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| Slow start to the year for Belgrade, Dubrovnik and Sarajevo airports |
The airports in Belgrade, Dubrovnik and Sarajevo have all registered weaker passenger numbers during the first month of the year. Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport welcomed 290.580 passengers, a decrease of 5.8% compared to January 2015. The figure was accompanied by a notable decline in the number of operated flights which stood at 4.176, down 7.3%. The result was largely influenced by Air Serbia which has made significant cuts to its 2015/16 winter network. During January, both LOT Polish Airlines and Ural Airlines launched flights to the Serbian capital from Warsaw and Moscow respectively. On the other hand, unlike last January, Air Serbia no longer operates flights to Budapest and Larnaca, following their suspension in late October last year.
The former Yugoslavia's fourth busiest airport, Dubrovnik, recorded its weakest January figures in almost eight years. The airport handled 15.666 travellers, down 0.5%. Over the past few years, the airport has been affected by decreasing passenger numbers during the slow winter months, which have come as a result of Croatia Airlines' suspension of a few year-round routes from the city. However, figures are expected to improve next winter season with the carrier considering resuming flights between Dubrovnik and Frankfurt. The head of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Romana Vlašić, says the city hopes to conclude a three-year contract with Croatia Airlines regarding the service. Despite putting in a weaker performance during the winter, Dubrovnik has seen record figures over the summer months, which has resulted in strong annual growth.
Finally, Sarajevo Airport's numbers decreased 5.7% on January 2015. It welcomed 41.208 passengers through its doors. The decline comes in part due to poor weather conditions, which saw a number of flights cancelled during the month. Meanwhile, Air Arabia has brought forward the launch of its Sarajevo service by two days. The airline will now commence operations between Sharjah and the Bosnian capital on March 18. While it will initially run three weekly flights with its Airbus A320 aircraft, before increasing to daily in July, the airline has already scheduled several additional flights through March and April. The airport is gearing up for a busy summer with Czech Airlines to launch flights in May and a number of airlines increasing frequencies compared to last year.
Comments
Air Serbia decline was more than 11%. With 13% cut of capacity that is just 2% more on LF. And it is very bad concerning the fact of lost potential passengers who choose other companies instead of JU.
We don't see any important increase of frequencies in JU summer time-table comparing to 2014, exempt JFK flights. So, how will they feed those routes?
Doesn't looking good at all!
Do a little research.
+1
Just sayin'...
JU is down 11%
Foreign airlines took a big chunk of JU's traffic to and from Serbia.
This aircraft will give OU alot of flexibility.
'U februaru je najviše otkazanih letova je na linijama ka Bejrutu i Tel Avivu, što ukazuje da ove linije ne posluju zadovoljavajuće za Air Serbiju. Čak 80% svih naknadno otkazanih letova je u regionu (Podgorica, Skoplje, Zagreb, Bukurešt, Ljubljana) što ukazuje na lošu sezonu u regionalnom saobraćaju. Problemi u regionu dolaze najviše zbog sve snažnije konkurencije i sve bolje ponude na aerodromima u regionu u poslednje vreme.'
I thought BEY performed well? As for the region, I am not surprised since the prices are craaaazy expensive.
INN-NS
Haters are predictable as always, moving on to profitability to complain about. Just a reminder: you were wrong about all other items so far.
Actually we weren't. ;) We predicted a catastrophe when the winter timetable was announced and here are the results. We predicted that the JFK flights will be a financial disaster and we will be right once again.
Losses are only going to increase in 2016 both because the launching of flights to North America and the long period that this route will be cash flow negative until (and if) it gets positive AND most importantly because the increase in capacity in BEG by all the foreign airlines..
Wizz, Lufthansa, Lot, Tarom, Aegean are all adding capacity to an already depressed market.
This will only squeeze JU margins further down.
and it cost whooping 830€ return (WTF!)
With these prices Air Arabia has no chance!!!
2011 they failed at Tuzla
2013 failed at PRN
when u see the fares, you know why
BEY to BEG is a very small market, it relies heavily on connections. With the great reduction in connections we see great reduction in pass. numbers.
JU responded by canceling flights and ruining travelers plans.
The cancelled flights with small load factors saved some money short term but those affected passenger will avoid JU for their future travels.
Man, you are not supposed to say things like that. Everything is fine and the airline is prospering.
This BEG profit that was written off wouldn't exist at all if there were no JU ops, so you would end up where you started. Only without an airline.
And guess what would competition do then.
Seriously?
Why dont you start comparing BEG (only real airport for a country of 7 million) with Kosovo? Or maybe Moldova.
That would make its results look good...
Correct.
And so did LCA after CY suddenly closed last year. SKP and OHD too.
