Montenegro grounds majority of its F100 fleet

Last call for Montenegro Airlines’ aging Fokker fleet

Montenegro Airlines has grounded the majority of its Fokker 100 aircraft with its fleet to shrink to just five operational jets this March. The national carrier’s Fokker fleet now averages 23.7 years. Out of the 34 commercial airlines operating this type of aircraft, Montenegro Airlines now has the third oldest Fokker fleet in the world. The airline says it grounded its first of five F100s in 2011 (registered 4O-AOL), however, the jet has not been cannibalised for spare parts. Its second aircraft (registered 4O-AOK) operated its last flight for the airline on December 31, 2013 before it too was permanently grounded. Finally, a third jet (registered 4O-AOT) will end its run with the carrier on March 1.

As a result, Montenegro Airlines will only have two F100s operating this summer (registered 4O-AOM and 40-AOP), both of which are 23 years old. As EX-YU Aviation News understands, the carrier is sourcing potential buyers for the grounded aircraft. The jets have the capacity to seat 102 passengers. An additional three Embraer E195s, which the airline took delivery of from 2008 onwards, will continue to be utilised by the Montenegrin carrier. However, the airline only owns one of the jets while the other two are on financial lease from the aircraft leasing company GECAS (General Electric Aviation Services). Following the expiry of the lease, which lasts eight years for each aircraft, Montenegro Airlines can purchase them if it wishes to do so.

In addition to its existing fleet, the Montenegrin carrier has another Embraer, the smaller E190 version, on order. Originally planned for delivery this April, it now looks likely its arrival will be deferred until further notice. Last week, the Montenegrin government issued an advisory to its national carrier to get its fleet in order which, according to them, should consist of three larger and three smaller jets. “The current fleet does not fully meet our traffic requirements due to the airline’s high seasonality. There is a need for smaller E175 jets with the capacity to seat 88 passengers”, the government said in its report. Earlier this month the Montenegrin government announced plans to privatise its national carrier.

Comments

  1. Anonymous10:10

    I agree with the government. They need 6 planes - 3 small, 3 big. I assume they won't be doing those charters to Yerevan and Baku this year since they won't have enough aircraft?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:15

      I think they will do those charters because they have like 5 flights a day so fleet shortage would not be a problem.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous10:59

    Despite their age they kept their Fokkers in good shape.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12:25

    Does anyone know when MGX took delivery of the F100s?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:13

      In june 2000 the first fokker 100 was delivered but their first aircraft was fokker 28 which was puchased in 1996.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous13:03

    Who wants to buy 23 year old fokkers. They should use them for parts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:18

      Some airline in Africa or Latin America. They seem to be operating the type predominately.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:46

      Wouldn't OS be interested to acquire the Fokkers?

      Delete
    3. Doubt it, they are also keen on replacing them. The Q400 took over some routes will it seems they might be getting the C-series which could fly on longer, thinner routes from Vienna.

      Delete
  5. Good decision. I can't remember when was the last time YM management made a sane business decision.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous13:19

    Was the F100 economical in terms of fuel consumption?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh, I can only imagine...

      Delete
  7. Anonymous13:38

    Montenegro Airlines still has one of the better liveries in EX-YU in my opinion :))

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:49

      Yes I agree. But this fokker on the picture(4O-AOK) is too blue. Letters,engines,tail,fuselage they are all blue they should maybe have a mix of 2 colors and make a body of the aircraft a little more interesting.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:12

      Actually it's interesting they have no red having in mind the Montenegrin flag. But for me if their former livery (just the blue tail and letters) was way too white.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:19

      It would probably be perceived as too Serbian if they added red.

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    4. Their airline is older than their nation so thats why livery doesnt consist of a red (flag) color. When the company was founded they still had Serbian flag as official.
      It was a wise decision to ground F100s and at least reduce the minus YM produces.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous17:29

      @VK
      Please advise how you define a nation's age?
      Principality of Montenegro (the country) existed in the 19th century, and one could easily argue that the nation is significantly older than that.

      The airline does predate it's recent independence from Serbia and Montenegro though. Granted.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous18:29

      Yeah but Montenegro from before 1918 had nothing to do with Montenegro of today. Back then they were proud to declare themselves as Serbs, today they are creating a new ethnicity. lol

      That's why they did not use their pre-1918 flag.

      Delete
    7. Montenegro Airlines' livery was always beautiful. It suits Embraers great. Though other ex yu airlines have nice liveries as well. Croatia Airlines' current looks great. Thank god there will be no Jat Airways livery anymore, it was so effortless, kind of like current Adria livery. I really hope they will change too.
      B&H's just awful...

      Delete
  8. Anonymous14:20

    It now makes sense why they sacked Serbian pilots and technicians late last year. I think they mostly worked on the F100s

    ReplyDelete
  9. OT
    ( Промених језик странице у "Maori", оплаках! Препоручујем.)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous17:56

    wow where could that runway in the photo be at?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:23

      That is Tivat Airport.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:53

      Thanks. Looks exotic :D

      Delete
    3. Anonymous19:11

      I think Tivat airport has the most beautiful scenery in whole Ex-Yu. :)

      Delete
    4. Anonymous21:10

      Sorry, but nothing can ever match an afternoon takeoff from SPU.

      Delete
    5. Tivat (TIV/LYTV)

      Delete
  11. Anonymous19:32

    Tivat and Ljubljana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:17

      I would say Skopje and Ohrid too!

      Delete
  12. Aэrologic23:25

    According to the information that i received, Air Serbia's transition from Gaetan to Sabre went beyond smoothly. Congratulations. +1

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:30

      Can confirm that. Was there today - there was no need to arrive 3h before. I arrived some 80min before the flight and finished check-in in 30 seconds.

      Delete

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