Spanish low cost airline Vueling is considering the launch of new routes to the former Yugoslavia while strengthening its existing operations in the region. The IAG group airline plans to introduce services from its hub in Barcelona to Podgorica and is considering potential flights to Ljubljana. Furthermore, it will boost operations to Serbia and Croatia this summer. The General Manager of Airports of Montenegro, Danilo Orlandić, said, "The opening up of the Spanish market is extremely important for Montenegro's airports. As I have said earlier, we have taken a proactive approach and are in contact with various airlines from markets that are not covered from Montenegro. One of those is the Iberian Peninsula and we are doing our utmost to secure flights between Podgorica and Barcelona". He added, "We have already held talks with Vueling and they are interested in launching flights. We will have another meeting again where I hope we will finalise the route, which, I am certain, will be extremely successful".
Vueling is also considering resuming flights to Ljubljana and has been in contact with the airport over the past year. Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport's General Manager, Zmago Skobir, previously noted that Fraport was looking to link the Slovenian capital with destinations in Spain, Germany and Scandinavia in order to boost passenger numbers. He noted that the airport should cover such “gray areas” in the coming future, primarily cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Oslo and Hannover. Prior to its privatisation, Adria Airways itself announced plans to return to the Spanish market. Ljubljana Airport recently noted, "We have introduced an updated and flexible tariff system which has improved competitiveness, as well as incentives available for attracting new airlines. The system will contribute to the introduction and expansion of new and existing flights, as well as to the engagement of new carriers".
Vueling will maintain its three weekly flights between Barcelona and Belgrade for the entire duration of the summer season, from March 25 until October 27. Previously the airline operated only during the height of the summer season but has been progressively adding flights to the Serbian capital, with extra departures during the Easter and Christmas holidays. Meanwhile, the airline will continue to strengthen its operations to Croatia. It will add two weekly services between Barcelona and Split, for a total of nine per week, and an extra flight between Rome and Split, totalling thirteen weekly operations. In addition, the seasonal services will be moved forward in order to resume earlier in the summer. The airline will also continue to maintain flights from Barcelona and Rome to Dubrovnik and Zadar, as well as from Florence to Split and Barcelona to Zagreb.
All of Vueling's flights are codeshared by Iberia, while Qatar Airways also has its codes on Vueling's operations to Croatia. Unlike the majority of other budget airlines, Vueling allows for passengers to purchase tickets for connecting flights via Barcelona.
Comments
Only place in ex-Yu they fly to Spain is Skopje.
In same time Croatia flies to Lisbon all year.
Hold your horses, they said they were considering it, not that they are launching it.
TGD will now be a million passenger airport connecting the world to it.
VY is a decent airline, yet have punctuality issues.
SKP
SOF
OTP
DBV
In January alone they added around 8.000 passengers.
From BEG, the departures are:
Tuesday: 21.40
Saturday: 02.15
Sunday: 03.30
thanks
You on something?
I think Iberia should service Zagreb year round, not sure why they aren't.
If Ljubljana gets Vueling, that would be nice alternative to Zagreb, Vueling flies to Zagreb between May and October, and if price is significantly less than Zagreb - Barcelona, would be interesting to see.
However, I think it is only matter of time before Vueling also comes to Zadar and Pula, perhaps in 2019, it seems all major airports in Croatia will be at some point in near future, connected to Barcelona and Madrid.
265000 Spanish visitors in Croatia in 2017, just checked the data. 300 000 this year easy.
400 000 in 2020. Good times ahead.
"The airline will also continue to maintain flights from Barcelona and Rome to Dubrovnik and Zadar, as well as from Florence to Split and Barcelona to Zagreb."
Vueling has plans to open base in Vienna, not buying Nikki was just set back. They will do it in near future.
26FEB2018
The IAG International Airlines Group remains keen on the Austrian market despite having won and then lost ownership of Niki (HG, Vienna) earlier this year.
"The advantage for us is having seen what the market is like there and established a clearer understanding of present IAG," Walsh said during an FY2017 earnings call. "It's now looking to do something organically in Austria. We will decide which many of our brands we'll use to do that. But we see a market opportunity that we can pursue organically, and that's the beauty of it."
Anyhow, your example seems like a nightmare scenario. You depart your home in Belgrade around midnight to fly at 2/3AM, you arrive to the resort around 8/9 while rooms become available around 12-14. On the way back you have to leave the hotel room by 12 at the latest and than wait some 8h to depart for the airport.
Aviolet charters leave around the clock. Until recently they had four B737 at disposal for charters and did 3-4 rotations every day during the high season.
I took OU flight Rome-Dubrovnik last summer. It was with Dash and passengers continuing for Zagreb were asked to take all their belonging and go to passport and customs control before returning to the plane. That is basically as they were transferring in Dubrovnik. Very inconvenient.
"Obsjedanost" (btw such a word doesn't exist in neither croatian or serbian variant of the common language) = Balkan = kompleksi = "izbrisani"