I also think that JFK flights are not the first priority before some sort of expansion in the wider region. Does that make me a hater since I said that? Also it is clear that its not going to well for ASL since they are cancelling flights a lot and based on that their LF should be higher than 60%. IST for instance is in reality most of the time 3-4 p/w and not 6-7 as was expected. In regards to whether NYC will bring money neither you nor I can be sure whether it will make money or not. Too early to judge now.
A few people on here should look at both sides of the story and then make a decision and not automatically say "hater" because they have different views than you.
Would you mind supplying the link to these profits in BUD? They lose dozens of millions every year, even after they set one passenger record after another. Looks like LCCs bring a bit less bread on the BUD table compared to Malev...
Make up your mind gentlemen - if Serbia is the poorest country of Europe as you keep on saying, then you compare it with Moldova, Macedonia and Tajikistan. And if the numbers dont work your way then find another comparison.
It's hilarious that you are saying that it makes more sense to compare BEG and SKP. ROFL
SKP and OHD too, yet MK government has been paying something from the budget if I recall correctly.
BEG is a 100% owned public enterprise. That translates into - it doesn't matter whether subsidies come from BEG, or the budget, or the city. And vice versa, profits are irrelevant if another state eneterprise profits out of it. Or if state is obligated to pay, by contract, to a company where it is a major shareholder.
Unfortunately, nobody would really "step in" in case JU went out of business. We would have perhaps AF and BA coming back, and LH increasing frequencies from 3 to 5-6 daily. That's it. Oh, and guess what would happen to ticket prices.
Macedonia 2 million pax, 1 million air travelers
I am sure Norwegian would increase flights as well and maybe even launch LGW flights.
So it wouldn't be that bad.
Srbija population 7 million+ 4,5 million air travelers...
Ryanair adds daily flights from SOF to Cologne from October on (already 7th destination from SOF)
Macedonia wins!
And 2016 started fantastic.
Please don't hate us because despite this massive expansion of our airports ASL was 20% down carrying only 3% of travelers.
Keep Calm and visit beautiful Ohrid.
It makes no sense because BUD is a huge tourist hub and OTP is the main hub in a country of 20 million. And both BUD and OTP are in the EU.
That's why it makes no sense.
Personally I would not compare BEG to SKP either but if some people insist that Serbia is the poorest country in Europe, well, then the relevant competitors would be SKP, PRN, SJJ and KIV.
Plus a few selected people on here repeated that JU wouldn't get the permit. Overall, what the 'haters' have been saying all along is that the reduced number of frequencies will harm JU, that passenger numbers will take a hit and that the hub system will no longer make sense. Now that, that came true.
Personally I find your naivete and enthusiasm quite pathetic and the only justification to it that I can think of is that you either live abroad or that you have absolutely no link to the civil aviation sector in Serbia.
As was pointed out a few times on here, JU has destroyed it's winter schedule and it's Airbus fleet has grown in more than a year. That was the song being sung by the so called haters, a song that became quite real.
On the other hand the talk that was repreated by the cheerleaders was based on some illusion that JU will become anything more than wut it is today. Also it's hilarious that you are actually supporting the idiotic idea of launching JFK flights with no brand awareness, no regional network and a single widebody.
Yeah... let's celebrate it all. Yo are right. I apoglogize for being more realistic than you.
And 2016 will be a fun year to watch when the regional leader, Air Serbia, will have to face even more competition. Then their metal forks and pillows and their 250 euro fare won't help them fill those seats.
But thank God for the JFK flights.
+1
Air Serbia did a rational thing this winter. More astute (and less pathetic) observers would also notice that external influences tried to stop or slow down Air Serbia expansion. Long haul flights were supposed to start over a year ago and regional acquisition faced political resistance. All paperwork for US flights took about 2,5 years to complete. Flights with YU metal to US needed about quarter of a century to restart. In contrast, Lufthansa started flights to the US only about a decade after the fall of the Nazi Germany. Despite all the headwind Air Serbia did an amazing job so far, and official start of ticket sales next week will be that inflection point for further growth.
http://www.b92.net/biz/vesti/srbija.php?yyyy=2016&mm=02&dd=09&nav_id=1095004
You make it seem as if they failed at it which they clearly didn't, otherwise we wouldn't be seeing so many cuts this winter season. Also, most extra frequencies start at the end of June to collect the few extra passengers that OS, TK, AZ...and the rest didn't pick up.
It's funny how you consider yourself and astute and less pathetic observer of the whole situation and yet you are saying that what we saaw this winter is a good thing when everyone on here said otherwise and they were proven right. All I am seeing from you is wishful thinking which is not surprising because if you used fact... well, you would prove yourself wrong. ;)
But still PM Vučić several times compare BEG with BUD and OTP. And insist that BEG will overrun BUD and OTP in few years. So, do you want to say that PM Vučić is wrong?
It's financial performance is being checked and audited daily by hundreds of analysts.
ASL on the other hand...