Macedonia’s national airline plans advance

Macedonia steps up efforts to establish national carrier

Plans to set up a Macedonian national airline have progressed after the country’s aviation authorities met in Skopje to finalise the government-backed project. The Ministry of Transport and Communication, as well as the Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency (CAA), held talks with representatives from bus and freight transport companies to discuss how the new airline will affect their operations. In addition, the authorities expressed hope that the new national carrier will boost tourism and lead to the further development of air transport in the country. Dejan Mojsoski, head of the Macedonian Civil Aviation Agency, said, “The benefits of establishing a national carrier are significant, not only for Macedonian aviation, but also for our socio-economic outlook”. According to Mr. Mojsoski, the national airline will generate jobs, GDP growth and link the country with new destinations, which will boost its economic ties and, as a result, raise Macedonia’s image around the world.

The head of the CAA highlighted that Macedonia will have a majority stake in its new flag carrier. “Our commitment is to bring more airlines to Macedonia, which is why we have undertaken measures to reduce administrative barriers and liberalise air transport in the country. The company which will be granted a license to operate as our national carrier will have to have at least 51% of Macedonian capital and have at least one aircraft registered in Macedonia, either owned or leased”, Mr. Mojsoski explains. He added that Macedonia has 63 registered commercial pilots, most of whom work outside the country but are ready to return home, as well as a further 74 technical personnel.

Earlier this summer, the Macedonian government announced plans to invite an established foreign airline to assist in creating the country’s new flag carrier. The Turkish TAV Airports Holding, which runs both of Macedonia’s international airports, said the country is in need of a national carrier which will help develop its aviation industry. “What is lacking is a national airline. ‘Macedonian Airlines’ must be established. We have invested in airports and Macedonia should invest in its own carrier”, TAV said. Turkish Airlines has been tipped as a frontrunner in partnering up with the Macedonian government to establish a new national carrier. On August 29, Macedonian and Turkish aviation authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the European Civil Aviation Conference in Dubrovnik. The MoU calls for the “strengthening of regional cooperation”. In addition, “The signing of the Memorandum with Turkish aviation authorities comes as a result of increased scheduled and charter traffic volume, as well as investments in the field of civil aviation”, Macedonia’s CAA said in a statement. Over the past twenty years, Macedonia has had two national carriers, both of which subsequently declared bankruptcy.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:41

    First the government killed of MAT and now they want to set up their own airline.... what a waste of money

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  2. Anonymous09:43

    I wonder wheather Wizz Air will stick around. Their suventions run out in April 2015

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:05

      Thanks. Will be interesting to see what happens. Hope they stay.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:44

    Progress? Hardly! This whole idea is ridiculous!

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  4. Anonymous10:05

    Adria should have just done the same with SKP as they did with PRN

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  5. Anonymous11:37

    Hope this happens would be great to have another airline

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  6. Anonymous11:45

    Well i wish macedonia gets a new airline and i think its a good idea but i'm a little afraid that the government will fuck this all up cause they all ready did it 2 times... it would be better if an foregin top manager would run the airline

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  7. Anonymous11:59

    This is a good idea and I hope it will work out this time around. The problem with Wizz Air is that it operates only to diaspora hotspots. We don't even have direct flights to Frankfurt Am Main and many people are forced to connect via Ljubljana, Belgrade and Zagreb. At least with MAT you had direct flights to a couple of main airports in Europe. And I completely agree with the first comment. The criminal Macedonian government destroyed MAT on purpose.

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  8. Anonymous13:11

    what will it be called?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:08

      if it would contain word "Macedonia" in any form Greece would block it from their airspace. Knowing the extent of Macedonia name dispute from the Greek side.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:08

      Yeah but than macedonia can also block all flights heading to and from greece... i think this would be more painfull for them because many flights to solun and other Charters to greece are over flying macedonia while macedonia do not really need their airspace

      Delete
  9. Anonymous13:17

    Looking at this photo, MAT truly had an epic livery!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:41

      I agree. It was designed by JAT. The fuselage is the same as JAT's in the 90s.

      Delete
  10. Dok ostali bivsi YU prevoznici jedva sastavljaju kraj sa krajem, ovi hoce da prave nacionalnu aviokompaniju. Najvece gluposti koje sam cuo. Ionako su Makedonci do guse u dugovima. Ne treba im jos jedan arac.

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    1. hahahaha... Koj Dugovima brat ??? Drzava u momenti je u najvece ekonomske ekspanzije od samog formiranje makedonske drzave, neznam sta pricas ali u tom segmentu si nedovolnjo informisan ...

