Low cost carrier Wizz Air has confirmed it will station a third aircraft at its Belgrade base this coming winter season. A 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft will join the carrier’s existing two A321s in the city from mid-December. This will enable the carrier to launch four new routes announced earlier this week. However, the additional capacity leaves room for Wizz to introduce additional new services, with the current schedule allowing the airline to introduce an extra three routes. Based on its existing schedule, the carrier does not plan on operating additional frequencies on existing services from the city.
Wizz Air initially planned on adding a third aircraft at its Belgrade base in the summer of 2020, which would have resulted in the launch of nine new routes. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and entry restrictions for Serbian nationals across Europe at the time, the airline shelved such plans. Last year it intended on introducing flights from Belgrade to Lisbon, Cologne, Barcelona, Milan, Hamburg, Turku, Sandefjord, Charleroi and Friedrichshafen. It has since launched operations to Hamburg and Sandefjord, while services to Barcelona will be added with the latest expansion this winter. Lisbon and Cologne remain two of Belgrade Airport’s busiest unserved routes in Europe.
Wizz Air is ramping up its growth in the region this December. The airline is adding a second aircraft at its Sarajevo base and launching an additional seven new routes, while two new services will be introduced to Tuzla, that will be operated by aircraft from other bases. The low cost airline has said it will station a third jet in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s third largest city once infrastructure is expanded to handle three jets at the same time. The airline also recently announced the introduction of a new service to Banja Luka from mid-December as well.
Would be nice if they announced another route or two.
ReplyDeletePotential new routes from BEG: DUB, LIS, MAD, CRL, NRN, TKU, PFO, SZG, CGN, HAM, HAJ, NUE, BRE, DRS, FDH
DeleteLIS would be amazing.
DeleteThis is really good news for BEG and its quite large catchment area.
ReplyDeleteNow the guessing game begins and what they will add next for the 2022 summer season. Like I wrote the other day, I have a feeling we might see something like Rhodes being add ... maybe even PMI.
Btw when is the C terminal extension supposed to the opened at BEG?
Published the comment above by mistake without signing it.
DeleteC terminal extension opening at the end of the year.
DeleteGreat, thanks!
DeleteLet's also not forget Wizz Air will have to compete indirectly with Ryanair in Zagreb.
DeleteI think ZAG is too far. TZL and TSR and even BUD are more relevant competitors because they are all fighting for the same catchment area.
DeleteTSR definitely has way much better connections to Spain and very cheap flights to London.
DeleteStill, it's not in their interest to allow Ryanair to become too big in Zagreb.
DeleteIt's not too far taking into account how many ZAG pax were using Wizz Air out of Belgrade to places as Cyprus and so on.
Wizzair in Belgrade competes mainly with itself by having bases next to them in Timisoara and Tuzla .
DeleteWizz Air launched BEG over a decade ago, since then it has expanded in the region while still adding more flights and destinations out of Belgrade.
DeleteI guess it's safe to assume that there is room for many airports to be served without one being affected by the other.
After all, our region still has a long way to go in terms of LCC connectivity meaning that the market is still growing and developing.
Places like Tuzla, Nish or Banja Luka have shown to us that these airlines have create a whole new group of passengers in stead of merely stealing existing passengers from other airports.
Belgrade was Wizz Airs most neglected base in the whole Balkans.
DeleteMore than a decade not much happened and just this year it is finally heating up.
And still so many places are not covered.
I wouldnt call that a success story.
Unlike places like Skopje, Tuzla and Sarajevo, it actually has competition in Belgrade and it's not an airport that is going to subsidize them for eternity.
DeleteDon't forget that Wizz Air threw that hissy fit a few years back when BEG made it clear they will no longer give them special discounts. Looking back at that moment from this position we can see that BEG was right. Even with that price hike Wizz Air eventually returned to growing.
DeleteAs Serbian economy expands and as tourism keeps on developing, I think there will be even more demand. At this point I don't think we should be discussing who will win in BEG, JU or W6, but rather who will capture the biggest share of the future market.
Hopefully JU responds to all this. Not just to Wizz Air but to all other airlines that recently introduced flights to BEG.
Who will win in BEG?
DeleteNeither JU nor W6!
Because as long there is no Ryanair in BEG this airport is far from perfect.
