The Montenegrin government has registered a new airline called ToMontenegro as its flag carrier less than ten days following the collapse of Montenegro Airlines. The company has been founded with thirty million euros in start-up capital. The state noted the airline’s name will likely change and has invited the public to send in their branding proposals. “We had to act fast so we could salvage parts of Montenegro Airlines, however, the name, logo and design are susceptible to change. We invite everyone who is passionate about this matter to send in their proposals to 2montenegro@gov.me. We will present your proposals to the public which will have a final say”, the Minister for Finance, Milojko Spajić said. He added, “A large part of Montenegro Airlines’ hard working employees will be involved in the creation of this new company”.
The race is on to get Montenegro’s new airline off the ground in order to preserve some of Montenegro Airlines’ slots at European airports, crew permits and respond to the quick reaction by its competitors. Montenegro Airlines has been suspended from IATA Clearing House, which provides billing and settlement services in multiple currencies for the air transport industry. Furthermore, Air Serbia, Austrian Airlines, Air France and Alitalia have ended their codeshare partnerships with the grounded airline. “Montenegro Airlines’ status is undefined. We are trying to keep the company alive in this transition period while we form a new carrier. We are aware that we must have a national airline”, the Minister for Capital Investments, Mladen Bojanić, said.
Commenting on the new airline, Mr Bojanić noted, “ToMontenegro will be the pride of the country and will be profitable, unlike its predecessor. Montenegro Airlines was in debt tens of millions of euros to everyone. The company had negative capital amounting to sixty million euros. Two days before its last service, the flight from Podgorica to Vienna was cancelled because of debt owed to Eurocontrol”. Mr Bojanić previously said it could take between six to nine months to launch a new airline but that efforts would be made to do so before the start of the height of the summer season.
I really hope they change that name.
ReplyDeleteAvetinja airlines
DeleteWish them good luck
ReplyDeleteare you serious? 350-400 employees for the airplane company with 1 or 2 planes.... of course it will be different...
DeleteI don't see how this will work any differently than Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteI believe that they will change everything, like every and each airline in Ex-yu should do it...
DeleteIt will work totally different. All management, including lower, will be from totally different political parties, now in power
DeleteWe had to act fast so we could salvage parts of Montenegro Airlines, however, the name, logo and design are susceptible to change. We invite everyone who is passionate about this matter to send in their proposals to 2montenegro@gov.me.
ReplyDeleteAIR ĐETIĆ
Air Novi Beograd by the largest Montenegro city?
DeleteI think they made a mistake by shutting down YM. Should have written off the debt, 85% of it is to the state and paid for the rest.
ReplyDeleteI think the debt to foreign suppliers was huge and it was impossible to pay it off.
DeleteI also think that they made a mistake. They should have just restructured the airline and saved costs. No more free bags, no more free food and drinks, fired the board of directors which had huge paychecks. Savings could have easily been made.
DeleteI don't think you can just "write off debt", "restructure" and keep all the assets while not having to pay for any liabilities. Creditors can write off debt, but Montenegrin gov't was far from being YM's main or only creditor.
DeleteIf such magic worked, every government would be doing it all the time, whenever a problematic company gets in too much trouble.
Moreover, YM was structurally in so much trouble (i.e. thoroughly corrupt and inefficient) that it's probably easier to start anew.
Just some legal 2cents: Writing off debt is a form of state aid (for debt owed to the gvmt). So such an "aid" has to be according to state aid rules and on market principles. Good luck proving 100% debt write-off is legal.
DeleteThis is a bit amateurish. Asking people to send in their proposals for the new airline...
ReplyDeleteMinister Bojanic said how it is going to be great because they will put "more red than blue" on the plane.
DeleteMontenegro keeps winning!
ReplyDeleteWe missed you.
DeleteWhat will they do fleet wise?
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge YM owns 1 F100 which is still in a flying state.
DeleteI don't get it. It's not like you just shut down a cafe and can reopen in a month. It is very difficult to launch a new airline that is already in IATA, has codeshares etc.
ReplyDeleteNordica started the next day after the Estonian Air went into bankruptcy. This was done as a virtual carrier with the help of Adria (their AOC and everything). Nordica/Xfly have the experience. Why not use it? Xfly planned to introduce E195 in 2020 and has all the preparations made. The ToMontenegro will be too small anyway to survive, but if the planes will be part of the larger fleet (cheaper maintenance, etc.), then it should be doable. It would be even better if Slovenia would use the same approach with the help of Xfly. Then the number of Xfly aircraft in the region will be large enough to keep also a spare plane in the region. Xfly uses local staffing companies and provides jobs for the local crews. It should not be a problem to get a new company (or two of them) up and running by the summer season
DeleteLets wait and see, codeshare is not really so critical, if you have connections and technical knowledge how to do it then it's really quick.
