Macedonia's two commercial airports will see a significant increase in the number of flights and capacity on offer this summer following a record first quarter. During the January - March period, Skopje Airport welcomed 432.620 passengers, representing an increase of 22.6% on 2017. In March alone, the airport saw 156.952 travellers pass through its doors, up 25.4%. The General Manager of airport operator TAV Macedonia, Alper Ersoy, previously said, "We expect similar growth at Skopje Airport to that of last year. With its current network of 36 destination and the existing growth in demand for air travel, we anticipate welcoming our two millionth passenger during the fall of 2018".
| Month | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| JAN | 145.591 | ▲ 18.8 |
| FEB | 130.077 | ▲ 23.6 |
| MAR | 156.952 | ▲ 25.4 |
Several carriers will launch new services to the Macedonian capital and add capacity in the coming weeks. On May 30, Wizz Air will base its first 230-seat Airbus A321 aircraft in Skopje, with a second to follow on June 15. They will be deployed on a number of routes including Berlin, Beauvais, Bratislava, Cologne, Eindhoven, Friedrichshafen, Gothenburg, Hahn, Hamburg, Hannover, Malmo, Memmingen, Nuremberg and Rome. Together, the two aircraft will operate a total of 42 flights per week. As a result, Wizz Air will increase its capacity from Macedonia by 23% this year when compared to 2017, offering 1.8 million seats for sale from Skopje and Ohrid. On June 1, Poland's LOT will commence six weekly services to the Macedonian capital, which will continue throughout the winter at four per week after the airline upgraded the route from seasonal to year-round operations. In addition, leisure airline TUIfly will introduce seasonal summer flights between Dusseldorf and Skopje in cooperation with the Reiseburo Prishtina tour operator. Services will run once per week, each Saturday from Dusseldorf and Sunday from Skopje, starting July 7 until September 2.
Macedonia's second international airport in Ohrid has also seen strong growth during the first quarter by handling 16.109 travellers. Following the successful launch of Onur Air's seasonal summer flights from Istanbul earlier this month, Ohrid will also see several new routes launched including Eindhoven by TUIfly, Brussels by Brussels Airlines, Tallinn operated by Nordica, Maastricht by Corendon Dutch Airlines and Warsaw by Enter Air. Furthermore, in November, Wizz Air will inaugurate three weekly flights from Vienna to Ohrid with its A321 jet. In addition, it has also upgraded its seasonal summer flights from London Luton to the lake-side town from summer seasonal to year-round operations.
Busiest airports in the former Yugoslavia, Q1 2018
| Airport | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Belgrade | 997.518 | ▲ 4.3 |
| Zagreb | 585.576 | ▲ 13.5 |
| Skopje | 432.620 | ▲ 22.6 |
| Pristina | 418.134 | ▲ 17.0 |
| Ljubljana | 329.212 | ▲ 14.2 |
| Podgorica | 181.381 | ▲ 18.1 |
| Sarajevo | 169.124 | ▲ 19.2 |
| Tuzla | 119.651 | ▲ 51.9 |
| Split | 117.493 | ▲ 33.2 |
| Dubrovnik | 94.038 | ▲ 23.8 |
wow those are fantastic numbers for Skopje.
ReplyDeleteWell done Skopje and Ohrid. It's great to see OHD attracting more and more passengers.
ReplyDeleteYes. 6 new routes in one year is amazing!
DeleteAnd it is important that Wizz will extend London.
DeleteLondon is of strAtegic importance for SKP and the Republic of Makedonija. Good to see more flights.
DeleteWhy is London of strategic importance?
DeleteBecause it has strong ekonomy, lots of our diaspora, tourists and is leaving eu so an opportunity for our companyes to do great there.
Deletebecause it brings tourists ... unlike the Basel gastos
DeleteInteresting table, thank you.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that SPU was overtaken by TZL but LJU numbers are sad. Hope they improve soon.
The table will almost completely change during second quarter.
DeleteI agree about LJU. it should have at least 400.000 by now. Good news is that Transavia is extending flights.
DeleteTransavia flights are always full so it logical
DeleteLJU will finally get close to handling two million passengers. I am sure more LCCs are going to add flights.
DeleteIm surprised how ljuams route can sustain 2 carriers, but ljutxl obviously not even a single one (easy). Slovenian diaspora and business ties should be much much bigger in berlin than in ams. Ams does offer great transfers, but this maybe explains JP flights, but not HV (as far as i know they not offer transfers on klm, or do they?). So if even the route to berlin is not sustainable, i dont think we can except anytime soon any lcc to launch spain/portugal/greece:(( in fact i cant even imagine any other route to be able to fill up a320 and stay sustainable.