But that's where I disagree with you. I think it's premature to expect FR at this moment, the market is still not large enough. The outcome would be like the one we saw in Riga where BT survived and W6 ended up closing their base there.
DeleteMaybe once BEG gets close to 10 million passengers we could expect FR to successfully operate next to W6 and JU.
Personally, I am curious to see if Lufthansa will respond to HHN in any way.
I enjoy to discuss with you Nemjee!
DeleteI have a totally different opinion.
Ryanair could fill so many gaps that BEG has.
For example the western Mediterranean: Spain,Portugal and southern Italy.
Look where JU did charters to before Corona:
Malaga,Seville,Palma de Mallorca,Catania,Palermo,Lamezia Terme...
Likewise!
DeleteBut what happens when summer passes and winter comes? In that case it would make sense for FR to expand in Belgrade from other bases and to operate seasonally. I actually wonder how their Nish-Corfu route performed this summer. If it did well then it could put Serbian summer travel on their business map.
Ryanair has a decent presence in Greece so hopefully we get flights from Crete to INI next summer. Their cost structure is perfectly suited for INI's catchment area.
They dont have to make Belgrade their base.
DeleteThey can serve BEG from their other bases in summer.
That they could do, especially from seaside destinations. It all depends if they are willing to pay more to fly from BEG.
DeleteThis year Wizz Air showed us that destinations such as Santorini and Heraklion can work with scheduled flights.
VLC BEG please
DeletePaying a little bit more is still better than handing these over to their competitors.
DeleteBtw i will drive to Zagreb to catch their Malaga flight.
I absolutely love Spain and i am of course not the only one.
Spain and Serbia are like lost twin brothers.
I felt at home the moment i stepped my foot on there the first time.
I think it's safer for you to go to Spain from BUD than ZAG. Just a friendly advice.
DeleteHow exactly?
DeleteThank you for advice but i will rent a car.
DeleteI am more concerned about Croats closing their border because of Corona.
Doubt they will close it because this weak 5 or 6 major European countries introduced restrictions for travel to Croatia. I think yesterday it was Netherlands.
DeleteBtw you will rent a car in Belgrade and drive there? Then you might transfer at some European airport.
Yes i will drive to Zagreb and take the flight to Malaga which is nonstop.
DeleteFlights to Malaga start in begin of december.
No transfer required.
And how much will you pay for the car, tolls and petrol? It's going to be more expensive than to fly through Fra or Muc.
DeleteDon't think there is demand from BEG to AGP yet. Which is strange because this is Spain's one of the most visited cities. The Málaga area is not only about beaches as you have interesting places such as Ronda and the amazing Granada, which is an absolute must. Good for ZAG for securing a connection.
Delete@Anonymous09:52
DeleteThat makes no Sense, Zagreb is 400km from Belgrade, how can Ryan air and Wizz air compete, this is like saying Budapest is competing with Belgrade for same of other routes cause Wizz Air is based there, or w/e, you get the analogy. Zagreb is 400km away, there's no competition. If Wizz Air oppened base in Zagreb, then it would compete against Ryain Air in Zagreb and for market of Nothern Central/Croatia and Soouthern, Eastern and Nothern Slovenia. But again your comment makes no sense.
@Anonymous10:08
DeleteAnd what exectly they' going to do about it ? Perhaps hope it rains in Zagreb, another covid that just hits Zagreb? Wizz air can't do much, if Ryan air opens a large base in Zagreb which is what is happening, with about 50/55 routes to be operated by summer 2023, there's little Wizz Air can do about it. They would need to open their own base in Zagreb, but originally not many Croats used their service when they oppened route in Zagreb back in the late 90s.
50/55 routes?
DeleteAre you for real?
Delete@Anonymous23:15
DeleteYes, at least 50 routes, they already have what 24-25 as we speak, they plan to have 30-32 next year summer season and in 2023 that noumber could be around 50. Out of Krakow for example they have 67 routes. Well 40 at least in 2023 and 50 in 2024 or 2025 out of Zagreb. Ryan air said they plan to have 2-3 million pax out of Zagreb in 2025, that can't be achived with current 24-25 routes.
Which new routes could we see?
ReplyDeleteIn winter ?
DeleteCologne, Friedrichshafen and Brussels Charleroi .
Good news for BEG.
