Montenegro Airlines registers busiest year on record


Montenegro Airlines has recorded its busiest year since its foundation 24 years ago by handling 611.938 passengers on board its aircraft over the elapsed eleven month period and is on course to surpass its target set for 2018. The figure is some 19.000 travellers above the carrier's previous record performance. It achieved the result by operating 7.295 flights with six aircraft. As a result, Montenegro Airlines recorded passenger growth of 13.8% compared to the same period last year and operated 10% more flights. Its average cabin load factor stood at 70%, the highest in its 24-year history and two points ahead of last year.

In November alone, the Montenegrin carrier welcomed 35.100 travellers, up 15%. Earlier this year, the airline said its goal was to carry 620.000 passengers in 2018, which it is set to surpass in December. It now anticipates welcoming some 640.000 travellers on board its aircraft. As a result, the carrier has claimed the post for being the fastest growing in the former Yugoslavia this year. Montenegro Airlines operated scheduled and charter flights to thirty destinations in fifteen countries this year and utilised an additional aircraft, a Boeing 737-500, on its services during the peak summer months.

Montenegro Airlines' CEO, Živko Banjević, noted, "The growth in all commercial sectors, on top of significant revenue growth, completely justifies all commercial and business decisions we have made in the previous period, such as increasing the number of flights and leasing an additional jet during the summer season". He added, "It is a fact that Montenegro is becoming a more appealing destination, both for leisure and business travellers. In addition to being based in a country with natural beauties which are renowned around the world, these results were also achieved due to the country's stable economic and political climate". The CEO emphasised that the airline has kept its passenger share of 25% in the summer and 40% during the winter at Montenegro's two international airports. "This means we have contributed to the overall increase in traffic at Montenegro's airports and boosted its connectivity, which has, in turn, had a positive impact on the tourism industry. In addition, despite growing competition, we have managed to defend our markets and enter new ones, which has had a positive impact on our business results, which have improved by 1.5 million euros over the eleven months when compared to last year".

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:04

    Considering the competition they have now from Wizz and Ryan at Podgorica, they seem to be doing well.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:10

      They also compete against LOT, Austrian, Alitalia, Aegean, Turkish, Air Serbia...

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    2. Anonymous09:14

      Adria too.

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    3. Anonymous09:30

      YM does not fly to Poland, Turkey or Greece.
      So I fail to see how exactly they compete with LO. TK and A3.

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  2. Anonymous09:07

    Congratulations YM. I think that adding the Boeing helped them achieve these result. Good decision and overall good airline.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      Hope they lease Boeing next summer too.

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    2. Anonymous09:24

      Have they decided which planes they are going to take next year? They said it is between more Embraers or next gen B737s.

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    3. Anonymous09:26

      The last they said is that they will probably lease a Boeing like this year. We will see.

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    4. Anonymous10:13

      They promised this year they would lease a second hand 120+ seater and they did so I tend to believe they will make good on their promise to remove the Fokkers in 2019 and 2020.

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    5. Anonymous10:18

      It would make more sense for them to become an all Embraer operator in my opinion. It would reduce costs.

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    6. Anonymous11:28

      Yes but what about acquisition costs for 2-4 more aircraft?
      Fokkers are cheap and the 737 is leased only during the summer months when there is enough demand to fill it.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:07

    Great to see improved results from YM.

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  4. Anonymous09:09

    I'm assuming Serbia and Russia are still their no. 1 markets?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:23

      Why did the Russians block Montenegro Airlines from flying with the B737 to Moscow?

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    2. Anonymous09:27

      Because a Maltese registered plane could not fly between third countries, in this case Montenegro and Russia.

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    3. Anonymous10:49

      Ok, thank you.

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  5. Anonymous09:14

    Could we expect some new destinations from YM next year?

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    1. Anonymous09:19

      I hope they consider London, Stockholm and maybe Brussels (surprisingly they don't fly to Belgium).

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    2. Anonymous09:25

      Sorry that was supposed to be Milan instead of London. They already fly to London.

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    3. Anonymous09:28

      As far as I remember, they used to fly to MXP and BRU a couple of years ago but I think both routes were suspended quickly after they were launched. They didn't have good results.

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    4. Anonymous09:30

      BRU is a struggle from BEG too. Wizz suspended Charleroi (it was their worst performer from BEG) and JU has managed to improve loads on the route mostly thanks to a lot of transfer passengers from Brussels to Beirut, Greece and Romania. Otherwise, Jat Airways used to struggle to Brussels too. In its last year of ops. they even turned it into a seasonal route and often flew it in a triangle with Amsterdam.

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    5. Anonymous09:31

      Adria also failed on TIA-BRU route. Obviously difficult to fill from the Balkans unless you are in the EU.

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    6. Anonymous09:41

      More flights to Scandinavia are needed. Before someone like TUI launches them.

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    7. Anonymous09:43

      @9.31 yes... or the government subsidises those flightsb by buying overpriced tickets for their staff.

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    8. Anonymous11:08

      Anonymous 9.19

      Ryanair flies from Charleroi and Wizz Air flies from Milan, so there is no need for Montenegro Airlines to start these route. Wizz is currently selling tickets Milan - Podgorica for 20 euros return.

