Low cost carrier Transavia will commence operations between Amsterdam and Skopje next March. It will mark the first time Schiphol Airport and the Macedonian capital have been linked with a scheduled air service since September 2008. The Air France - KLM subsidiary will commence operations to Skopje on March 2, 2025, and maintain services twice per week. Further details can be found here. Ticket are now available for purchase on the airline's website. In January, both Transavia and Transavia Holidays will offer competitive promotional rates for the new route. The budget carrier faces no direct competition between the two cites, although Wizz Air serves Eindhoven, located some 125 kilometres south of Amsterdam, four times per week.
Transavia has had a long-running presence on the Macedonian market, operating charters to Ohrid since the 1970s. It has also flown to Skopje on a charter basis on several occasions. Skopje was last linked to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on a scheduled basis by MAT Macedonian Airlines in September 2008 with a weekly service, prior to the company’s collapse later that year. At the time, services were maintained with an 81-seat CRJ900 aircraft. Previously it flew to the city with its Boeing 737-300 jet. Based on indirect traffic flow, Amsterdam and Brussels are the busiest unserved European destinations out of Skopje, and the second and third busiest overall. Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa currently transfer the bulk of passengers between the two cities, followed by Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia.
Both the Dutch and French units of Transavia plan to increase their operations to the former Yugoslavia next summer by a combined total of 12%, while seat capacity will grow close to 17%. Apart from its new Skopje route, the airline has so far announced a new service between Paris Orly and Belgrade starting next April. It will also grow frequencies to Montenegro with services from Paris Orly to Podgorica doubling from two to four per week during the peak summer travel period, while operations from the French airport to Tivat will increase from thee to four weekly. Furthermore, the airline will boost its Orly - Split service from six weekly to daily.
Finally!
ReplyDeleteGreat news
ReplyDeleteSeems the subsidies are working
ReplyDeleteCertainly better than the one in Slovenia
DeleteIt doesn't say anywhere that the route is subsidized. New tender was just published some days ago.
DeleteIt is for sure. They can always apply for the subsidies after starting ticket sales. You think TAV does not tell them about subsidies when they negotiate these new routes?
DeleteIt's not a subsidized route...
DeleteHope the schedule is good
ReplyDeleteIt's linked in the article
DeleteDiversification always helps, lets see if there will be other routes announced by the end of the year
ReplyDeleteI think we will get ORY by easyJet.
DeleteGreat news! Finally, a direct connection between Amsterdam and Skopje. This will make traveling so much easier for both business and leisure passengers
ReplyDeleteMight steal some passengers away from Wizz Air’s Eindhoven route. Let’s see how this plays out.
ReplyDeleteIt’s about time Amsterdam and Skopje are directly connected again. The last link ended way too long ago. Kudos to Transavia for stepping in
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBad news for TK and OU.
ReplyDeleteWhy TK when it is not even in the top 4 for transfers between Skopje and Amsterdam?
DeleteThey can always compete with competative pricing.
Deleteonly for those two? lol
DeleteHoping those promotional fares in January are truly competitive
ReplyDeleteTwice a week might not be enough for the demand. Could see them increasing frequencies if the route performs well.
ReplyDeleteDoes Transavia offer connections onto KLM?
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteThat's great! Thank you
DeleteWonder if they’ll eventually expand to Ohrid with scheduled flights, given their charter history there
ReplyDeleteNo chance with SKP flights starting.
DeleteThis is great news, but I hope the route lasts longer than the previous attempts.
ReplyDeleteAnd we were just discussing yesterday how it would be nice for them to start flights 😀
ReplyDelete😍😍😍
ReplyDeleteWould have been nice to see KLM but no complaints with Transavia either.
ReplyDeleteThis still opens up KLM connections via AMS.
DeleteOnly if KL puts a codeshare on these flights (I don't see why they shouldn't, though).
DeleteInteresting. I thought connections were automatically available since they are owned by the same company. Like Flyduabai transfers onto Emirates flights.
DeleteKlm and transavia have a code share for flights , so you can transfer automaticly at the airport
DeleteSo Sarajevo now officially only ex-Yu capital without flights to AMS.
ReplyDeleteCrazy considering the size of the diaspora.
DeleteUsed to have it once upon a time.
DeleteIt's interesting that Transavia chose Skopje over. Subsidies available at both.
DeleteNow compare Sarajevo and Skopje and see which one has more passengers and is a better opportunity.
DeleteTGD has flights to AMS?
DeleteGood luck!
ReplyDeleteWill it be seasonal or year round?
ReplyDeleteObviously year round. It starts 2 March, so outside of summer season.
DeleteGood
DeleteExcellent to get flights to a major hub.
ReplyDeleteAnd an alternative to Lufthansa hubs.
DeleteOr Star Alliance hubs better said.
