Dubrovnik Airport is negotiating with Air Transat over the introduction of flights from Canada. According to the "TangoSix" portal, the two sides are discussing services from Toronto, which, if launched, would make it the coastal city's second long haul service. The development comes just weeks after the airport secured summer flights from Philadelphia for next year, which are to be operated by American Airlines. The Canadian leisure specialist has been flying to Zagreb over the summer months since 2016 and this year added four one-way services from the Croatian capital to Montreal. Air Transat's leisure division offers both seven and fourteen-night travel packages to various cities across Croatia, including Dubrovnik, through its Zagreb service.
Commenting on the potential flights to Dubrovnik, Air Transat said, "We are continuously looking at all opportunities, including Croatia. Like all airlines, there are a number of considerations involved when we are selecting a destination, including customer demand, airport infrastructure and competition from other carriers". If the flights go ahead, the airline would deploy its 345-seat wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the route. Although there are no flights between Toronto and Dubrovnik, Air Transat has faced strong competition on its service to Zagreb this year from Air Canada Rouge, which offers more weekly flights, more capacity and has a wide-ranging codeshare agreement in place on domestic routes in the country with its Star Alliance partner Croatia Airlines.
Last year, there were a total of 136.519 Canadian visitors entering Croatia, representing an increase of 24.4% on 2016. Air Transat says it sees a mix of both leisure and diaspora traffic on its flights to Zagreb. "We have seen all categories of passengers. There are those wishing to visit Croatia or just visit family and friends. There is a big Croatian community in Toronto and there is interest from Croatian travellers from both Europe and Canada". The Canadian leisure airline is expected to announce its 2019 summer plans by mid-October. The carrier is also believed to be considering seasonal flights from Montreal to Zagreb.
I think these flights might happen as they will harm Rouge the most which sells connecting flights via Zagreb and other European cities.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you have great insight in to market forces, and can indeed through your crystal ball predict trends for years ahead. /sarcasm if that weren't obvious.
DeleteWow that would be fantastic for Dubrovnik.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I hope they do fly to Dubrovnik, Croatia needs more carriers and more destinations.
DeleteToronto - Dubrovnik would fit perfectly in what Air Transat does, holiday airline and Dubrovnik being holiday destination.
Ait Transat is most likely going to add Montreal - Zagreb service next year, the airport has been hinting of such flights, and with air Canada and Air Transat offering services to Zagreb, chances are more carriers from North America could soon be knocking.
@Admin, 142 363 Canadians in Croatia last year, not 136 000.
And then they tell you DBV has no chance to become number 2 in ex-Yu...yeah yeah (yawn)
ReplyDeleteIt does not have a chance, that's right. All projections predict Dubrovnik by 2025 might achieve 4.2 to 4.5 million pax at present rate of growth, Split will have at least 5 million and Zagreb at least 5.8 million @slow 8% growth rate.
DeleteNo idea why you constantly troll, its either BNX, INI of DBV.
No way, José...DBV is heading for number 2.
DeleteThis makes total sense and honestly I expected it from the day AC announced Zagreb flights. Dubrovnik is by far the most publicly recognizes place in Croatia and people I met who went or planning to go to Croatia, always first mentioned Dubrovnik.
DeleteIf this works out I might use it on my trip to Sarajevo next year. 4-5 hour drive is not bad and considering the fact that some of my family and friends live in Cavtat, Trebinje, Montenegro coast, I would have to make it a stop anyway.
Two long haul routes for next summer would be amazing. Well done DBV.
ReplyDeleteCould they overtake Split next year?
DeleteI don't think so but they might close the gap.
DeleteNo chance. Esoecially with Split's new terminal opening next year.
DeleteLuxair to start SPU and Eurowings to start NUE. There will be many increases next year to SPU.
Delete@Anonymous10 September 2018 at 09:07
DeleteNo chance Dubrovnik can overtake Split any time soon, or ever. Dubrovnik covers only Dubrovnik region and perhaps Montenegro, Split covers Central Dalmatia, Southern Bosnia and all the islands.
