Dubrovnik Airport anticipates strong loads on American Airlines' upcoming seasonal service to and from Philadelphia. The US carrier, which will link the States with Croatia after 28 years, is set to commence ticket sales for the new route next week. The General Manager of Dubrovnik Airport, Frano Luetić, believes the service will prove popular with both holidaymakers and the Croatian diaspora. "American Airlines chose Dubrovnik for several reasons. They have recognised us as a quality destination and our airport worked very hard during the negotiating process in order to secure these flights. Initially, this will be a seasonal service which will be maintained three times per week", Mr Luetić said. He added that the airport expects for the airline to boost frequencies on the route in the years to come.
Mr Luetić is certain the new flights will perform well. "There are a lot of Croats in the US. These are second, third or even fourth generation who are happy to come and visit their homeland. Air travel is much more affordable these days and we expect excellent sales", the General Manager said. He added, "Philadelphia was chosen to be linked with Dubrovnik because it is an east coast hub for the airline and has excellent links with the west coast, Canada, as well the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Therefore, we expect a lot of transfer passengers as well. Furthermore, Philadelphia is close to New York, which is too congested".
American Airlines will operate its flights to Dubrovnik from June 7 until September 25 with its 209-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. American Airlines' spokeswoman, Leslie Scott, noted, "Philadelphia is a key transatlantic gateway for us, and it's uniquely positioned to get a great mix of both leisure and business traffic. The company is trying new markets that it believes will be a good fit". American's Vice President for Network and Schedule Planning, Vasu Raja, previously named Philadelphia as one of the company's "crown jewels", noting it would be a "major hub" within the airline's system. American Airlines currently holds a 70% passenger share at the airport.
American Airlines B767-300ER cabin tour
I don't get how the Bahamas and Caribbean will generate traffic to Dubrovnik?
ReplyDeleteBut before you think I'm some kind o hater I'm genuinely asking.
This is a great catch for DBV in my opinion.
Maybe they are counting on rich Americans living on the islands? Don't get it either.
DeleteThat seems a bit far fetched to me.
DeleteWatching that video, the business cabin looks great for a B767, economy so and so.
ReplyDeleteAgree. How old are the 767s anyway?
DeleteThe AA 767s are 20 years old.
DeleteThey said they plan to start phasing out the B767s in favour of B787s in 2019. So hopefully sometime in 2020 we see the American dreamliner in DBV.
DeleteThat would be nice
DeleteThat plane looks like Aviolet in bigger.
DeleteAustrian's 767s look one million times better and more modern inside, both in Business and in Eco...
DeleteSeriously?
DeleteWhy don't they send their 787 or 330 instead of this 90s Nintendo plane?
Jesus Christ...Ok, AA ...DBV is not a super destination for you but at least send some decent metal...
Would have preferred New York but this is good too.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to have Philadelphia flights for DBV and New York for Zagreb, at least seasonally. Congrats, DBV, great job!
DeleteState of Pennsylvania is home to over 300 000 Croats, Philly not so much, but Pittsburgh is home to around 150 000+ Croats. Of 1.4 million + Croats in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Generation in US, around 320 000 Live in Pen state, 250 000 in Ohio, 170 000 in Illinois and over 200 000 in California, majority in bay-area.
DeleteThink NYC is great but if airline targets specific demographics, Chicago and Philly are best places to start. NYC to Zagreb would be best if to serve all segments, however if you aiming only tourism, Dubrovnik is really safe bet, as tourist and diaspora will use the service.
Dubrovnik connected with Zagreb with 5 daily flights in summer months, anyone wishing to visit Zagreb or other parts of Croatia can travel to Zagreb and from there go elsewhere.
I am sure we'll find out soon, if Zagreb can secure NYC flights, from what I understand talks have been underway.
I know airport management announced Montreal, Shanghai/Beijing and Tokyo flights in 2019, but don't get surprised if NYC manages to squeeze in. However, I hope it is Delta airlines.
