Ljubljana growth slows as Skopje soars

Skopje Airport sees busiest January on record as Ljubljana records modest growth

Skopje Alexander the Great Airport has extended its strong passenger growth into 2016 with record January figures, while Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport's numbers were similar to that of last year. Skopje Airport handled 109.097 travellers, an increase of 23.6% compared to January 2015. The country's second international airport, Ohrid, also saw strong growth. Its monthly passenger figures stood at 4.789, up by 107.5%. Combined, the two handled 1.139 flights, an increase of 13.2% on last year. Ohrid's strong growth was fuelled by Wizz Air, which last year introduced year-round flights from Basel. Similarly, in Skopje, Wizz Air has significantly strengthened its network compared to last winter. During January, it handled its two-millionth passenger from Macedonia since launching operations there in 2011. With three new routes from Skopje planned for this summer, Wizz Air has more than one million seats on sale on the Macedonian market for 2016, representing capacity growth of 22% on 2015.

The General Manager of TAV Macedonia, Zoran Krstevski, recently spoke of the importance of low cost carriers for Skopje and Ohrid airports. "Services provided by low cost airlines and traditional carriers differ. The advantage of low cost companies is that they offer cheaper fares. This model has functioned very well in Macedonia so far because we didn't have that opportunity before. Low budget airlines entered the Macedonian market four years ago, but have increased their market share in a short while with the introduction of many direct route in Europe". He added, "On the other hand, low cost airlines have taken over passengers who used to travel by bus in the past and tourists who go on short trips during the holidays".

After a strong 2015, Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport welcomed 73.567 travellers in January, an increase of 0.6% compared to the same month last year. The softer growth came as a result of a notable decline in the number of aircraft movements, which stood at 1.974, down 7%. The fall can be partly attributed to Adria Airways' suspension of its Istanbul service. Furthermore, Swiss International Air Lines' discontinued flights from Zurich, although the carrier introduced this service last March. The airport says it expects "moderate" growth in 2016. Adria Airways is set to boost frequencies from Ljubljana this summer season and will introduce flights to Cologne, while LOT Polish Airlines will launch services from Warsaw next month.

JANUARY 2016

AirportPAXChange (%)
Belgrade290.580 5.8
Zagreb156.947 4.2
Split25.958 5.7
Dubrovnik15.666 0.8
Pristina120.531 12.8
Skopje109.097 23.6
Ljubljana73.567 0.6
Tivat18.438 9.8
Sarajevo41.208 5.7
Podgorica41.165 4.0

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:16

    Well done Skopje. Great result. A bit surprised about Ljubljana since they had a passenger decline in January last year I was expecting big growth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:35

    SKP breathing down PRN's neck. Let's see how Feb turns out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:00

      That will be an interesting race this year. If FR comes (and it's a big question mark) it will surpass PRN without a problem.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:46

      without FR there is no chance to surpase PRN

      Delete
  3. Purger09:41

    From summer 2016 ZAG will have

    4 new routes by Croatia Airlines (one is Milano)

    Toronto new route by Air Transat

    Prague new route by CSA

    Lufthansa 7 more weekly flights to Fankfurt

    Qatar 3 more weekly flights to Doha

    Croatia 2nd daily flight to Paris + 1 AF code-share

    Bigger planes on KL route to AMS and AF route to CDG

    And I just get information that from 2017 Qatar will fly Doha-Zagreb route with Dreamliner!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:47

      That would be great addition

      Delete
    2. Would be absolutely great and an amazing achievement for any airport in this region.

      But how can they know so far in advance?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:01

      Will Thomson be sending Dreamliner again to Dubrovnik this year?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:33

      yes, 787 1 weekly and 763 1 weekly

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:15

      That is not exactly true regarding QR Dreamliner. To be exact, there are some (low) possibilities, but at present absolutely no decisions are made for 2017. Generally, it is more likely for ZAG to be double daily in the future with possibly some 787 or 330 frequencies during peak summer only (maybe even this year).
      But absolutely no decisions have been made regarding 2017.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:16

      OU 2nd daily to Paris... source... where can I check it?

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:18

      So, anonymous 12:15 PM, Purger is lying? Your source is obviously more reliable?

      Delete
    8. Anonymous12:20

      Kad ce ZAG dobice i BEG 788.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    9. Anonymous12:24

      Anonymous 12:18, I am working for QR - I am not calling him a liar, don't be so dramatic, he just has wrong info.
      INN-NS, ZAG is far, far closer to wide body on QR than BEG is as demand for QR to ZAG is simply having more volumes. It is just that it is not close enough to have it firmed yet.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous12:25

      There is no Croatia 2nd daily flight to Paris!