Projections for 3 major Croatian airports 000 pax:
2018:
Zagreb: 3380
Split: 3110
Dubrovnik: 2550
2019:
Zagreb: 3700
Split: 3420
Dubrovnik: 2800
2020:
Zagreb: 4000
Split: 3700
Dubrovnik: 3100
2021:
Zagreb: 4400
Split: 4000
Dubrovnik: 3400
2022:
Zagreb: 4850
Split: 4350
Dubrovnik: 3700
2023:
Zagreb: 5250
Split: 4700
Dubrovnik: 4000
2024:
Zagreb: 5750
Split: 5000
Dubrovnik: 4300
2025:
Zagreb: 6200
Split: 5300
Dubrovnik: 4600
Dubrovnik is a seasonal airport, in December it'll benefit from Xmas brake, but not sufficiently to generate numbers airport has during the full season. Also, currently there are 50-60 carriers, many low cost carriers operating to city, the space for future growth in pax to city is limited and based on performance of Croatian tourism. BTW Croatian tourism can't grow at 8-10% yoy indefinitely.
This projections of endless growth... What is it based on exactly?
DeleteBased on trends.
DeleteI think Transat might start Toronto - Dubrovnik, end Toronto - Zagreb and launch Montreal - Zagreb instead.
ReplyDeleteSounds most logical.
DeleteWhy logical to end good ZAG flights? If they make money on route - there is nothing logical to leave route. They can fly seasonal 1pw in DBV without leaving ZAG.
DeleteExcellent news, hope Transat will start Montreal to Zagreb as well.
DeleteThe market is big enough for both flights to Zagreb and Dubrovnik to be operated.
DeleteWe will see.
DeleteI agree. Demand is there for both carriers.
Delete@Anonymous10 September 2018 at 09:06
DeleteI kind of agree, but it won't happen, I like to happen mainly so Air Canada can take over in 2020, if in 2019 AC R does really spectacularly. However, Both carriers are really pleased with the performance of the route, and someone who works @Zagreb airport has indicated Air Transat is doing better than Air Canada on Zagreb - Toronto flights, their flights seems more fuller. However both carriers are doing really well on the route, AC has at least 77-80% LF on the route, with flights to Zagreb always full, and airTransat has slightly higher 85%lf on the route, with flights to Zagreb and return to Tornto seem to always full.
Not Sure, AirTransat would give up on Zagreb route, what is quite likely to happen, they'll add Montreal in 2019, with 2 weekly rotations and experiment with return flights to Vancouver, like they did this year, probably to test the waters.
Air Canada is now at home in Zagreb, they're Star Alliance founding member so they'll benefit from flights to Zagreb, Zagreb being overly Star Alliance airport.
They will keep ZAG and introduce DBV 2 times a week. TS Flights to ZAG were full this year although AC started 4 weekly flights.
ReplyDeleteI think flights to FRA were the most affected by these new non-stop flights from Canada.
DeleteThey WILL?
DeleteCrystal ball strikes again :)
Somehow I doubt they would fly both ZAG and DBV.
DeleteNo they will cancell ZAG because their flight were full over the whole period, and try their luck to DBV. The following year AC will launch DBV and TS will abandon Croatia. This is how it will work.
DeleteLet's not forget that many passengers continued from ZAG to DBV and now they will be able to use direct line from Canada. ZAG will feel it
DeleteIt might be beneficial if Air Transat left for Dubrovnik because then we might see Air Canada Rouge upgraded to Air Canada.
DeleteWill this affect JU´s new line to YYZ? In the end they connect cunted on PAX transferring to DBV.
DeleteThey might have already as both ZAG-DBV/SPU saw a passenger drop in June when both Transat and Rouge started competing. My guess is that these were connecting passengers who had a two stop connection like Canada-MUC/FRA/VIE-ZAG-Croatian coast.
DeleteHow on earth do you know if they counted on passengers from Dubrovnik when we the route hasn't even been launched and they haven't scheduled the flights.
DeleteIt is called route economics, which of course every airlines does before launching a route. They should have an idea where they will fill a plane from.
Delete
DeleteWe have the case where Air Transat flies to ZAG and where it is claimed flight to DBV won't affect ZAG numbers but from the other side we have questions if YYZ-DBV will hurt not even announced JU flights to Canada.
Amazing.
JU flights to Canada are irrelevant to this discussion as the airline is not after passengers heading to the Croatian coast, same as with JFK. If anything will affect JU then it's Canada-Zagreb flights.