      Delete
    2. Anonymous17:12

      Ako Slovenija i Hrvatska, zemlje razvijenije od Mkedonije, zemlje u EU, s puno većim brojem turista imaju problem s nacionalnim avio kompanijama, zašto misliš da bi Makedonija mogla uspjeti?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:21

      До ObedinetaMKD Каква економска експанзија зборуваш кога се е на кредити, секој месец се зема кредит за да се исплатат плати и пензии оти буџетот нема доволно средства. Ако еден месец не се земе кредит се ќе се сруши и сите ќе се освестите од "идилата" во која живеете

      Delete
    4. Абе Торчо, Србија секој месец се спасува од Банкрот па во полето на авиосообраќајот добија Гигант, зошто да не пробаме и ние, и доста од такви самоубијци како тебе патиме, во која друга балканска земја е подобро - а секој на форумот вика дека е екстра, зошто тогаш јас да ја напаѓам мојата земја.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous20:03

      Možete li prevesti, dosta nas ne razumije makedonski jezik

      Delete
    6. Anonymous20:03

      Ma Obedineta, pazi čoveče. Niko od tebe ne traži da "napagjaš" svoju zemlju, nego da shvatiš da ako je Slovencima i Hrvatima teško da imaju normalnu avio kompaniju, da će biti teže i Makedoncima. Air Serbia je druga stvar, jer smo mi prodali 49% kompanije njima, plus im naša država oprašta svakakve dugove i daje beneficije. I naš investitor je jaka aviokompanija, svetski gigant. Da je država glavni investitor, propala bi. Isto tako će biti teško i u Makedoniji, jer nema Makedonija toliko para, nemaju nikakve slotove, nemaju nikakve avione (čak ni Boing) itd.

      Navijam za vas naravno, ali neće biti lako.

      Delete
    7. E tu se slazem, da mozda Makedonija ko drzava nema novca i kapaciteta za aviokompanija koja bi bila konkurenta na regionalne kompanije i koja bi radila sa profit, ali brate nikako se ne slazem da makedonija e zaduzena do glave i da nema buducnost, to je bila moja poenta - ali mozda sam se na pogresni nacin izrazio, ali kako i da je ako ima neka jaka svetska kompanija tko zeli biti partner nasoj drzavi u formiranje na novu nacionalnok avioprevozivac - mislam da vrjedi se pokusati u tom pravci, pa ce boducnos pokazati jel je drzava bila u pravo ili to je bilo pogresni korak .. Sve najbolje

      Delete
    8. Anonymous23:05

      Do ObedinetaMKD, ja neznam za kakva najveca ekonomska ekspanzija zboruvas kada 300.000 ljudi, od njih najvise mladi izbegaa od MKD gore dolu zasekogas, a i ovie tuka shto gi gledam se na rab da si odat. Za kakva ekspanzija zboruvas so investicii kade shto vrabotenite se plateni najcesto minimalec, 8000 denari. Vladata lovi investitori, im veli ne odete vo Kina, dojdete kaj nas, ke vi bide poeftino. So narod koj zema plata od 8000 denari, ekspanzija jasno ti e nema :D Ke dobies turisti za vo Dojran koj ke si napolnat se od doma i ke se mislat deka se na Ibiza. Pozdrav

      Delete
    9. Anonymous07:38

      Obedineta je čovek koji apsolutno ne ceni ki jednu drugu državu osim Makedonije. Kada komentarise to je samo zato da bi postavio rezultate makedonskih aerodroma i to je to... To je prosto bezobrazluk koliko on druge (mnooooogo uspešnije od makedonskih) aerodrome ne ceni.

      Delete
  11. OT: Austrian as we know it might be shutting down soon with new company being formed instead of it and all current staff being offered position in the new company of course with new conditions. It's all about staff contracts, retirement benefits and some lawsuits.

    More about it here: http://tinyurl.com/mfa2c85

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:41

      O tome ce odluciti Austriski sud evo i ovde nesto ali je nazalost na nemackom.
      http://www.austrianaviation.net/news-regional/news-detail/datum/2014/09/11/eugh-aua-kv-wirkt-nach.html
      INN-NS

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:44

      + To je muljacina sa ugovorima gde se trebalo ustedeti da svi radnici predju na kolektivne ugovore u Tyrolean, DLH ubedljivo najgora.
      INN-NS

      Delete
  12. Abit off topic but when will the pax statistics for the rest of the Balkan airports be released such as Dubrovnik, Skopje and the rest :) ????

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous21:03

    OT question for @Ex-Yu Aviation

    Official statement issued 10 days ago, flights bookable on AF webpages, I asked the question already, without answer, so I repeat : Why do you think that AF double daily CDG-ZAG v.v., starting with winter timetable, one daily on AF's own A319, is not considered the news, and does not deserve to be published here, in main column, or left, or right ? Thanks for the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous22:42

    jas navivam da izgradat mal aerodrom vo Bitola :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous18:08

    Се надевам дека нема да биде класична државна flag carrier компанија. Голем број држави таквите авиокомпании или ги продадоа Swiss, AUA, JAT, Alitalia или не знаат што со нив затоа што изгледа дека нема купувачи: SAS, Adria, Croatia, Montenegro. Јас би бил радосен ако се привлече некој LCC кој лета на главни аеродроми, ко на пример Norwegian.

    ReplyDelete

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