DeleteThe INI comparisons have not started yet?
ReplyDeleteNo but thanks to you they will.
Delete...and I just wanted to tease the INI person that its not in the top 10 ;)
Deletehe is here usually after 1pm (when school finishes)
DeleteWhy would you tease him? Do you get off from that?
DeleteSKP is saved from the competition thanks to the GoS decision to limit INI, if not...trust me, INI would reach SKP in no time....
Deletekasnis nesto danas
DeleteSo now that INI-DTM is finally published for winter 2018, the chances of half a million are becoming reality. Go INI go tiger! НИШ <3 :*
DeleteI have a feeling Swiss might keep three weekly in winter as well.
DeleteTalking of LX and INI, they seem to be doing really well in April. So far they've only sent their BCS300 (145 seats) and A320 (180 seats).
DeleteNo wonder they are adding a third flight. Who knows maybe they end up adding a fourth soon.
True dat. In fact LX did not "expect" those results. SKP managed to get the cheap version of LX which is Helvetic and Edelweiss because it goes inline with Wizzair. LCC vs LCC.
DeleteIn INI however, LX fly the true and real LX 320 because there is demand. The INI-ZRH route is here to stay.
Nice to see Skopje at no. 3!
ReplyDeleteHope it stays there.
DeleteEventually it could. Especially if it keeps on growing like this.
DeleteSure, Split and Dubrovnik are coming...
DeleteBut they collapse the moment drunk Brits start working in September.
DeleteThey collapse? Hahahaha, maybe, but they'll be collapsing at numbers 3 and 4 of this list ;)
DeleteSkopje should end up fifth this year overall behind BEG, ZAG, SPU and FBV.
Delete** DBV sorry
DeleteIt is funny how people here think that tourists in SPU and DBV are only drunk Brits. Let them think so.
DeleteWell they have obviously never been there...
DeleteSorry, we forgot Germans who fly in from every village in Germany. Just look at where flights arrive.
DeleteSo I see they have replaced the sign on SKP airport terminal.
ReplyDeleteLong time ago my friend. All for Greece and Aegean.
DeleteWill Aegean FINALLY schedule those flights from Athens???
Deletenope, they plan SJJ instead (21.06 - 13.09 but tickets are not on sale yet)
Deleteforget the hypocrites
Nothing to do with hypocrisy.
DeleteUnless the two Governments come to an agreement about the name there wont be any flights between the two countries.
DeleteAnd I think this is also bad for Greek travelers, not just Macedonians.
In what universe is this bad for Greek travellers?!
Deletein the normal one
Delete@Anonymous at 6:45 PM
DeleteIn the sense that instead of flying to Macedonia they are forced to drive to it.
It is especially bad for Greeks living in Athens and the rest of South Greece that need to drive a long distance to visit.
In case you don't know there are a lot of Greek business having investments in Macedonia and all these businessmen can only come by car.
Where is all this growth in Skopje coming from?
ReplyDeleteLower fares but PRN's high charges also help.
Deleteljudi putuju ko ludi
DeleteMislis ljudi beze kao ludi? :P
Deletethat too my friend ;)
DeleteDrunk Britons flying in....
Deletethe ones that run away take the bus.
Deletewith W6 theres only 1 carry-on for free ;)
leaving what else
Deleteit seems impossible for some people to get it through their thick skulls, that people actually fly more, because they have more options and because more people have decent living. The justifications with the people leaving and with the gastos. So exhausting to read these same things every day.
DeleteIt's fair to recognize growth has mostly been fueled by targeting diaspora rich communities. To whoever has seen any actual figures it is obvious where the buying power lies, hence the destination portfolio. However, there is still 30-35% being fueled by the local point of sale, and that is certainly coming from more options and very accessible fares. So it's a win-win.
DeleteTo your point, it has been proven the ULCC model creates 80-90% new demand on top of the old one, at least as far as CEE flights go. Haters would say 'people who traveled by bus', but then again, now they travel far more often.
ok it is not gastos. Economy must be booming and you must be flooded with German, Swiss and Scandinavian tourists
DeleteDid I say that? it is not me painting the B&W picture where Skopje bound passengers are those poor gastos while other destinations are solely based on the sophisticated needs of the local populace which only flies first class legacy carriers. This only serves to feed the artificial superiority complexes which some people love to sustain.
DeleteHaving said that, it seems the whole region has been booming in the last decade in terms of air transport, with each destination finding their own model that works. People around here just don't know how to enjoy each others success, but prefer the provincial bickering. No wonder YU failed.
