MAT Airways rises from the dead

MAT to launch fourteen destinations from Skopje
The charter airline MAT Airways will resume operations from Skopje for the first time since August 2011. The airline, owned by the Serbian tour operator Kon Tiki, will launch fourteen destinations from May 1. The carrier will first inaugurate two weekly flights to Antwerp in Belgium. Just over a month later, on June 18, Mat Airways will launch flights to Ancona (3 times per week), Milan-Bergamo (3 p/w), Bologna (3 p/w), Rome (4 p/w), Trieste (4 p/w), Bratislava (4 p/w), Basel (5 p/w), Dusseldorf (3 p/w), Stuttgart (2 p/w), Hamburg (2 p/w), Berlin (2 p/w) Malmo (2 p/w) and Istanbul-Sabiha Gokcen (2 p/w).

The airline owns a sole Boeing 737-500 but is also likely to use Sky Wings International’s Boeing 737-300, which has been sitting at Skopje Airport for months. MAT operated flights last summer but suspended operations due to poor loads in August. The new flights can be booked via the airline’s website. Prices start from 45 euros. MAT could also be interested in applying for subsidies to be offered by the Macedonian government for low cost airlines.

If the flights get off to a successful start it will be a major coup for Skopje Airport which has already seen strong growth this year. In February, Macedonia’s two commercial airports (Skopje and Ohrid) handled 49.031 passengers, an increase of 22% compared to the same month last year. It was accompanied by a 4% increase in the number of operated flights to and from the airports. Recently, Skopje Alexander the Great Airport finally received a public transport bus link to the city centre, allowing passengers easier access to the country’s main airport.

B&H cancels all flights

B&H Airlines has cancelled all flights as its ATR72 leaves for Germany. Officially the aircraft has joined the other B&H Airlines ATR72 for maintenance. The airline’s Airbus A319 is grounded in Istanbul. As a result, the Bosnian carrier has cancelled all operations until further notice.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:30

    Antwerp is in Belgium

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:16

    Hope its not a hoax as this could be a great development for macedonian aviation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tupolev16010:56

    OT: When Bosnian government and TK managers meet, they speak in what language? I'm asking this seriously.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous11:03

    WOW, Antwerp in the Netherlands. Let me call the government to notify them..

    About B&H, next flight, Tue March 13. All summer schedule flights changed to ATR equipment.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:05

    Great news for SKP airport. Hope it works. If the rpices are like that could see actually something happening with, of course, god MARKETING of these destinations.

    As for B&H Airlines, disaster! What else i can say, I am from Bosnia and could just cry over its destiny, absolutely nothing is right there.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous11:27

    OT - QR has commercial rights between the following routes:

    Singapore and Denpasar (Bali)
    Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires
    Kuala Lumpur and Phuket
    Bangkok and Hanoi
    Baku and Tbilisi
    Bangkok and Ho-chi Minh

    So, yes, it should be trying to get ESB-BEG as well and i don't think TK should be given a word to say.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:27

    OMG, I have just checked Kon Tiki Sky's website! Impressed!!! So simple, clear, prices very, very reasonable, 24 destinations, they are even launching a flight from London Southend (SEN) Airport to Antwerp. Booking procedure is so clear and simple, luggage INCLUDED in the price! They have a little bit about each airport they fly to/from! Really good! LOL London-Antwerp €35 one way (as I said luggage) included!! Amazing. If this really works out it is going to be an amazing move! Prices from SKP very reasonble too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:04

      so simple to steal your money :)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous17:56

      Agree so simple to steal your money

      Delete
  8. Anonymous11:40

    http://www.kontikisky.com/?travelType=r&locale=en_GB&currency=GBP&origin=1&destination=31&passenger_adult=1&departureDate=2012-06-20T00%3A00%3A00%2B02%3A00&retourDate=10%2F07%2F2012&uid=-1&lang=en
    this is an internet service where you can reserve the tickets...... amazing, I'm so excited !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous12:07

    omg Skopje-Rome 45 eur (all insluded)this is so good:) I think they should also fly to Budapest and Prague since Malev and CSA cancel their flight.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12:19

    BH Airlines! Funny!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous13:30

    Great news but i am sad that they wont fly to munich moscow and dubai

    ReplyDelete
  12. the ICAO @ konitki sky shows flts under ALR

    eurocontrol says:
    A ALR ALFA AIR SERVICES ALFA GROUP Romania
    http://www.alfa-air.eu/en/aboutus.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting! Good observation. Does someone know how these arrangements work?

