Air Montenegro launched commercial operations today, just over six months since the grounding of the country’s former national carrier Montenegro Airlines. Air Montenegro performed its first revenue service from Podgorica to Belgrade this morning, which will be followed by a flight to Tivat from the Serbian capital. The company’s CEO, Predrag Todorović, and Montenegro’s Minister for Economic Development, Jakov Milatović, were among the passengers on the inaugural service. "We were founded on February 8 of this year and have been able to commence operations within a few months. We are delighted that Belgrade is our first destination, as it will be one of the main points in our network in the coming period", Mr Todorović said.
Air Montenegro plans to soon add a second aircraft to its fleet, an Embraer E190 jet leased from German Airways. The aircraft will be on a short-term lease until the second E195 the carrier acquired from the now defunct Montenegro Airlines is fit to fly. The delay in preparing the aircraft for service comes as Montenegro Airlines’ maintenance division is unable to perform any work on the jet as the company is in bankruptcy. As a result, the new national carrier will be unable to use its services. Instead, its aircraft will now be maintained by Consolidated Aerospace Industries and Austrian Airlines Technik Bratislava until it finalises setting up its own maintenance division.
Lufthansa Systems, which has signed an agreement for operational start-up consulting services with Air Montenegro, says it will lead the new carrier success. “In the current times, our industry is continuously facing unfamiliar landscapes. We are therefore particularly proud to support the Government of Montenegro in setting up the country’s new flag carrier in this volatile market environment”, Lufthansa Systems CEO, Olivier Krueger, noted. He added, “With strategic guidance complemented by our broad airline service portfolio, we are able to serve airlines of all business models, and we are ready to lead Air Montenegro to success as the world evolves to new realities”. After an in-depth review of the main challenges and an analysis of the planned strategy, business model and commercial plan, Lufthansa Systems’ experts will advise the airline on how to achieve operational stability. The consulting services include designing a lean organisational structure with suitable processes, roles and responsibilities, as well as providing a recommendation for a spin-off decision for their maintenance. Furthermore, Lufthansa Systems will provide an adequate set-up for a future operations control centre and a tailored plan for the necessary change management initiatives.
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| Air Montenegro listed on Belgrade Airport departure board |
Commenting on potential cooperation with Air Serbia, Mr Todorović said the two have mutual respect. "For now, we are completely focused on establishing our operations. We have contact with Air Serbia. Whether we will formalise cooperation at some future point remains to be seen", the CEO noted. He added, "This market is large enough to sustain two carriers". Air Serbia and Montenegro Airlines boasted a wide-ranging codeshare partnership. Commenting on potential cooperation with Lufthansa, Mr Todorović said it was currently not a priority as part of its consulting agreement with Lufthansa Systems, which operates as a separate company. Air Montenegro has been granted an ICAO Callsign - Mount Eagle. The airline is in the process receiving an IATA designator code by the end of the summer season. It is temporarily using the IATA code W2 until it gets its own.
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| Air Montenegro sales counter at Belgrade Airport |
And some so called experts said there is no chanse Air Montenegro would start with their operations in June.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how quickly this process went through!
DeleteCongratulations. Good luck and safe skies
ReplyDeleteSlovenia - look and learn how to get things done
ReplyDeleteYes! Destroy a carrier due to gross negligence, nepotism and corruption, owe tens of millions of euros to suppliers all over Europe that will never get paid (potentially destroying your country's reputations in the process) and then simply close shop and set up a new one with total disregard to the fiasco that preceded it. How wonderful!
DeleteIt's been done by many actually.
DeleteAlitalia?))) nonono Transport Italia something is way diferent
DeleteWell, let me think;
DeleteSABENA.... done that, today Brussels Airlies
SWISSAIR... done that, today SWISS
We all wish to be like them, so why not?
Two wrongs don't make it right.
DeleteAnyway, different rules apply to Montenegro and Slovenia.
Good luck and let's hope it does not end up like its predecessor.
ReplyDeleteI think it will, they are still not in the GDS.
DeleteThey are in the GDS now. That's why they have a temporary IATA code like the article says.
DeleteTemporary IATA code, how wonderful and professional LOL!!
DeleteNot that I’m trying to defend them, but the idea was to launch in June so there could be some summer season. So a temporary IATA code is fine. I mean they started working on the airline in February. They managed to launch flights in record time.
DeleteYes it is professional. They got a lot of things sorted out in a very short timeframe. They applied for a code and will get one soon. I dont see a problem with that.
DeleteAgree with last anon. There is nothing more they could have done. Getting an IATA code is something that is not possible over night and takes several months. This is the second best solution.
DeleteTrue they sorted out everything besides how to maintain their planes. They still struggle with that. Hopefully they resolve those issues fast. MNE media reported that they had some problems with one of the engines.
DeleteYou might want to read the actual article at hand here. It says what the issue is with maintenance.
DeleteEven with the officials onboard they couldn't manage a higher LF than 70%.