It's also your own choice to engage in responding the trolls.
DeleteI saw OSI flights are operated by W6 plane from BEG. Do they also use SKP planes for some other destinations?
ReplyDeleteI think it does for some flight to Nis but not 100% sure. And I think they are used for Ohrid.
DeleteThey use SKP planes for BSL-INI, BSL-OHD
DeleteThey use SKP planesfor BSL-INI and BSL-OHD. Other bases are doing the rest od routes.
DeleteBasel - Nis - with SKP base plane
DeleteOhrid - Basel
Can anyone else please confirm that BSL-INI and BSL-OHD are operated by SKP based airplane?
Deleteare you fu***** me??? this is this!
Deleteno surprise at this time of year. its nice to see the 3 biggest cities in ex-yu on top :)
ReplyDeleteLOOL Tuzla still ahead of Split and Dubrovnik :))
ReplyDeleteČek malo, motori su se tek upalili uskoro će afterburn ;)
DeleteAfterburner je vec upaljen....
DeletePrasina ce se vidjeti vec 3.5. kad objave rezultate za travanj.
To je zbog turizma i obale naravno, ali to samo pokazuje koliko je u sustini trziste lokalnog stanovnistva malo u tim gradovima. Ko bi rekao, drugi najveci hrvatski grad da ima manje trziste kad je u pitanju lokalno stanovnistvo, nego treci bosanski grad. :)
DeleteIstina. Ali te brojke mozes iscitati i tako da zakljucis da treci bosanski grad ima ogromno gastarbajtera, dok ih Split ima jako malo. E sad zasto, to je druga prica :)
Delete@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 11:12 AM
DeleteThere are no LCCs in Split and Dubrovnik, they do not subsidize Wizz or Ryan air like Tuzla does. Otherwise you'd see half a million LCC travelers as well. Only Zadar so far has LCC subsidies in place, others don't care to, they've got enough paying traffic. Split Airport has more profits in one month, than Tuzla airport in entire year or entire decade it seems.
When Tuzla generates 87 million kuna of net profits in a single year, come back to me with numbers.
Croatian airports work on principle of making profit. No idea how other airports in the region operate.
If you don't know how other airports in the region operate then why are you speaking about and trashing Tuzla?!
Deletelol easyjet has 18 routes from Split
DeleteNorwegian 10, Volotea 8 onda vueling itd ...
Hahah "there are no LCCs in Split"?! Good one! Or actually, maybe there are no LCCs in Split, besides summer season. That speaks a lot for the demand of local population in Split. There are simply more locals flying from Tuzla than Split, why is it so hard to admit?
DeleteSorry to interrupt your discussion, but you suddenly forgot about BNX and its potential new role in the region.
DeleteI read that it was covered worldwide by so many media.
BiH is becoming very popular and more and more people start talking about it.
Last 2 years it was TZL and soon BNX.
Also being close to ZAG, it will play a very crucial role.
Sure, 4 flights a week will make Banja Luka on top 4 airport in exYU.
DeleteFour today, eight tomorrow. INI and TZL started the same way and look at them today. Seems like only OSI is struggling.
Delete4 flights per week or 7 if you add JU flights from BEG? ;) ;) 4+3=7 as far as basic mathematics is concerned. Not to mention the charter flights. Be careful.
DeleteSKP appears to be the dark horse that has come out on top in this PAX traffic race. Whether it's been intentional or coincidental, it was the right decision to encourage foreign carriers instead of pouring money into the vanity project that a national carrier would have been. Impressive results.
ReplyDeleteA bit of both. +1 for the conclusion.
Deletethe numbers for SKP are even more spectacular when you have in mind that at least 20% of ZAG's pax are transfer pax which are counted twice (same for BEG i assume)
ReplyDeletepax nr. with final destination ZAG and SKP are almost the same in Q1. almost
(btw i didnt want to slam ZAG in any way)
This is true. There are hardly any transfers in Skopje so passengers are not counted twice.
Delete@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 9:27 AM
DeleteAnnually, transfer passengers generate around 16% of Zagreb's total number, however Zagreb has around 3.1 million pax, so that figure isn't that big when you consider other stuff.
Also, Zagreb doesn't have an LCC operator like Wizz, or Croatia pays subsidies to anyone to land in Zagreb. This year Zagreb will have around 3.5 million pax, should be fun.
There is no country in ex-Yu that gives more on airline subsidies than Croatia does every year. You know that well.
DeleteThat is true. But not Zagreb. It does not give a penny to LCC.