United and American airlines are really bad airlines, and offer poor service, the treatment of some passengers on US flights is beyond appalling and issue of racism and discrimination, makes things quite difficult.
Speaking of China, it will be China Southern to announce flights to ZAG! The deal has been signed!
Delete"Montreal, Shanghai/Beijing and Tokyo flights in 2019"
DeleteYou do realize you're an airport serving 3 million passengers a year or slightly more than Skopje?
Anon 17:14, why do you think carriers open new routes?
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 17:14
DeleteFirst off, no idea what your agrument is? The airport management said they're negotiating flights to Shanghai and Beijing and have secured Montreal for next year, this blog reported it.
Zagreb will have 3.4 million pax this year, so it is 3.4 million, thank you very much:D
Also, old terminal in Zagreb was tiny and not suited for major traffic, growth there was stagnant or very tiny, as soon as new terminal opened, airport management started attracting new carriers and hence jump in number of passengers.
Zagreb airport Pax,
2008: 2190
2012: 2350 - stagnation
2015: 2580 - stagnation
2016: 2766 - first time airport grew over 170k in a single year
2017: 3090 - proper growth
2018: 3380 estimated based on projected traffic
2019: 3750 projected
2020: 4100 projected
BTW, still no LCCs in Zagreb, if you consider German Wings, Vueling and Norwegian Shuttle LCCS, than ok, i'll retract that and say semi-LCCs.
Only first and maybe second generation immigrants fly back to ex-YU, third, fourth... are long gone as they have been completely assimilated by now. If I wasn't right then ZAG would have had a non stop to the US long-ago.
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 17:41
DeleteNonsense, most of my m8s are 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation, all are fully integrated but visit Croatia quite often, some twice annually, some only once in few years. Ok most are younger age, bellow 30 or my age, I am 27, so this might be cause they like to travel more than older generations.
it all depends, how strong their connection to the homeland is, normally if dad is a Croat, their connection is much stronger, if both parents are, even better. However, it all depends, example, Denise Richards who is Croatian, well has Croatian roots, visits Croatia once every few years, but someone like John Malkovich is in Croatia every year, in fact he wanted to buy a house in Croatia, but settled in France with his french partner.
It all depends on how well connected person to his family roots is. And yes, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation are fully integrated in to their host cultures, but doesn't mean they can't still maintain links with their homeland.
A relative of mine, she's American as they come, she's in her 70s now,4th Generation US born, with her great grandparents immigrating to US in mid 1800s. She just moved to Croatia do do her ancestry research and bit of cultural discovery. Very lovely lady indeed, she goes back and forth almost every few months. last year brought entire family to Croatia, grandsons too, around 32 people in total. They stayed at her rented house in Zagreb but traveled across the country.
It all depends, on individuals and how well they feel connected to Croatia. BTW her ancestry is from little island in the Adriatic, Iz, you might have heard of it.
Unfortunately your few m8s are not enough to fill a plane to ZAG. Most others do not fall into that category otherwise there would be someone jumping ship to launch flights.
DeleteSlightly OT
DeleteOK, someone who works at Zagreb airport just confirmed that China Southern is coming to Zagreb next year, announcement should be made soon, either next month or in October.
It is not clear if CS will connect Shanghai and Beijing as in both with Zagreb or just one of the destinations. As talks have been ongoing with few carriers, China Southern, China Eastern and Hainan. All 3 carriers were interested to start the service, at one point even Beijing Capitol was in the game as reported by this blog.
Soon we'll find out which carrier/s will be coming to Zagreb. Would love to see Zagreb connected with Shanghai and Beijing. Two Chinese mega cities.
Interesting. Unlike Mr Luetic I think this route will be used almost exclusively by tourists as the majority of the Croatian emigration in the US does not hail from in and around Dubrovnik. Using this route for them means little because they would have to transfer and buy a separate ticket on OU (OU is Star, AA is oneoworlrd). So I think a future service to Zagreb will be used by the diaspora.
