Air Montenegro will enter its first winter season, which commences on October 31, with two aircraft, a handful of routes and plans to expand its network. Launched in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Montenegro’s national airline has been operating commercial flights for just under four months and has already handled over 70.000 passengers on over 850 operated flights. Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier’s CEO, Predrag Todorović, noted, “We commenced operations with one of our own aircraft and one leased jet from German Airways. We selected this airline as we received favourable leasing terms and it was also the type that suited our fleet. As a result, we had a unified approach both to the passenger experience and our maintenance, since we had Embraers operating on all our routes. Our second aircraft has now entered into service and performed over 150 flights. The peak of the summer season has passed and the wet-leasing contract with German Airways has been concluded. Therefore, we will now continue to operate with two of our own aircraft, the 116-seat Embraer E195s. They fit our existing network”.
The airline’s aircraft have been operating without the company’s brand or corporate colours, however, Mr Todorović said a livery will be applied to its fleet soon. “Prior to the start of the summer season we were considering whether the aircraft should enter the fleet without a livery or prologue their return into service in order for them to receive our corporate colour scheme. We opted for the more practical option, which is for the aircraft to enter the fleet as soon as possible and start generating revenue. As a result, they were operated all-white this summer. In the coming period, we plan to paint them”. The airline’s brand identity (pictured above), was selected following an international competition and was designed by Moscow-based graphical designer Maksim Abruzov.
Since launching operations in June, Air Montenegro has introduced scheduled flights to Belgrade, Ljubljana, Istanbul, Banja Luka and Frankfurt, with the latter two having been halted since. The coronavirus pandemic and evolving travel restrictions continue to hamper the carrier. “We are following market conditions and are very dependent on circumstances that are outside of our control. We had several routes that we launched this summer, such as Frankfurt, Banja Luka, Istanbul, Ljubljana and of course Belgrade. The four routes, other that Belgrade, had an average cabin load factor of over 90%, which shows that our commercial department did a good job in selecting these destinations. However, winter is coming, and Montenegro has been placed on the red list for travel restrictions by many European countries [in response to Covid-19] and it directly affects our sales. For example, the moment these measures were introduced, Frankfurt, which was extremely successful for us, saw sales tumble immediately and we were forced to temporarily suspend operations to the German city because there are limitations in place for our nationals and we don’t want to fly empty”, Mr Todorović explained. He added, “We operated regular charter flights to Armenia over the summer, as well as numerous ad-hoc charters for sports teams. Whenever we have available capacity, we will operate charters because we have ideal aircraft for this segment”.
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| Air Montenegro CEO Predrag Todorović |
Commenting on the carrier’s existing network and future growth, the CEO said, “We continue to fly to Istanbul, Ljubljana and Belgrade, however, we will focus on flights from Podgorica to Belgrade instead of Tivat over the winter. We are also monitoring the situation with the Russian market which is closed for Montenegro at the moment, and we are also considering several other destinations, which we will make public in due course”. He noted, “We are very open to cooperating with all airlines in the region in all spheres”.
I’m still amazed at how quickly they set up this airline. Something like six months
ReplyDeleteWhen there is a political will, there is a way.
DeleteThis was the perfect solution for Slovenia too. 2-3 aircraft airline with a couple of routes to secure basic connectivity.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBut what are the costs of running a tiny airline vs. an existing airline setting up a small base but sharing overhead costs with its operations elsewhere? In my ears, the tiny airline set up sounds far from perfect.
DeleteI agree with the comment above but the question is can you attract an exusting airline to set up a base. In the case of Slovenia I would say no, and I'm not sure about Montenegro either.
DeleteSince Air Montenegro started I haven't seen a single new route from any LCC to Montenegro.
DeleteMontenegro is an old civilization with thousands years of history.
DeleteAs such it deserves to have a national airline.
Ko visoko leti nisko pada.
Delete@09:28
DeleteBe my guest, find someone willing to base a coupe of aircraft in LJU. But don't expect me (or any other member of the concerned tax payers brigade) to pay for it.
Face it, Slovenia has no other option than to setup a national carrier.
Let me see if I understand you correctly. You don't want any of your tax money to fund a virtual national carrier using an existing airline to operate, but you rather want much more tax money to be spent on a less efficient separate airline to do the same thing? Could you please provide some logic behind your reasoning? I struggle to understand.
