Iranian airline execs set up Crna Gora Airways


Two Iranian airline executives have joined forces with a local Montenegrin businessman to set up a new Podgorica-based airline - Crna Gora Airways. The carrier will focus on shuttling passengers between Iran and Europe via Montenegro and plans to rival national carrier Montenegro Airlines. The two airline executives from Iran are VSP Kish CEO, Mohammed Hossein Kadivar, and the company's President of the Board of Directors, Alireza Atashzereh. VSP Kish initially inked an agreement for Montenegro Airlines to operate a regular one weekly seasonal summer service from Podgorica to Tehran, however, the deal never materialised. The Montenegrin partner in the airline venture, who owns a 51% stake in the new carrier, is hotelier Veselin Pejović, who also owns the aluminium maker Uniprom. Uniprom was Montenegro's biggest exporter last year.

Crna Gora Airways was registered on May 30 and is now in the process of obtaining necessary permits in order to launch operations. Mr Atashzereh will serve as the airline's CEO, with the company initially planning to lease a single Airbus A320 aircraft to maintain flights. Some analysts believe the new carrier is being set up to eventually replace the debt-stricken Montenegro Airlines, which has been forced to downsize its fleet and destination network this year after posting a record 11.4 million euro net loss in 2016. Furthermore, Montenegro's tax authority recently rejected a tax restructuring program submitted by the carrier. Montenegro Airlines owes the state 15.4 million euros in tax and unpaid worker benefits. The carrier suggested for its debt to be reprogrammed and repaid over the next five years, however, this was turned down by the tax regulator.

Montenegro Airlines has not directly commented on the establishment of Crna Gora Airways but noted, "The company's management, together with the competent ministries, is developing a long-term and sustainable solution to resolve the national airline's status". During the first half of 2017, Montenegro Airlines handled some 230.000 passengers, which is on par with last year's result. It comes despite a marginal decrease in the number of operated flights. More than half of its passengers were carried on services to and from Belgrade. By the end of the year, the airline anticipates handling around 550.000 travellers.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    Crna Gora Airways? LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:04

      I had the same reaction. Wouldn't it have been better to have named it Montenegro Airways?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:09

      That's too similar to Montenegro Airlines.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:15

      Or maybe Air Montenegro? But Crna Gora Airways - LMAO.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:18

      Agree. Bad name, especially if its aimed at international passengers.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:37

      If even.. it's actually ''krna gora ervejz''.

      Very unfortunate from a marketing perspective.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:04

    Interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, as someone whose first language isn't Serbocroatian, I can't tell you how weirdly that sounds!!
      Also...over half of the Montenegrin national carrier pax number comes from shuttling folks to and from Belgrade?!!
      I mean, seriously...I am the first one to defend the national carriers and get very annoyed by the Serbian and Croatian attitude as if there were no one else in ex Yu, but a Montenegrin national carrier, at least in its current form really doesn't make any business sense.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:15

    So Crna Gora is copying Croatia when it comes to setting up shadow airlines?

    The only way they can survive if they get their hands on the Montenegro-Belgrade market.

    Also, Montenegro's tourist offer is seasonal and it's still light years away from being considered 'good' or up to the Western standards.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:15

    Keeping in mind the success start ups in ex-Yu have had, I will believe it when I see it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous09:19

    Same story like in Maribor with VLM Airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:31

      I think that was has more potential.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:31

    Pejovic did a good job with turning around Uniprom so who knows. Let's wait and see before we judge.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:37

    The government needs to find some solution for Montenegro Airlines. An airline with 5 planes generating 11+ million EUR loss is completely unsustainable.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:44

    Would they be allowed to operate Montenegro-Serbia flights? That would be a massive hit for Montenegro Airlines and Air Serbia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:08

      I don't see why not. They are a Montenegrin registered airline.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:13

      That would mark the end of Montenegro Airlines and would certainly hurt Air Serbia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:15

      Air Serbia could undercut them with their Atrs' efficiency and a higher number of weekly frequencies.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:18

      Yes it could actually be a blessing for JU which would take a portion of YM's passengers.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:24