ReplyDeleteThat said this could be successful with American tourists. The fact that it will run for a few months in peak season to me shows that American is mainly counting on that too.
More fat american tourists incoming. They have already swamped the old city.
DeleteYou're saying AA and OU can't sell one ticket? LMAO.
DeleteGet over your Zagrab centrism.
No, because I don't believe OU and AA have an interline agreement, if you even know what that means.
DeleteYeah, and I'm sure EK and OU have just cause it suits you.
DeleteI'm sure it raises your hair the idea of tourists coming to ZAG via DBV.
lol no, hopefully they do arrange an interline as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteWhat special incentive would someone have to come to ZAG via DBV when they can do the same via FRA/MUC/VIE/ZRH/BEG etc.
DeleteWhat special incentive would someone have to fly DXB-ZAG-DBV as some boasted on-here?
DeleteCan you give an example where someone "boasted" about it? Since I don't really recall and think you are just arguing with yourself in an attempt to create some sort of argument but no one is biting the hook, to your frustration...
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 09:27
DeleteI agree it is probably mostly tourist that will use the service, after all there's only 3 months service, 15000 seats on offer over said period of 12 weeks, it isn't enough for diaspora to use this service to its fullest, if service was stretched from April 3rd to October 30th, that would be something that would be more attractive to diaspora, especially over Easter holidays.
Zagreb, gets a lot more US visitors than Dubrovnik and surprisingly generates more nights too, however Dubrovnik is a brand everyone recognizes, Zagreb is yet to become that sort of a brand. In decade or two it might become so, but atm it'll need to work on it.
Think Dubrovnik is the right choice for AA if they hope to bring tourists, also it is nice to see other cities in Croatia getting intercontinental flights. Zagreb will get NYC flights, just it might take pit of patience on all our parts.
" Zagreb is yet to become that sort of a brand."
DeleteThank you. Back to reality.
Good luck
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping these flights will get to use the air bridges at DBV.
ReplyDeleteThey sure will. DBV is the best looking airport in ex-Yu.
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 14:50
DeleteYou are entitled to your views and taste, even though these might be very poor.
Dubrovnik airport looks like a warehouse, it was built like one as well, and cheaply, the materials used and overall structural design is well immature and simplistic.
First year architecture student can do a better job.
DBV is an excellent airport! Especially for such a small city, really nice looking as well.
DeleteNext up they should definitely target Canada or South Korea flights.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThey said that US and South Korea are their main long haul markets.
DeleteThis year Dubai, next year Philadelphia. Nice work DBV.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Seoul in 2020.
DeleteHas someone the schedule for the AA flights?
DeleteNo, it should be published tomorrow.
DeleteWell we know one of the operating days will be Friday since flights start on 7th of June :D
DeleteLeaving PHL on Fridays or DBV?
DeleteLeaving PHL.
DeleteKorean could easily extend its ZAG flights to go to DBV as well in summer.
DeleteIt's great to see a new one world carrier in Cro.
ReplyDeleteDubrovnik has a nice collection of them.
Delete- British Airways
- Iberia
- American Airlines
- Aer Lingus
- Finnair
- S7 Airlines
I'm really interested to see how this will perform. US authorities are very transparent and can issue load factors for each route so we will be able to exactly see :)
ReplyDeleteIf 30 years ago DBV had JAT flying DC-10 directly to both JFK and ORD each once weekly plus PANAM had up to 5 weekly frequencies to JFK via FRA, I don't see any reason for these flights today not to be a full success
DeleteBesides Belgrade and Zagreb, Dubrovnik is the only city that has (seasonal) potential for US flights. So I'm sure it will work out.
DeleteDidn't Pan Am fly via Frankfurt? I don't think the DBV-JFK flights was nonstop for them. Was for JU though.
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 14:56
DeletePan am initially flew directly to New York, but service was eventually downgraded to via Frankfurt with B727, only Zagreb had year round service to NYC with Pan Am.