DeleteAt least they want to do it quickly. Unlike here in Slovenia.
ReplyDelete"We are aware that we must have a national airline"
ReplyDeleteThen what was the point of closing MGX?
There was no other choice.
DeleteTo Montenegro or 2 Montenegro sounds very LCCish.
ReplyDeleteThat's why its temporary.
DeleteWell if they want to succeed and make a profitable airline venture, then the LCC model is the best or perhaps the only way to go. The fact its going to be a national airline is not changing the scope much. Theres absolutely no problem in having a national airline which is an LCC. Take AirBaltic as an example.
DeleteHope it works out.
ReplyDelete30 million is way too little for an airline.
ReplyDeleteReally? How did you come to that conclusion? You do realize that aircraft can be leased?
DeleteWow, that was fast. And we still have nothing in Slovenia a year and 3 months after Adria's bankruptcy.
DeleteDid Slovenia even send its EU recovery plan? Becouse new airline is planned in it and EU has to approve it
DeleteAs far as I know our government did not send it yet. Should be done in next 10 days and then we are waiting for EU commission...
DeleteAwesome.
ReplyDeleteSo when can we expect them to launch flights?
ReplyDeleteLike the minister said - 6 to 9 months.
DeleteAbsolutely no chance a new airline can be up and running by summer 2021.
DeleteMeanwhile Montenegro Airlines' website still selling tickets, advertising fares for non existent destinations and wishing everyone a happy new year.
ReplyDeleteParallel universe
DeleteThis one surprises me the most. They don't bother keeping their customers up-to-date.
DeleteWhatever airline they create it will be money loosing. There is just no point.
ReplyDeleteSo by that logic 90% of airlines around the world should just close their doors?
DeleteYup
DeleteOkey..So actually you comment is without any point because that will not happen, never ever!
DeleteAnon 9:25
DeleteHe thinks new airline will be money losing always and after pandemic, not only now.
I was talking about that time frame as well, during pandemic we all know that everyone is making loss.
Delete90% of airlines were loss making before pandemic?
DeleteCan you deny that?
DeleteWhy not call it Montenegro Airways?
ReplyDeleteNew chance for a new airline will a clean slate. All the best.
ReplyDeleteMontair like their original callsign.
ReplyDeleteYes! Montair is simple, clear and easy to remember.
DeleteBut keeping the name of country on aircraft is free marketing around the world. Just think how many people see airplanes everyday and you never know who will select next journey because they saw "Montenegro" on aircraft..
Deleteright ... most of those small planes were parked far away from the terminal ... so quite hard to spot them ...
DeleteOr MonteWings
DeleteThe name needs changing immediately. Air Montenegro would sound a lot better then To Montenegro.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThey are dealing with trivial things like the name instead of the economics behind the new airline.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say so. They are obviously working on it. They just mentioned the name as something on the side.
Delete@SLOgovernment
ReplyDeleteWatch and learn!!
They seem determined to create a new airline which is impressive.
ReplyDeleteThey should have prepared everything before they grounded YM. That would have been impressive. Not adhoc like this.
DeleteI hope they will change the name!!! FlyMontenegro sounds better!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteRetain the 1 Fokker they own and fly only TGD/TIV - BEG. It's the only viable route and the only one that will bring profit.
ReplyDeleteThat fokker is old. I'm not sure how much longer it can fly.
DeleteNot as old as JU's B737s :)
DeleteNo chance this will work
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean with "work"? To be profitable? That it's not going to be established at all?
DeleteIs anyone going to compensate all those poor people that had tickets with YM? Seems like no one is mentioning them. Where is the agency for the protection of consumer rights in Montenegro?
ReplyDeleteIt's non-existent. I had tickets booked with YM and did not even know they went bankrupt until this news article was showing up in my feed. They don't bother sending their customers an email to stay informed but instead expect them to check their website every other day.
DeleteThey should just buy the Adria brand :)
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know a guy from MNE is the only one interested to buy Adria's brand, so you never know :)
DeleteThis is bad news for JU.
ReplyDeleteOf course, everything is bad news for JU.
Deletejkk
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they use the same logo but in nice red. The legal name could change but they could operate as "Montenegro" on the fuselage. Sell AOC from one state company to another and all is well. Alitalia has been doing the same for ages.
ReplyDelete(presipanje iz šupljeg u prazno sasvim okej funkcioniše na našim prostorima)
It's not like they need to rebrand seriously. Never had a loss of life or anything similar.
Regards, Eight.
I don't wanna sound negative, but firstly the airline name is quite peculiar. There are definitely way many other options. Secondly, exposing a generic email publicly and asking for feedback and ideas is surreal. This shows that the new company is lacking qualified people to run it. But hey, in the Balkana everything is possible.
