Jat launching Split and Pula flights

Like old times … Jat to Pula, Dubrovnik and Split
Jat Airways has announced that it will launch flights to Split and Pula next summer and will resume its seasonal service to Dubrovnik which was launched during this year’s summer season. Flights to the Pearl of the Adriatic will resume on June 15, flights to Pula will commence on July 2 and services to Split will be inaugurated on July 3. All of the abovementioned routes will operate two times per week using the regional ATR72. Jat had major success with its Dubrovnik route over the summer, despite direct competition from Croatia Airlines, with the load factor often exceeding 90%.

Jat resumed flights to Pula after seventeen years in 2008 as a seasonal service. Due to bureaucratic bungling between the two countries the route was not resumed a year later. Flights to Pula will now operate every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. Details can be found here.

The Serbian national carrier will link Belgrade and Split for the first time in almost 21 years. JAT Yugoslav Airlines operated its final service between Belgrade and Croatia’s second largest city on August 6, 1991. Jat will serve Split every Tuesday and Thursday. Details can be found here. Services to Dubrovnik will operate on the same days and at the same times as it had over the 2011 summer season.

Zagreb Airport strike

Major delays are expected today at Zagreb Airport as employees launch a five hour strike from 11.00 to 16.00 CET. All flights set to depart during these hours will be affected, according to the workers union. A fresh 24 hour strike will be launched on Monday, closing Zagreb Airports' doors. Employees are unhappy with worker rights, low pay and a future concession.

Comments

  1. LH172109:32

    ooo yeeeeeeaaa

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  2. That is very good for passengers and for JU as these segments should have realy nice loads. It's a pitty that JU doesn't have more regional/turboprop planes for these kinds of routes. Presume that OU also plans to serve these segments(?)

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  3. Anonymous11:01

    This is great news :-) Very positive :-) Would be nice to see ZAD, RJK & BWK. I think that flights to DBV, SPU & PUY could start earlier.

    Greetings from London

    Alex

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  4. Anonymous11:10

    Well driven by their experience last year doubt that Croatia Airlines will put Belgrade high on the list of its priorities.
    OU barely managed to score a lf of over 70% while like mentioned in the article Jat had over 90% throughout the summer.
    Good to see them expand in the region. I wonder what Atr route they plan on axeing in order to launch these. Maybe Montenegro will get an upgrade to an 733 at these times?

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  5. indeed very positive !

    i thought they would increase the DBV frequency tho

    @last anonymous: hopefully not OHD

    OT statistics:

    SKP and OHD together have a growth of 25,4% (sept) and 18.8% (oct) compared to same period last year.

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  6. BSL-BEG11:24

    Why do they not start with BEG-ZAG?

    JU or OU

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  7. LH172111:39

    I don't see the sence(making money) of Belgrade to Zagreb flights as they are under 4 hours apart by car.

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  8. Anonymous11:53

    @LH1721

    Same is for Zagreb and Vienna, but plane is always full

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  9. Anonymous12:02

    Im happy that JAT have introduced the routes but please get new aircrafts!....

    I think Croatia Airlines will start the Zagreb-Belgrade route?...

    / Philswe

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  10. lh172112:28

    Vienna is a HUB for the eastern europe as well as the whole world. So I does make sence to fly to St. Peterburg, Lisboa and other destinations not served from Zagreb vie Vienna. I bet there are 80% of transit passangers on those flights and 20% business passangers.
    Non of these are available on the BG - ZG route in the amounts that would be profitable.
    It is much easier to fill a plane in summer to Pula and Dubrovnik than ZG.

    just my thoughts...

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  11. Anonymous12:51

    @lh1721

    yep youre right. same goes for ZAG-MUC
    most of them transit thru MUC

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  12. Anonymous12:58

    @LH1721 There are direct flights from Zagreb to Lisbon (TAP)

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  13. Yes, but Lisbon connects people to South America.

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  14. Anonymous13:03

    @lh1721

    Totally true, Vienna is used as transit, whether Belgrade still doesn't cover so many destination there is no point at this very moment for BEG-ZAG route. I am also positive that SPU or DBV could do with all year around flights.

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  15. Anonymous13:27

    This is really wonderful news! It will give Belgrade residents the opportunity to explore delightful Istria. For my whole life I had been traveling to Herceg Novi and Dubrovnik for summer holidays. Unfortunately, in both places I met a fair share of local people who have a chip on their shoulder. Last summer I traveled to Rovinj for the first time in my life and truly enjoyed the people, the culture, and the natural beauty. The people there are wonderful, hospitable, cosmopolitan and sophisticated, and I really look forward to going back there.

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  16. Anonymous13:30

    http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/882053-designer-hotel-makes-croatia-top-winter-sun-destination

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  17. Not entirely true about potential demand for BEG-ZAG.

