Skopje records growth of almost 30% in May
Skopje Alexander the Great Airport has recorded significant growth so far this year with May being no different to the past few months. Macedonia’s busiest airport welcomed 87.992 passengers last month, an impressive 29.6% increase compared to May last year. The strong growth is being fuelled primarily by Wizz Air, which set up its base in the Macedonian capital over the winter months and has increased its flight operations from the city by over 300%. As a result, the number of operating flights grew significantly with a total of 966 logged, up 17.4%. Wizz Air was the busiest airline operating in and out of Skopje in May, followed by Turkish Airlines, Austrian and Pegasus Airlines. The busiest EX-YU airline was Adria, which welcomed 5.313 passengers onboard its flights to and from Skopje. Istanbul proved to be the most popular destination in May, followed by Vienna, Zurich, London Luton and Ljubljana.
So far this year Skopje Airport has welcomed 348.532 passengers, up 16.4% compared to the same period last year. The number of flight operations saw a 6.5% boost during the five month period, totalling 4.320 arrivals and departures. Unsurprisingly, with a total of 810 flights, Wizz Air was the busiest from the airport, handling 120.989 passengers, followed by Turkish Airlines on 46.828, Austrian with 35.095 passengers, Adria with 20.097 and Pegasus Airlines which welcomed 19.774 passengers onboard its aircraft to and from Skopje.
Ohrid Airport has also performed well over the past five months by welcoming 16.826 passengers, up 15.3%. In May alone the airport recorded a 10.3% passenger increase by handling 8.337 passengers. Together, Macedonia’s two airports welcomed a combined total of 365.358 passengers, an increase of 16.4% compared to the same period last year. In 2012, Skopje Airport was the seventh busiest airport in the former Yugoslavia, behind Ljubljana but ahead of Tivat. The airport is still awaiting to break its passenger record of 1.000.200 passengers set in 2000.
well done!!! Hope to see only growths in Ex-YU. Crossin my fingers for Wizz to set up new bases in the region and of others to open new routes!
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see such growth in the region, does anyone have an idea of how many passengers were handled by the Serbian airports so far this year?
ReplyDeleteZadar had 52851 pax in May, 37.5% up from last year. Ryanair base is making difference.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Macedonia and Skopje! they have done a great job! other airports in the region could learn something from them.
ReplyDeleteBut its time for Wizz Air to introduce some routes from Ohrid to the Benellux and link Macedonia with Moscow and Paris
...and New York via Maastrich and Kéflavik.
Deletestop whining
DeleteLOL
DeleteSarajevo May/2013: 65.495 (+19%)
ReplyDeleteWow it seems that all these village airports are having a really good year. Good for them.
DeleteSome don't have it. I think BEG is somewhat in minus..:-))
Delete@ Anonymous 4:39 PM
DeleteSince when are Skopje and Sarajevo villages ?
OT:
6.6.2013 to be the most frequent day at Sarajevo Airport so far:
06:30 ZAGREB, Croatia A. - DH4
06:30 BELGRADE, JAT - ATR 72
07:00 RIGA, Bingo A. - A320
07:35 VIENNA, Austrian A. - A320
08:50 ISTANBUL - ATATÃœRK, Turkish A. - B 737 - 800
09:30 RIGA, B&H A. - ATR 72
10:00 ISTANBUL - ATATÃœRK, B&H A. - ATR 72
13:00 OSLO - GARDERMOEN, Norwegian A. S. - B 737 - 800
13:10 MUNICH, Lufthansa - A320
14:10 ISTANBUL - ATATÃœRK, Turkish A. - B 737 - 800
14:15 ANTALYA, Corendon A. - B 737-900
15:00 VIENNA, Austrian A. - A320
16:15 ZAGREB, Croatia A. - DH4
20:05 COLOGNE / BONN, Germanwings - A319
20:35 ISTANBUL - ATATÃœRK, Turkish A. - B 737 - 800
Expected passengers: 2713
Expected passengers in June 2013: 74.000 (+18 %)
RESULTS FOR MAY 2013:
Passengers: 65.459 (+18,8%)
Expected passengers in 2013: more then 700.000
Air B&H flew Sarajevo-Riga with their Atr?!?! :D :D
DeleteThe flight from Belgrade on the Dash-8 was 02:45, which means that this one must have been around 03:30!!!! Wow...
I agree with the post, it is necessary to have a flights to some eastern Europe destination. The flight connection to Moscow is necessary, as we have a lot of things to offer for the our Russian brothers :)))
ReplyDeletevery good idea would be to open routes from Macedonia and maybe BEG to Budapest, W6 has plenty of nice flts from there and even than they do not offer connecting flts, it would b a great opportunity to travel further!
ReplyDeleteBEG May figures our out:
ReplyDeletePax: 300,993 (+5.8%)
Aircraft movements: 3,787 (+1.1%)
Way to go Skopje!
ReplyDelete