DeleteAnd Skyteam option to Star Alliance dominated SKP
DeleteNow, if only QR would start flights, there would be a One World option as well :)
Since BRU is in the top 2, any chance of getting flights from there too?
ReplyDeleteWell there is always Wizz to Charleroi.
Deleteyeah, that is like the Hahn option to Frankfurt and Beauvais to Paris
DeleteThis route will be a hit
ReplyDeleteI have never flown with Transavia. What is their service like? Typical LCC?
ReplyDeletePretty much like any other standard LCC. Flew them on SPU-ORY in October, overall a decent experience considering I paid something like €110 for a last-minute one-way ticket.
DeleteAre they Ryanair/Wizz like LCC or rather Easyjet/Eurowings like?
DeleteBetter to all of them.
DeleteTransavia (original one, Dutch part) is not standard LCC. They are not P2P only, you can connect to vast KL network. They allow (or at least they used to few years ago) 10 kg free cabin bag of normal size. And unlike most other LCC their cabin crew are experienced, motivated and highly professional. Basically only LCC part they have is paying extra for food, checked luggage and better seats, which is what legacies are doing more and more today, especially in Europe. So, no, they are not pretty much standard LCC, they are way above it
DeleteSo that's a fifth new route to SKP next year.
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteAMS, LYS, BCN, STR and DXB
DeleteNot bad at all.
DeleteTake the Wizz routes with reserve. They ate known for scheduling and then cancelling flights.
DeleteWhen will Flydubai start selling tickets to SKP?
DeleteWe were expecting this for a while. Great news
ReplyDeleteIt was about the time for SKP to connect with AMS direct.
ReplyDeleteI have mentioned the need for this line several times and believed that easy will do it, but Transavia is perhaps even better choice.
Great news , and without subsidies as well as Orly is coming , Skopje showing its potential !!! Bravo
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get it's without subsidies?
DeleteWhere is the subsidies for this route ?
DeleteThe tender is not finish yet , this route is not subsided , it is also same with Orly , so this is great news for Macedonia , getting main huns witnout paying money
DeleteGovernment has ongoing subsidy program.
Delete@10.23 You need to read the new more carefully. There is no end date to the tender. It goes for the next 3 years. Any airline that meets conditions can apply. So you can be sure that any new route that meets criteria in next three years is subsidized.
DeleteThats the tender for routes yes but this route and Orly are not Subsided!! Understand that
DeleteWhen the subsided routes are chosen from the government they will show them in public , this route its not subsided!
DeleteYes, I will take your word for it. There are no Orly flights btw. Easyjet applied for slots. It has not scheduled the flights.
Delete@9.26 yes the government will announce it shortly.
DeleteOk lets see that u are wrong
DeleteUnderstand that this is not subsided route as well as Orly
Easyjet will schedule flights soon!
DeleteSkopje for just over a month get 4 subsided routes and 2 main hubs without subsidies , and expecting couple more with the new tender , great job , positive news 👏👏
ReplyDeleteYou are again spreading misinformation. Subsidize are open and ongoing for next 3 years. Just like Lufthansa retroactively applied for subsidies after scheduling flights, so has/will Transavia. Anyway very soon you will hear the Minister say this route is a result of subsidies.
DeleteOk I am telling u that this route will not be in that group ;) not about scheduling flights , understand that the airlines still sending applications and when they will recieve and choose which ones they will share them!
DeleteLufthansa also sent their application after they put tickets on sale. But good thing you know they haven't sent in their application ;)
DeleteI don't remember seeing anywhere that LH is receiving state subsidies for FRA. Double check your information.
DeleteHere I will refresh your memory
Deletehttps://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/north-macedonia-lufthansa-wizz-air-secure-subsidies
https://mia.mk/en/story/government-to-provide-subsidies-for-lufthansa-and-wizz-air-flights
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2023/04/wizz-and-lufthansa-apply-for-macedonian.html
@11:37 you should read this website more often then :)
DeleteWhen are u all gonna realise that the subsidies are not making the routes that airlines launch profitable? That 9 euros per pax are not going to make an airline come in the market if there isnt demand for it!!!!!! Those 9 euros are going to help yeilds cause Transavia will surely make more money with that plane if they put two flights per week between AMS and MAD rather then AMS and SKP. So those 9 euros are helping to make the route more profitable. If they put their prices up 150 euros one way like Aegean then nobody will fly with them and the route will soon be closed. Balkan markets are price sensitive and i dont understand all this hate when it comes to subsidies for Skopje and Ohrid. Subsidies in Slovenia, Bosnia, Zagreb and Belgrade are fine but when it comes to SKP then its all hate and negative.
DeleteTry to breathe and calm down.
Delete@ 11:47 It is truth that LH applied, but they never got the subsidies because they withdraw the application. SKP-FRA is purely on commercial base.
