AWEX launches Portorož - Belgrade flights


Start-up airline AWEX Croatia has secured a Swiss charter contract to operate services from Zurich to Belgrade via Portorož. Flights are expected to launch today and operate once per week until September 24, each Saturday, with a 34-seat Saab 340B turboprop, with exception to today's inaugural service which will run with a smaller ten-seat aircraft. Flights could be extended if there is sufficient demand, however, tour operators such as MedAdria and Fly Fly Travel only recently began selling packages. A Polish Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) will be used. AWEX previously planned to maintain flights from Rijeka, Zadar and Brač to the Serbian capital during the summer, in addition to Portorož. Services between Belgrade and Portorož were last operated in 2010 by Jat Airways but were suspended due to a lack of aircraft.

The head of the Portorož Tourist Board, Igor Novel, says the route will attract Serbian holidaymakers visiting both Slovenia and Switzerland. "Serbs are becoming an increasingly important category of tourists due to the ownership structure of the Kempinski Hotel", Mr Novel said. The Kempinski Palace Hotel in Portorož is owned by Serbian businessman Miodrag Kostić whose company, the MK Group, recently expressed interest in purchasing Portorož Airport as well. According to Mr Novel, the new route is an opportunity to attract wealthier Swiss and Serbian guests to the coastal Slovenian city. The Vice President of the Supervisory Board of the Tourism Association, Tomi Matjaž, says, "The effects of the new route won't be felt overnight but this is an attempt to get things moving".

Commenting on the new service, the General Manager of Portorož Airport, Robert Krajnc, says, "The first few flights won't be as full since sales have just begun but all such projects require time. It is necessary to be patient". He adds that Portorž Airport could be used by travellers visiting the nearby Istria region in Croatia. "This was certainly the case when Jat Airways used to fly here and the flights were full", Mr Krajnc notes. Portorož Airport, which has no scheduled flights, handled 22.975 passengers last year. AWEX Croatia, established in 2012, is linked to businessman Marijan Tuškan, who managed Croatia's first privately owned airline, Air Adriatic, from 2006.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:07

    Interesting. With such a small aircraft once per week I would expect this to work.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      You would but there has been absolutely no marketing for this.

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  2. Anonymous09:08

    I wonder why Air Serbia hasn't started this route.

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    1. Anonymous09:10

      Why on earth would they serve a secondary airport in Slovenia?

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    2. Anonymous09:16

      Well it says the flight were full.

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    3. Anonymous09:23

      Yes but that was when there were no flights to Pula. Like it says the route was used mostly by people visiting Istria. I doubt anyone would bother going to Portoroz in order to visit Croatia if there are flights to Pula.

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    4. JATBEGMEL09:54

      if I remember right, JU used to have big payload restriction to POW on the ATR because of the runway length.

      Delete
    5. Iskreno govoreci da Hrvatska ni u cemu nije uspeh imala u razvoju,(a jeste mnogo)posle krvavog raspada raspale drzave, onda je brza gradnja auto puteva, aktiviranje, dogradnja aerodrome, formiranje vise malih avio kompanija I razvoj interne i eksterne vazdusne mreze uz formiranje nacionalne avio kompanije, zasluzuje postovanje. Bar sto se vazdusnog saobracaja tice. Moja Otadzbina stidljivo koraca tim koracima. Verujem uspesno. Pogotovo sa pocetkom privatizacije infra structure. Ili koncesije... Sa najboljim zeljama svima koji istinski ulazu u komercijalno vazduhoplovstvo. Rodney✈Kraljevo✈Sydney✈+

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    6. Anonymous23:00

      Nisam razumeo prvu rečenicu.

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    7. Postovani Anon 11:00 PM.
      Prva recenica u mojem tekstu se odnosi na uspeh susedne drzave Hrvatske u podizanju saobracajne ifra structure. Konkretno u vazdusnom saobracaju. U mojem vidjenju jeste izvanredno po volumenu, kapacitetu saobracaja u odnosu na vremena pre raspada federalne drzave. Svakako kroz taj primer razvoja Vidim da su za sada uspesniji od moje Otadzbine po mojem skromnom misljenju. Kao stosam vec napisao. Iskreno se nadam(o) sve obuhvatnom razvoju. kako Beogradskog, tako ostala tri aerodroma u sastavu Aerodromi Srbije. Sa pozdravom. Radovan, Kraljevo.✈

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    8. Anonymous17:48

      Niko nije razumio prvu recenicu. Sta je pisac htio reci? :)

      Delete
    9. Anonymous17:49

      Niko nije razumio prvu recenicu. Sta je pisac htio reci?:)

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:09

    OT

    Does anyone know why YU-AND, AYT-BEG, returned to Antalya shortly after take off?

