. Look Katowice Population (31 December 2018) • City 294,510 Decrease (11th) Urban 2,710,397
Delete• Metro 5,294,000 Just in Urban area they have more people.
Ljubljana's geographic location doesn't help either. It's too close to many of Wizz Air's destinations which are mainly centered in Germany.
DeleteWhat are you guys talking about. I was taking the London flight on a monthly basis. It was at least 80% full every single time. This couldn't have been the reason.
DeleteLJU-SKP
Delete^You really think this route could work with an A320 and without any subsidies?
DeleteMeanwhile no changes for them in Podgorica.
ReplyDeleteMontenegro keeps winning!
DeleteWell it's not as if they have increased flights from TGD for a while.
DeleteWizz increased frequencies to three of their routes in Podgorica this summer.
DeleteAny chance of them starting Tivat?
DeleteI find it odd that BSL-OSI failed for them. Shame it won't be returning.
ReplyDeletePeople have to understand that all these routes that are cut, including the LJU flights, might have had great loads but just didn't have the satisfactory yields. W6 is a LCC.
DeleteThey don't seem to have had much success in Croatia unlike other LCCs.
DeleteThe Osijek suspension is good new for Tuzla.
DeleteMaybe BEG is too close to OSI
DeleteMany, many Croats from eastern Croatia fly from Belgrade, especially on summer charter flights. Don't forget that JU waned to run charter flights from OSI like they do from BNX but Zagreb turned down their offer. I guess they would rater have the airport empty.
DeleteWhat a typical Balkan reaction!
DeleteNow these Croatian people have higher costs to arrive to BEG, BEG is earning money and increase passenger numbers instead of OSI collecting the money from JU and keeping more flights from their airport.
It looks like these people in Zagreb actually wanted to do a favor to BEG :-)
Nemjee, any proof of your statements, except hatred towards Zagreb?
DeleteYou are boring with these accusations of hate. Try to change the tune as it's getting really old. Fact is that both Jat Airways and Serbia had issues with the Croatian government.
DeleteLet's not forget this gem:
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2009/07/dubrovnik-scandal.html
Wow how times have changed!! Back then JU was flying a few times per week to Croatia but now a few times per day )))
DeleteAt least no cuts from INI this winter.
ReplyDeleteQuite the opposite, they are boosting MMX-INI from 3 to 4 weekly. That's quite a respectable present there, just one flight less than BEG-MMX.
DeleteI think MMX-INI is being boosted in summer 2020 no?
DeleteYes, hopefully they add some more flights to some other places though I would rather have FR expand in INI. BVA would be a nice addition.
DeleteI think they would have more flights to BSL if there wasn't LX to ZRH from INI. Oh well, at least Malta is a nice and exotic add for INI.
DeleteIsn't a limiting factor for them in Nis that they operate these flights from planes from other bases?
DeleteIt is but it makes no sense for them to open a base in INI now that JU is there. However this is good as INI is growing quite nicely. I am sure it is becoming a convenient airport for the whole region.
DeleteNot surprised Belgrade-Lyon didn''t work. I wonder if it will return next summer.
ReplyDeleteNjih ubija Zeneva sa Izijem tamo u okolini Lionu zivi vise Srba nego u Zenevi.
DeleteНе само то већ је Изиџет бољи, пријатнији током лета а и нуди бољи ред летења. Наредне године ће имати 4 недељна лета што је већ озбиљно присуство на тржишту. Исто тако, Визер је искључиво нуди поласке у 06.30 док Изиџет има и вечерње летове који су јако популарни.
Delete+100
DeleteIsta je situacija i sa Bazelom
Flights are still not scheduled for next summer. We will see.
DeleteEasyjet can fly from Lyon if Wizz doesnt .
DeleteOn days they dont fly from Geneva .
Have Wizz and Tuzla Airport negotiated a new deal? Didn't the CEO of Tuzla Airport say how the deal expires in November and how the new deal will include Wizz basing a third aircraft there?
ReplyDeleteRifet has said many things which have not materialized.
DeleteSince they are continuing to fly to TZL in winter they must have reached some agreement.
DeleteTo me it looks their focus has definitely shifted away for ex-Yu region and they are much more interested in western Europe now.
ReplyDeleteYep. Not worth the hassle.
DeleteThey are focusing on markets where money can be made.
DeleteI think they are making money in ex-YU just they can make more elsewhere. Also don't forget that they are focusing on Poland right now because that's where FR is attacking them. Look at what happened in Sofia some years ago, they were fighting for marketshare and it was a bloodbath. Once it passed and when dust started to settle the airport started more or less stagnating. Same thing will happen in Vienna, Kutaisi, Poland ...
DeleteI also think that many quire large airlines have have gone belly up in western Europe over the last 2 years, especially LCCs, so it's natural they are looking to make the most of it.
DeleteWell they covered most of the gastarbeiter routes so they have to grow someplace else.
Delete@9.52 +1
DeleteI also think a different route would have worked from Ljubljana. They just seem to be very passive on some markets and not very innovative.
ReplyDeleteSpain could have worked without a problem.
DeleteDoubtful, the market isn't big enough from our side and the demand from Spain for LJU is minimal.
DeleteThey are responding to market demand. The bottom line is, if LCCs don't have a 90% LF on their routes year round they cut them. The good news here is that they are just making these routes seasonal.