DeleteAlways amazed how ZAG can grow at that rate with lagacies only... amazing....
ReplyDeletejust imagine they brought in a LCC.
DeleteAren't Norwegian, Eurowings and Vueling LCC?
DeleteHe obviously meant ULCC- with EW or Vueling you can hardly find cheap fares.
Delete@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 11:07 AM
DeleteNot really, or EasyJet, these 4 airlines are more of hybrid airlines.
This growth will soon be lower if no new routes are launched in 2019, giving DBV a chance to surpass ZAG by 2020.
Delete@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 7:06 PM
Deletein which universe do you live ??
Dbv Has 2.34 million Zagreb has 3.1 million, this year, Zagreb will have 3.4 million Dubr around 2.7 million at most. no chance Dbrv can have 3.4 million in 2020, 3.2 million at best.
And out of Zagreb new routes are launched every year, most a year round and larger aircraft are sent to Zagreb.
Anyhow, won't react to a troll.
You won't react to a troll, but you previously did. The words troll and hater here in this forum are the most used anyway.
DeleteSo, back the point. What you're saying is that ZAG will continue to grow in 2019 at a steady rate of 15% and not receiving any extra routes or frequencies, right? If so, enlighten us how.
ZAG nearly sees any Dreamliners, Ruski Jumbo jets or numerous widebodies, even in summer.
You will reply, DBV is sleepy in winter, right? I will reply back: Which airport generates more traffic in July, is it ZAG or DBV?
Zagreb has 14 weekly jumbo jets in summer (Air Canada Rouge, Emirates, Air Transat, Korean) and 7 in winter. So no numerous wide-bodies????
DeleteDo you know the meanong of the word jumbo jet?
DeleteYou mean 14 widebodies and not Jumbo jet. Jumbo jet, my dearest ZAG fan, is 747 which is flown in Russia:
Deletehttp://www.exyuaviation.com/2018/02/rossiya-to-deploy-b747-to-dubrovnik_13.html
Do you have 522 seated aircraft in ZAG, by any chance?
But yes, DBV is a sleep town in winter (yawn)
Of course DBV won't surpass ZAG but SPU might. ;)
DeleteLook at its growth, winter is already getting busier and busier.
This summer there are only a handful of extra flights to ZAG while SPU is exploding!
SPU might come 3rd in 2018, but never in 2019. I read that DBV are seriously considering traffic increase by 2020 to up to 4 million to compete with Greek and Spanish airports. DBV is currently tryying to reach SKG levels.
DeleteIt's turning out to be another great year for Skopje!
ReplyDeleteFantastic growth in first quarter.
DeleteSo SKP has overtaken PRN finally.
ReplyDeleteYes but in the last few years it has been ahead of PRN but then during the summer PRN makes it up and pushes just ahead.
DeleteSKP has a great chance to keep its advantage against PRN this year.
DeleteWell done, Skopie!
ReplyDeleteLove from Sofia!
great foto with Liz Taylor btw
ReplyDelete+1 Love the vintage section
DeleteIf Skopje could manage to get one more LCC to base 2-3 planes (Ryan or Easy). In this case all legacy could disappear (exept maybe doubledaily Austrian for westbound and Turkish for eastbound for longhauls). That could push Skopje to more than 3 million/year and would be just perfect for the economy.
ReplyDeletewhat´s do perfect for the economy? Diaspora flying in 5 times a year instead of only once?
Delete@ 10.32 +1
DeleteI so hope an airline other than Wizz gets the new subsidies. They need to get some competition.
Ryanair would be welcome. Then we would have a FR vs W6 war in SKP.
Deleteyes, diaspora spending money in SKP and not on the HR coast. THis is more than good for the econonmy
Deleteyou mean Halkidiki?
DeleteHR coast is unfortunately very bad to reach from SKP and is keeping the numbers of MK tourists very low
FR would not bring any additional value. easyJet would.
DeleteIn any case, the support is going to OHD, not SKP. So anyone is welcome really.
@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 12:07 PM
DeleteHardly, only 32 000 Macedonians visited Croatia in 2017, that is less tourist than from far of Thailand or India.
We have nothing in common any longer, it seems, you don't want to visit our lovely coastline, buy our goods or do anything brotherly. Like we never lived together :(
ah drama queen :)
Deletetry to reach Dalmacija from Macedonia...you need to go through 10 countries
also there is not a single advert or billboard in MK. there must be some iniciative to trigger it again
Why should they go to Croatia when Greece is much closer and has more to offer?
DeleteAnyway, there is simply no demand for Croatia from Macedonia. That's why OU failed from SPU.
