Pegasus Airlines plans to launch operations between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport and Zagreb pending government approval. The airline intends on commencing two weekly rotations between the two cities just before the New Year, if it is successful in securing a permit for the flights, which might prove difficult. Although the European Union has initiated talks on an aviation agreement with Turkey, which would remove nationality restrictions in the bilateral air services agreements between EU member states and the Eurasian country, no progress has been made on the deal for over a decade. Croatia and Turkey inked a bilateral air agreement in 1994, which entered into force ten years later, in 2004. It is restrictive in nature and favours the national carriers from the two countries.
Pegasus Airlines has been attempting to establish flights between Istanbul and Zagreb for several years. Turkish Airlines currently maintains two daily flights between Istanbul’s main international airport and the Croatian capital. Croatia Airlines discontinued services to Turkey’s largest city in early 2013 as part of its cost cutting and restructuring measures. During the 2012 summer season, the carrier maintained daily flights from Zagreb to Istanbul with its Dash 8 aircraft, as well as a one weekly service between Dubrovnik and Istanbul with the turboprop. The national airline had operated flights to Istanbul on an on and off basis for a number of years. Its last attempt lasted just a year and a half. On the other hand, Turkish Airlines has been serving the Croatian capital continuously for 25 years, launching operations on October 27, 1998.
Turkish Airlines’ monopoly on the route has resulted in the carrier handling a record 92.235 passengers between the two cities during the first half of the year. However, the majority of Turkish Airlines’ passengers on the Zagreb route are transfers with the rate of Turkish travellers being relatively low, by the carrier’s own admission. Pegasus Airlines offers connecting flights as well and often boasts competitive fares to the Middle East, however, it primarily caters for point-to-point traffic on its European operations. Pegasus Airlines is present in the former Yugoslavia, maintaining flights to Belgrade, Podgorica, Pristina, Sarajevo and Skopje. Services to the Montenegrin capital were launched earlier this year, after aviation stakeholders from both Montenegro and Turkey agreed to enable a third carrier to commence operations between the two countries.
It would be great to get Pegasus.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteMore choice, cheaper fares, more transfer options.
DeleteChoice and transfer options are the same thing. TK already offers that.
DeletePegasus is W6 of Turkey so cheap fares, on the other hand brakes TK monopoly on the route.
DeleteI hope the flights start but not looking promising.
ReplyDeleteWhy, to your both statements?
DeleteBecause they haven't been issued a permit for a number of years. Don't see why things would change now. The bilateral hasn't.
DeleteIt has been explained in the article why.
DeleteAt least they asked for slots, so they seem to be more confident than before but we will see.
DeleteWhat are the fares like ZAG-IST on TK? Is it costly?
ReplyDeleteLook it up!
DeleteWell I thought that somebody who flies this route often could give us a general overview rather than me checking the fare for every single day.
DeleteThe fares are totally cool and affordable. I have flown a bunch of times between Zagreb and Tbilisi via IST and the return ticket price has usually been around 150€.
DeleteThanks Michael
Delete@Michael
DeleteI believe this must be either far in the past or it was some super promotion. Regular prices ZAG-IST are 250+ euros
Hmm I didn't know it was so restrictive for flights between Croatia and Turkey.
ReplyDeleteTurkey has restrictive deals with many countries.
DeleteTK will never allow this.
ReplyDeleteWhy ???
DeleteThey don't want competition if they don't need to have it
DeletePegasus seems to be very restricted in the region by bilaterals.
ReplyDeleteZagreb Airport actually listed Pegasus on its website for this winter with flights starting 28.12. But they seemed to have removed it since. I hope Pegasus gets the permit,
ReplyDeleteNot a good sign
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteOn what? Blocking Pegasus for years?
DeleteCroatia blocked Pegasus and not Turkey?
DeleteReally now? LOL!
Yes, Turkey can't block its own airline.
DeleteWhat a genius anon 10.12! 🤣
DeleteAll of you shut up!!! Bravo Hrvatska is not something to be questioned. Or explained. It is like that and full stop. Dogma. Not subject to discussion and arguments. Only "Zivijo Kradeze" missing
DeleteDoes not help that Pegasus owners are not in good relations with Turkey's ruling party.
ReplyDeleteInteresting
Delete"Croatia Airlines discontinued services to Turkey’s largest city in early 2013 as part of its cost cutting and restructuring measures. During the 2012 summer season, the carrier maintained daily flights from Zagreb to Istanbul with its Dash 8 aircraft, as well as a one weekly service between Dubrovnik and Istanbul with the turboprop. "
ReplyDeleteHow far has this airline fallen is astounding. 10 years ago they had daily flights from Zagreb and seasonal flights from Dubrovnik and since then they handed it all over to Turkish.
True unfortunately. If you look back 15 years ago the company flew to even more places and was more competitive. Then they just gave up.
DeleteIt's still too early for Croatia Airlines to react.
DeleteInteresting where this high demand for SAW from the Balkans comes from. These flights are very successful, at this time the possibility of transfers from there is negligible compared to IST. Is this p2p and what is it?
ReplyDeleteYes it is P2P, mostly tourists.
DeleteTurkish or balkan tourists?
DeletePrimarily Turkish
DeleteThanks
Delete~ 50% for work, bussiness.
Delete~ 20% diaspora
Tourists, transfers
It took 10 years to ratify the bilateral?!?!