      Delete
    2. EU operator from Romania wetleases 733 and 735 from Sky Wings and MAT respectively, or buys both aircraft if mentioned airlines are without AOC or don't meet all criteria, (in that case registers both in Romania), than it opens base in SKP, and operates, under EU OPS member and existing ICAO code and call-sign, unlimited flights throughout Europe.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:01

      They can't lease aircrafts which are not airworthy.
      Also 735 is MAT Airways property and grounded because the same bosses didn't gave money for maintenance.
      Ridiculous and funny

      Delete
    4. Thanks! I guess, this also means obtaining permit to operate routes from the given airport. This, I guess, is to circumvent stringent regulation for start-up (in Serbia,i believe it takes 2 years to get AOC once you meet all the criteria).

      Delete
  13. Anonymous14:03

    Congratulations to MAT and KonTiki!!They have proven their professionality and seriousity when it comes to air transportation!Online ticket sales, friendly booking system and very very reasonable fares.This will be a great opportuniy for Skopje Airport, Macedonia and its tourism.
    I hope our government finally realises that it must subsidize some of these flights if they want to develop the tourism in the country.
    Btw. on their web site it is stated that they will operate with B735, ATP and RJ85

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:16

      hahaha professionality, are you serious?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous01:17

      ahhahahahaa MAT will start again?thay only searching possibility to steal the gouverment money

      Delete
  14. Fantastic choice of destinations; places with huge macedonian/albanian diaspora get more weekly flights; secondary and cheaper airports used; Austria through Bratislava; Slovenia, Croatia and northern Italy through Trieste; Malmo for Danemark and Sweden; traditional markets Switzerland, Germany and Turkey covered; good choice of aircraft - not too small not too big, relatively cost efficient; simple and convenient web site, hybrid low cost concept applied, and so on and so on...

    SHORTLY, after the disintegration of former Yugoslavia and complete disaster within civil aviation, especially "flag carriers" (deliberately under quations) in all succeding countries, THIS IS THE FIRST GOOD NEWS after 20 years, and THE FIRST STEP in right direction, towards market, instead political decisions, which I hope, other countries will follow. And frankly speaking, I didn't expect it to happen in Macedonia first, but that's why my congratulations are even bigger and stronger.

    SAMO NAPRED MAKEDONIJA, TAKO TREBA, SVAKA CAST !!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous01:27

      Da ne docnite so informacii?Imeno Mat Makedonski Aviotransport ne operira od 2009, no grupa na turoperatori uspesno go prodolzija aviosoobrakjajot od Zürich kon Skopje i Ohrid so Svajcaskite aviokompanii Hello Airways i Swiss, nudejki fanstasticni low coast ceni na pazarot i izvrsen kvalitet i preciznost.Pojavuvanjeto na "noviot" Mat Airways ne go poremeti rabotenjeto na ovie turoperatori i ne donese nisto novo nitu dobro na pazarot.Se nadevame deka ovaa vlada nema da subvencionira kratkorocni avanturisti (koi btw i ne se ni strcnjaci vo aviobiznisot)kako doticniot Holangjanec, kako Sky wing Airlift Services...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous08:44

      Are you serious? Hello and Swiss offering "fantastic low cost" services?

      I guess you're a member of those touroperators. No other person would be claiming 300+ CHF fares are low-cost.

      I hope Wizz Air's network expands significantly so you can see for yourself what low cost really means.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:11

      Hahahhaha I will be very pleased what these so called successful tour oprators would do when Basel will be operated for 140Euros..Are they going to charge 500 Eur for a 1.40h flight?!Their prices are really pervert..The reason why Easy Jet fills the SKG flights with 90percent Macedonians.
      Btw. if it was a robbery they wouldnt have dropped the sales until all details are precisely negotiated.And for all those concerned about the AOC, Macedonia is not Serbia, you can obtain it in few months and get the permission for new routes operated by an EU carrier in less than 3 days!

      Delete
  15. HAHA Antwerp just disappeared from their routes list completely !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous15:51

    This is a scam people, Sky wings 737-300 has been sitting at the tarmac for a year now, they say mushrooms are growing inside it, that aircraft will need a lot of work before it flies again. And if they start the airline again, they will need to pay a lot of money that they own to a lot of people, especially the employees of Mat Airways. So i believe this is just a scam to rob some poor people of their money with their easy booking system.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:15

      So true!!!

      People don't fall for their scam.

      IT'S A ROBBERY!!!

      Delete
    2. ok, maybie it's scam, maybie it's fraud, maybie it's robbery. After all, with all our Balkan experiences maybie it's easier to believe so than to oppose it. On the other hand, it MIGHT BE the first step towards market-oriented economy in ex-yu aviation. Planned beginning in June, when numbers because of seasonality go like 500% up, make me believe it might work, and it's not scam. However, time will show us the result...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous19:52

      Sadly its not a maybe, its a true

      Delete
  17. Anonymous16:21

    its somehow too good to be true.. SKP-HAM daily? some days even twice a day?? there was never a link to HAM, sometimes as a stopover on the route SKP-BER, and now daily? i hope they dont lie, but all this seems a bit unreal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It clearly says in the article for Hamburg flights 2 p/w = 2 PER WEEK. What daily and twice daily? And as far as I remember, Avioimpex used to fly to HAM.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:40

      frequencies in the article differ from those in their booking engine (www.kontikisky.com) and in the IBE they have listed SKP-HAM everyday (friday twice).