ReplyDeleteThis has disaster written all over it.
Considering sales began recently with almost no marketing it's not that bad.
DeleteIt means their actual load was around 60% in mid June so it's pretty disastrous
DeleteYou know, it is a pandemic. Many people don't want to fly. And like I said, the main reason is that they started selling tickets 3 weeks ago and there only marketing were things written in the news in Montenegro. I'm sure the return was even emptier because people in Serbia don't even know this airline exists.
DeleteGive us a break with the pandemic talk, it does not affect SRB-MNE market as JU has shown us over and over again.
DeleteBEG-TGD today
1-90/ 90
5-117/ 1-108
BEG-TIV
174/ 3-91
12-126/ 5-100
4-138/ 2-90
Yeah, pandemic.
The numbers you posted make no sense.
DeleteAny why is that my good Anonymous 09.41 friend?
DeleteI don't understand what 1-90 means? 1 in business, 90 in economy? That's a pretty poor load.
DeleteConfiguration is 8-132 so LF in economy is 69%. Not the best but not the worst, after all it's a Thursday my good Anonymous friend.
DeleteTrue, afternoon flight is good.
DeleteYou were just screaming that the same load factor is a disaster for Air Montenegro (which has been selling tickets for 20 days and has no transfer passengers) but it is somehow fantastic for Air Serbia. Ok.
DeleteBecause JU was not selling their flights while not being in the GDS. They were leasing the platform from a tour operator that charged €20 PER SEGMENT. So €40 for the return flight and then when you add airport taxes you get 80-something just in expenses. YM was selling their promo flights for 90 to 110 so they barely made any money. So JU's LF of 70% is nowhere near YM's. With such costs they would need a LF of 100% just to make money.
DeleteI haven't been part of the discussion but I really wouldn't be gloating with those sorts of loads (if they are true).
DeleteThose loads show that indeed the pandemic is having an impact. Fewer transfer passengers, fewer point to point passengers. In early June flights would already be 90%+ LF in normal years.
DeleteI would my good friend. With the fares they are charging those loads are more than decent. Also why wouldn't you be gloating with those loads to Tivat? They are beyond spectacular.
Delete90 passengers on a 174 seat plane is "beyond spectacular" for you?
Delete@10.03 talking about profitability based on LF is nonsense. A transfer passenger could be flying for 20 euros on that sector.
DeleteYes since it's the third Airbus flight of the day and you might want to look at the load in the other direction.
DeleteAnon 10.07 and what kind of transfers could they be carrying on a Thursday when they have a limited number of onward connections?
DeleteIt is good to have a second player on the market, more competition and more choice for customers. Having a monopolist on this route would have been a disaster.
ReplyDeleteI wish them a lot of success. Don't get the negativity of some people in the comments here. Instead of wanting to have more and more airlines in the area it seems you would like to have none.
ReplyDeleteYes and the right solution would have been to allow Wizz Air to launch MNE flights. Not to have this small airline that can't survive without JU and a dominant position on the MNE-SRB market. Just because we need more players on this market doesn't mean we should be happy with anything we get.
DeleteMost of the negativity comes from one person who thinks there should be just one airline from this region and that everyone else should crash and burn.
Delete@9.40 who are you to decide what the right solution is. Wizz Air flies from Montenegro and does not need special permission to fly from Montenegro.
DeleteP.S Montenegro Airlines actually had the dominant position on the Serbia-Montenegro market.
Air Serbia fanboys have had a difficult morning. Let them be. And btw Wizz Air is allowed to start any MNE flights they want. They have been operating flights to TGD for years now.
DeleteThey had the dominant position until they no longer had it. Now times have changed and I don't see that changing. Btw I don't think there should be one airline, I think there should be two: Air Serbia and Wizz Air/Ryanair.
DeleteThis experiment is useless and it will never be profitable especially in winter.
I think in this case it is just one person so a fanboy.
DeleteNo, they are not allowed to start flying between SRB and MNE, educate yourself first please.
DeleteAir Serbia 'experiment' is useless too as the airline is highly unprofitable. So I don't get your point. You should apply the same logic to yourself and have Ryanair and Wizz Air be your national airlines. You will save a lot of money.
DeleteJU has the potential to become profitable, YM on the other hand....
DeleteYou should educate yourself that them not being able to fly between Serbia and Montenegro has nothing to do with Air Montenegro. But you knew that already.
DeleteWe have been waiting for JU's profitability potential for 8 years already. Still nothing.
DeleteI was replying to this comment that was factually wrong:
DeleteAir Serbia fanboys have had a difficult morning. Let them be. And btw Wizz Air is allowed to start any MNE flights they want. They have been operating flights to TGD for years now.
So I would suggest you stop lecturing others and focus on your own airline and not wish everyone the worst of luck.
DeleteI have to because these other airlines affect my own airline. These things are tied and can't be ignored.