DeleteIs there any indication when Russia will allow nonstop flights to Montenegro?
ReplyDeleteNo. It's down to politics.
DeleteAs soon as Montenegro starts playing ball with Moscow without listening to the US and EU politics. You can't expect Montenegro to implement sanctions towards Russia and in return to have a favorable open sly climate with Russia. By the way these Montenegro sanctions have destroyed Russia's economy...LOL
DeleteItaly could be a successful market for them
ReplyDeleteThey will probably start it when Italy loosens entry measures
DeleteThey are already quite loose. For Serbia and Montenegro you just need a rapid antigen test to enter. No quarantine since late August.
DeleteIf loads were at 90% that's fantastic. Especially for an unknown airline.
ReplyDeleteI know in the case of Slovenia, their LJU-TIV flights were sold out more often than not.
DeleteDo you know how they are doing now on the Podgorica-Ljubljana flights?
DeleteSo in winter they will fly TGD-BEG,LJU and TiV-BEG,IST?
ReplyDeleteYes
DeletePodgorica-Frankfurt will restart when Montenegro is removed from high risk map.
DeleteFinally they will paint livery
ReplyDeleteHave they applied their logo or still being albinos?
ReplyDeleteHe says they will paint them this winter.
DeleteThey should have just kept the same livery and replaced the "Montenegro Airlines" titles with "Air Montegro".
DeleteI don't think they can do that. The logo is copyrighted probably.
DeleteI like the way they will paint the tail, but whats that montenegro split in two?? Thats really so basic
DeleteI like the way they will paint the tail, but whats that montenegro split in two?? Thats really so basic
DeleteNice charter segment to Armenia.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if scheduled flights could work.
DeleteBut what will be the losses at the end of the year?
ReplyDeleteEvery airline is going to have a loss in their first year.
DeleteI didn't say they don't, I'm just wondering what the projected losses will be for Air Montenegro.
DeleteI have a feeling it will be less than Montenegro Airlines wasted.
DeleteStill amazed how quickly they went with the creation of the new airline. Yes, MNE is a small country but the results were amazing. Either way, the geographical situation urges it to connect people by air being by the sea and not surrounded by too many countries. Plus, it needs to sustain its tourism and path towards EU membership.
ReplyDeleteMNE is surrounded by 4-5 countries. Spain is much bigger than MNE but it only borders 2 countries.
DeleteDon't get the surrounded by point.
No comments about the aircraft type on the picture?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the aircraft type in the pic?
DeleteIt's an Airbus A350. Maybe they're trying to give a hint? :D
DeleteWell they would be able to fill it on TIV-BEG route in summer without issue ;)
DeleteMontenegro was THE chance for Air Serbia to get a stable income revenue. But here we go again.
ReplyDeleteAgree, they could have done much more with it.
DeleteOut of curiosity, what more could they have done other than add more frequencies to Podgorica and Tivat, which they have done.
DeleteAnswered long time ago when ToMontenegro was first announced here.
DeleteSo I'm asking again, if it's not too much bother for you.
DeleteI don't get something. Montenegro Airlines owes millions to various creditors and suppliers. They declare bankruptcy and don't have to pay anybody. They repaint the planes and change their name slightly and poof, a new airline is born debt free.
ReplyDeleteI for one would not supply them unless they prepay the order.
+1
DeleteMNE airlines sold thousands of ticket during g the pandemic and did not fly passengers... And now they claim that they are bankrupt.. and of course no refunding. no vouchers...
What a shame..
It is a modern way of ripping people out...
And the MNE gov is clearly implicit in this. They are the guarantors of Montenegro Airlines, and now Air Montenegro. Who cares about the many suppliers, many small businesses which were severely hurt by this.
DeleteAnd we all know that Air Montenegro awaits the same fate. It's only a matter of time. Because they are run by the same corrupt bureaucrats, samo u drugo pakovanje, ali isto sranje.
True dat.
Delete@18:04 +1
DeleteWell Mne Air did not change their name to Air Mne. MA is still an active company and AM is a new company that has no legal commitment to MA. AM is debt free because they started from scratch. Just to clarify, two sperate companies, no obligations in between. No lets see what the government will do with the two.
DeleteDidn't AM take over planes from MA?
Delete