      according to macedonian civil aviation agency, they neighter have an AOC, nor applied to one. somehow the whole stuff is not very clear... i wouldnt buy a ticket at the moment :P

      Delete
    3. Aleksandar01:33

      its a true, thay will not flying
      what you talk about? Avioimpex ?We have now 2012, sorry not 1993:)

      Delete
  18. It should be noted that they fly to Weeze Airport, near the Dutch border, instead of Dusseldorf Airport.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This all sounds like a dream to me.
    Love it definitely but first i wait if it will actually happen.

    A Romanian company gives its aircraft to a Serbian company which organise the flights as Mat Airways
    which is registered in Macedonia?

    This would be an interesting transnational collaboration of aviation business in Macedonia,Serbia and Romania!

    something nobody has ever thought of...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Don't get too excited. As mentioned on a belgian aviation forum (luchtzak.be) the register of the website (http://www.kontikisky.com) is a company which has been involved in a few fraud cases..

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous00:38

    Finally direct flights from Sweden to Macedonia!!!!!!!! I hope this is real and that we can trust Kon Tiki...their website is not the most ''trustable'' but lets hope for the best! THANK YOU KON TIKI AND MACEDONIANS AIRLINES

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous12:00

    yesterday there were 14 destinations exSKP, now there are just 6... sadly, but this is realy a bad joke..

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous12:24

    They suddenly decided to drop all flights ex Antwerp (and changed the website dramatically).. Moreover, they say they advertised in belgium though nobody noticed. Maybe because they [the companies behind this site] are too well known in Belgium and Holland and try to scam other people in countries where they're not familiar with them (and don't look who's behind the website). I'll be very cautious and wouldn't book anything until they can 100% prove they're genuine.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous13:13

    It will be very nice for Mat Airways to fly again, if that was truth. A/C is grounded because of C check and mandatory maintenance, not because of luck of passengers. Same situation with ex-Airlift A/C. Both A/C's are long time on ground, without maintenace! What about salaries ??? Nine months no salary for the employeers??? How anybody thinks that this A/C's can fly ??? Flying with this aircrafts is long and very expensive operation.
    No one from Mat Airways will authorizated this without receiving the salaries. best regards. This is the TRUTH!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous13:34

    Ok guys, like the old days of MAT and Zlatko...rumors and rumors, big plans, and nothing at the end..just to get some money out the poor people pockets.
    Even in the MAT days flights to HAM were covered from the pocket money of the handler...
    Too many destinations for 1 or 2 a/c, maybe it could be good with the 10 seater a/c, but B737?...DREAM...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous14:29

    This is really bad, they keep changing information on the website hourly! LOL As it has been said, Antwerp is not a base any more, they moved it to London Southend (SEN) even though NOTHING is mentioned on London Southend Airport's website. This is VERY DODGY if you ask me! Really bad! Just to give you an example of proper campaign: EZY launched marketing champaign from SEN in November 2011 and the flights are starting in April 2012, so that is how you do, as the airport has not been quite popular, they did a new terminal building, railway station and it is smoothly linked to East and central London now. Airport is in Essex, but named as London Southend Airport http://www.southendairport.com/# , so London has 6 airports now. the whole story with Kon Tiki is an utter scam!!!!!

    Alex London

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous16:55

    MAT AIRWAYS is not Serbian airline
    Owner of MAT AIRWAYS is Harry van (Archer? something)
    and Z3-AAJ ang Z3-AAM are aircrafts for trash
    they need at least 2 mounth C-check if they can start engines

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daniel Stefanovski01:43

      Harry van Acheren ...he is owner without money:)) the gay trying just to steal moeny ..BAD DREAM FOR MACEDONIA,

      Delete
    2. Anonymous01:55

      Harry Van Achteren, Also known as Harry from behind, steals your money and fucks you from behind.....

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:06

      http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=139119
      this ? :))))

      Delete
  28. Anonymous17:44

    Sadly for people who believe in this propaganda.
    It is true MAT Airways owner is Harry van Acheren and this is the guy who sold tickets to number of people with other company and tricked them.
    Conclusion: This is one more trick to collect peoples money and to get away with it.
    Sadly there is no one serious to open Airline in Macedonia so we aviation people must found our bread in foreign countries.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous09:37

    on the kontiky sky web site, all flights have been taken out from Skopje, guess the message is out about the scam that they are doing.....

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous13:04

    http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=139119
    second side of truth :)))))

    ReplyDelete
  31. http://exyuaviation.blogspot.com/2012/03/wishful-thinking.html
    In agreement with EX-YU aviation news, balkans.com uses news published here.

    ReplyDelete

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