DeleteThat just shows that you probably fly once in 10 years if ever. Because the fewer airlines, the more expensive your ticket will be. Obviously doesn't phase you since you don't fly.
DeleteIn order to have good fares you need airlines that can compete and YM is not it. That is why I said you need Wizz or Ryan on this market to compete with JU.
DeleteIn the article you can see the airline official hoping for a deal with JU so they want to bring back the duopoly. YM is a scam from a passenger's point of view because they are not going to bring down the fares.
YM is a scam (who has cheaper fares than JU) but JU is not? Ok.
DeleteReally?
DeleteBelgrade-Tivat next week, lowst fares with Air Serbia start from 180 euros return.
Belgrade - Tivat next week, lowest fares with Air Montenegro start from 100 euros return. The most expensive ticket I found was 114 euros.
Welcome Air Montenegro. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteI like what the guy from LH systems is saying. Hope they follow through and make it a sustainable airline.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly German Airways' call sign is German Eagle :D
ReplyDeleteWill the lease from German Airways be a wet or dry lease?
ReplyDeleteDry lease. Plane is already in Podgorica.
DeleteI will be flying with them this July and I can't wait to see what are they like.
ReplyDeleteAs Air Serbia superfan I have to be honest and congratulate Air Montenegro on being able to start operations in time for peak season.
ReplyDeleteI remember comments on the day Montenegro Airlines stopped flying. Air Serbia fans though Montenegro is not coming back and all Air Serbia had to is take over the market. Those of you should be ashamed for short-sighted thinking.
As I mentioned then and several times after, JU should have approached Montenegro to help. Instead, you now have Lufthansa as consultants, lease from German Airlines, maintenance with Austrian, future feed to FRA and no codeshare with JU.
I agree. The writing seems to be on the wall. Lufthansa Systems as consultant, Lufthansa group doing their maintenance, Frankfurt being one of the first destinations...
DeleteWhatever they do they can't beat OU in kissing LH ass LOL
Delete"no codeshare with JU."
DeleteGood! That will force the two airlines to compete instead of setting up a duopoly on routes to MNE. Only consumers win at the end.
Consumers won't win. Prices will balance out over time, with or without codeshare. Prices will be above average as long as there are no alternatives in form of highways and fast rail connections, i.e. for decades.
DeleteIs there any service on board in terms of food. I know it's a short flight but just wondering. On a recent BEG-TGD flight with Air Serbia I got Toto cookies and a small bottle of water.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think tea/coffee is served.
DeleteI think that's really poor for both. I will give you an example. Qantas operates Sydney - Canberra flights with Dash 8. Flight lasts 40 minutes. Service is: Bottle of water for everyone given before departure, full bar service upon departure plus small snack.
DeleteAnd I'm guessing the ticket on QF is probably cheaper than the ones Air Serbia and Air Montenegro charge.
DeleteMontenegro keeps winning!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. As someone from Slovenia it's nice to see that a new national airline was able to launch so quickly and that people who worked for the airline like flight crew were able to get their jobs back.
ReplyDeleteMore new routes coming soon :)
ReplyDeleteIt was written in an article here that Istanbul is next
DeleteI'm interested to see what will remain from YM's original network.
DeleteIi really think they should have at least put a sticker on the plane. Just Air Montenegro. It could not have been that expensive.
ReplyDeleteYes! This ghost plane does not look nice.
DeleteThey should have kept the tail seeing as their logo is more or less the same.
DeleteTrue dat.
DeleteWho would have seen this coming this time last year :D
ReplyDelete2 questions about new YM:
ReplyDelete- Any chance they are considering LIS?
- Any chance for long-haul flights to JFK or YYZ?
3rd question about new YM: Any chance to see the Boom Overture in the fleet?
DeleteHahaha good one
Deletehahahahahaaa ....
DeleteAnon @14:25, you made my day. good one!
But there are also other good things happening in Montenegro rigt now :
ReplyDeleteAir Astana yesterday inaugurated Nursultan-Podgorica with the Airbus 321Neo !
And if that wasnt already good enough they today inaugurated Amalty-Podgorica, also with the Airbus 321Neo !
Isnt that great !?
Indeed it is!
DeleteASAP they have to rename Air Astana to Air Nursultan :) :) :) Now seriously, I am glad they started TGD. Maybe they could try somewhere in Croatia as well, PUY, SPU?
DeleteIt's really unfortunate their planes will be white all season
ReplyDeleteGood luck to the new airline.
ReplyDeleteThe more airlines we have in ex-Yu the better.
DeleteLet's now see how sustainable this airline will be and will it be any different from Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteWell at least they have some support from the Lufthansa consultant.
DeleteThey get advise from them as long as they pay. It's not support, but rather a service.
DeleteThat was quick
ReplyDeleteGood luck. they will need it
ReplyDeleteAir Montenegro is just a scam to screw the debtors of the former Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteI wonder LH Systems is advising them since they are an IT company. Normally LH Consulting is doing such jobs.
ReplyDelete