Ryanair leads winter growth in EX-YU markets despite Montenegro cuts


Ryanair will be one of the fastest growing carriers across the former Yugoslav markets this coming winter season, despite only serving four of them. The budget airline has 922.962 seats for sale, representing an increase of 37.7% on the previous winter, or an additional 252.880 seats. Overall, it will be the third largest carrier in the former Yugoslavia this winter season.

The majority of that capacity and growth will come from the Croatian market where the airline will increase its operations by 32.5%. Contributing to the growth are the launch of new routes from Zagreb during the summer, some of which will be maintained this winter, as well as an increase in frequencies across its network from the capital. In addition, Ryanair will maintain operations out of Dubrovnik this winter for the first time, with flights to Charleroi, London Stansted and Vienna. During the 2024/25 winter seasons, Ryanair has 632.544 seats on the Croatian market

Ryanair will also grow in Bosnia and Herzegovina this winter where the airline will maintain operations from Sarajevo for the first time while strengthening its presence in Banja Luka with additional frequencies. In total, the carrier will have 222.314 seats on the market during the winter. Banja Luka Airport accounts for over half of that capacity, an increase of 80.5% on the previous winter. In Serbia, capacity will remain flat, with 39.718 seats across its Niš flights, up 0.5%

On the other hand, the budget carrier will significantly reduce its presence in Podgorica. Ryanair will turn three year-round routes from the Montenegrin capital into summer seasonal. As a result, it will operate just one route from Podgorica this winter. With 28.386 seats, its overall capacity will decline 65%.

Ryanair, which was the largest carrier in the former Yugoslavia for most of the summer, will revise down its passenger traffic estimates for next year because of expected aircraft delivery delays from Boeing. The move comes as an ongoing strike at Boeing has raised concerns about worsening delays at the planemaker, which has already faced challenges with deliveries for much of this year amid a broader crisis around its safety reputation. "We were supposed to get twenty deliveries before the end of December. They'll probably come now in January and February, and that's fine. We'll have them in time for next summer. The big issue for Ryanair is we're due thirty aircraft in March, April, May and June of next year, and how many of those will we get? I think we're clearly going to walk back our traffic growth for next year, because I don't think we're going to get all those thirty aircraft", Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O'Leary, said.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    That's a big cut in Podgorica. I wonder if Podgorica's passenger numbers will be negative this winter.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      That's the gamble with Ryanair. One day you have 8 routes, the other you have 1.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:24

      We have already had such examples in the region like with Wizz Air packing up and leaving Sarajevo and Tuzla.

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    3. Anonymous09:26

      Not good

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    4. Anonymous09:26

      It will definitely impact winter passenger performance at TGD.

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    5. Anonymous09:27

      It's not going to be a good winter for TGD unfortunately

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    6. Anonymous09:29

      Actually most of the winter will be more than fine as other airlines have added a lot of flights. Growth should be around 4%.

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    7. Anonymous09:31

      Negative passenger numbers? You think they'll have fewer than zero passengers??

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    8. Anonymous09:32

      He obviously meant decline in figures.

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    9. Anonymous10:50

      Ryanair: the curse and blessing in one.

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    10. Anonymous13:04

      All competition is a curse and a blessing. It is a curse only for failing airlines like Croatia Airlines who do not know how to respond to it because they have become addicted to protectionist positions they enjoyed for decades.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous01:46

      +1 amen

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:03

    Can't believe they have such huge operations in Zadar over the summer and nothing in winter.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      Yes quite odd. They have over 50 routes from Zadar in summer.

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    2. Anonymous09:27

      It's very ...odd that a beach destination is not in demand during the winter but only during the summer.
      Very strange indeed! 😂

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    3. Anonymous09:33

      It is currently 19 degrees and raining in Zadar. And it's mid-October. Why would anyone come to Zadar in the winter when it's rainer, windier and even colder?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:37

      Last winter they announced Vienna-Zadar for the winter but in the end cancelled those plans.

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    5. Anonymous09:54

      Whole of Dalmatia hibernates from 1.11. to 1.4.

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    6. Anonymous10:02

      Zadar is only interested in tourism for three months a year, mid June to mid September, the locals are on a winter break for the other 9 months,

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    7. Anonymous10:32

      they need to make winter program like Dubrovnik. On the other hand they don`t have lot of hotels so no reason for that

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    8. Anonymous11:13

      09:03 Come to Zadar in winter and you'll become a believer. Read what 09:33 has said.

