Flydubai to launch Skopje in October

In Skopje from October 18
As was exclusively reported by EX-YU aviation news back in April, Flydubai will be launching flights to the Macedonian capital this year. The low cost airline has scheduled its inaugural service for October 18. A total of two weekly flights will operate between Dubai and Skopje using the Boeing 737-800. It will be the airline’s second destination in the EX-YU region, complementing its existing five weekly flights to Belgrade. At the same press conference Flydubai announced it was also launching services to the Romanian capital Bucharest.

Flydubai's CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said, "Our two latest routes illustrate Flydubai's commitment to expanding connectivity from the Middle East to new destinations that have historically been underserved. This offers more choice to our customers, increasing international travel options and avenues for trade. Furthermore, our base in Dubai provides the sizeable Romanian and Macedonian expatriate populations around the globe with affordable links to their home nations".

The new service will most likely have an impact on Turkish Airlines which has so far enjoyed a bounty of transit passengers who choose to fly via Istanbul to various points in the world. Flydubai will also hope to catch the attention of the Macedonian diaspora in Australia who will be able to transit via Dubai to Skopje. The airline has so far been unsuccessful in attaining a major share of Serbian diaspora passengers from Australia on its services to Belgrade. Flight details for the Dubai - Skopje flights can be found here. Tickets are already up for sale.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:56

    Finally Syd/Dub/Skp instead of going all over Europe dream come true too bad it did not start in June the best news to ever come out of Macedonian Aviation. To TAV Congrats for doing something so wonderful for Macedonians in Australia.Next is FlyScoot SYD/SIN/SKP.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:16

      HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!! Yeah, Scoot will place Skopje on top of their list with Tokyo, Taipei and Sydney.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous12:12

    These Macedonians are really showing all Balcan how to do business in aviation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:35

      Yes, look at their national carrier.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:09

      The smartest thing right now in the Balkan is NOT to have a national carrier. Just look at JAT, Adria, Croatia, BH, sinking and sinking in debts.

      Who needs that?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:27

      From todays perspective it looks like Macedonia was the smartest when it shut down MAT. It is the most successful example in the ex-yu region-look what they did in a single year: new airport, intercontinental destinations, 25 percent growth and that's all within a market of allmost 2Mio. people in economic downturn. Btw. Easy, Wizz and Croatia Airlines showed interest in setting a base in SKP but at the end only Wizz made an offer. Stay tuned there will be soon 6 new destinations to Scandinavia, Benelux, Central Europe, Italy and Spain

      Delete
    4. Anonymous21:35

      Ma ke do ni ja Ma ke do ni ja..Skopje no 1 airport we rock

      Delete
  3. Anonymous12:48

    Great news but I’m still waiting for Air France, British Airways, Alitalia and Lufthansa.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous12:49

    WZZ is cutting frequencies during W12/13 season @ BEG one some routes. Dont know what theyll do with their 320 on:
    day 1 and 5 1735-0000
    day 3 1710-0000
    day 4 1235-1740
    day 7 0500-1205
    Thats a lot time for WZZ to have ac grounded..

    EIN 135->37 1205-1710
    CRL 47->15 1220-1735
    GSE 135->26 1830-2355
    DTM 246->26 1320-1800
    LTN x246->246 0600-1235
    MMX x47->135 0640-1135
    FCO 26->26 FCO based
    NYO 37->47 1745-2320

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:52

      I doubt they would leave the aircraft sitting idle on the ground. I am sure that the timetable has not been finalized yet.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:46

      You have not noticed flights to FMM, days 1 and 5 in the afternoon and flying days to NYO are 3 and 7. There are free space only on Thursday and Sunday. And, of course, timetable has not been finalized yet.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous12:58

    Been waiting for this since Tav has taken over great news

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous21:13

    Will Wizz ever base a second ac at BEG?
    I doubt so...

    what a big opportunity for Easyjet.

    I think Wizzair is enjoying only the momentum...
    this timeframe will close next year.

    Look at Norvegians success in Copenhague despite
    strong presence of Wizzair in Malmo!

    That much competition in BEG is also because of lack of attention by the established carriers...best example British Airways.