Croatia is targetting wealthier places on earth, I guess
Deletei thought they would release the tender for the new subsidies this week (they said end of apr)
ReplyDeleteYes, looks like they will be late. I think current subsidies expire in June or July.
DeleteCongratulations SKP. Your transformation has been a real fairy tale.
ReplyDeleteThere are still a lot of legacies that could give Skopje a try.
DeleteConsidering how many EU based legacies don't even fly to BEG I doubt that they will give SKP a try.
DeleteI believe easyJet would be a far more probable and useful addition.
I still remember people predicting how Skopje's "bubble will burst". Seems like the bubble just keeps growing :)
ReplyDeleteIt won't burst. In one moment it will just slow down and continue to grow at more modest rate around 5%.
DeleteSo maybe 2.1 or 2.2 million passengers this year at Skopje?
ReplyDeletewith 13-14 weekly to Sweden (4 airports served) im starting to wonder why is Norwegian sleeping here???
ReplyDeletedont wanna ask for SAS
because its not getting any subsidies to fly there....
Deletewizz is also not getting subsidies any more except for vaxjo
Deletedream on
Silly games who's on top aside what strikes me by looking at the table is how the market is growing all across ex-you. I would conclude the money is flowing in, meaning better quality of life for people of this exhausted piece of Europe.
ReplyDeletegreat numbers for Skopje I'm sure that many new routes will be launched in the coming period and I think that Aegean will start flights to SKP from 4 June at least that's what wikipedia says
ReplyDeletewhat are the new most possible routes from SKP?
ReplyDeletedepends on the airline really:
Deletewizz: Karlsruhe, Katowice, PRG, ATH
ryanair: Weeze, Karlsruhe, Stansted
easyJet: Geneva.
DeleteCould TLV support year round flights? Who are the type of people traveling between the two countries?
Deletehow about Spain? No diaspora there?
DeleteTLV: TLV worked for Wizz for every town in Europe and it would work from SKP too but Wizz has no rights for this route and israeli carriers are simply too expensive and cater mostly to Israelis.
DeleteSpain: BCN success is the biggest surprise at all. cheap FR/Wizz flights to MAD might work. Its risky though
MAD is heavily served in SOF, so in theory it should work for SKP...
Deletewhat does SOF has to do if it works in SKP?
DeleteAnon 7:39pm, I meant that if the route is working well in SOF, then having SKP close it might work too. SKP-MAD is a viable route indeed, similar to BCN.
Deleteyou dont need to answer the INI troll
DeleteSkopje is the new "Belgrade South" attracting psgrs from the whole ex-yu south with attractive fares and fantastic facilities :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to GoS agreement with Vinci INI will never be allowed to grow enough to take up that role.
DeleteSo SKP, PRN and SOF will continue to serve and profit from that market.
SMFH!
+1 Anon 2:48 PM
DeleteIt will be just once BEG reaches 12 million which should happen in the next 4-5 years.
Delete@AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 6:42 PM
DeleteNow you're talking nonsense. if Belgrade hits 9 million by 2026 you'll be happy, 12 million 2034/5 not before.
Nah, 12 million is the current traffic in BUD with. BEG cannot reach this in 5 years, lets be optimistic. Maybe 2028.
DeleteLol. Look at BEG's growth over the past five, ten years and you'll have your answer.
Delete@Anonymous at 6:42 PM}
DeleteYou really shouldn't be commenting after "smoking". ;)
Easy counting:
DeleteBEG in 2017 handled 5,343,420 pax. So if you predicted in 5 years time 12 million this means that BEG needs to grow by 1.3 million pax annually until 2023....hmmmm...you tell me...
Are there people who use SKP to reach Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki?
ReplyDeleteNo, but there are passengers from Thessaloniki area that fly from SKP to Northern Europe.
DeleteNo, but there are passengers from Thessaloniki area that fly from SKP to Northern Europe.
ReplyDeleteIntetesting to see that TGD handled only 12 000 pax more than SJJ...tight race
ReplyDeleteYep, especially having in mind that SJJ doesnt have as nearly close number of LCC lines as TGD does. SJJ would definitely skyrocket if it got a Wizz or Ryan base
DeleteNot so long baby. Wait until the A330 arrives in SJJ ;)
DeleteOh God, you got TWO A330 flights and you already think you are center of the world. It almost won't effect numbers at all.
DeleteAffect*
DeleteIs Vaxjo a gasto route? If not, why does it have such huge demand? Students? Business?
ReplyDeleteGastos from southern Sweden and Denmark.
Delete