| Route | Launch date |
|---|---|
| Dusseldorf - Zagreb | 31.08.2021 |
| Prague - Zagreb | 06.10.2021 |
| Berlin - Zagreb | 28.03.2022 |
Flights between Zagreb and Prague were last operated by Croatia Airlines,
which maintained services between the two cities on a seasonal basis with its
Dash 8 turboprop. However, the carrier suspended flights at the onset of the
coronavirus pandemic and does not plan to restore operations this year either.
Prior to that, Czech Airlines made another attempt at serving the city from
2016, initially launching year-round flights before downgrading the service to
seasonal in 2017 and discontinuing operations at the end of summer 2019,
noting it would not services in 2020.
Eurowings currently maintains flights from Stuttgart and Cologne to the
Croatian capital, with Dusseldorf to commence at the end of August. This
summer, it is operating a total of 460 flights from Zagreb (return service
included), with 74.220 seats on sale. Based on the number of frequencies, it
is Zagreb’s second largest low cost carrier this summer and the fifth largest
airline overall, behind Croatia Airlines, Ryanair, KLM and its parent company
Lufthansa. Capacity-wise it is the fourth largest airline in the Croatian
capital, ahead of the German national carrier.
Another route Croatia Airlines is getting pushed out of.
ReplyDeleteAt least they have BCG to advise them what to do....
Delete^ they are doing a great job so far for all that $$$
DeleteI wonder if Zagreb can hit 8 million by 2030? With all these announcements.
DeleteWell let's hope it third time lucky for this route which somehow doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteIt's one weekly so maybe it can be successful this time.
DeleteHope so
DeleteHM, once per week, not sure about that being smart move, ideally you either go with twice weekly or trice, but not once a week. What one suppose to do for whole week in Zagreb/Croatia?
DeleteBrave launching in winter.
ReplyDeleteWhen many predict a new corona wave. I would be cautious about buying tickets on this route but either way I'm glad Zagreb will get another route replaced.
DeleteSo you can say that for every winter route everywhere. Nothing is sure, and no need to be so smart.
DeleteOMG, ZAG did wake up! And now it seems to be on fire!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure FR will also launch BER and try competing with EW on the route. They have a solid presence there.
For PRG, not sure about demand but still makes sense connecting 2 EU capitals.
BER is unserved, EW is only selling flights with a connection
DeleteAs you can see in the article nonstop flights start from 28th of March.
DeleteMore and more LCC routes coming to ZAG.
ReplyDeleteFinally.
DeleteUntil Ryanair announced its base, there was bigger LCC presence in Zagreb 10 years ago.
DeleteGreat news
ReplyDeleteAlways though they would be the one to open a base in Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteThey were supposed to a few years ago. Croatia Airlines complained to Lufthansa about Eurowings. Because Eurowings held direct talks with the government about opening a base in Zagreb. OU was very angry, but managed to lobby the government and airport not to give into Eurowings demands at the time. So nothing happened and they managed to delay the inevitable of an LCC opening a base by two years. They did nothing in those two years to prepare for the scenario.
DeleteFunny how it was also the same time that the airport held negotiations with Lauda but nothing came out of it. Ryanair/Lauda used ZAG's desperation to get them to accept their terms so here we are today.
DeleteI know the airport was frustrated with OU but I think long-term they will lose out with FR as they are losing the potential for transfer passenger only OU could bring them.
From this year ZAG will be an exclusively O&D airport.
Well it is good to have an alternative if your main customer is on the verge of the abyss. Look at what happened in Ljubljana. There was no one to pick up the pieces. I'm sure that if OU does go bankrupt, FR will announce another 10 new routes.
DeleteWill they? I mean OU is pathetic so I don't see what their bankruptcy will mean for FR in terms of new markets. Only DBV could make sense and maybe SKP.
DeleteThere are a number of markets they can open, especially to German and take part of the Zagreb-Germany cake which is very large with multiple flights.
DeleteIt looks to me as if ZAG airport management is looking at replacing Croatia Airlines on more and more routes. Do they know something we don't?
