Montenegro Airlines halts plans to sell Fokker jets

Montenegro Airlines relying on Fokkers during next development cycle

Montenegro Airlines has halted the planned sale of two of its Fokker 100 aircraft, estimated to be worth 1.440.000 US dollars, according to the government. Despite state approval for the sale, the airline says that due to their age, the aircraft are no longer fit for use and a buyer would be difficult to find. The jets will likely be cannibalised for spare parts for the remaining two operational Fokkers in Montenegro Airlines’ fleet (registered 4O-AOM and 40-AOP). A fifth F100 (registered 4O-AOT) has been grounded for over a year and is need of an expensive D-check. This is by far the most comprehensive and demanding check for an airplane. It requires, more or less, for the entire aircraft to be taken apart, inspected and overhauled. Although the aircraft were once the workhorse of Montenegro Airlines’ fleet, the carrier’s two remaining operational F100s are now over 24 years old. The jets have a capacity to seat 102 passengers.

Montenegro Airlines says the aircraft type has proven extremely reliable over the past years and the carrier will count on them in the future. The airline’s Executive Director, Živko Banjević, told the “Vijesti” daily, “The Fokkers are still an integral part of our fleet and we will count on them during our next development cycle”. Montenegro Airlines retired its first F100 in 2011. The second operated its last flight for the airline on December 31, 2013 before it too was permanently grounded. Finally, the third jet, in need of the abovementioned D-check, ended its run for the carrier on March 1 last year.

Montenegro Airlines’ fleet now primarily consists of Embrarer jets. The carrier has three E195s and one E190 it took delivery of only recently. However, the airline only owns one of the jets while the other three 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. Earlier this year, the airline’s CEO, Daliborka Pejović, said the airline would sign a strategic partnership agreement with Etihad Airways over the summer, which could potentially see the Emirati carrier buy a stake in the airline. At the time, local media reported that an Etihad drafted plan foresaw the transfer of the Montenegro-owned Embraer to equity partner Alitalia while the remaining three jets would be returned to their owner following the expiry of the lease. Asked to comment on the announced strategic partnership, an Etihad spokesperson told EX-YU Aviation News yesterday that the airline does not wish to make statements on plans of such nature.

Comments

  1. Just replace the F100s with ATRs and call the job done.

    Half of all YM flights are either to BEG, VIE, or FCO, and ATRs are made for that type of stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:41

      Montenegro is too far away for VIE with ATR and they don't need so many frequencies to fly to BEG with ATR. FCO is just 3 frequencies per week. So, ATR is not a good alternative. They should have one model of plane, and Embraer is the best option which can fly to all of Montenegro destinations + charters. 4 of them are enough.

      Delete
    2. They don't need so many frequencies for BEG with the ATR, but it is a nice side effect. ATR will beat the ejets on such a short route easily.

      VIE should be about 360nm away, which isn't too far to send a -500.

      FCO could be increased with ATRs

      LJU could also be with ATRs

      INI could be restarted with ATRs.

      4 planes isn't enough for a busy summer schedule (I think S15 had about 107 scheduled round trips per week) plus charters.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:58

      Almost no ex Yu company owns its operational jets. Remarkable success story

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:00

      They have 98 shedule flights + charters. 5-6 planes should be enough

      even if they have 6 planes to have 2 ATR-72 + 4 Embraer is not good option. In so tiny fleet you should have just one plane. Combination of 2 ERJ-170 + 4 ERJ-190 is OK that is the same plane, but to combine ATR with Embraer for sure is not economicly logical.

      Delete
    5. The savings in fuel, maintenance, and airport charges will more than offset the costs of having two types in the fleet.

      The lower trip costs and break even load factor will also allow YM to start a regional expansion. They could return to SKP and INI, and perhaps consider flights to SOF, BUD, ZAG, or ATH, perhaps seasonally.

      More likely 3 or 4 ATRs would be needed then.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:21

    Interesting. If that fleet plan with Etihad actually happened what aircraft would sort of fleet would they have? Only the two Fokkers actually flying?

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  3. Anonymous09:45

    Does anyone have any info on how Niš flights are selling?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:32

      Ticket-sale for Basel was quiet good. In the beginning a lot of tickets were sold for a price well above 180 €. As the demand was lower now (because everybody who has been granted holidays, already bought the tickets), fares have been reduce to stimulate further demand. Lean back and wait for the first load-factor.

      Regarding to MMX I can´t tell you anything. In august I will try DUS-MLH-INI-MLH-DUS. Combined Germanwings/WizzAir ticket was around 160 € (35€ Wizz, 125 € Germanwings).

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:18

      I just checked the average prices for MLH:

      1. MLH-INI
      *************
      JUL 92,22 €
      AUG 37,77 €
      SEP 37,50 €
      OKT 43,88 €

      2. INI-MLH
      ************
      JUL 31,20 €
      AUG 83,89 €
      SEP 51,88 €
      OKT 50,93 €

      3. WIZZ´s average price (whole network)
      **********************************************
      According to a research of german DLR average ticket price in the Wizz network in 2014 stood at 88,58 €.
      _______________________
      I am monitoring the average prices since the very beginning. Just three weeks ago the level was much higher. Furthermore, Wizz is fine with the numbers since they placed winter season for sale.

      No reason to worry. Hope, Memmingen will be put on sale soon. That would be just perfect for INI. Still, I am waiting for Dortmund, Eindhoven or Charleroi to be opened ;) That would give me the oppurtunity to get home every two months (at least!).

