Osijek flights and Embraer lease back on the agenda at Croatia Airlines
Early last month it was revealed Croatia Airlines would be leasing an Embraer EMB120 Brasilia aircraft to be exclusively used on flights from Osijek. However, neither the domestic flights from the city nor the lease materialised. Now, the new service is back on the agenda. This time around, flights from Osijek to Zagreb are set to launch next month five times per week, down from the daily service initially planned. At the start of the 2013 summer season, flights to Split and Dubrovnik will also be introduced and will run three times per week, according to Osijek Airport CEO Domagoj Marinić.
The thirty seat turboprop commuter Embraer 120 will be taken on lease from Budapest Aircraft Service. The aircraft features a 2+1 seat configuration and has low operating costs. The lease of the aircraft was first announced in August when Osijek Airport held talks with Croatia Airlines for flights to operate between Osijek, Zagreb and Split over the 2012/2013 winter season. The possible addition of the Brasilia would bring Croatia Airlines’ fleet number to a total of fourteen. The airline has a further four Airbus A319s on order, though their delivery has been delayed by the carrier until 2015 and the fate of the order itself is uncertain.
Osijek Airport has struggled with financial problems throughout the year but is determined to get back on track. The airport is adamant it will not be renewing cooperation with the no frills Ryanair since it still owes the airline 106.000 euros in unpaid advertising. However, the airport is negotiating with Germanwings over possible flights. Osijek Airport handled only 2.171 passengers in the first ten months of the year, down 91% on the same period in 2011. Croatia Airlines has not commented on the potential new aircraft lease and network additions.
I think this is a great idea to keep small airport such as Osijek alive. I think this type of aircraft could be successful for many EX-YU regional airports.. Mostar, Nis, Banja Luka.. They could easily make an small base in each of those airport introducing at least 5 routes on 2 weekly flights to most popular destinstins. Vienna, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milano etc.
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines have done it werry well this year. They will reach up to 2 million passangers and im sure that in the end they will agree to an solution accourding airbus and the new fleet. Ive traveled with them to PRN 8 times this year and i geet gorgius service with this company. OU have have halved their losses and next year will be even more positive as new routes will be introduced.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good for this to happen, just so we can see if such flights will be both popular and profitable.
ReplyDeleteDéjà-vu much?
ReplyDeleteI could swear I read the same news on the same site a few weeks back.
since august each month the same news and it was never happend :D
Delete...according to Osijek Airport CEO Domagoj Marinić.
ReplyDeleteAnd there, ladies and gentlemen, is why it failed last time, and will likely fail again this time.
Irrespective of whether this idea actually has wings (no pun intended) or could be successful, the announcement is not by the right person. We should be hearing this comment come not from the CEO of an airport, but from the Minister for Transport, or the head of the actual airline.
@frequentflyer
DeleteMuch as same as Pescara airport announcing that Ryanair "should" (whatever that is supposed to mean) fly to Mostar. Since when do airport authorities run airlines?
*** BREAKING NEWS ***
Possible A380 lease for MAT Airways, says SKP Airport spokesperson.
Osijek-Zagreb and Osijek-Split becomes PSO. So Republic of Croatia will pay for break-even of that line. This decision was made some two weeks ago. So, this time it is real. For number of frequencies I don't know where this data comes from.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, small Embraer should operate double daily, mondays through fridays, departures from its base in OSI 07:00 and 15:30, OSI-ZAG-RJK-SPU-DBV and v.v.
ReplyDeleteOn saturdays and sundays, one day-off for charter/ crew rest/maintenance, the other day nonstop OSI to PUY, ZAD and DBV v.v. All flights should be PSO. Later on, with arrival of new 319's, and some IST/BRU/CPH transferred from Q400 to 319, OSI "base"&services could be transferred to Q400.
ZAG-RJK (one hour by car)
DeleteSPU-DBV (200 km, low passangers interest)
That is very bed idea! Much better is
-2-4-67
OSI-ZAG-SPU-OSI-SPU-PUY-SPU-RJK-SPU-ZAG-OSI
1-3-5--
OSI-ZAG-DBV-OSI-DBV-PUY-DBV-RJK-DBV-ZAG-OSI
Split - Dubrovnik might be 200 km but can take up to 4 hours, especially during the tourist season and the ferry takes 8 hours.
DeleteYou could easily fill a 30 seater especially during the tourist season.
Also, OU already has flights between Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik using mostly A319/320 so no point running the the Embraer between these cities.
DeleteI would utilise the aircraft by focusing on Split.
SPU 0620/0710-OSI 0740/0820-ZAG
ZAG 0850/0930-OSI 1000/1050-SPU
SPU 1130/1210-RJK 1240/1350-DBV
DBV 1420/1530-RJK 1600/1640-SPU
SPU 1720/1810-OSI 1840/1920-ZAG
ZAG 2030/2110-OSI 2140/2220-SPU
If you look closely to major regional operators, they minimise the time an aircraft spends on the ground. This way they can offer the maximum service for them most competitive price. The above sectors could easily be run 7 days a week using 4 or 5 complete crews and one aircraft with a second available when the main aircraft is unserviceable.
Charging an average of 50 euro's per ticket per sector (his is very competitive when compared to car bus or train) and a load factor of 60% could bring in annual revenue of almost 4 million euro,s.
Best estimates of lease for the aircraft would be about 400,000 euro's per year.
Crew 400,000 euros per year.
Fuel 600,000 euros per year.
This leaves 2.6 million to cover landing fees, ground handling, ATC and the rest. More than enough and I really don't know why OU and other airlines in the area are ignoring the potential of this type of service in the region!
What is point OSI - ZAG flight to come to ZAG at 08:20 when you miss all connections for about 30-40 minutes? Than this line is point-to-point and for that you don't have more than 2-3 passengers per day. The same thing is ZAG-OSI at 20:30 and you miss evening connection for some 30 minutes.
DeleteZAG-SPU in morning at 8:30 and back at 19:30 make sense for business travelers which now does not have possibility for coming back same day (to SPU that is possible on 1-3-5-7, but not on other days). 3 frequencies per day (2 with Q400 and evening/morning with A319 makes) are not enough for all waves + business passengers, short break, migrant passengers. So, with Embraer 120 in 8:30 from ZAG to SPU (DBV) and back in ZAG at 20:30 you can make 4th frequency + connections to PUY, SJJ, SKP, ZAD.
In my opinion, small Embraer should operate double daily, mondays through fridays, departures from its base in OSI 07:00 and 15:30, OSI-ZAG-RJK-SPU-DBV and v.v.
ReplyDeleteOn saturdays and sundays, one day-off for charter/ crew rest/maintenance, the other day nonstop OSI to PUY, ZAD and DBV v.v. All flights should be PSO. Later on, with arrival of new 319's, and some IST/BRU/CPH transferred from Q400 to 319, OSI "base"&services could be transferred to Q400.
PSO?
ReplyDeletePublic service obligation, i.e. subsidy for a particular route.
DeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteAnyone knows the details of the lease?
What is a Wet Lease rate for EMB120 ?
Pegasus from Belgrade to Istanbul (Sabiha Gokcen) 3 timmes a week starting from February the 1st aproved!
ReplyDeleteI think it is four times a week
ReplyDeleteYup, four times
DeleteAhhh finally !
DeleteWhy not earlier?!!!
Hi, Nice post thanks for sharing. Would you please consider adding a link to my website on your page. Please email me back.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Randy
randydavis387@gmail.com