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    9. Anonymous11:50

      you just need to build big hotels and in time there will be tourist. You can have 12 months tourism with private accomdation

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    10. Anonymous13:05

      No one wants 12 months of tourism. The locals work for six months a year and are delighted to take a break for the remainder of the year in the winter. What is it with this capitalist obsession to make as much money as possible all the time?

      Delete
    11. Anonymous14:12

      it just way of doing business during whole year. Seasonality is killing normal economy

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    12. Anonymous14:23

      How exactly??

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    13. Anonymous22:44

      Most ppl who come by Ryanair to ZAD stay for a few days. There is more than enough for them to do in off season. Thnxs to Ryanair the season start much earlier and lasts much longer. I guess they are not paid enough to extend a few flights thru the four winter months.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous01:48

      Yes, DBV management said it was very difficult to get them to operate over winter.

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    15. Anonymous09:57

      It's one thing coming for a few days in April and it is a completely different thing to do so in January.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:05

    Where is all the growth in Banja Luka coming from?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:16

      NW part of BiH (Krajina) always had significant diaspora, recently just increased with new generation, plus students in EU and finally returning (retirement) or just visiting generation of war refugees. Bihać airport (now under construction) would probably take some of the traffic from Banja Luka, but it will not happen so soon.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:17

      The Bihać airport is the greatest nonsense on earth. Bosnia needs better roads and connections. Even Banja Luka is not Paris, Frankfurt or London. The existing airports are more than enough. With a proper road network, the country would win much more quality.

      Trebinje is a small city, which also aspires to get am airport. Come on people, Bosnia is not Germany and Krajina is not Nordrhein-Westfalen.

      The existing airports should be expanded and modernized, in accordance with their needed capacities. Most Bosnians want cheap fares to European cities, and economy of scales can’t be achieved in a ca. 3 million citizen country if you have hundreds of airports.

      Bosnian (but also other countries are not better) megalomania astounds me every single time.

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    3. Anonymous10:49

      Don`t see any megalomania in the Balkans generally. I guess we are flattering to ourselves speaking of megalomania, and in fact we have tiny and modest public objects and underdeveloped infrastructure.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:07

    They did amazing in Sarajevo, cant see what other routes they are launching in SJJ next year!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      Cant wait to see*

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    2. Anonymous09:09

      What routes could we expect? Besides Stockholm which they have announced

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    3. Anonymous09:33

      Barcelona or Girona are possible

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    4. Anonymous09:40

      After SKG success they could try ATH too. Spain would be amazing also!

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    5. Anonymous09:53

      Barcelona/Girona for sure!

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    6. Anonymous13:59

      🇧🇦 for the win!

      Delete
    7. Anonymous01:49

      Would be interesting to see what their busiest routes from Sarajevo are.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:24

    Bravo Hrvatska!

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  6. Anonymous09:26

    In Dubrovnik, will they have 1 plane based for those three in winter or are they operated by aircraft from other bases?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:29

      Yes indeed.

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    2. Anonymous09:33

      No plane based. All three rotations are operated by aircraft from those bases.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:31

    I expected more to be honest

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  8. Anonymous09:31

    Happy to see Banja Luka growing

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      BNX has the potential from its catchment area to grow a lot.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:35

      Not with them having a base in Zagreb

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    3. Anonymous11:06

      Ryanair has proven it can operate flights from various airports in close proximity.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:34

    Slovenia nowhere on their radar.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      Simply too close to other airports

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    2. Anonymous09:38

      That is just an excuse.

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    3. Anonymous09:42

      It is also a geographical reality.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:49

      Aha interesting how in just past few years they opened ZAG, RJK and KLU but not LJU. So what was the problem for "the best management in region" for not bringing Ryanair before these airports did? Interesting "reality", more like incompetence.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:47

      Ryanair said multiple times that the problem with LJU are high fees. They negotiated with both management and the Slovenian government, so obviously they didn't see geography as a problem.

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    6. Anonymous11:07

      They've got exactly what they asked for from Slovenian government, that is 50% of support with ground handling and pax fees, but obviously that is not enough. LJU is still not competitive and Frankfurt-FR dispute is not helping as well.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous13:07

      What Fraport-FR dispute?? Ryanair is thriving in all Fraport-managed airports except in Frankfurt, but that has more to do with Germany than Frankfurt.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous14:38

      Anonymous13:07 if you followed the news FR down its flights from all Germany for more than 60% next year

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    9. Anonymous17:18

      Yes, and? Do you think all German airports are managed by Fraport?