Delete@14.13 correct and that was never reported here
Delete"- Врз основа на договорите Луфтханза се согласи да лета од Скопскиот аеродром без надомест, а за субвенциите за Виз Ер се очекуваат првите фактури за да се утврди колкава ќе биде исплатата. Според Договорот, државата има обврска да исплаќа субвенции од седум евра по патник во заминување - информираат од Министерството за транспорт."
Tickets are now sale
ReplyDeleteFares are dirt cheap
DeleteMakes sense since they just went on sale.
DeleteWould love to see more legacies but getting any flights to AMS is progress.
ReplyDeleteThis is good too , at least its europe main hub.
DeleteI remember MAT’s flights to Amsterdam back in the day. :) Good luck HV.
ReplyDeleteAbout time Skopje got better connectivity to major European hubs.
ReplyDeleteI said just hard work and all will come on place , they didnt move with fingers after 2019 , now finally they wake up :)
DeleteNow they should try to work something out with SAS or Norweg to Copenhagen, since Wizz is out
ReplyDeleteFinger crossed dude!!
DeleteHope Ohrid Malmo
DeleteThat's amazing ! We finally have diversity, now we wait for EasyJet to unveil ORY and eventually a replacement of Copenhagen and Stockholm (fingers crossed for Ryanair to launch or SAS)
ReplyDeleteHopefully Ryanair to finally enter our market but I think not possible :/ I think W6 will re launch that routes again ... Wish SAS to enter too but we will see.
DeleteRyanair might launch both since they fly to CPH and ARN (replacing NYO), I think it's a matter of time, PFO in Cyprus wouldn't be bad as well in my opinion since W6 stopped LCA
DeleteFinally we are getting main hubs connectivity , great news , after Dubai and Orly , Amsterdam is great news , and we are expecting more of course :)))🥳👏
ReplyDeleteI dont understand people commenting this is subsides route , is it that hard to accept that SKP is getting Orly and Amsterdam without paying money ?
ReplyDeleteToo much hate in these comments. A lot of those people are not here bc of interest in avation and travel but to let steam out for whatever frustrations and failures they are facing in real life.
DeleteI hate when someone doesnt accept reality. Orly and Amsterdam are not subsided routes because the tender is still not finished , first ministry didnt share this information , not even TAV , this is airline decision same like Easyjet , the public call is still open and when its done they will share the chosen routes , its so simple , but to too much hating peiple!!
DeleteMaybe they will get subsidies we dont know that. Still what difference does it make if the routes are subsidied or not? LJU is giving milions of euros to Swiss, LH, AF and so on for their flights to LJU, ZAG reduced the fees for FR to enter the game, BEG is offering cheaper costs during quiet hours to attract new airlines and routes, SJJ is also giving subsidies…You think in TIA everything is normal and ordinary? Who knows how much TIA airport lower their fees so that W6 can expand there, same with SOF. In Romania W6 got money i.e. dirty cheap fees for them to launch routes from the second airport in Bucharest not just Otopeni. But when it comes to SKP we are paying for traffic right? Or that comment puting all eggs in one basket. If 55% of the market share for you is all eggs in one basket then u really have to go back to third grade and relearn some basic things.
DeleteWho is giving "millions of euros to Swiss, LH, AF and so on for their flights to LJU"? Please, explain. Or we have the same situation as will all the comments when the data doesn't matter and personal opinions/feelings has the same status as real data?
Delete@14:16 LOL
DeleteOrly,Amsterdam,Dubai,Frankfurt,Istanbul,Vienna,Lyon,Oslo(summer), now we can speak about connectivity , easily but sure , I hope they will all last because we need them , and expecting at least Munich and Madrid and we are all set up 👍🇲🇰
ReplyDeleteWhich connectivity does Lyon offer for u? Now that we have AMS the connectivity is suddenly great? Before when we had VIE, IST, ATH, FRA, ZRH, WAW, FCO, MXP the connectivity wasnt that great, was it?
DeleteLet me explain something. When there is public call like this , airlines can only send application that shows interest and thats it. Even if they are accepted it is under the laws to share that they get subsides while the call is still in process , they are not allowed to share any informations about the process , because it is secret process , only the minister and couple people who work on that call knows who apply and in the end which one will be selected, but nobody is allowed to share anything. When the call finish then they decide and share , and first who share that decision is minister not the airline ;)
ReplyDeleteFinally, option outside of LH group or StarAliance. Available connections on KLM and Delta 😀
ReplyDelete(Transavia, a subsidiary of KLM, has codeshare agreements with the following airlines: Air France, Delta Air Lines, and KLM)
As AMS is also Delta Hub this will be great. Only 2 per week at wierd times is not prefect bit if's great start. Hope will work year round and more Freq.
😃
all eyes on PRG
ReplyDeleteGreat news!!
ReplyDelete