British to farewell Priština

British Airways to suspend Priština service in October
After months of speculation, British Airways has officially suspended ticket sales for its flights from London Gatwick to Priština starting late October. The move comes following British’s growing dissatisfaction with the airport’s primary operator, Limak Holding. Limak angered airlines after it significantly increased handling fees at the airport. Furthermore, British was furious after the airport owner terminated contracts with British Petroleum for the supply of aircraft fuel and selected the Kosovar Ex Fis company instead. As a result, on its flights to Priština, British Airways introduced refuelling stops in Dubrovnik.

First whispers of British’s plans to suspend flights to Priština were reported back in May. The final flight between the two cities will operate on Thursday, October 25. British Airways runs three weekly flights from London Gatwick to Priština and will prove as a big loss to the airport as it is the most established carrier operating flights to the city. Until recently, Priština has provided subsidies for certain airlines operating flights to the city, however, the new management has now suspended them. Following British’s exit, there will no longer be direct flights between the United Kingdom and Priština.

Priština Airport handled 658.304 passengers in the first half of the year, cementing its position as the third busiest airport in the former Yugoslavia. The figure represents an increase of 7% compared to the same period last year. Construction of the airport’s new terminal building is ongoing and is set to open in 2013.

Comments

  1. Anonymous10:42

    JP can take over it :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. PRAGuc11:04

    OT: airFrance returned it's Codeshare numbers on Jat Airways flights to CDG (AF1086/1087).
    That's a twist, considering the trouble Jat airways had with french airport authorities or whoever.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On the contrary, it was quite expected, as without double-daily offer it is really hard for them to attract business or transit passengers.

      Without that code share, their transit offer relies only on combining single daily AF's CDG and JU's daily AMS where KLM puts its code.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous12:25

    I still think this is just a form of pressure from BA to PRN management. BA has no real reason to cut it's PRN flights because they were always rentable. I am almost 100% sure that once PRN reduces the handling fee or provides some other form of advantage for BA this decision will be revised. It's a game of nerves between Limak and BA, and the end is not yet near.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous14:45

    hopefully at last BA will be starting Skopje!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous15:47

    Any chance of BA returning to BEG?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Once UK/Ireland visas are gone it is highly likely to happen.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous16:52

    No...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:35

      BA will come sooner or later to BEG. Its funny how people thing BA will come to SKP :D

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:47

      its funny how you all actually hate Macedonia. We will be smiling when there will be a news about BA coming to SKP

      Delete
    3. Anonymous19:05

      and its funny how you hate Beograd.... we will be laughing our guze off when BA returns ;)

      Delete
    4. How about everyone to smile when there will be new airline flying to some airport in EX-YU?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous23:59

      Will BA return to BEG? I thing SKP have better chanse as TAV management have tools and know-how!

      But you know BA returns to ZAG. British Airways on Ryanair stile:
      Bye-bye BEG - hello ZAG

      Delete
    6. Anonymous00:15

      Answer from BEG:
      Bye bye European looser airlines-
      hello to the likes of QR and Pegasus!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous20:10

    just forget about the times Serbia ruled the exyu region. Those days are gone, but sadly, you will have to wait for another 20-30 years to begin realising that ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous00:11

      Now you are all ruled by the Europeans who not even know about you and if they do...
      they think of you as subhumans.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous21:04

    OT but everyone else seems to post non related stuff.
    OU have loaded LHR-DBV flights throughout the winter into Amadeus on days 3 and 6.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous17:46

    What I found as inarticulately weird is how the exyuaviation team only mentions Pristina when there is some sort of a problem or potentially negative news of any nature whatsoever. For example, exyuaviation has managed to mention in THREE separate subjects that British Airways will leave Pritina. Thank God there is no bigger problem with PRN othervise the entire Pristina thread under exyuaviation would be filled with negative news on daily basis. On the other hand, exyu aviation team seems to miss writing articles on the fact that PRN's numbers continue to grow (a steady 7% so far) besides all negative predictions even though the new terminal and the visa liberalization did not yet start (instead this is casually mentioned somewhere in the bottom of the article about BA leaving PRN). Just for comparison purposes, there have been several articles about BEG numbers increasing just this year but when it comes to PRN, surprisingly, you decide to lead with the "big news" of BA leaving PRN. Let's not forget, PRN strongly holds the third place in all of ex-yu just after BEG and ZAG so a more constructive approach from your side would be, I think, quite in place. You don't need to publish this comment I just hope you will acknowledge that it's hard to miss the sense of a double standard in approach between the Airports that you guys at exyuaviation cover. Best regards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are no double standards. News from PRN is unfortunately sparse. Rarely are there any updates. Passenger data is not published on a monthly basis because it is not given by the airport on a monthly basis but every time it has been disclosed, data has been published here. So, when there is any news from PRN it is published. Only twice has BA’s departure from PRN been mentioned, once in this article and in an article published in May when first unofficial news of the issue appeared. By clicking the “Priština” button in the sidebar you can review all the news published relating to PRN. These were the titles of the last five news items which uniquely related to PRN: British to farewell Priština, British Airways to suspend Priština service, Priština on the up (article about growing passenger numbers), Priština terminal construction progresses, Priština success for Adria. If you have any news relating to PRN which is worthy of publishing don't hesitate to send in the news to exyuaviation@mail.com. Best regards.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:20

      The "problem" between BA and PRN was actually mentioned three times, the two times you pointed out plus under another negative article from Feb 2012, under the name: "Discontent grows at Pristina Airport". I sincerely hope the next article on PRN will be a positive one. Nonetheless, thanks for the quick reply I will strive to share confirmed information regarding PRN with you whenever I can. Thanks and regards.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous00:47

    Well here are mention some factors that will help Pristina Airoport grow, such are New Terminal and visa liberalization. I think that there are other factor that will help this grow, such as finishing new highway to the border with Serbia next year, and starting/finishing new highway with Macedonia 2013/2014. For people from South Serbia, Pristina Airport will be easy access than Belgrade one.
    In February during winter, many flights were directed to Skopje Airport, I see that Turistic Agencies will Pagasus in market are offering cheaper holiday packages to Turkey this year. So Im looking this year another increase of passangers around 10%.
    I just came from Pristina and I have noticed that Pristina is becoming quite a buisness centre and offering more attractions to tourists. New build hotels, more money fllow in tourism, may activities... so Im looking soon PR to reach the 2 milion and maby even the predictions from Lymak to 3 milion figure.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous12:08

    Can you write a headline article abot new direct flights:
    Trieste - Mostar (from 31st August 2012)
    and
    Trieste - Nis (from April 2013)

    Start your search here

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aeroporto-Trieste/109547342458250

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous03:47

    You people need to get a life they not intrested in your comments but in money making as france and turkey bought out the airport they increased fuel prices and maintainence so Ba stop their flights simple good on them

    ReplyDelete

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