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:37

    Bravo Fraport!

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  11. Anonymous09:46

    Ryanair slowly becoming Croatia's flag carrier.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:47

    Now that they will also have winter flights from the coast, the next step will be introducing Croatian domestic flights..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:51

      At least seasonal SPU-DBV on B737 or A320 could work for them without a problem.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:46

      They said they were not interested in Croatian domestic flights.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:08

      I think they do not want to irritate Croatia Airlines too much. That would be too direct of an attack. They could easily do double-daily flights from Zagreb to Dubrovnik all year. They'd get incentives in both Zagreb and Dubrovnik for that. And the rotation is so short that it is perfect for Ryanair.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous10:07

    Very good news for the local economy and tourism sector.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:09

      And diaspora!

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    2. Anonymous14:39

      Totally agree, hopefully we will see FR in Belgrade any time soon

      Delete
  14. Anonymous10:09

    Does not look like there will be a whole lot of growth next summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:46

      They will have a lot of spare capacity from German market.

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    2. Anonymous13:09

      Ryanair is pulling maybe 5-6 aircraft from Germany. That is literally nothing for them. They are getting 30 extra aircraft just from the new deliveries.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous10:45

    Great to see strong growth from both Wizz and Ryanair in Bosnia

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  16. Anonymous10:47

    At least they are not cutting INI unlike Wizz.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:06

      But they are not growing either.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous11:31

    Why they don't consider any routes from SKP, is it that hard to compete with Wizz?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:44

      They wanted to come to Skopje a few years ago but were chased out with Wizz Air opening identical routes that they planned to launch.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:45

      Such a shame things didn't work out with Skopje. Not only would passenger numbers explode but there would a mix and choice between Wizz and Ryan and I assume Wizz would also try more.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:51

      At least they would not have cut so many flights this year.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:55

      Skopje is not for TWO low cost airlines!! If Ryanair opens services in Skopje, Wizz Air could reduce flights and move out from Skopje to Pristina. So I don't think Ryanair is for Skopje.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:48

      RYR flying from SKP would definitely reduce W6's growth, but to suggest they could just easily remove them from the market by offering similar product for similar prices is silly

      Delete
  18. Anonymous11:44

    How many routes in total does Ryanair have from ex-Yu in winter?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:31

      0 Ljubljana
      0 Pula
      0 Rijeka
      20 Zagreb
      0 Zadar
      0 Split,
      0 Osijek
      3 Dubrovnik
      5 Sarajevo
      0 Mostar
      5 Banja Luka
      0 Tuzla
      1 Podgorica
      0 Tivat
      0 Belgrade
      2 Nis
      0 Pristina
      0 Skopje
      0 Ohrid

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:15

      0 Mali Losinj
      0 Brac
      0 Kraljevo
      0 Portoroz
      0 Maribor

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:18

      I was not including airports which cannot take a 737 or which have 0 scheduled flights from any commercial airline at all.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous02:03

      So 36 in total. Thank you

      Delete
  19. 0949..nothing was opened af RJK. just same 3 summer routes. and 2025 STN-RJK seems even shorter season of flights. That airport is a disaster..Demand from.uk for Opatija Riviera and Kvarner islands. they won't fly to zag or PUY then long transfer.. they see that there us airport at RJK. pity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:10

      What demand from the UK to Opatija? easyJet has cancelled Gatwick-Rijeka flights completely yet again.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous15:28

    If only they apply for some routes from/to BEG..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:33

      Apply to what?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:42

      Only if Wizz would apply for some routes to/from ZAG...

      Delete
  21. Anonymous20:11

    Why there is no Ryan in BEG?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:32

      Because

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:05

      The more you ask, the less likely it is.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous01:59

      Because BEG has single incentive policy for all airlines. They don't make special incentive policy for one single airline. Ryanair has gone on record to say BEG is too expensive for them

      Delete
  22. Anonymous23:43

    why not let to start with flights to Slovenia under their conditions but to MBX?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous01:57

      Because they want a lot of money for it. They flew to Maribor once upon a time. When they wanted more money from local tourism associations and got rejected they cancelled flights. In hindsight, might have been shortsighted not to give them money.

      Delete

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