Air Montenegro is expanding its operations this coming summer season with the launch of three new routes, all of which are on the French market. The carrier will introduce three weekly rotations from Podgorica to Paris and one weekly service to both Lyon and Nantes. Flights to the French capital and Lyon will commence on April 9, while operations to Nantes will be inaugurated on May 7. As recently reported, the carrier also plans to increase frequencies across its network. Air Montenegro will up operations from both Podgorica and Tivat to Belgrade in order to offer several daily flights, while an additional weekly rotation will be introduced from Tivat to both Ljubljana and Banja Luka, with four and three weekly services to be maintained respectively. Furthermore, the airline will run daily flights between Tivat and Istanbul.
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Air Montenegro faces no direct competition on any of its new routes. Paris and Lyon were both previously served by the former national carrier Montenegro Airlines. Air Montenegro initially planned to introduce Lyon to its network for a limited time between September and October of last year, however, it suspended ticket sales several weeks before the route’s launch. This summer will also see Air Serbia introduce operations to Lyon. The carrier has said the new route will offer “seamless connections to cities such as Podgorica and Tivat”.
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| Air Montenegro 2022 summer expansion |
The Montenegrin carrier plans to grow its fleet this summer by up to two aircraft. The Montenegrin government has confirmed plans it will acquire an Embraer E195 aircraft for the state carrier. The jet, registered 40-AOC, is owned by the Brazilian BNDS bank and was previously operated by Montenegro Airlines. The aircraft has been grounded since December 26, 2020. Initially, Air Montenegro was to acquire the jet itself, however, informed the state last December it did not have sufficient finances to do so. Air Montenegro also plans to dry lease a larger jet, from either the Airbus A320-family or the Boeing 737 family this April, at the earliest, for a period of between three and eight years. The carrier currently boasts a fleet of two E195s.
I'm surprised they didn't start Paris from the start
ReplyDeleteThere is so much they could have done with one plane they had at the beginning.
DeleteWell it will be interesting to see who perseveres. Transavia starts Orly-Podgorica in April. Remember Air Montenegro has no codeshares like Montenegro Airlines had with Air France, so it can't use these Paris flights to transfer passengers onto Air France routes, especially to the US.
DeleteWhich is more convenient for point to point travelers? Orly or Charles de Gaulle? Which is closer to the city?
DeleteOrly is much closer.
DeleteNot having codeshares is a handicap for them.
DeleteDoes Air Montenegro offer the option of purchasing connecting flights? For example Nantes-Podgorica-Belgrade?
ReplyDeleteNo, they actually don't. It's not possible to book any destination in their network to any city other than the one they are flying to nonstop.
DeleteNow that's just crazy.
DeleteI just checked their site and it's true. It's not possible to buy tickets from BEG to say Paris or any other city expect TGD and TIV.
DeleteThis probably has to do with an inadequate booking engine system they are using.
DeleteThis is a major disadvantage for them. They are losing a significant chunk of passengers this way.
DeleteI really liked the option of flying FRA-TGD-BEG at the time YM was alive.
DeleteSince few months ago there has been no flight between FRA and TGD and if there had been one it would have been impossible to book it on their web site as connecting flight.
Duplo golo.
Fotografija nije verodostojna.
ReplyDeleteWill there be more new routes or is that it for next summer?
ReplyDeleteFor a small company, three new routes is quite a lot.
DeleteI'm asking because I don't understand what they are going to do with 4 planes. They can carry out their entire summer timetable with 2.
DeleteThere is a rumour they will wetlease one Embraer to Air Serbia. But it's just a rumour.
Delete^ Air Montenegro could earn good money from that.
DeleteKeep in mind that 1 plane will be flying to Belgrade all day from TGD and TIV.
DeleteMontenegro keeps winning!
ReplyDeleteHvala!
DeleteOfficially every airline growing its route network this summer other than Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteIt is probably too early...