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    9. Anonymous11:17

      Montenegro Airlines should start TIV-BNX charter flights in July and August. B&H had around 40 passengers per flight on this route in ATR.

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    10. Anonymous11:29

      Anonymous 8 December 2018 at 11:17
      +1

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:16

    70% doesn't sound much but in ex-Yu airline world that is a great LF. They are now right in the game with JP, JU and OU in that field.

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    1. Anonymous09:24

      +1

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    2. Anonymous09:44

      Do we know that average LF for each of these airlines?

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    3. Anonymous10:00

      Someone posted them recently.

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    4. Anonymous10:03

      Official LFs for 2017

      OU - 74.4
      JU - 73.4
      JP - 66.9
      YM - 65.0

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    5. Anonymous20:40

      Very good improvement for YM then although those 70% will probably drop of in December but I expect a LF of around 67% at the end of the year.

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  7. Anonymous09:24

    The extensive codeshare they have with JU has certainly helped those numbers.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:39

      It would be interesting to see how many passengers are transported through these codeshares each year.

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  8. Anonymous09:27

    Good to see them recovering.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:44

      I'm happy too, I just hope all these numbers are factual. Remember how they used to post fantastic results in 2010, 11, 12 and it turned out to all be falsified?

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    2. Anonymous10:10

      With improved financial results, maybe they will finally start paying TGD and TIV for using their services.

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    3. Anonymous20:38

      Improved or not, they will have to start paying the second the airports are given up for concession next year.

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  9. Anonymous09:42

    Good news for Montenegro airlines and the state of Montenegro. Air transport is significant for entire tourist industry and state economy.

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  10. Anonymous09:55

    Bravo Crna Goro

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  11. Anonymous10:11

    I'm very happy with YM results. The only carrier in ex-YU growing and not shrinking in size or selling slots to survive.

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    1. Anonymous11:19

      +1000

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    2. Anonymous11:56

      Also the only airline that hasn't posted profit in the last 5 years. In normal circumstances they should have gone bankrupt.

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    3. The others weren't profitable either.
      They just got subventions or sold engines and slots to stay open.
      At least YM didn't try to mask its financial situation is such a blatant way. :)

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:22

    Nice news coming from Montenegro Airlines lately. They could manage around 1 million loss this year.

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    1. Anonymous10:47

      The airline has potential.

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  13. Anonymous10:48

    They managed these results because of state aid.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:20

      You are probably thinking of ASL.

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    2. Anonymous11:22

      No, I'm thinking of Montenegro Airlines which this year got 9.7 million euros in aid. The latest transaction was last month.
      http://www.seebiz.eu/dri-vlada-je-dala-drzavnu-pomoc-montenegro-airlinesu-od-42-miliona-eura/ar-185206/

      Considering the airline has 5 planes, that is a significant amount of money.

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    3. Anonymous12:40

      Considering that JU has about 20 planes operating the amount of money it has received from the state over the last 5 years make even YM look good.
      Not to mention the indirect subsidies from BEG through greatly reduced fees.
      So no ex-yu airline is in a position to criticize the others concerning their financial performance. When in a glass house don't throw rocks at others.

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    4. Anonymous12:45

      Montenegro Airlines pays nothing to Podgorica and Tivat airports - €0. Do you count that as indirect subsidies? And since when am I an ex-Yu airline and since when are you a policeman to tell me if I can or cannot criticize them. I didn't mention Air Serbia since it's not a topic today. That's your obsession.

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    5. Anonymous12:47

      You can also find a whole list of service providers Montenegro Airlines pays nothing to - from air traffic control, Belgrade Airport, petrol and the list goes on. They also haven't paid any state taxes for years. But keep going on about JU.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous12:12

    What is the most aircraft MGX has had in its fleet at once?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:31

      8 - 5 fokkers and 3 Embraers.

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    2. Anonymous20:38

      Thank you. So now its 5? What's the Embraer/Fokker ratio?

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    3. Anonymous20:40

      2 Fokkers and 3 Embraers.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous13:30

    The image of Montenegro is improving a lot to the world.
    The Madonna concert in Budva, the fame of Slavko Kalezić in Eurovision and great YM Facebook page promoting the country have all been good news.
    Both TIV and TGD are booming and the country opening up.
    Montenegro must be part of the EU by 2025 and already using the Euro.

    Two words: WELL DONE CG!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:01

      LOL dude!

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    2. Anonymous20:37

      Comment of the year :D

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    3. Anonymous22:51

      LOL
      Slavko <3

      Delete
    4. А поготово та друга ставка стоји..

      Delete
  16. Anonymous07:27

    Improving passenger numbers and loadfactor is very good to hear but do not mean better finance results. At what cost did they get it. Hiring 737 for high price and selling throw away price tickets is good only to manage the show to market themselves but is very bad for the airline. Also on other routes passengers were filled at the prices that make only loss to attract from other airlines. I am interested to see the finance results. They did not write in this article directly.

    ReplyDelete

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