ReplyDeleteThis is certainly the biggest number of routes they have turned seasonal in one season. Wonder what's going on.
ReplyDeleteNow is the time for Ryan and easy jet to respond.
Deleteto open routes which were not successful?
DeleteI'm under the impression that many of these LCCs will simply implode. I especially think that Norwegian and Wizz will possibly have the same fate.
ReplyDeleteWizz is extremely profitable, what are you talking about?
DeleteI could see Volotea which after all those years still hasn't managed to make one Euro of profit.
Wizz has the best % margin in Europe, what are you talking about?
DeleteNorwegian, on the other hand, is bleeding heavily because of their long haul, hoping it will all eventually work out in the end.
Norwegian was once what Wizz Air is today. Then all of a sudden they overexpanded and here we are today. Wizz Air has so many planes on order that I think they will oversaturate the market. Look at BUD, now they are down to opening totally random routes like Kazan.
DeleteNorwegian never were what Wizz are today. They are of similar size capacity wise (OOM). They had a high RASK native market and tried to expand outside of this very limited business model, hence London, Spain etc.. unsuccessfully. Just burning money.
DeleteRomanian Blue Air seems to be stagnating too and having losses the last couple of years.
DeleteKazan is not some random place and because of no visa restrictions that route would probably even work out for Belgrade .
DeleteAre they increasing/decreasing frequencies on the route they didn't cut this winter?
ReplyDeleteLuton-Skopje is being decreased.
DeleteMMX-SKP too.
DeleteDecreasing vs summer or last year winter schedule?
DeleteCompared to winter last year. My guess is that by reducing these they kept Vaxjo and Barcelona this winter.
DeleteThe reductions are not big. One flight per week less.
DeleteShame
ReplyDeleteThat is what happens when you stretch too much.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete* This is what happens when your market is highly volatile due to demand being extremely skewed to one side (the profit generating one - West Europe). If it had an underlying decent outbound market this would happen much less.
DeleteMaybe they should try to copy OU with not much stretching LOL
DeleteOnce upon a time Wizz used to do a lot of study before opening new routes. Now they open routes, fly them 3-4 months and suspend them. It's happening more and more often each year.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time they had a local work it out.
DeleteSick of Wizz Air and its diaspora routes. Maybe time for them to reconsider and open something new that does not purely rely on gasterbaiters.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to have flights to the Canary Islands but unfortunately socio economic situation dictates routes.
DeleteThey had great chance to open BEG-BCN.
DeleteNow JU is eating that cake
If authorities did more to promote destinations Wizz would be able to open Lisbon/Madrid/Milan/Barcelona/etc. - Belgrade/Nis/etc.
DeleteAuthoroties in Belgrade need to promote Wizz destinations?
DeleteAre you kidding?
We are sick of diaspora routes. Yes they make money on those routes and people need them but not all of us fly to Germany and Sweden.
DeleteWhy would authorities promote Wizzair?
DeleteAre these flights VIE-PRN operated with A320s or A321s?
ReplyDeleteA320
DeleteI think 4 weekly to PRN is just too much. Yes OS is full but a great number of those passengers are transfers especially to the US. Two weekly by Wizz Air should be enough, maybe a third around Christmas.
Delete@10.43 it's an A321 not A320.
DeleteOh nice. Did not realize.
DeleteLet's hope it does not end up like Tuzla.
DeleteVie prn will likely be most successful route in the Balkans. we shall see.
DeleteHahaha sure.
DeleteIs there still a chance they will add some new route this winter?
ReplyDeleteFrom ex-Yu no. Flights are finalized.
Delete:(
DeleteI hope they look into opening some other destinations. There is still room for them to grow in this region.
ReplyDeleteHope we see a lot more developments from them next summer.
DeleteWho pays keeps the flights, who doesn't pay has them "suspended". I mean airports, local self-government, tourist boards, whoever may be a sponsor. That is the philosophy of lcc in Eastern Europe.
ReplyDeleteThe exception is Vienna, Katowice/Krakow, where FR and W6 fight a battle right now, bleeding money.
Belgrade doesn't pay them nor do they get any discounts.
DeleteCurrently OE and VK are bleeding money in VIE, but not W6. With a few exceptions, they are also really not cheap from Vienna.
DeleteIs Wizz Air registered within Ex Yu? When are we going to see LH/OS Ex Yu schedule covered?
ReplyDeleteMaybe when LH and OS open three bases in ex-Yu, have 9 planes based there and handle 2+ million passengers per year on ex-Yu routes.
DeleteMontenegro Airlines does not meet any of the arbitrary conditions you invented, yet they are Ex Yu airline becasue they have AOC and are headquartered in Ex Yu country, unlike this Wizzair intruder.
DeleteDosta vise Vizera.
DeleteI really like Wizz Air and think they are a good addition to Belgrade airport .
ReplyDeleteThere are still a lot of opportunities as for example Madrid or Lissabon even if JU is already flying there .
Also there is always the possibility of increasing frequencies or capacity to A321 as London does show us .
Also this weekend Wizz increased Hannover and Göteborg to the A321.
Almost like an advertisement for Wizz.
Deleteasddfgfhgjkjlk;l'
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I do not understand why they discontinued Basel-Osijek. I have relatives that flew regularly and they said the plane was always (mostly) full.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it has to do something with the airport in Osijek because it is really small and has only one gate...