Seems so.... very disappointing.
DeleteI'm still holding hope they announce some expansion after all.
DeleteThey announced BCN...and then moved it to June.
DeleteYou are all just too stupid (me included), to understand brilliant and genious strategy of BCG, paid in gold, which OU is currently implementing, and you are just jealous because they will get new planes which will solve all their problems. LOL!!!
DeleteWonder if this will have any impact on Air Serbia's planned Lyon flights?
ReplyDeleteI doubt passengers from/to Montenegro would make the majority on Air Serbia's flights to Lyon.
DeleteWill they ever paint their planes from white to this livery?
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming they don't have the money for it.
Deleteim curious to know how their other graphicals look like: boarding pass, baggage sticker, inflight magazine, menu of meals etc.
DeleteBoarding passes are of the airport they are issued at, they don't have an inflight magazine or menu.
DeleteThey said how they would paint the planes during the winter season but that has not been the case so far.
DeleteIt could be a money issue but also could be that they don't want to paint them yet because Montenegro Airlines sued them over the use of the same logo.
DeleteNot just the logo but they are suing them for the use of their uniforms too.
DeleteIt's mostly a political game with these lawsuits.
DeleteThey could have just done some different logo. Flying all white planes is not a good look.
DeleteThey have new uniforms, new logo/branding is everywhere, inflight magazine, safety cards, IDs etc. I guess livery will be painted soon.
DeleteThey should have opted for BUD and FCO. I mean otherwise just shut down the national airline and pay W6 or FR to maintain it year round.
ReplyDeleteWhy should they have opted for BUD and FCO???
Deletebecause they need inbound tourists. And there are certainly much more people interested in traveling to Montenegro than in Lyon or Nantes.
DeleteFCO I agree, but I'm not sure there are that many from BUD willing to fly by plane. Wizz Air operated the route while it was subsidized by the Hungarian government. Now that subsidiez have ended, they did not restore the flights.
DeleteWell should keep in mind their CEO lived in France so maybe that's why French market got preference.
Delete^ I don't think so. There is obviously demand since Montenegro Airlines flew to Paris and Lyon.
DeleteTheir biggest issue is that they can't fly to Russia. Massive market. Currently JU is benefiting big time from this.
DeleteTrue. But Russian airlines also can't fly to Montenegro, which is more of the reason others are benefiting, rather than because of Air Montenegro.
DeleteYes, that's correct. And it does not seem flights will be allowed to restart anytime soon.
DeleteBig loss for them
DeleteGood luck
ReplyDeleteThey need to conclude some codeshares ASAP.
ReplyDeleteThey can't. They are not part of IATA.
DeleteInteresting. Why not?
DeleteIt is not so easy to become a member. Requires you to pass an audit, which includes having your finances in order.
DeleteHave they attempted to become a member?
DeleteBeing non-IATA enables them to force people use tiny cabin bag, just like Wizz is doing, but I hope they wont be so lame.
DeleteHopefully Paris will be a year round route.
ReplyDeleteIt will
DeleteNot bad. French tour operators should fill up these routes.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know how many weekly flights Montenegro Airlines had to Paris and Lyon?
ReplyDeleteIn summer 2019 Paris was 6 weekly and Lyon 2 weekly.
DeleteOh and btw, I assume Lyon was seasonal for YM?
DeleteYes
DeleteYes, Lyon was launched in 2015 as seasonal and lasted until corona.
DeleteWell done! Being from Slovenia, I really envy Montenegro that it set up an airline so quickly, which is now expanding and brining tourists to Montenegro. Similar could have been done in Slovenia. Unfortunately, there was no political will for it.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhile I agree with you to a certain extent, I don't see a fundamental difference between Air Montenegro and Montenegro Airlines and I fear Air Montenegro will end up the same way as Montenegro Airlines.
DeleteTime will tell.