    Turkish Airlines planned to go double daily...
    because of Flydubai they reduced to only 3-4 more flights.
    Should Qatar ever fly to BEG(we hear nothing about this more)then TK will really have problems.

    Also NIKI is the better alternative to Austrian.
    Actually that cheap Tyrolean serves Belgrade with its oldest and most worn out airplanes...wtf!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:43

      Mmm I do not agree with your comments.

      TK never intended to immediately launch double daily, they were supposed to be increased slowly. Double daily flights are supposed to become that only this summer.

      Established carriers? TK will be flying double daily, Alitalia has its daily flight and cooperation with Jat, Swiss increased its flights to double daily, Austrian added their 4th daily flight, Lufthansa increased capacity to Belgrade, most of the night flights this summer will be operated by an A321...

      The reason why Tyrolean is being sent to Belgrade is because it has a cheaper cost structure thus the airline can compete with Jat and Niki. That is why there was a strike in Austrian Airlines recently, the management wanted Austrian Airlines staff to be changed to Tyrolean. That would decrease their incomes and privileges.
      Also, the reason why Tyrolean operates the route is because Austrian decided to go for frequency over capacity,

      Delete
    2. Sweet Sour22:53

      TK will not fly double daily!
      Look at Belgrade airport page...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous00:01

      well it is 12 weekly flights, that is still an increase in 5 flights per week.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous00:07

      Yes,why has Tyrolean cheaper cost structure than Austrian?
      Because it is the worst s...t!

      Not an inch better than Jat.

      I prefer Jat before Tyrolean
      and i am Austrian.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous00:17

      Since introduction the second flight on wednesday is always cancelled.

      Fact is that TK had to withdraw its plans of going double daily.

      The reason is increased competition...

      while Tk slept or wasted time playing around with B&H the Arabs took advantage of the whole situation.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous07:58

      Guy above is Austrian> LOL

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:55

      No, Tyrolean has a cheaper cost structure because it is supposed to be a regional carrier. Crew gets less paid and less benefits than the guys in Austrian Airlines.
      Flight BEG-VIE is 55 minutes so it makes sense to operate it with the regional branch, especially ince OS wants frequencies over capacity.

      Delete
  7. Great news for Alexander the Great Airport in Skopje. However, I think the price is higher than I expected. I hope for more great news coming from Wizzair

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous23:27

    If Wizz Air take/win those 6 destinations... with the previous 2 (London-Luton and Venice-Treviso) they will fly to 8 destinations from Skopje in total. Which is really impressive having in mind that they are operating from Skopje for not even a whole year.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous00:00

    8 destinations?
    This would be nearly the same as Belgrade has...
    is this sustainable in future?

    Dont forget Prishtina airport in direct neighbourship to Skopje.
    Both airports share the same market.

    I bet we will see some airlines passing out.
    I think about the like of Adria and Belle Air...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:55

      well BelleAir pulled out of Venice already

      Delete
  10. Anonymous01:38

    MEL/DUB/SKP at last I am not sure about winter of how this flight will be doing but summer it should run at least 80% full.Great news for all Macedonians in Australia.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nicky Name14:17

    Flying Macedonians from Australia to Skopje is just a niche market that won't be able to sustain the route. How many locals in Macedonia are able to afford to go on vacation to Australia and use the route on a regular basis?

    The business and family links are between Europe and Macedonia not the Asia Pacific region. While there are individual examples of links to the Asia Pacific region there are not enough to make these route profitable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:48

      You've got right about the links between Europe and Macedonia but the biggest macedonian diaspora, except Switzerland, is not in Europe. The VFR market for Australia is extremelly big. I personally know many grandparents that are visiting Australia and New Zeland on a regular basis. Till know, because of their age, they couldn't afford theirselves to travel 45h at age of 75 or up!
      And last but not least there are thousands of macedonian soldiers and employees working for NATO in Afghanistan and Irag who would now transfer at DXB. Plus many Macedonians working in UAE and Qatar.
      Business relations with arab countries are also upward since Qatar begins investments in Macedonia + tourists from Macedonia to UAE.
      All in all this is far from a niche market, it is a market with great potential.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous19:27

    The next destination from SKP might be Moscow... excluding those 6 subsidized...

    ReplyDelete

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