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:59

    Tuga

    ReplyDelete
  5. OT: JU trip report

    http://www.airlinereporter.com/2015/06/air-serbia-shockingly-amazing-economy-experience-turboprop/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:10

      Well done, Air Serbia!!!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:47

      Bruka kako je dobro ocenjena Air Serbia.....

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:07

      Maybe he was too generous about describing his experience, but generally the ASL service on European flights is above all carriers in Europe other than TK and maybe few others. On AF for such a flight you would get pretzels. I flew a while back, over 4 years actually a flight with AF from BEG and all we were given was the option to choose between pretzels or cookies. Also do not forget that since he was connecting he probably got a pretty sick deal money wise.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous12:20

    Najzanimljiije bi bilo da EY kupi YM i CTN i da svi Internacionali letovi za S Ameriku i Aziju i wide body flota bude u LYBE .
    Sta misle ostali sa potpisom dali je moguce tako nesto.
    INN-NS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:10

      Mislim da to ima smisla ali da se to nece desiti zbog politike i nacionalizma u ex-yu.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:54

      Zasto bi iko bacao novac na kompanije u gubitcima i bez svojih aviona?
      YM 60 M evra duga bez aviona
      CTN mora da odlaze nabavku novih aviona stalni udesi sa Q400
      Adria rasprodala flotu
      ASL ima vecinu iznajmljenih aviona i dotacije drzave.
      BiH federacija na izdisaju.
      Siptari propali.
      Makedonci odavno propali.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:23

      @4:54
      CTN ima zdraviju flotu od ASL, jerbo je vlasnistvo CTN i hrvatskoga naroda, dok je arapsko-srbijanska alijansa u vlasnistvu arapa i sve joj je arapsko osim imena.
      Naravno da nema govora o BEG kao internacionalnome hubu, jer Munchen i Istanbul su vec odavno se nametnuli kao veliki igraci. BEG iskljucivo moze posluziti kada npr neko iz okoline ZG hoce preko BEG da leti u npr Solun, Bucurest, Tiranu i slicno

      Delete
    4. Anonymous17:40

      Niko nije ni spomenuo Interkontinentalni hub BEG.
      Flota CTN nije ni od naroda posto da je od narodavi bi promenuli direktoa pod brodj 1.
      2 Samo je zdravija Q400 flota i nista vise
      A preko BEG putju i Amerikanci i razni stranbvi da bi stigli do neke destinacioje na balkanu.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:06

      Yes, a proof of that are inter-continental passengers flying all the way from Denmark and Belgium to Asia via Belgrade and Abu Dhabi. As for the fleet leases, i didn't know that 'leased airplanes' are a property "хрватској народа". Btw JU does own almost half of its fleet, unlike Croatia which owns nothing.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous19:40

      Opet ciji je veci. Dosadni ste.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous14:21

    We now take a look at the Best Airlines in Europe by region ...
    Best Airline Southern Europe - Turkish Airlines
    Best Airline Northern Europe - Finnair
    Best Airline Western Europe - Lufthansa
    Best Airline Eastern Europe - Aeroflot
    Evo nesto i za G Nemjee

    Best Regional Airline Africa - Royal Air Maroc
    Best Regional Airline North America - Porter Airlines
    Best Regional Airline South America - Sky Airline
    Best Regional Airline Asia - Dragonair
    Best Regional Airline Europe - Aegean Airlines ****************

    Welcome to the 2015 World Airline Awards. The first awards for the best airline catering have just been announced...
    Economy Class - Asiana Airlines
    Premium Economy - Air New Zealand
    Business Class - Austrian Airlines

    And now the remaining awards in this section ...
    Best Airline Middle East - Qatar Airways
    Best Airline Asia - Singapore Airlines
    Best Airline Europe - Turkish Airlines
    INN-NS

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous16:41

    OT - Mr Robbie Williams on approach into BEG aboard 9H-OME, a VIP configured 735.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:43

      OT - new pasport checks....

      http://www.kurir.rs/vesti/biznis/foto-aerodrom-nikola-tesla-pogledajte-kako-izgleda-novi-granicni-prelaz-clanak-1822057

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:11

      Eto dokaza da se vrednio radi , a i ulepsali su makar malo aerodrom.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    3. AirCEO19:03

      It will be open this weekend, well before June 25. I'll be first to eat my own words, I was wrong! Looks fine, and more importantly, it is done before the deadline. It also gives us hope that other important projects like C concourse extension will be completed by July 2016, very important for Air Serbia transatlantic flights. Well done guys!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous06:09

      INN-NS +1

      Delete
  9. Anonymous19:06

    I was looking through BEG airport page and realized that Solinair and Czech airlines cargo flights are terminated. The only remaining cargo is TK with 1 weekly flight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:07

      also that Hungarian or Latvian company which operated for DHL is not there. Is DHL Serbia operating truck service to BUD now?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous22:39

      Funny enough, the cargo numbers are growing - if not booming. How come?

      Delete
    3. Apparently selling weapons at this time to Africa and the Ukraine so this growth might not be sustainable.

      The past few months, regular cargo configured 747's and others have been making the rounds to Belgrade.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous06:06

      I doubt it, since the post is growing proportionally. It is due to Air Serbia cargo.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous08:24

      BEG timetable for small cargos :
      BUD-BEG vv, 6 weekly, An-26, RAF-Avia
      LJU-BEG-SJJ vv, 5 weekly, Saab-340 , Solinair
      CGN-BEG-SOF vv, 5 weekly, ATR-72, Swiftair

      Delete

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