    There is quite a lot of of global companies having their main regional office in either Belgrade or Zagreb, covering ExYU/Adriatic region.

    Their employees therefore frequently comute between the two cities and have an option to (1) use the company car & driver (quite expensive if you count in gassoline, tolls and driver perdiems and the fact that in some cases driver has to drive back), (2) drive on their own (similar + inconvinience and lack of comfort) or (3) take a bus, train or a minivan (completely inconvenient and takes at least 6-7 hours one way).

    So by taking a plane, for let's say a total of 150e (including taxi to/from airport), these business people would in many cases actualy save money and have a comfortable transfer lasting less than 4 hours (point in BEG - point in ZAG). Also take BEG-SKP as an example, taking 5-6 hours

    So O&D traffic demand itself would be sufficient, also having in mind that these business people get their tickets paid by their companies, and therefore being less price sensitive.

    Apart from O&D traffic there are certain nice connecting options, like Dubai via Belgrade (probably the cheapest option on the market), or Doha/Lissabon via Zagreb, although at this point of development of both airports transfer pax would probably make less than 20% of total.

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  18. Anonymous15:44

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous17:22

    Very positive news!
    I tought that serbian touristic market would be a great failure for the croatian coast but having in mind that older people are sentimentally connected to the adriatic coast and the fact that they can easily get through with the language in Croatia obviously there is a market!!
    However it is illusion to thnik these destinations can be operated throughout the winter

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  20. once we are all in EU, than we may see a need to have year-round flights, as more interaction (touristic and business) will be happening.
    Wasn't the Zagreb - Belgrade route one of the busiest in ex yu anyway ? after Belgrade- Dubrovnik ?

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  21. Anonymous18:19

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  22. JU520 BEGLAX21:12

    anonymous 1327h 18NOV.

    fully agree with you about the attractions the adriatic coast and Istria offer. The area around Rovinj up to Portoroz with inland small towns such as Motovun, Groznjan are a great place to stay even during winter months. Nice hotels, terrific restaurants such as for example the www.damirornella.com in Novigrad. Oliveoil and wine producers give you a warm welcome to taste their products. Surrounding cities such as VCE,Udine,Trieste,Rijeka,Pula, are easy reachable with the good road network which today is available. Also Dalmacija with it s beauties DBV and SPU offer interesting accomodations, no wonder BA flies all year from DBV to London or Germanwings to SPU.
    It wont take long until more and more people will take notice of that beautiful area during Nov-Mar months. To discover the coast during Winter months with it s relaxed athmosphere is defninitely something no-one should miss.

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  23. Anonymous21:38

    I bet OU made more profit with 70% l/f beg-dbv then JU with 90%, since the DH8 is very economicial. Any idea if OU will come back to beg?

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  24. Anonymous21:57

    good for JAT, I still think they are waiting to see if nobody buys JAT by the end of the year to decide whether to order new planes.. the SOONER the BETTER! they need new planes and a much larger fleet....

    too bad for Zagreb, this might impact their numbers for November but what is up with SO many cancellations at BEG today?

    and BEG - ZAG would be nice, i believe many people would use it, and I have been on buses and drove Zagreb - Beograd, it is NOT less than 4 hours.... flying would be great!

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  25. Anonymous22:28

    ^Thick fog today in Belgrade all day. You literally can’t see your hands when you go out. It’s really bad so all flights are redirected to INI.

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  26. Nice to see Jat expanding to Croatia but since Croatia is a growing tourist market then this should be no surprise.

    Zagreb to Belgrade would work with a twice daily service but that would depend on how much spare capacity either OU or Jat have. We sometimes forget here that both airlines only have a small fleet and it would be hard to find a spare aircraft. With the publicity flights between the two cities would get, plus a good price structure you would see very good numbers between the two cities.
    Also, 70% for OU is very successful on the Dubrovnik route since most of these passengers originated from Belgrade and you would assume they would choose Jat first before considering OU.

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  27. Just a quick OT,

    Did not get a chance to comment on the Qatar ops to Zagreb.

    I might try this service next year if it is convenient. I'm in Sydney so I would have to travel to Melbourne first. This is not really a problem but what I do see as a problem for Qatar is that OU actually has done a really good job establishing a worldwide network to Zagreb and Croatia via its partners, especially the ones from Germany. I would not be surprised if the flights then have a slow start.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Lijepa naša23:26

    If you fly with Lufthansa to BKK
    or Singapore via FRA or MUC and onwards to Australia with THai or Singapore airlines then you earn a lot of miles in "miles and more" programme!

    Enough miles for free flights between Croatia and Germany.

    Better than flying with Qatar...you people should check this!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous23:58

    FlyDubai announced for next week a formal launch party for its Belgrade flights...with lots of photos !

    ReplyDelete
  30. "Like old times", says the line under today's headline.

    Unfortunatelly, it's not.

