Saudi Arabian low cost carrier Flynas is planning to expand its operations in the former Yugoslavia with Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia all being markets of interest for the budget airline. Flynas is already in advanced talks with operator Airports of Montenegro over the introduction of flights from Riyadh to both Podgorica and Tivat. Initial contact between the two was made back in 2019. “Following two months of through negotiations, we will welcome the renowned Saudi Arabian airline Flynas and, thus, open up Montenegro to a market of around 35 million people”, the member of the Board of Directors of Airports of Montenegro, Eldin Dobardžić, said. The low cost carrier is expected to operate a promotional flight to Montenegro next month, after which scheduled services are expected to begin during the coming summer season.
Flynas commenced operations to the region in 2019 by introducing services from Riyadh and Jeddah to Sarajevo. Last year, the low cost airline maintained a series of charter flights between Riyadh and Belgrade to cater for Indian workers undergoing quarantine in Serbia prior to entering the Kingdom. Two weeks ago, Serbia’s Foreign Minister held talks with Saudi Arabia’s non-residential Ambassador to the country, where the two discussed the potential introduction of flights between the two states, as well as the possibility of relaxing visa requirements. Last week, the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, met with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, where the two expressed their readiness to boost cooperation in tourism and organise a Croatian - Saudi business forum. Saudi carriers have expressed interest in serving the Croatian coast.
Flynas has announced a handful of new European destinations this coming summer, including Moscow, Prague, Mykonos and Santorini. In addition to Montenegro, more new routes are expected to be announced in the coming months. Established in 2007, Flynas is Saudi Arabia’s first low cost carrier. It currently connects more than seventy domestic and international destinations, through its fleet of forty Airbus A320 and A320neo aircraft. It has orders for a further 67 A320neos. The airline maintains over 1.200 weekly flights and has carried more than 55 million passengers since its launch. Other than Sarajevo, the carrier also serves Tirana in the region.
Why don't they consider Ljubljana? I think there is potential for them on the route.
ReplyDeleteFraport must feed LH cartel, don't expect a direct route.
DeleteYou expect flights from Riyadh to Ljubljana when it took over 10 years to negotiate Flydubai's flight from Dubai... Reality check please.
DeleteOf course it took 10 years when people who have no idea how to run airport negotiate with airlines.
DeleteShame. I actually think tourists from the Gulf would enjoy what Slovenia has to offer. Both in summer and winter.
DeleteAnd same goes for us slovenians, we could easly ttave to the gulf. And if flydubai is raising frequencies, I don't know why there wouldn't be potencial.
DeleteIt's interesting how Montenegro is managing to attract these exotic airlines. Air Astana last year, Flynas this year.
ReplyDeleteWell they have the coast and their entry requirements last year were nonexistent so it makes sense.
DeleteIs Air Astana returning this summer?
DeleteUntil recently they had Belgrade listed as one of their destinations on their website.
ReplyDeletePristina too.
DeleteHave there ever been scheduled flights between Serbia and Saudi Arabia?
DeleteNo. They only established diplomatic relations 10 years ago.
DeleteWow bravo!This is a very good airline!They also plans to launch flights to Varna in Bulgaria !
ReplyDeleteWell, it makes some sense. Varna is packed with Israeli tourists in summer and also visited by Kuwaiti and some other arabs.
DeleteBelgrade could develop it for me like Kiev, Lviv and Tbilisi.
ReplyDeleteTirana and Sarajevo too :)
DeleteThe reason why they developed so much in Ukraine and Georgia is because neither country requires a visa for Saudi Arabian citizens, which is a rarity around the world.
DeleteIs there any country in the world having more relaxed entry regulations then Serbia? Russians, Chinese, Iranians all are (or were at one point) able to enter the country without even a visa.
DeleteWell Serbia requires a visa for people from Saudi Arabia and they can only get it at the embassy in Riyadh.
DeleteSerbia isn't unique with having a more relaxed visa regime. Serbia, however, should revise a couple of these visa free agreements to be honest.
DeleteRegarding Saudi Arabia, last month there were talks between Serbia and Saudi Arabia, one of which included a visa free regime.
Does anyone know how many frequencies they have to Tirana?
ReplyDeleteDuring peak summer they will have 5 weekly flights.
Deletewow that's very good
DeleteDo they fly seasonally or year round?
DeleteYear round. But at the moment they just have one weekly flight.
DeleteWell done. How come all of the sudden they started TIA.
DeleteThe interest in Tirana arose because Albania together with Mexico had no entry restrictions during Covid. Plus it seems to have worked for them. With a nice seaside and being very inexpensive, it became popular with their tourists.
DeleteAnd they will introduce flights from Jeddah to Tirana for this coming summer as well.
DeleteAlbania won’t remain very inexpensive for long. This year there is surge in Uk tourists coming to Albania. The country also has a diverse range of tourists so I doubt specific Saudi or gulf tourism like in Bosnia will develop to that extent.
DeleteDubrovnik would fit their network perfectly.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThe airport could be too expensive for them as an LCC.
DeleteI think if they are starting Tivat, then Dubrovnik is unlikely. Although it would fit in with their new routes like Santorini and Mykonos.
DeleteWhy would Dubrovnik be unlikely just because they fly to Tivat? The two cities are in two different countries.
Delete@09,22
DeleteFZ was/is flying to both TIV and DBV.
It still does, in summer :)
DeleteFlydubai only flies to Tivat because of Porto Montenegro, which is owned, operated and built by the Investment Corporation of Dubai. That's why it operates just a few weeks per year.