ReplyDeleteIn case Croatia Airlines went bankrupt it would be easily replaced, much easier than Adria as Croatia Airlines has a Lufthansa feeder network. Basically those routes would be taken over by Lufthansa group airlines and that's it. OU does not fly to anything east of Zagreb except Athens so no problem.
DeleteNice to see more and more new routes from Zagreb.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteNice. For a European airport in the EU, Zagreb is missing a load of routes. I won't even mention Nordic countries. No flights to Norway, Sweden or Finland. Even before corona they were barely served by OU seasonally.
ReplyDeleteFor Finland only Finnair would have chance outside the season. Because they are strong in Asia especially Japan & China. And now without Korean and Emirates in Zagreb, they would have a chance.
DeleteBut what about SAS? I would think ARN could work year-round no?
DeleteThe best news about this is that it is a year round route served in winter.
ReplyDeleteYes, like all the new Ryanair routes. Really good news.
DeleteThis is a clear sign that LH Group has given up on OU. They are rushing to preserve what market is good for them before Ryanair takes it from them. With OU being pushed out of Prague I wonder what they will do with extra capacity next summer.
ReplyDeleteI think in this case it's a preemptive strike against Ryanair. FR has a big network and base from Prague and they probably foresaw that FR would likely launch flights from Prague to Zagreb sooner or later.
Delete^ What you say makes sense on paper but not in practice. Ryanair is ONLY launching flights that have not been served from Zagreb in the past two years. This way they qualify for the incentives.
DeleteI still stand by my belief. Next summer it would be 2 years and Ryanair could launch the route. That is why I think Eurowings made the decision to launch it in the dead of winter.
DeleteInteresting Eurowings went for a base in Prague.
ReplyDeleteCSA is dead so..
DeleteEurowings really stagnated in Croatia in 2019 so it is good to see they are making a comeback of a sorts.
ReplyDeleteThey had massive losses in 2019.
DeleteAnd now they don't
DeleteI don't like this airline. It's basically LCC service with Lufthansa prices.
ReplyDeleteI notice that they sell "Business class" on their flights. Can someone explain to me what that means on an LCC?
DeleteThere we go:
Deletehttps://www.eurowings.com/en/information/our-fares/bizclass/short-medium-haul-routes.html
Thank you. Well it's a bit hilarious calling that business class. Wizz Air sells those perks as their most expensive economy fare.
DeleteThat's why Eurowings is a scam, they have an identity crisis which they were struggling with for a few years now. The only reason why they opened a Prague base is because they are the only LCC that was willing to be ripped off by the airport.
DeletePrague is a notoriously expensive airport with a very complex tariff system.
But Ryanair has a base in Prague.
DeleteThey do but it's one that has been rather modest compared to the size of the airport. Remember some years ago when Wizz opened Vienna they closed the Prague one because they complained about high fees.
DeletePRG has a monopoly so it can do what they want. Ryanair has enough yields to sustain the flights they currently offer at higher charges. Also many of FR flights are operated by non-PRG planes.
What do you mean PRG has a monopoly?
DeleteAny plans for them to restart Hamburg-Zagreb?
ReplyDeleteHighly doubt it. It was seasonal and operated for two months per year. Just 8 flights.
DeleteWhat was the point then?
DeleteProbably just for Croatians visiting in summer their families in Germany or Croatia for holidays.
DeleteFlights that operate once weekly are hardly profitable, unless charters.
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily. Depends on a lot of factors.
DeleteThe LCC offer from ZAG is getting bigger and bigger.
ReplyDeleteHope we see Wizz Air or easyjet start flights too.
DeleteThere was talk about Wizz Air coming back but still nothing.
DeleteWe were told here that ZAG is prestige airport where LCC's have nothing to do there.
DeleteLOOL
The model was highly flawed. Which is why the airport took out loans and had losses during those years.
Deletea lot has been done in ZAG over the last three-four years, especially in bringing in new airlines
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the job now is to keep airlines flying year round, which was a problem in the last few years.
DeleteCroatia Airlines should have used the opportunity to launch Dusseldorf with Q400 when Eurowings suspended these flights. Now it's too late.
ReplyDeleteWhen has OU ever used an opportunity in the last 10 years?
DeleteDo remember that in normal circumstances, Croatia Airlines' fleet was highly utilized in summer. Remember they had to wet lease additional planes, which isn't cheap. So in many cases they were unable to launch new routes as they had no aircraft.