      Delete
    11. Anonymous12:50

      Steta sto BEG nece , ali ima vise konkurencije pa zato verovatno .
      INN-NS

      Delete
    12. Anonymous13:11

      INN-NS, to je situacija sa QR, tko zna da li je situacija kod EY drugačija. Generalno je logično očekivati da će QR u ZAG do daljnjega ipak biti jači u ZAG nego u BEG (u BEG je prisutan EY sa efektivno double daily letom dok ga u ZAG uopće niti nema). Konkurencija u BEG je jača nego u ZAG prema Istoku, tu nema sumnje, dok u isto vrijeme generalni demand za HR je jači nego za RS (sa Istoka) - dakle, dosta plodno tlo za QR koji očito želi zaštiti taj teren. Zato je i za očekivati double daily i ad hoc wide body - ali zasada nema nikakve donešene odluke o fix wide body service za ZAG.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:45

    People from Slovenia will understand: Fovšija me daje...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:22

      Rubbish. We can be happy about the other airports, but LJU is not doing great. The new owners are a disappointment. I guess that happens when you sell the airport for peanuts. We only have our own stupidity and incompetence to thank for that though.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:31

      Sure, I'm happy for them (but also envy:)) It seams that LJU is satisfied with 'organic' growth.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:39

      You like to firget that LJU is an airport of legacy carriers. They get much more per pax as other airports, which are full of LCCs. There are only 2(+1) LCC destinations from LJU. No LCC has statonated aircraft at LJU. I think that LJU is doing great job getting LOT, AEGEAN back. Here is your "faušija". Even there is an improvement it is not good enough.

      Haplek

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:44

      what means fovsija?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:58

      jealousy, envy

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:40

      no need for fovsija really

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:32

      Would be nice to see the profit per pax and than make comparision...

      Delete
    8. Anonymous13:18

      I bet ZAG will be getting more and more Slovenians with a growth like that. Already now many are flying especially with Qatar and Flydubai from ZAG as it is a short drive from almost anywhere in Slovenia.
      It is probably already getting the largest number of Slovenians compared to nearby airports, besides VCE. It would be very interesting to compare number of Slovenians flying from different airports in the neighborhood, at least LJU, ZAG, TRS, VCE, GRZ and possibly also VIE, MUC, MXP. Are these number available somewhere?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous13:21

      +1
      Haplek

      Delete
    10. Anonymous17:52

      Why LH is flying to ZAG and not to LJU?
      Is LJU not interesting for LCC like GermanWings to connect LJU with Germany cities like (Cologne, Duseldorf,Berlin) ?
      Why Norwegian Shuttle dont arrange summer flights 1-2 per week from Stockholm, Oslo ?
      I dont understand , is this LJU so unattractive ?
      Mirko

      Delete
    11. Anonymous19:40

      Empire will soon or later steike back :) (read Fraport)

      Delete
    12. Anonymous21:14

      @AnonymousFebruary 12, 2016 at 5:52 PM

      Ljubljana is very close to Zagreb, only 1 hour drive or 90 min on a train, reason why perhaps why German Wings doesn't fly to Ljubljana.

      Zagreb needs many more destinations if Slovenians going to come in their numbers.

      Delete
    13. Purger21:49

      That is not the reason. Same thing is Split and Zadar and Germanwings fly to SPU and ZAD. Same thing PUY and RJK. There is other reason why not LH, OS, LX, SN, 4U does not fly to LJU or MBX, but fly to ZAG, SPU, DBV, PUY, RJK and ZAD.

      Delete
    14. Purger, what is the reason why LH,OS,4U flies to ZAG, and not to LJU?

      Delete
    15. Anonymous00:36

      The word on the street is that LH is taking care of JP. I.e. LX had good numbers last year, but backed off on profitable line. It's all part of bigger theory that some folks have that JP is under protection of LH (no LH group members fly to LJU) + Fraport, that has a stake in LH is owner of LJU. Some say, that LH has plans with JP when/if 4K turns them around. Some say its mumbo jumbo some that its plausible... Take it as you want it.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous11:23

    I am actually surprised with Beg. I believe that January should have been stronger due to the Orthodox Christmas and New Year. Even if there may have been reduced flights at least it would have given the airlines a better load factor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:32

      Orthodox Christmas and New Year is every year. Growth will start in April and very strong growth like the one from two years ago will start from June and not because of New York. There will be other things.

      :)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:19

      Niko ne dolazi za Bozic u BG. Vracaju se ljudi iz BG onda.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:17

      I ovi koji se vračaju ulaze u broj putnika!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:57

      Da ali nova godina i bozic nisu vanredni dogadjaj kojih nije bilo proslog januara.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:59

      @ Anon February 12, 2016 at 11:32 AM

      Based on what you believe that there will be a growth like the one the airport had 2 years ago?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous16:05

      You will see soon :) on Tuesday I wrote in the comments that BEG passed TSA and tickets will be on sale for JFK next week. A day later it was announced that tickets go on sale next week. Now I'm telling you this. A bit of patience and all will be revealed.

      Delete
    7. Opet pričas gluposti. Svi već znaju da je rekorni broj putnika postignut u BEG jos prošlog januara kada AS nije smanjila broj letova u zimskom redu letenja. Ove godine su bili pametniji te su umjesto nekih polupraznih linija povećali popunjenost kabine ali smanjili broj sedala ka nekim destinscijama i do 11%. To je razlog zašto BEG i sada ima najveći broj putnika i u 2016. Od marta sve se menja pošto počinje ljetni red letenja i AS završava instalaciji wifi na svim airbaspvim avionima te se vraća pun kapacitet na sve linije.