DeleteOr better to say that JU might hurt YYZ-ZAG flights taking in consideration that JU has not yet started flying to Canada. It is more logical new line to affect already existing than opposite.
DeleteI am sure JU will have more than attractive prices to Canada once they launch BEG-YYZ.
I don't think either one will affect the other.
DeleteZAG won’t feel it that much, connecting times from ZAG to DBV are terrible via AC/OU. Air Transat has much better landing/takeoff times for connections but OU doesn’t have codeshare with them so passangers have to do interlining themselves by buying two separate tickets which many passangers see as unnecessary risk seeing that Lufthansa and Austrian both offer excellent connections from Toronto to Dubrovnik that are even cheaper than AC/OU.
DeleteMany times it's cheaper to fly on Transat to Zagreb and drive to the coast than to take a connecting flight.
DeleteWe will see soon enough since they will publish their winter schedule. Would be nice to see them in DBV.
ReplyDeleteSorry I meant summer schedule :D
DeleteThis would be great. Then all Dubrovnik would need is a route from Asia.
ReplyDeleteWhich city in Asia would make most sense?
DeleteSeoul.
DeleteNot going to happen now that Zagreb has flights to Seoul.
DeleteBeijing could be a possibility.
DeleteDBV might get charters from Seoul, but I doubt before 2020.
DeleteDubrovnik is already connected with Asia. There are ANA charters from Japan.
DeleteThose are irregular charters but you can easily reach Dubrovnik from Asia with one stop in Dubai (Flydubai) or Istsnbul (Turkish)
Delete... or Zagreb, Munchen, Vienna, Frankfurt...
DeleteKorean Air indeed might start flights to Dubrovnik, perhaps in 2020, however these will be seasonal charters, i think 10-12 such charters might happen. Korean air is unlikely to chose another destinations in this region, they're quite choose where they fly, in Europe they only fly to ~12 destinations.
DeleteVienna, Zagreb, Prague, Copenhagen, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Zürich and London. Korean Air also flies charters to Oslo, Stockholm. Athens, Marseilles and Lisbon. And Cargo to Stockholm.
Zagreb is their smallest airport they fly to in Europe, and one of the smallest airports they fly to worldwide.
Number of Koreans in Croatia is falling dramatically. I don't see them expanding beyond Zagreb.
DeleteDramatically? Give me some numbers please. Ahahaha
Delete@Anonymous10 September 2018 at 15:16
DeleteSo far 335 000 S. Korean visited Croatia, and yes numbers are down by some 30k, but now Korean Air is flying scheduled flights, things are looking up, most likely 450 000 Korean visitors this year, or 1.25% more than last year.
If number of Koreans visitors was down by 50%, i'd consider that dramatic, the fact noumber is less than 8%, kind of makes me wonder if you work for local tabloid, cause you sound like one.
Pity that instead they are not planing to extend their summer flights to Zagreb into winter.
ReplyDeleteAir Transat is leisure company that operate mostly on seasonal basis in Europe. Their ZAG flights still going well and there is no reason to cancel it or switch with DBV. Next summer we can expect YUL to be connected with ZAG 1pw. If they introduce DBV it will be 1pw too, like they started with ZAG first year.
DeleteKoji dio u leisure nije jasan?
Delete@ 9.28 But do we know whether AC Rouge affected them in Zagreb? I'm not saying they did, I'm just saying that we don't know.
DeleteAir Transat has little better loads this year than year before. AC Rouge is doing well too, and it is expected to extend seasonal flights thru 2 more months next year (start early, finish late).
Delete@Anonymous10 September 2018 at 09:33
DeleteNot much, as Air Transat has better lf on the route, however they fly only twice weekly. Both carriers are doing rather well. Air Canada is pleased with their performance so far.
Is that an official statement from Air Canada?
DeleteI like their new livery
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Dubrovnik on their initiative.
ReplyDeleteI think they should leave ZAG one weekly and introduced one weekly to Dubrovnik as well. Or if there is enough demand then 2x weekly ZAG and 1x weekly DBV.
ReplyDeleteZagreb is a safer choice then Dubrovnik because this way you get tourists and diaspora rather then just tourists.
DeleteThey can charge more for tkts on Dubrovnik flights.
DeleteDBV could work, and there is nothing to do with ZAG flights... come on, 1 weekly A332 in high season, peace of cake per DBV.