Zagreb had service with Pan Am and JAT.
Pan Am also flew to Belgrade.
Delete@Anonymous26 August 2018 at 17:20
DeleteInitially yes, but they stopped, and only flew to Zagreb afterwards with A310 or A300.
BEG was operated until the very end with the B727 from FRA.
DeleteThis route definitely has potential.
ReplyDeleteI see the reason and that is your mebtament.
ReplyDeleteThose fliggts will perform great!
These flights will boost numbers nicely?
ReplyDeleteWell, It's three weekly A321 if you ask me.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteNice. Delta flies to the the most secondary European airports out of the US airlines. So perhaps they could consider Zagreb in the future.
ReplyDeleteDelta is likely to come to Zagreb, question is when. Hopefully in 2019.
DeleteThis is fantastic for Dubrovnik and Croatia in general but I don't think these flights could work year round like some claim. The issue with Dubrovnik is that it has little outbound traffic. It depends purely on tourists.
ReplyDeleteWe don't mind, just lucky to have a carrier like American airlines in DBV, at least seasonally!
DeleteDidn't Dubrovnik have JAL charters from Japan? Would be nice to see them back.
ReplyDeleteIt did. They even used the B747.
DeleteThere are still charters, but with ANA.
DeleteAmeričko tržište jedno od najvažnijih svjetskih emitivnih tržišta u Dubrovniku, a u korist tome govore i brojke. Iz statistike se vidi da u proseku ostaju 3 noći.
ReplyDeleteI flew Transatlantic on the B763 and I wasn't impressed. It's an old design that's usually cramped (AA has 31 inches) and it also doesn't help that AA's product on the plane is horrible. The real problem, I suppose, is the lack of B788s in PHL while the A332 is too big for this kind of route.
ReplyDeleteLike someone said, this is primarily for US tourists heading to the Adriatic. Croats from the US will keep on flying via Belgrade, Amsterdam, Vienna, Istanbul, Munich and so on.
Congrats to DBV though, they were always a well-run airport but then again, Dubrovnik was always a special kind of a city in the Balkans, even centuries ago when it was founded by Byzantines and developed by Italians/Venetians.
GDS data is now loaded:
ReplyDeleteAA 148 PHL-DBV 2,5,7 18.30 - 09.45+
AA 149 DBV-PHL 1,3,6 11.50 - 16.05
$1500 for basic economy on AA!!! Crazy
DeleteIll take 1 stop via CDG, LHR or FRA for $850 any day...
No other airport in the region has worked so hard to develop.
ReplyDeleteGiven the size of Dubrovnik, it puts other cities in the region, with much bigger populations to shame.
Even though you try to convince us about the success of Split or Zagreb, we clearly see an intelligent approach from Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik was always discreet and humble about its approach, it made it in a professional way and yet again shows Croatia and the world that Zagreb is the capital but not the centre of the country.
Congratulations to the airport management and the south of Croatia. You deserved this.
A big big APPLAUSE.
Is that you, who screams Dubrovnik no. 2 in ex-YU ????
DeleteLOOL,
Christ almighty with the local cheerboys...
DeleteBe glad this happened, stop sounding like a bot on a payroll.
What a waste of money. Instead of subsidizing the arriving tourists on this flight by $100 per passenger (yes, $750,000 support for 12 weeks of 3 weekly service), Croatia National Tourist Board must have used this money to support the tourism somewhere else in the country, not on the richest part. Dubrovnik tourist board has enough budget, they should have let them finance this project completely, if they desperately need it. Worst part is, this is a pure leisure route and transatlantic flights are economically not meant to be pure leisure routes. Let's see what AA will decide once the subsidies start to shrink.
ReplyDeletehahahaha
DeleteI hope this flight does great. It’s too bad Air Serbia can’t get it together. It’s about time a U.S. carrier jumps on this. I would rather connect in PHL from
Deletethe west coast ANY DAY! Instead of going thru LHR, and/or ZAG.