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    1. Anonymous12:52

      That was a sightseeing cruising flight.

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    2. Anonymous16:36

      Sightseeing of BEG?

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    3. Anonymous08:56

      AYT

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:54

    Great news :)

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  5. JU520 BEGLAX09:56

    That dilapidated air terminal does not look like an ap terminal standing in a 12 year old EU country. I think in every other ex YU republic it wld hve seen at least a face lift. Not really inviting.....

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    1. Anonymous11:54

      And aerodrom Niš is a palacio compared Porotož?

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    2. Anonymous12:29

      Actaully it is.

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    3. JU520 BEGLAX14:30

      Slovenia could do much more in terms of investing in traffic projects, hotels and in general promotion abroad. I m quite disappointed how they all handle this. Croatia is by far ahead of Slovenia
      the best Hotel in the country owned by Serbian bizman. Intercontinental LJU also thanks to Delta Group of Serbia. Look to Bled and Kranjska Gora. These are one of the jewels of Slovenias Tourist spots. Not one single hotel with international! 5 stars or from an int Hotel chain. I could add up much more. Even MNE does better than Slovenia
      I think many missed opportunities. This airport cld be ideal for the Koper up to Rovinj area, a nice area in the weekend radius area of Italy, Austria and even Germany.
      look at Slovenias main Tourist Board website.
      Slovenia is still there where it used to be. A one time visit destination for 1-2 days. Look at Croatia. They hve learned and invested. Croatia has become a destination I want to visit again and again.
      MNE is investing well too and if Beograd na vodi will be fully realized, than BEG potential for a citytrip hotspot will further rise
      Would love to see more Planica projects in Slovenia. The new Planica infrastructure is truly state of the art and an eyecather. Just the road to Planuca is terrible...

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    4. Anonymous18:02

      Mešaš pojmove. I don't know where to begin as your comment is all over the place. What does it matter who owns the hotels or airport. Slovenia has the best motorway network in ex-yugo. I could go on, but have already lost interest.
      Keep it real dude.

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    5. JU520 BEGLAX18:33

      Croatia has the best highway network, at least they were able to construct a hwy also in Istria. Slovenia is not even able to close the gap from Koper to the border. For this that Slo is 12 years in the EU and CRO or SRB was involved in wars less than 20 years ago, more could hve been done. Dont forget all those projects are co-financed with EU funds, so its easy to hve a hwy network. Go further: LJU green capital of Europe, no clou why but where is the vision of LJU and a public transport system which earns the name of sustainable public transport. No tramway, no S Bahn
      autobus Station in LJU not even under roof. LJU to Koper u need by train 2.5h for 120 km. All the railtracks are fro Austria Hungary time.
      since years SLO is discussing instead of investing in a modern rail track lju to Koper for the Koper port
      Hotel doesnt matters who owns them but without Serbian Jankovic major u would not even have a proper stadium or a sports arena. LJU airport, 4 jetbridges were done quickly for EU presidency but the rest of the airport is a joke. Even in the Ujraine they hve better and more updated aurports than LJU.
      Slovenia needs to compare with Poland, Balticum PRG and not Kosovo or Macedonia.
      it s my view of the things, u might hve a different one which I respect. But I just expect more fm Slovenia

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    6. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous19:08

      SLO has highest salaries und standardt of living in all ex-yu. Highest literacy rate, life expectancy, best medikal, und social programe. City of koper smaller than city of Rijeka, but porto bigger. Shalls I continum?

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:58

    Sretno

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  7. Anonymous11:36

    Good news for POW considering there are no flights even if it's only around 30 passengers per week.

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  8. Anonymous11:47

    could anyone please post Belgrade-Portorose ticket prices?

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  9. Anonymous13:25

    INI airport will have 3 more routes announced by the end of the year, says Nis mayor.

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    1. Anonymous14:56

      Wow wow wow so that means a total of 14. I wonder if one of them is SAW on Pegasus.

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  10. Anonymous16:10

    So what were the loads on the first flight?

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    1. Anonymous11:18

      There are pics on the Portorz Airport's facebook page :)

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    2. Anonymous19:22

      Not true ...there are no photos there

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    3. Anonymous19:25

      Ok it's a video. Jeez.

      Delete

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