DeleteThey will announce next year schedule in mid Oct. My guess, they will be in Zagreb 3 weekly (2x Toronto and 1x Montreal). They might test Dubrovnik next year with a handful of flights but if Dubrovnik gets 1 per week than that's awesome news.
DeleteThe most affected in all of this is Lufthansa. They are slowly loosing transfer passengers to Croatia.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they will be just fine.
DeleteI suggest you read this.
Deletehttps://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/company/alliances/joint-ventures.html
LH enjoys antitrust immunity between the USA and Canada. A++ is an extensive joint venture between LH, UA, AC - meaning that ALL (all) Revenue and Costs are shared between Europe and USA / Canada. SO LH actually profits by the AC flights tz ZAG and evenutally DBV, making room on the connecting flights from FRA/MUC/VIE/ZRH for other transfers from non-direct markets.
Ovakve linije su problem za Airbus 380. Njih LH lepo puni u Frankfurtu, ako partneri lete sa prenatrpanim avionima za manja mesta ima manje presedanja u Frankfurt. Zagreb im nije problem, ali jesu recimo Venecija i Dubrovnik.
DeleteDBV could work during high season, once per week.
ReplyDeleteSplit would also be a good option.
DeleteSplit can't handle the A330.
DeleteThe A330 can land in SPU, but it cannot depart with full payload. But they could do sth like YYZ-SPU-DBV-YYZ. Direct SPU-YYZ is not possible due to RWY restrictions.
DeleteSplit as runway is only 2.550 m. A330 needs 2.770 m minimum for takeoff.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTimUWZtGJQ
DeleteIt can, and it does- however not full load and long haul. Europe is ok.
There is a possibility that these flights will actually operate YYZ-ZAG-DBV-YYZ.
ReplyDelete... and in high season nonstop...
DeleteDoes anyone know why is the average LF on Air Transat from/to Zagreb?
ReplyDeleteTo Zagreb it is around 92% from Zagreb to Toronto it is very high too, 85%. Air Canada to Zagreb is around 90% and from Zagreb it is around 75%.
Delete100%
DeleteNo, 110%
Deletebetween 50%-100%
DeleteI'm sure Air Transat will more than get their moneys worth out of these flights.
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Dubrovnik!
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteDid Dubrovnik ever have flights to Canada in the past? During yugo times?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. There were flights to the US but not to Canada.
DeleteWait didn't Sky Service fly to Dubrovnik some 10 years ago? Or was that Zagreb?
Delete@Anonymous10 September 2018 at 12:00
DeleteSkyService flew to Zagreb for 2 years, before the company went bust. than SkyGreece outfit came and they went bust, in 2014 airTransat came and they're doing fine in Zagreb.
Zagreb and Split, but not Dubrovnik
DeleteOsamdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća tijekom ljetnog reda letenja postojali su redoviti letovi Beograd-Dubrovnik-Toronto-Montreal i obratno, najprije JAT-ovim B707, a zatim S DC-10-30.
DeleteNe. Radio sam u JAT u 1986 - 1991 i pratio svaki red letenja jos desetak godina ranije. NIKADA u to doba JAT nije redovno letio za Kanadu iz Dubrovnika. Mozda se nekada desio koji charter ali redovne linije za Montreal i Toronto su isle iz Beograda i Zagreba. Nadalje, nikada nije bilo redovne linije sa 707,, redovna Kanada je otvorena tek kada je dosla treca "desetka". Nekoliko najjacih godina, kad je u floti bilo 5 DC-10 i L1015 od Royal Jordaniana, Dubrovnik je imao sezonski po 1w New York i Chicago
DeleteDubrovnik never fails to amaze and surprise us. I think the next airline will definitely be DL or DY.
ReplyDeleteDY already flies to Dubrovnik ;)
DeleteSorry, I meant long-haul.
DeleteIt's possible. We will see. I'm happy Dubrovnik has decided to go after long haul flights.
DeleteCongrats for DBV management. They know what they are doing. They waited for the new terminal to be completed before they started talking with airlines about long haul flights.
ReplyDeleteDolaze u Dubrovnik https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/american-airlines-flight-attendant-told-passenger-go-bag-planes-toilets-overflow-164335360.html Strava.
ReplyDelete