ReplyDeleteNothing surprising when it comes to Turkey. I think the revised Serbian one took 6 or 7 years to be ratified
DeleteWhy does it take so long though? Slow bureaucracy?
Delete^ Notoriously slow.
DeleteZAG, LJU and SOF in the region are TK territory, I think it's hard for them to break through there.
ReplyDeleteIt's especially hard when you can't get a permit. Positive it is the same case with LJU.
DeleteI'm kind of baffled how they managed to get a permit to fly to BEG considering it is also a very restrictive bilateral and they haven't allowed them to increase frequencies since they started operations.
DeleteIt was a long process
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2012/09/serbia-rejects-pegasus.html
9:34, you can include VAR to the list. TK has now become the 5th largest carrier there. Even though the distance is terribly short to IST, they are regularly sending A321s and fly twice a day on some days. No chance to see Pegasus in VAR anytime soon...
DeleteYou're right, I forgot. Varna has become a very strong destination for TK.
DeletePegasus once had the chance to fly at least daily to Belgrade but did not care about.
DeleteThey only have to blame themselves.
TIV & TGD are also TK territories. Pegasus was ready to pay 10€ to AirMontenegro for every passenger they transport just to fly to TIV or TGD.Flights to TIV are full non-stop... and the price is not too low. Plus, there is also a daily AirMontenegro flight to IST (also full).Many locals (seamen in particular) choose TK for transfer.
DeleteThat's crazy
DeleteAren't entry visas for Turkish citizens still an issue?
ReplyDeleteWell, it's not an issue it is just a deterrent.
DeleteDoes TAV manage SAW airport?
ReplyDeleteWhat is SAW like? Anyone been there or transferred?
DeleteI transferred and it was quite ok, apart from having too long queue on passport control.
DeleteToo busy and too crowded, like Ataturk/Yesilkoy during its last years. Otherwise, modern and quite ok for transfers. Also good links to the city center.
DeleteThanks for letting me know. And in terms of distance to/from city cebtre it seems simmilar to IST?
DeleteYou are welcome. And correct, it's approximately the same distance to IST or to SAW from the center
DeleteThe traffic is so bad in Istanbul, it is a pain to get to the city from either airport.
DeleteWould love to see their plane in ZAG.
ReplyDeletePegasus also attempted to fly to Tivat several years ago but Montenegrin government blocked them.
ReplyDeleteNow thet can after government gave approval.
Delete*they
DeleteFinally!
ReplyDeleteExcellent news
ReplyDeleteCan't believe they haven't been issued a permit! Who is the Croatian CAD protecting? The interests of Turkish Airlines??
ReplyDeleteAnd if I only remember what people were saying here about Serbian CAD...
Delete^ don't worry, the line of argument by the fans is that it's not Croatia blocking, it is Turkey while Croatia has been working hard to accommodate Prgausus' every need... lol
Delete😂😂😂
DeleteLet me try to give you a different perspective kids: Croatian civil aviation authority doesn't care who flies from Turkey side, because Croatia airlines does not fly on the route and has no intention currently. Therefore it is able to freely approve any application. At the Turkish side, both Turkish Airlines and civil aviation authority are run by the Turkish government, while Pegasus is a privately owned airline. Do the math.
DeleteLet me try to give you a different perspective dad. Croatia Airlines has a codrshare with TK and benefits from every ticket sold by TK. On top of that it is expected that OU may introduce IST flights next year.
DeleteCroatia Airlines benefits from every ticket sold by TK? OU (re) introducing IST? Hahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha, what are you taking, I want some....
DeleteWell yes, if coupon on TK flight is sold by Croatia Airlines they get money from it. Same as if TK sells domestic codeahare sector on OU, OU gets part of the funds
DeleteYeah, OU benefits from everything it does, clearly visible in their financial performance, worldwide spread network of destinations, size of the fleet, overall performance and brand recognition...
DeleteFingers crossed
ReplyDeleteKnowing them they will put tickets on sale a week before flights start
ReplyDeleteI hope the TK monopoly will end. No benefit to pax at all.
ReplyDeleteWe want Pegasus in Zagreb!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteMaybe they go to LJU if they can't get rights to ZAG.
ReplyDeleteIt is probably the same situation with Ljubljana
DeleteWhy would the Slovenian government be protecting TK? If it really is that they have the same problem in LJU then it is likely the blocking is coming from the Turkish side.
DeleteSo much red tape for Turkey flights.
ReplyDeleteAlways the case unfortunately
DeleteSo what are the chances that they will start flights?
ReplyDeleteIs Turkey becoming more popular in Croatia? People going for city break to IST?
ReplyDeletePegasus is the best low-cost I've ever flown on. Plus, sabhia is a more convenient airport for me. Looking forward to cheap fares to Istanbul
ReplyDeleteGreat news. Hope TK will finally suffer from some serious competition from ZAG to the rest of Turkey and Middle-East. Pegasus is a good company
ReplyDeleteTK has a great product. Pegasus will fly to SAW also. It's the other side of Istanbul and not convenient for most of the passangers. i dont think that TK will suffer from this competition.
DeleteI don't think Pegasus will take (at least not significantly) any TK passengers. They are very good company. Cheap fares and different side of Istanbul will attract new passengers and new category of passengers.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteCroatia Airlines should resume daily flight to Istanbul, at around midday with Dash and complement TK ops.
ReplyDeleteIt does not have enough aircraft for an Dash to do such a rotation.
DeleteThey should seriously consider Split in the summer.
ReplyDeleteTK has been considering it too.
Delete