The world's largest carrier, American Airlines, has confirmed it is considering introducing new destinations in Eastern Europe next year. It comes following reports that the company is in talks with Dubrovnik Airport over a seasonal service from Philadelphia. This year, the airline expanded its reach from Philadelphia into Europe with seasonal flights to Budapest and Prague. Both are operated by its Boeing 767-300 aircraft. According to "The Boarding Area", American Airlines' Vice President for Planning, Vasu Raja, said, "We’ve so far been really excited by Prague and Budapest. Their RASM (revenue per seat mile) performance has been pretty amazing, some of our best flying in continental Europe. So that may actually compel us to go fly more things in Eastern Europe next yesr".
American operates a number of seasonal flights to Europe from its Philadelphia hub including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Lisbon, Shannon, Venice and most recently Budapest and Prague. The carrier codeshares on Iberia's flights from Madrid to Dubrovnik. It recently said, "American constantly evaluates our network to ensure we are maximising our fleet and profitability while matching customer demand. While no airline can serve every destination, our joint businesses and alliances with airlines and membership in Oneworld allows our customers to seamlessly connect to Croatia". Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania which counts the biggest Croatian diaspora in the United States according to the American Community Survey.
Dubrovnik Airport has identified the United States and South Korea as two markets which could sustain services to the coastal city but noted that the development of long haul flights is still some way off. General Manager, Frano Luetić, told EX-YU Aviation News recently, "These two far-away markets are the most important for Dubrovnik. According to the city's tourist board, visitors from the US are the second most common, behind those from the United Kingdom, which is specific to the Dubrovnik region. On the other hand, Korean tourists are most plentiful during the winter months". With exception to several summer charters from Japan, operated by All Nippon Airways, Dubrovnik Airport currently has no regular long haul flights.
Comments
From May until the end of summer season. Oct. 26/27.
SKP has been repeatedly trying to promote long-hauls and has more chances compared to DBV as it is a capital city. Lets wait and see.
I think TAV should immediately speak with AA and finally launch flights next summer.
First half of 2018. up by 28%.
Zagreb makes more sense for Philadelphia as most of diaspora is from Zagreb and 200 km around + much more USA tourists are in Zagreb than in Dubrovnik
SKP is a capital and has a very catchment area: SOF, INI, PRN and southern Serbia.
The route will lack competition and will be the only connection to the Balkans. I am saying this because BEG already has JFK.
2 weekly flights from May and 3 pw during July and August and then again 2 from September to October. Instead they can try only with 2 to see if there is demand for more.
It's definitely a wise decision to choose Dubrovbik.
When you claim something you should give explanation why. For example why LJU is better option for flights to the US than ZAG . I am sure ZAG is much better option. And I will give you arguments why : Croatian diaspora in the US is about 4 times bigger than slovenian one. American tourists to Croatia are about 5 times more than to Slovenia. ZAG is much better to croatian coastal destinations which are interesting to American than LJU. ZAG is equally as LJU connected to SKP and SJJ, which are the most important ex-yu destinations with no US flights. The trade e change between HR and US and SLO and US is almost the same. LJU is much closer than ZAG by rail /road to VCE and VIE with significant US traffic. The only advantage at the moment that Slovenia has compared to Croatia is Melanija :)
Average net salary in Slovenia: 1083€
TIL that 1083/858 = 5 ��
They could always link the two - PHL-DBV-ZAG-PHL."
No need to link anything with Zagreb. Stop mixing Zagreb into everything.
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2017/09/skopje-airport-to-support-transatlantic.html
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2017/04/turkish-eyes-transatlantic-flights-from.html
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2016/03/macedonia-considers-transatlantic.html
So, as time goes by, this is yet become reality
BRAVO!!!!! Can't wait for next summer!!
Rome, Milan are main gateways to Italy, as is Madrid and Barcelona to Spain, Paris to France, London.... You get the idea. Zagreb will be the only serious destination US Carriers will look at, be it Delta or American Airlines. However, they'll be looking at metrics, how many US visitors to Croatia, where these visitors are heading when in Croatia, and how these visitors come to Croatia.
Most US visitors to Croatia come in conjunction with other EU destinations. This would include landing in Rome, Zurich, Vienna, Frankfurt, London, Paris... These US visitors often spend 2-3 months in Europe doing their rounds, spending only 3-4 days in Croatia.
Last year 475 000 US visitors visited Croatia with 1,.5 million nights generated by US visitors, projections for this year are, 570 000 US Visitors and 1.75 million nights. Zagreb by far will have largest share of US visitors, half of all U S visitors who visit Croatia, visit Zagreb and spend at least 1 night in Croatian capitol, generating 250 000 visits and 320 000 nights in 2017.
However, beyond tourism there's little business demand between two countries, there is some, but it doesn't warrant year round service. Congress and Business could be the way to go for Zagreb, as Zagreb back in the day was one of the most popular congress destinations in the region, however for that Congress center needs to be built, and staffed with experienced event organization personnel.
Croatia will push in to top 10 European destinations for US visitors by 2020, or in 2020. @current rate of growth of around 20-25% yoy.