    It's seasonal.
    It's twice weekly.
    It's turboprop seating 60.

    It used to be all-year-round.
    It used to be 2,3,4,5 times daily.
    It used to be DC9/737/727,up to 170

    And it could be again.

    Of course, not by current
    ex-yu "flag carriers" which:

    -don't mind serving as feeders
    -don't mind being mismanaged
    -don't mind being misused and
    humiliated by politicians

    The only way to have "Like old times again" is to have brand NEW airline, independent from state(s) and politics, which will be run professionally, and which will connect cities in ex-yu region with whichother, and simulataneously connect the region through one or two hubs, with most important long-haul markets (diaspora and tourist-wise; the USA,Canada,Australia,China,Japan)

    I just hope we'll not wait too long for that.

    ReplyDelete
  31. frequentflyer00:23

    Let's hope these routes are a success, and that they are in fact inaugurated this coming season! Twice-weekly seems too low though for these routes, is this 'dipping the toes' in the Adriatic first before taking the plunge?

    Weren't PUY flights operating 4-weekly when JU was on the route a few years back?


    @ Q400

    As a plane, Q400 has revolutionised OU. I have no doubt it has been the secret to its rapid turnaround of fortune. Basing on 4 return trips daily, perhaps OU needs to look at converting two of their options while Bombardier is going through a quiet patch?

    They'd have the spare capacity during winter season to launch these extra flights, I think the problem at present is summer. Purger or others may be able to confirm...


    @ Lijepa Nasa

    Sure, but 1-stop vs 2-stop, flight departure times and duration, and seat pitch in economy (LH: 31", QR: 33") during long flights are just as important as cost of ticket...

    One afterthought from yesterday's posting: MOL (owner of INA) extensively uses QR for its international travel, perhaps INA is to also? That guarantees 'business' travel (not always in C class), making flights viable. Qatar itself is oil-rich, and convenient 1-stop to other oil cities worldwide... many on this forum don't get the announcement isn't all about the diaspora flying home on the cheapest-possible ticket (which caused much of the heated comments yesterday)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous00:28

    I think that Croatia Airlines had load factor of just 70% (or even little bit less) on this very profitable route just because CA is new player on Serbian market and people didn't know that they offer much better inflight service, much newer airplanes and much younger attendants :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous00:50

    Qatar- and the other Middle East airlines are a big threat to dominance of Star Alliance not only in Croatia but also globally.

    Croatia airlines is a feeder of its Star alliance partners and also profits from them .
    Now with Qatar the whole concept is in danger .
    But wait..when Croatia enter EU next year..there will be a merger of Adria and Croatia and then with Lufthansa and Austria.
    The big fish eat the small one.
    If not...Croatia airlines will get very damaged by Qatar which is a big threat to SA and so to
    Croatia !

    Every passenger more for Qatar is a passenger less for Croatia and SA !

    ReplyDelete
  34. Purger02:42

    frequentflyer:
    Croatia cuts around 30% of capacity during winter. Two A320 are grounded (those were planed to fly in Cuba)

    ZAG-BEG for sure will be successful line (not as BEG-SPU, but very successful). For that beginning must be at least:

    123-56- ZAG 0830 – 0940 BEG 1045 – 1155 ZAG
    1-345-7 ZAG 1745 – 1855 BEG 1925 – 2030 ZAG

    at 0830 connections from PUY, ZAD, SPU, DBV, SJJ, VIE
    at 1200 connections to PUY, ZAD, SPU, DBV, SJJ, VIE, MUC, FRA, BRU, LHR, LGW, CPH, LIS
    at 1745 connections from PUY, ZAD, SPU, DBV, SJJ, VIE, MUC, FRA, LHR, LIS
    at 2030 connections to PUY, ZAD, SPU, DBV, SJJ

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous05:23

    For the time being only area of ex yu that something is moving on is Croatia.
    Everyone profits flying to Croatia, but not to the other parts of ex yu.
    Until this changes complete ex yu area will stay far behind Europe & the World.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous08:17

    Well I am sorry but how can some of you claim that Craoatia Airlines saw bigger profit to Dubrovnik when Jat Airways constantly had full flights? Not to mention that Jat used its Atr-72 which is as economical, if not more economical than tha Q-400. Don't forget that on flights less than 500nm the Atr beats the Dash.

    Also, Jat had more passengers originating in Dubrovnik than OU did. Also, 25% of all passengers on JU's flights were actually connecting passengers.

    Also, if OU ever decides to offer Zagreb-Belgrade then they might make sure to aim at Belgrade-Zagreb-Croatia market as just like Adria, very few are using Ljubljana as a transit point.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous08:19

    ...anyways guys, just to settle things down, Zagreb is better than Belgrade muhahahahaha! ;)

    Pozdrav svim Srbima!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous10:50

    what is with BEG-POW :)? still on court¨?

    ReplyDelete

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