      Delete
    8. Opet pričas gluposti. Svi već znaju da je rekorni broj putnika postignut u BEG jos prošlog januara kada AS nije smanjila broj letova u zimskom redu letenja. Ove godine su bili pametniji te su umjesto nekih polupraznih linija povećali popunjenost kabine ali smanjili broj sedala ka nekim destinscijama i do 11%. To je razlog zašto BEG i sada ima najveći broj putnika i u 2016. Od marta sve se menja pošto počinje ljetni red letenja i AS završava instalaciji wifi na svim airbaspvim avionima te se vraća pun kapacitet na sve linije.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous17:34

      Plane Mad February 12, 2016 at 5:05 PM
      +1

      Nenad Radujkovic
      If JU just flies the same number of flights like last year plus NY the situation will not improve. It needs more planes and more flights to more destinations to cover the reduced numbers of winter 2015-16.
      If it doesn't then the only way for BEG to have more passengers in 2016 compared with 2015 is for the foreign airlines to greatly increase capacity.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous17:43

      Planemad, airlines are not in a business to increase "performance" but to increase profits.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous18:26

      Planemad why don't you just wait a bit. If you think NY is all that's coming this summer it isn't. As I said just be patient and everything will be known soon :)

      Delete
    12. Anonymous18:58

      Well is is February and most airlines have announced their Summer schedule from before Christmas...
      And also if JU was to suddenly open new routes and increase flights on present destinations it would need more aircraft.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous19:44

      "And also if JU was to suddenly open new routes and increase flights on present destinations it would need more aircraft."

      What does that tell you :)

      It is February Croatia Airlines has not sell tickets to new destinations. I told you be patient some weeks and everything will be known. Thaths it from me I am going on holidays now. I can say is there is very good news soon and it is not just about New York.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous22:14

      Meh... I will believe it when I see it. Things have definitely slowed down so I am not getting my hopes up... again.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous11:55

    OT Lufthansa takes delivery of the world’s first Airbus A320neo as launching customer.
    A day to remember !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:00

      oh yes , the sardine box arrived.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:18

      Ima vec 2 nedelje odtak leti za LH.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:38

      Today inaugural flight for business partners and journalists is taking place.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous13:00

    OT
    TSA je odobrila letove za JFK i sve je uredu na Aerodromu BEG .
    Ovo su odlicne vesti za ASL i njenu buducu ekspanziju sto ce poboljsati brojeve na BEG.
    INN-NS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:06

      To je ovde objavljeno pre nekoliko dana.

      Delete
    2. Дечко Тзар14:16

      I have a very good feeling marketing campaign for New York route will be a level above what we saw so far from Air Serbia. Suspense is building!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:05

      Da jos se nije tako nesto slicno videlo u Ex yu a jos bolje ce biti cena a o usluzi i da ne pricamo.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:12

      High marketing costs, high level of service combined with unseen low prices...haha, nice combo :)

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:58

      No need for expensive marketing, PM is doing it for free. He just shelled out vouchers for first JFK tickets to winners of business event in Serbia

      Delete
    6. Anonymous16:04

      Sales synergies :D

      Delete
    7. Anonymous17:15

      Officially confirmed that we are a step closer to ...
      "Beogradski Aerodrom "Nikola Tesla" spremno će dočekati prve direktne letove do SAD koji se očekuju u junu, saopštilo je Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Srbije.

      Američka transportna agencija za bezbednost (TSA) je, kako je navedeno, početkom februara boravila u Beogradu zbog provere primene mera obezbeđivanja u vazduhoplovstvu prema zahtevima Međunarodne organizacije civilnog vazduhoplovstva (ICAO) i utvrdila da je beogradski aerodrom "korak bliže" u postupku ispunjavanja neophodnih uslova za direktan vazdušni saobraćaj do SAD."

      Delete
  8. Imagine how much pax can have pristina if there is no vissa , Kosovo has a strong airport

    ReplyDelete
  9. Im from Kosovo an I have never traveled by plane like many more from my country , a big reason is Visa and anyway our airport still grow in pax numbers

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous08:46

    the timetable for JFK (daily service?):
    http://airlineroute.net/2016/02/13/ju-jfk-s16update1/

    "In this week’s GDS timetable and FLIFO (Flight Information) listing, Air Serbia has temporary filed planned operational schedule for Belgrade – New York JFK route.

    Both Amadeus and Sabre currently displays Air Serbia schedule listing for the week of 12SEP16 and 14NOV16. Air Serbia’s predecessor JAT last served this route in October 1996 with DC10.

    The following schedule is based on current schedule filing. Exact launch date will be announced within the coming weeks.

    JU500 BEG0730 – 1200JFK 330 D
    JU501 JFK1440 – 0530+1BEG 330 D
    "

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A split schedule is planned. The airline has been listing the flights in the system for a short period of time each day in order to carry out fare checks.

      Delete

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