Delete@9.53 same about Berlin.
DeleteBad news for Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we were reading that is one of the top unserved routes in the region from Zagreb. Maybe Eurowings could start them from their base in PRN :D
ReplyDeleteMost of Eurowings ops from Pristina are based on tour operator demands, which is mostly Germany.
DeleteHaving said that it would be great if they started Vienna-Zagreb since they have a base in ZAG and so they can break up the OU+OS duopoly.
DeleteIt's not going to happen. Especially since Austrian is Lufthansa owned and both operators on the route are Star members. I see Ryanair launching Vienna, rather than Eurowings.
DeleteI would be happy with anyone really. The prices are just too high at the moment on this route.
DeleteWhy just one per week?
ReplyDeleteBecause two airlines failed on the route in the span of five years.
DeleteIt will be 2 weekly in summer next year.
DeleteWell when you finally come to your senses and decrease your airport fees they will come :)
ReplyDeleteGreat news! Which airlines still have to come back to Zagreb that flew before the pandemic?
ReplyDeleteAegean, British Airways, Emirates, Korean Air and Air Transat.
DeleteWith all them new Zagreb routes, what will happen with Ljubljana?? How will they secure new routes and fill their new terminal???
ReplyDeleteIt will get more and more difficult for them.
DeleteI don't think LJU is even trying to attract airlines..
DeleteWell they attracted 4 new ones this year - Iberia, Sun Express, Air Montenegro and Fly dubai.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteThings are just getting worse for Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDeleteJudging by their lakck of reaction, they don't seem to phased.
DeleteWill OU react in any way?
ReplyDeleteThey haven't reacted to Ryanair opening 16 new routes and you expect to react to 1 weekly Prague flight?
DeleteOne by one...
DeleteOU should open a base at LJU, since it is obviously being crowded out from ZAG. Think of the spin-off and/or rebranding for SI market.
ReplyDeleteI believe that ship has sailed.
DeleteWhy? Has anyone else established a base in Ljubljana since Adria went bust. Don't think so.
DeleteA few weeks ago, a representative of the Slovenian government explained on Radio Slovenia that the OU came up with a calculation of how much money it expects from the Slovenian government to base a couple of aircraft in LJU. She also explained that such an approach is not in line with EU laws. If the government wanted to co-finance the base in LJU, it could only do so on the basis of a public tender.
DeleteWhy is everyone taking care about OU? What did they do for us? NOTHING. So let that airline just go.
ReplyDeleteWho is taking care of OU?
Delete^ State otherwise they would be bankrupt long ago.
DeleteGuys, this bigger than what you see on surface. There are 2 dynamics happening:
ReplyDelete1) simple "race to the Bottom" between all European airlines, legacy and LCC, due to debt base financial economy over the 30 years (1980's) That is the reason Ljubljana can attract only minimum, and that is the reason LCC are racing to the bottom in Zagreb.
2) Transatlantic routes, to Croatia, and Greece (from at least 10 years ago) and many other Mediterranean countries will be direct routes and in mostly seasonal. Dubrovnik, Athens, Zagreb, Barcelona, Lisboa etc
As I said before Croatia Airlines did not recognised this on time. LH group will be a great looser as well in South East market.
JU is has to see clearly what is happening because they are on the crossroad as well. I think explains their hesitancy with Toronto and Beijing.
Please expand on the second dynamic. What is at stake with the transatlantic routes you list? And how does that relate to other transatlantic routes?
DeleteSecond dynamic on transatlantic flights, in the next 2-3 years:
DeleteIt will be targeted flights based on very narrow criteria.
For Europe leisure pax: Summer, Christmas period for dozen cities in Club Med part of the Europe
For Business pax: 2 dynamics here will make very different then pre Covid era and that’s: 1) over the 100 US$ per barrel of oil in very near future, by year end;
and 2) move towards digitization, roll out of 5G networks, Artificial Intelligence, and most likely proprietary use of Information hardware and software in the 2-3 year time frame – economic division of the global market in 2 separate blocks.
Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteHoping they announce some more new routes in the next couple of weeks.
ReplyDelete