DeleteEventually more ex-Yu cities will get flights to Saudi as Saudi Arabia opens up for tourism. For now all these routes in Europe they are opening up are purely for Saudis to travel.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly Montenegrins don't need a visa to visit Saudi Arabia since they started their drive to open up the the world. But Serbs, Macedonians and Bosnians do.
DeleteWhat about Croatian passport holders?
DeleteThey can enter Saudi visa free too.
DeleteAll EU countries plus Norway, UK, Switzerland, Montenegro and Ukraine can enter Saudi Arabia visa free.
DeleteNice although wondering how Montenegro got on that visa free list :D
DeleteDo Saudis need visas to enter Montenegro?
DeleteYes
DeleteThey need visas for all European countries except Belarus and Georgia.
DeleteThey also get visa on arrival in Ukraine which led to a huge number of Saudis holidaying there last year.
DeleteGeorgia is crowded with tourists from this region.
ReplyDeleteBecause they abolished visas for everyone. Plus it really is beautiful and they have invested a lot in tourism and creating a tourism product. I went there last year and was really amazed how far they have come. Lot's of ex-Yu countries could learn a thing or two from them.
DeleteBosnia attracts a lot of these tourists too, and Flynas flies from Jeddah and Riyadh to Sarajevo, and is increasing frequencies this year.
DeleteHope they launch Dammam - Sarajevo too.
DeleteSarajevo can work from several cities in Saudi.
DeleteJazeera,flynas and Salam Air -perfect for Belgrade!
ReplyDeleteAgree. But tourism board needs to do something to attract tourists from that region like other surrounding countries have done.
DeleteNice. Wonder what the frequencies for TIV and TGD will be.
ReplyDelete2-3 probably.
DeleteNice that Airports of Montenegro included both in the talks, and not just TGD as they have usually done.
DeleteIn 2019 when Montenegro started talks with Flynas they also started negotiation with Saudia, Kuwait Airways and Flydubai. Hope we see some of those come too.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice!
DeleteSJJ got all those airlines :D
DeleteThey don't have Saudi Arabia Airlines. But they do have Gulf Air, Air Arabia and Salam Air :)
DeleteNo Gulf Air to Sarajevo this summer unfortunately
DeleteAgree with other comments that we are likely to see more and more flights from Saudi Arabia to the region. It is a massive market that is slowly opening up and their citizens want to travel.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a market to watch
DeleteIs it true that Flynas is owned by the same company as FlyBosnia?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so
DeleteThey seem to be targeting coastal holiday cities with their European expansion.
ReplyDeleteAnyone ever flown with them?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I did fly once.
DeleteGreat news!
ReplyDeleteMashala Flynas.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see them in BEG again.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBut this time scheduled not charter flights.
DeleteWell done CG!
ReplyDeleteWould there really be demand between Saudi Arabia and Montenegro?
ReplyDeleteTourists.
DeleteWhat about Macedonia? Why not consider Ohrid?
ReplyDeleteMissed opportunity.
DeleteI think Ohrid is more of a Christian destination and not quite popular for Arabs.
DeleteI highly doubt that MN would ever attract many Saudis like Bosnia does. Firstly, we know how to deal with arab tourists, there are agencies in arabic language all over the Bosnia. And btw, arabs dont visit the sea, but.greenery of Bosnia
ReplyDeleteMontenegro has plenty of greenery. Head north.
DeleteI would not agree with you that Saudis don't like the sea. If that was the case, they would not be launching Santorini and Mykonos.
DeleteYeah Mykonos and Santorini are already big hits and you can tell as the prices are among the highest on their website
DeleteWhy don't ex-Yu airlines consider flying to more Gulf states?
ReplyDeleteAnd loose more moeny?
DeleteIn the end, PRN will be the only major ex-Yu airport without Gulf flights.
ReplyDeleteThey should have used the opportunity to attract Gulf airlines now that they are not flying to Skopje.
DeleteThere is simply no demand. There was barely any to Skopje either.
DeleteI'd rather have a third daily TK flight than a 2-4 weekly direct flight to the Gulf.
DeleteBut it goes without saying I would be more than happy to welcome them to PRN.
In my opinion the third daily TK flight would be a game changer as almost the entire global TK network would have very decent connections (no longer having 8-9 hours or more connections at IST) in both directions. As a matter of fact, the 3rd daily flight will be in place during the summer season but to SAW, not IST. Also, a shame that Pegasus does not fly to IST because using interline agreements the PRN connectivity would skyrocket.
Great. The more the marrier.
ReplyDeleteI assume the new flights to Montenegro will be seasonal?
ReplyDeleteHighly likely.
DeleteVinci should really take the initiative and invite all these Gulf carriers to Belgrade.
ReplyDeleteSaudia
Flyadeal
Flynas
Jazeera Airways
Kuwait Airways
Air Arabia
Flydubai
Gulf Air
Oman Air
Salam Air
Flydubai already flies to Belgrade...
Deletethey are trying to attract more mid-east airlines
DeleteIts the only way to attract more growth .
DeleteQuite a high ranking delegation from Flynas visited Montenegro last week so I think these flights are a done deal.
ReplyDeleteDoes this airline offer tramsfer options?
ReplyDeleteThey do, although Jazeera from Kuwait has even better connections .
DeleteEspecially to South Asia .
Tried once a transfer with them (JZ) to Colombo and was not disappointed .
Kuwait and Serbia dont have a visa regime, Belgrade would be thus a nice addition .
I never tried Flynas .
If they want to attract Flynas they have to abolish visas as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteIts already february and latest in march their flights for summer are fixed.