ReplyDeleteFinally
ReplyDeleteAirbus 320 is a perfect addition to the two A321 because it helps to adapt to fluctuating loadfactors .
ReplyDeleteTheir Bosnian expansion is simply impressive because they serve 3 of it airports having the largest ex-Yu coverage per airport. SJJ is now connected with seventeen European cities from zero. Bosnia has a beautiful landscape, mountains and interesting cities such as Mostar. The bridge is very well known across the Balkans.
ReplyDeleteFrom next year, we can expect new Wizz air lines from Sarajevo, and most likely to Italy, Spain and Poland. I am certainly glad that in the countries of the former EX-YU, Wizz air dominates more than Ryanair, because I think that Wizz is a much better company in everything.
DeleteEverything you wrote can be said for entire ex Yugoslavia, not only BIH. The only thing we miss is JAT Yugoslav Airlines. I do use LCC's, I don't give a sh.. about "prestige", but the only truly prestigious, significant and global player company was JAT. All these micro airlines created after JAT mean nothing, just spend taxpayers money, and are not capable of fighting LCC. I will not debate who is guilty, or most guilty for destruction of the country and its flag carrier among other things, but I know that I miss it and I will miss it forever.
DeleteI can feel for you Pozdrav but Air Serbia despite not perfect is a good enough airline even fit to withstand competition by lccs .
DeleteCompletely agree with 09:48!
DeleteWizzair is an amazing airline and I have been using them since 2005 and flew at least 50 times and had 1 sole cancellation and it was during Covid. They made a revolution in Eastern Europe and put an end to super expensive flag carriers. BiH and SJJ in particular will finally be more accessible to more and more cities. Glad that the management finally woke up. Yes, next important markets are Poland and Spain as Spaniards love the Balkans. Similar to Japanese are educated and very friendly tourits.
Spaniards dont love the Balkans.
DeleteHow do you explain the absence of Iberia in Belgrade?
JU flew to Madrid.
Deletewithout connections !
DeleteThey cooperate with Air Europa.
DeleteAir Europa is horrible!
DeleteNo comparison to Iberia (which itself is far from perfect) ..
Just bring on the expansion they announced last year and that would be perfect !
ReplyDeleteI think that last year Salzburg was also in the group of new routes, it was only that was announced and really launched in July 2020 but it was later canceled due to travel restrictions. I hope that this route will be new addition or Vienna. A320 would be perfect for them with 2-3 per week, and some good time table early-evening.
ReplyDeleteHonestly the more the better. Air connectivity is key to making sure tourists come and spend their money here in Serbia.
ReplyDeletePolitika reported that devizni prilivi grew by 33% this year compared to last. So far that number stands at €650.000.000.
Foreign tourists arrival grew this month by 280% compared to the last two months.
You don't get much connectivity from LCC's. North Macedonia has a decent Wizz presence for example and amongst the worst connectivity in Europe.
DeleteLCC's are however great in ensuring the market isn't being ripped off with high fares while forcing the 'traditional' carriers to remain competitive.
You can attract tourists from places LCCs fly to/from.
Delete"making sure tourists come and spend their money here in Serbia"
DeleteMost of them will come on Aeroflot, Israir, Air Serbia, Turkish, Qatar etc, not Wizz.
I hope they launch Cologne. Huge potential there
ReplyDeleteCan any carrier base any number of aircraft in Belgrade?
ReplyDeleteThey can if the Serbian government lets them.
DeleteDon't see why would they allow them. That's like allowing following airlines to base their planes at BEG: Emirates, Air China, Croatia Airlines, Conviasa, Mahan, Kam Air, Belavia etc. No one wants to see it happen.
DeleteThey allowed Wizz Air.
DeleteStrange they allowed them. Could there be any suspicion of a potential foul play, inspired by recent stunning reversal in Tuzla?
DeleteNah, i dont think there was any foul play .
DeleteI think there is an open skies treaty with the EC which could also allow European airlines to open a base in Belgrade .
But im not an expert ..
Not true.
DeleteAre there any routes from BEG that they serve from other bases?
ReplyDeleteOnly Dortmund, from Skopje base because A321 can't land there
DeleteThere is also Luton and Abu Dhabi.
DeleteGood news for Belgrade!
ReplyDeleteThis is bad news for Air Serbia
ReplyDelete