      I really don't think you should be treating this company as a threat to anyone.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:50

    Monte Airlines or CG Airways might resonate with travellers. Perhaps Kiss AIr oops Kish Air?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:52

      Eagle Airlines maybe? Although that probably exists somewhere.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:12

      Or just: Milo AeroTransport

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:04

      Money Laundering Airways?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:14

      They should use YM's slogan from the late 90s:

      Сједиш, а љетиш.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:16

      Hahaha was that really their slogan?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:33

      Yes, it was sometime in the late 1990s, they had a commercial running on RTS. It was in their plane, some Montenegrin guy sitting with a pint of Niksicko in his hand and he says: сједиш, а љетиш.

      I am trying to find it online but I think that gem is lost forever now. :'(

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:51

      OMG! OMG! I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT HAHAHH


      I think it was created to celebrate the arrival of their F100.

      Delete
    8. Sjedis a letis mozda,ljetis nije bilo sigurno...

      Delete
    9. Anonymous22:00

      Guys, need to dissapoint You this time: The Sjediš a letiš commercial was for a tour operator who organized Aviogenex charters to Tivat, has nothing to do with Montenegro Airlines...

      Delete
    10. Anonymous22:37

      But it was a YM plane in the end of the commercial, it turn to the left and flew away

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:53

    So they will fly Podgorica - Tehran? If they are leasing a plane they must considering some other destinations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:11

      It says in the text

      "The carrier will focus on shuttling passengers between Iran and Europe via Montenegro and plans to rival national carrier Montenegro Airlines".

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:12

    I think the best solution for Montenegro would be to have a similar situation as in Skopje with low cost airlines offering flights to countless destinations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:59

      They are free to do so now if thry want to. Montenegro Airlines isn't blocking them.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:58

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous10:59

    CG Airways is way better

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:38

      That does not sound bad actually.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous11:16

    Sounds fishy to me.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous11:19

    I can't find this VSP Kish anywhere on the net.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:21

      I think it's the company that owns Kish Airlines.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:38

      Ah ok thanks :)

      Delete
  16. Anonymous11:22

    The concept is interesting but I doubt this will ever get off the ground. Good luck anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous11:25

    NATO clan pa odmah Iran. Cccc

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:37

      What does that have to do with anything?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:31

      Da odes do ekonomskog odeljenja US ambasade u Montenegro i da ih priupitas?

      Delete
  18. Anonymous12:08

    Why didn't the government offer Montenegro Airlines to these guys?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:21

      Why should they take it? YM has too much debt while like this they start from scratch.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:45

      Exactly. Why would they want an airline with so much debt? Better to start fresh.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous13:36

    Another Sea Air in the making.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous14:13

    Anyone know why is an Air China 747 at BEG? Came from WAW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:37

      Chinese political official coming.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous14:14

    Scam Airlines. Nothing will come of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:48

      Dont be too pessimist. The only pray is for Daliborka not to try once again and mess with this new airline.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous15:30

    Their entire plane should be painted in their pre-unification with Serbia flag. Would be nice.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous15:44

    Crna Gora sounds okay for a Slavic speaking country but just how will an Italian or French pronounce it? Montenegro Sky or Montenegro Air Transport or even Air Monte.
    Also, if they use an A320 then YM is doomed forever because the Fokker has less seats meaning the other will have more seats and cheaper prices.
    Why don´t they get 1 A320 and 2 A321 just like W6?

    ReplyDelete
  24. What was in their minds when thinking about that name?
    - "Thanks for flying with Crna Gora airways."
    Definitely gonna attract a lot of passengers. Similar thing is going to happen with them as it did with Dubrovnik Airline, it failed in misery.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous17:34

    Wow...

    ReplyDelete
  26. In Slovenia we have currently major affair with one bilion EUR (or maybe USD) Iranian money washed throug NLB (Nova Ljubljanska banka). So new channels shall be put in place ASAP. And Montenegro is just right for something like that

    ReplyDelete
  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous08:39

    Livery of the week?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous10:28

    Djetic Airways :)

    ReplyDelete

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