Number of US visitors: projection
2017: 475 000
2018: 575 000
2019: 700 000
2020: 850 000
2021: 1000 000+
Most popular EU/EEA destinations for US Visitors in 2017: https://travel.trade.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/2012_US_Travel_Abroad.pdf
1) U.K. - 3.1 million
2) France - 2.85 million
3) Italy - 2.55 million
4) Germany - 2.25 million
5) Spain - 2.1 million
6) Ireland - 1.45 million
7) Netherlands - 1.2 million
8) Switzerland - 1.0 million
9) Austria - 850 000
10) Greece - 600 000
Number of US visitors to Greece has stagnated since 2016, when 750 000 US visitors visited Greece, so this or following year Croatia might overtake Greece when it comes to US visitors. If we consider Turkey and Russia as part of Europe, these two destinations when it comes to US visitors have collapsed, Turkey managing to attract barely 200 000 US Visitors and Russia less than 400 000 last year.
The fact Two US Carriers have direct flights to Prague and not a single one to Zagreb is justified, Prague has 5000 strong permanent US ex-pat community with another 10 000 temporary US residents in Prague, generating demand for number of commercial flights, this in return also generates business and commerce between two countries totaling some $25 billion.
US-Croatian business interests are far more modest, with Croatian exports to US totaling barely $750 million and imports another $700 million, with US interests in Croatia totaling some $2-3 billion, it is estimated value of commercial and business interests between Croatia and US total some $5 billion, a fraction of interests US has in Czech R. Also, US emigre community in Croatia is rather small, in Zagreb there's barely 1000 permanent US ex-pats mostly working for US companies, some students and large number of diplomats and military personal...
So attracting major US carriers won't be easy to start with, number of preconditions must be met, construction of large conference and congress/convention center, larger than Sava center in Belgrade and more sophisticated, ideally architecturally very inserting, bring number of US visitors above 1 million, and business and commercial interests between the two countries above $20 billion.
If Croatia can achieve these goals by 2025, than it'll be possible to have both Delta and American airlines flying in seasonally and perhaps even year round for one of the carriers. Visa restrictions atm, aren't the issue, Visa will most likely be lifted as Trump leaves the white house sometimes in 2021/2 when new US president, mist likely Bernie Sanders or Elisabeth Warren are elected.
Although I doubt number of Croatia visitors to US would go beyond current figures which are modest, at 20-22 000 per year. Canada, which has no visa restrictions with Croatia had even fewer Croatian visitors, estimated at 17000 in 2017. Much of america's is too far and too expensive for ordinary Croatian person, spending $1000 on a return plane ticket alone is what keeps many away from travelling to US.
sidetracking now, anyhow, American direct flights to Zagreb seems most logical for any US carrier, Dubrovnik can be served via Croatian Airlines direct flights. After all in summer months there are 7 daily flights to Dubrovnik and Split from Zagreb.
I wouldn't say 5 times, i mean i know you're a trolling, but for an average Croatian pay of 6450 kuna, an average Slovenian pay would need to be 32250 kuna, or in €terms €4350 average pay in Slovenia. I am sure you're fully aware of your fallacy.
BTW Croatian pays are going up fast, cause of unemployment falling dramatically, due to brain-drain, unemployment now only 6.6%. In other words, almost full employment. It is likely this unemployment will go back to 7.5-9% in November though as tourist season ends.
This year an average monthly pay will most likely hit 6700 kuna before the year ends and hit 7000 kuna next year, in € terms we expect €900 average monthly pay by the end of this year and €950 next year, in 2020, pays should be around €1050 or just shy of what an average Slovenian person earns, no doubt Slovenian pays will also rise and by this time they might be around €1150 or even €1200 per month.
2) Jer imaju puno jaće zaleđe nego Dubrovnik. Ti iz BUD ili PRG za dva do tri sata si u VIE, ZAG, BTS, a iz DBV autom se ganjaš 3 sata do SPU a svugdje drugdje moraš letit.
3) Jer je VCE polazna i/ili završna točka za velik dio krstarenja Mediteranom dok je DBV uglavnom prolazna luka.
Again, couldn't care less what happens with your precious airport, but talking delusional stuff doesn't help you. No wonder you post it under Anonymous.
"My" precious airport now has a modern building with airbridges and one of the spotless airports in the region ;) Google reviews: Almost 4 out 5. ;)
"My" precious airport will receive flights from America sooner than you think ;) ;)
Enjoy!
Cheers ;)
they can handle large B777, two might be hard, but new terminal is going up. should be able to handle more after that
cope with what ?
Other than that, giving data is fine, as is identifying trends, but predictions of the type: Croatia will/might overcome Greece in terms of the number of American visitors next or even this year, is reaching to say the least. Same with: we need a larger and more sophisticated congress center than the one in Belgrade.
Otherwise I do agree that we need a real congress center in Zagreb , but come down to earth, man.
We need more hotels in Zagreb, with at least another 5 star one. And sure, I agree Zagreb will have a direct US flight, it's only a matter of time.
Also I couldn't agree more with the need to diversify economy more, develop other, non-tourist sectors to a much higher degree and Zagreb is ideal for that. It largely already has infrastructure in place. But the red tape obstacles need to be removed ASAP. We need to simplify the procedure for direct investment in general, remove the Austro-Hungarian bureaucracy, but with more transparency at the same time. Don't get me started on Bandic (the mayor of Zagreb).
I adore Rimac and what he's been doing, or that young gentleman with solar benches, I forget the name, Zagreb IT startup scene is decent too, we've always had strong chemical, biochemical, pharmaceutical industry, food processing...etc.
Zagreb is fine overall, it just needs to build up on the already existing solid foundations. But all of this is that much more important for the rest of the country and yes, even the coast. There's so much potential even when it comes to tourist product, but beyond tourism too. It's not very smart to put all your eggs in one basket.
No matter where the crew change would be
"how on Earth" Prague is Eastern Europe and Vienna Western? Just take a map. Please.