NEWS FLASH
Air Serbia will suspend flights between Belgrade and Hamburg at the end of the 2018 summer season. The airline is scheduled to operate its last service on the route on October 27, after which ticket sales have been discontinued. The Serbian carrier launched flights to the German city in 2016, however, the demise of its codeshare partner Air Berlin, as well as strong competition from low cost carriers, have affected the airline's performance on the route. Germany was Air Serbia's single largest market last year, with the airline serving five cities in the country. However, it faces a strong challenge on its services to Germany from Lufthansa, Wizz Air, Eurowings and Ryanair (from Niš), while easyJet will commence year-long flights from Berlin to the Serbian capital in a month's time. This summer, the airline has been operating three weekly services between Belgrade and Hamburg, which is down from four per week last year.
I have expected more cancelations on routes where Air Serbia was dependant on cooperation with Air Berlin. If Hamburg is the only route which they will cancel then that is not that bad.
ReplyDeleteA shame, I thought Hamburg would work out for them. But it is true, the competition in Germany is brutal. I flew with Lufthansa in May to Berlin via Frankfurt for a bit under 160 EUR, while Air Serbia, with the same luggage, direct flight was 230 EUR ... I ended up spending the night in Frankfurt because of the huge storm around the city (all hotels were full). Later they called me and paid 250 EUR to my account as a way to compensate for the inconvenience.
ReplyDeleteI think what hurt them the most was W6 in HAJ.
ReplyDeleteHannover isn't that close and Wizz Air have only two weekly flights there. There won't be big difference if there is no Wizz Air in Hannover. Market in that part of Germany is not big enough for Air Serbia especially because they don't have smaller plane that will be perfect for this route. Air Serbia started flying on this route few years ago when they had one of Adria's CRJ's in the fleet for the summer season. They hopped that route can develop enough to be served with bigger plane but bankruptcy of Air Berlin basically ended that hope.
DeleteAlthough there is no direct railway link between HAJ and Hamburg, there is an S-Bahn to Hannover main station where one can change to a direct train to Hamburg. I think the total distance is around 150 km.
DeletePlus, the seat of Frankfurt and all of Germany eparchy of Serbian Orthodox Church (Eparhija frankfurtska i sve Nemačke SPC) is located in Hildesheim, a town 30 km south of Hannover, so I think there are quite a few Serbs in the region that made Wizz flights work more than Air Serbia.
JP is also struggling with HAM. where could they use their free frequencies now? any idea?
ReplyDeleteI hope they will use A319 now more on PRG route and redeploy ATR used there to some shorter route. They also can try again to establish BEG-KBP flights. Now when visas are not required this route may be more successful.
DeleteI think, and it's been emphasised above, that a smaller jet is needed to cover niches of the German market where ASL and Wizz have so far failed, relying on the A320 family.
DeleteThat is bad news for JU.
ReplyDeleteHahaha
DeleteAir Serbia needs to enhance the existing and develop far more attractive loyalty programs and communicate more in every way if it is to win on some perspective services.
ReplyDeleteBusiness class is vital to most business travellers and it obviously needs to be upgraded over the LH's offer.
It is also vital to have more frequent feeder flights that woul dshorten the transfer time at BEG. Enhanced or renewed ATR's with its low break even mark with at least four 90-seats crj's (that are nowadays not so expensive to acquire) would clearly save and boost many services and it's yield, and help develop new profitable destinations in foreseeable future.
It wasn't my intention to teach them business, but as a taxpaying citizen, i felt kinda obliged to have my say.
Regional fleet is crucial for an airline with such fierce competition and a hub.
Regards,
Dejan
Either way, we all know how saturated the market to Germany is.
ReplyDeleteThere was a point when W6 and JU were operating to more than 10 destinations! FMM, FKB, HHN, TXL, FDH, HAM, HAJ, FRA, MUC, NUE, DUS, DTM and not sure about NRN.
Nobody from Serbia flies to HHN
DeleteGood market is most often saturated. The task is to match its requirements and needs in a profitable way. I thing we'll all agree on this issue.
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