DeleteI don't know why Air Montenegro and Airports of Montenegro are putting such an emphasis on Podgorica? No one comes to Montenegro to visit Podgorica. Everyone wants to go to the coast. Why not focus on introducing more flights to Tivat?
ReplyDeleteThis has been the case for many years over the past. But TIV also used to have capacity issues and does not have necessary equipment for night landing, which is a problem for some airlines.
DeleteExcellent news. Well done
ReplyDeleteIs Nantes a completely new route? I don't remember Montenegro Airlines flying there.
ReplyDeleteI believe they had charters from time to time but not as a scheduled route.
DeleteThey never flew to Nantes.
DeleteHoping they add more route. Is there potential for flights to Scandinavia? I remember YM didn't focus on it very much either. Once upon a time there used be big tour groups from Finland coming to Igalo.
ReplyDeleteYM flew to Copenhagen (seasonally).
DeleteCrna Gora da vrati novac oštećenim putnicima za ne iskorišćenje letove!
ReplyDeleteHmm always wondered what happened to the poor people who had Montenegro Airlines tickets booked or vouchers issued.
DeleteNothing happened, they all lost money and no one reimbursed them.
Deletethe rules are the same for every debtor. They should claim it within the insolvency proceedings.
Delete@sloavio, u normalnoj zemlji da. Stečajni upravnik kaže da nije Motenegro Airlines AD u stečaju dao vaučere nego Montenegro Airlines AD(?!). Uzgred kaže, rok za predavanje potraživanja je bio mesec dana i da je on istekao(?!) btw, nikada i nigde nije bilo poziva za predavanje odštetnih zahteva.
DeleteMost often you will never get any kind of a "personal call" to submit your claims. By the insolvency act (at least here in Slovenia, but i would be almost sure you guys have the same regulation) you should claim all your debts in 30 days (or 1 month) since the call was made public through the responsable authority (in Slovenia the responsable body is AJPES - Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services). In case if you fail to do so, your claim lapses.
DeleteWhat other routes could Air Montenegro potentially launch?
ReplyDeleteZurich and Vienna are missing big time.
DeleteSofia, Bucharest, Cluj, Cishinau
ReplyDeleteThere used to charter flights from Sofia to Tivat and Rijeka in 2017 but guess where halted because of this stupid COVID:
Deletehttps://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/271537/bulgaria-air-schedules-new-charter-routes-from-sofia-in-s17/
How many daily flights will they have to Belgrade during the summer?
ReplyDeleteTheir BEG summer timetable is still not final.
DeleteWhat are the fares like?
ReplyDeleteCheck on their site. Tickets are on sale.
DeleteWhy are there more French connections in TGD compared to TIV? Is there a Montenegrin diaspora in France or French with properties in Crna Gora?
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of French tourists that visit Montenegro.
DeleteFor me Air Montenegro is still 'dead man walking'. Just a matter of time.
DeleteWe have heard this dead man song so many times on this forum for decades. Haters gonna hate as usual when a country is at least making some effort and not sucking taxes from the public similar to other traditional ex-Yu carriers......
DeleteHow isn't it sucking taxes? Who do you think bought them planes? Even in the text it says the government will buy them their third plane because they don't have sufficient finances. Whose money do you think that is?
DeleteThe money is coming from Europe most likely with a low interest rate. You cannot compare a 600k populated country with a 6,8 million or 3,8million ones if you know what I mean.
DeleteYeah sure... the EU is funding Air Montenegro out of the goodness of their hearts. What are you smoking?
DeleteLuxembourg? Nothing?
ReplyDeleteLuxair flies seasonally to Podgorica and Tivat.
DeleteActually that could be a good market, seasonaly. I was very much surprised when found out how big is montenegrin community in Luxembug, out of all EU countries. Even Trade Air used to fly charters Luxembug - Podgorica. And even with Luxair flights, I think there is space for Air Montenegro which could cater predominantly for diaspora, while Luxair could have more tourists
Delete