ReplyDeleteSlovenia and Montenegro saga continues ^^
ReplyDeleteNo, Montenegro saga goes as it should go with real decisions and actions. Unfortunately our politicians still did not do anything regarding Air Slovenia.
DeleteWhat do you mean nothing? They already have money for it, 76 mio €. They said they will have CRJs. Only EU has to approve it, but becouse they still didnt send recovery plan, they cant.
Deletereal decision? a country of 620.000 people doesnt need a national company and its also debatable if Slovenia needs one too
DeleteSo what is the line in terms of population who needs national carrier and who does not? As name itself (national) tells you, it is something which covers national interests and nobody will do that except national carrier itself. Size of country does not mean anything when it comes to connectivity. If JU is willing to base 5 aircrafts to LJU for 5 millions per year then I agree that we don't need national carriers as well.
DeleteWhat a disastrous decision. They simple can not have a sustainable airline...
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean with sustainable? To be profitable?
DeleteThey are not any different than others. They just want to have own airline, even if that means a bit of losses to cover each year. Nothing too extraordinary I would say.
DeleteBold statement by the minister to promise that the new airline will be profitable. Very bold. It strikes me as an impossible task for an airline as small as four aircraft (supposing that the new airline will be the same size as YM).
DeleteDoes TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings) legislation exist in Montenegro? This is essentially 'closing the doors of the factory and re-opening across the street', and if there is some (any) kind of TUPE law in the country, they would be forced to hire back all their former employers on the same Terms & Conditions - which somewhat defeats the purpose....
ReplyDeleteOf course there isn't
DeleteDidn't even know they went bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteNo offense, but forcing national carriers in ex yu countries, only due to "national pride" is typical balkans nonsense that eventually ends up being subsidized by the citizens who could use their tax money being spent in numerous smarter ways than to constantly be saving these carriers from the brink of bankruptcy.
That goes for all of them .
As usual, Slovenia is the smartest player.
everything is correct in your comment except the last sentence
DeleteNot only incorrect but quite ironic
DeleteSlovenia the smartest in aviation... the biggest joke of the 2021
DeleteMichael, I don't know where you live but nobody is forcing national carriers but if our country does not have good connections to other airports then something has to happen. If foreign carriers don't want to fly then we need to do something on our own. Just look Slovenia, even before Covid connections out/to LJU were very weak. So in that case we are the biggest losers in Ex-yu area! But hey, we spend 5 mio per year now, does not matter if we lose 100 mio because of weak connectivity, who cares..
Delete"Just look Slovenia, even before Covid connections out/to LJU were very weak."
DeleteI don't know if you are aware, but the dominant airline in Slovenia went bankrupt shortly before Covid. How quickly would you expect that capacity to be replaced?
1) everyone knew that JP is going to bankrupt in this year, two months later or sooner but there was no chance for them surviving 2020. So actually carriers could be prepared if they had any interest in LJU.
Delete2) we already have schedule for summer season 2020 before any covid situation and again it would be disaster compared to 2019. So more than 6 months is not enough to prepare your schedule? Let's admit to ourselfs that foreign carriers does not have intentions to fly to LJU or they fly with really small amount of flights.
Situation as we had in past with JP will never happen again without national carrier.
ToMontenegro is one direction only.
ReplyDeleteIf they plan on return flights name should be To&FromMontenegro.
haha good one
DeleteLol, you made my day :) :) :)
DeleteLike someone suggested Montair sounds the best to me.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWatch and learn? No, thank you. I’m sure airports and suppliers across Europe are just dying to work with another Montenegrin carrier now that they won’t get to see a dime owed to them by YM. Watch and learn? Sure, what not to do.
ReplyDeleteMight as well burn the $30M cash and at least provide some heat for your citizens. SMH
ReplyDeleteIt can be stylised 2 Montenegro
ReplyDeletegreat news, what do you think, which connections shoulf LJU/Slovenia have?
ReplyDeleteWhat destinations LJU should have? Is this even a question? We dont even have normal flights to LH hubs, iberian peninsula, Italy, Middle East, Scandinavia. Almost whole Europe
DeleteThey are not serious and €30 million is best proof of that. In the end MNE will not get a new carrier especially not one that will take off just at the beginning of the winter season when everything calms down until spring.
ReplyDeleteWe are doing exactly that what we should not. So actually we are not learning from our own mistakes. Airports and suppliers will be more than happy to cooperate with any airlines, the times they were deciding who to accept or reject are over. So actually yes, they should learn a lot from what Montenegro's government is doing.
ReplyDeleteValja zaposliti silnu rodbinu novih vlasti...
ReplyDelete