Montenegro Airlines plans Lisbon, Istanbul service


Montenegro Airiness is negotiating the potential introduction of scheduled flights to Lisbon and Istanbul. The carrier’s CEO, Željko Banjević, said, “In terms of new destinations in 2020, we are currently completing our analysis and negotiations over the potential introduction of seasonal flights to Lisbon and Istanbul. In the coming period, we will also be working on commencing flights towards new destinations within Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East”. Mr Banjević did not specify whether the new routes would originate from Podgorica or Tivat. Currently, Turkish Airlines maintains services between Istanbul and Podgorica, while there are no flights from Montenegro to Lisbon. At this point, Montenegro Airlines plans to run flights to sixteen destinations. Of those, half are year-round, and half are seasonal. In 2020, the carrier will operate flights to a total of fifteen charter destinations.

Fleet-wise, Montenegro Airlines will retire its sole operational Fokker 100 jet following the end of the 2020 summer season. “The plan is to have a fleet of five Embraer E195 jets, while a sixth plane, of the same or greater capacity, would be wet-leased through an ACMI over the summer season”, Mr Banjević noted. The airline currently has five F100 jets in its fleet, four of which are grounded, and three E195s. Two of the Embraer jets are on operational leases, which run until 2024 and 2025 respectively. “We will negotiate the acquisition of those two E195s from the lessors, because we have been systematically investing in them since 2008”, the CEO said. The airline previously noted it would lease an additional E195 jet for the coming summer.

Montenegro Airlines handled a record 657.276 passengers in 2019, representing an increase of 1.9% on the year before. The Montenegrin parliament recently adopted legislation “for the investment and consolidation of the national carrier” which allocates 155 million euros to Montenegro Airlines over the next six years. The government noted that 105 million euros will be used to cover the airline’s debt, while fifty million will be utilised for the acquisition of new aircraft. The state emphasised that the bankruptcy or closure of the airline would have had a negative impact on the Montenegrin economy and its tourism sector. Under the six-year plan, Montenegro Airlines is expected to post a profit this year and remain profitable for the duration of the state aid package. Furthermore, the carrier will be required to reduce its workforce by 2023 from the current 358 employees. The company aims to carry between 700.000 and 750.000 passengers per year between 2020 and 2023.




Comments

  1. Anonymous09:06

    Wow nice additions

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:06

    How are they going to make IST work next to Turkish Airlines?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      Maybe they will fly from Tivat. TK flies out of Podgorica.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:10

      They might cooperate and sign a codeshare.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:23

      Tivat makes much more sense. There are double daily TK flights to/from Podgorica/Istanbul in summer.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:24

      Maybe there is demand for more.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:29

      There is always demand for Istanbul from somewhere. It's the most visited city in Europe after London and Paris and welcomes 14 millions of tourists a year. And Turks frequently visit the Balkans.

      Airports in Istanbul welcomed 105 millions of passengers in 2019. Probably 5th or 6th city in 2019 in the world.

      If they plan IST from TDG, then a flight with a TK codeshare would be amazing.

      Delete
    6. Nije Istambul ni medju prvih dvadeset ako sabiras putnike svih aerodroma u jednom gradu sa okolinom! Po toj logici London ima preko 200miliona, Pariz takodje...

      A po zvanicnoj statistici iz 2018-te istambul je 17-ti.

      Sto se turista tice - i tu ne preteruj!

      Evo kako izgledaju podaci:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_international_visitors

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:08

    If OU starts Podgorica like planned it will eliminate Lisbon as a transfer destination since there will be nonstop flights from Montenegro.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:35

      There are plenty of destinations with non stop flights that people choose to travel indirectly.
      Because of more convenient schedule, price, alliance preference, etc.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:47

      What will OU provide in MNE that OS or JU dont already?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:57

      Choice! Choice in schedule, pricing and availability of seats.
      But more importantly it will provide anger to haters!

      Delete
    4. Dejan10:01

      OU will provide someone who is flying from Montenegro to Portugal the exact same thing that JU provides to someone who is flying from Athens to New York.
      There are plenty of direct options as well as indirect from all European hubs.
      Yet JU manages to get quite a bit of traffic from ATH to JFK despite all those other options.
      The travelers are the winners in a market such as this.

      Delete
    5. In this particular case of LIS, for example, OU can offer the flight itself which JU does not offer. For OS, lot of people like flying company where they can speak and be heard in their language, where OU has advantage to OS. In addition to that, OS flights are usually the most expensive, whenever I check about something. OU is not the cheapest one as well, but definitely not as expensive as OS. And the third, I avoid OS as much as I can because I find their service nothing special and their cabin crew very often rude and with attitude.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:09

      You can't compare JU and OU. For starters Air Serbia will have double daily flights to Athens and six weekly flights to JFK. On the other hand, OU will have maximum two, three weekly to TGD and about the same to LIS. Unless they operate at night or a split schedule I don't see how they can compete. Especially not now when TAP sends the A330 to Vienna!

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:13

      PiR, I think most passengers on these flights are going to be Portuguese going to Montenegro. For them OS makes more sense because they cooperate with TP.

      Delete
    8. First I did not compare JU and OU. At the moment, JU is bigger and more developed. Those are the facts. And I like facts. I am not in kindergarten neither have complexes to need to fight to show my is bigger. But the facts also are that OU, the same as OS, have codeshares with TP on its both domestic and international flights to ZAG, which you try to present the other way.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:30

      That comment was an answer to Dejan, not to you.
      OU and TP might have a code-share but you said that people might chose OU because of linguistic similarities. However on this route most passengers are expected to be Portuguese so VIE makes more sense like that because TAP actually flies there. OS doesn't fly to Portugal, that route is left to TAP.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:09

    What would the demand be to Lisbon? Tourists? Or is there local demand from Montenegro?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:11

      Tourists I would assume. Tivat's close proximety to Dubrovnik is also a plus.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:12

      I really don't know how they think to fill out the plane to LIS.

      No diaspora, no economic ties, Portugal is as well as Montenegro touristic country with sea coast...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:13

      Any data on Portugese arrivals to Montenegro? They must have based their decision on something.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:19

      Lisbon became a big hub for Brasil, Argentina, Mexico and there are more tourists from these countries every year.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:50

      Given the growing losses, I don't think YM bases their decisions on good business practices.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:51

      @9.13 in 2017 just 2,000 of them! Don't have later numbers.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:52

      nr of port. touristst in August : 801 :D
      bizzare route decision

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:53

      "Lisbon became a big hub for Brasil, Argentina, Mexico and there are more tourists from these countries every year."

      You actually think that someone from Brazil, Argentina or Mexico would fly all the way to Europe and pick Montenegro over Spain, Croatia or Greece for a seaside vacation?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:07

      Yes! In my apartments (Dalmatia) I had a lot of Brazilians and Argentinians last year. Doctors, lawyers, engineers... Best customers by far

      Delete
    10. Anonymous10:16

      a lot means 15 ..

      there are not even 1000 tourists from Argentina in MNE for the whole of 2018

      Delete
    11. But there are tens of thousands in Croatia. And why are you people so exclusive? It's always good to have more options to ex-yu and more passengers /visitors. I am glad if YM starts LIS and I am sure one part of tourists from South America flying via LIS will use service to MNE and later visit Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia... What's wrong about that?

      Delete
    12. Anonymous10:54

      100000 tourists from Brazil visited Croatia in 2019, 30% more than year before

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:10

    Good to see some development from Montenegro Airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:12

      If I got 155 million euros from the state I would try something new too.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:15

      Well they will have an extra plane so it's logical for them to introduce new routes.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:14

    Good to see some potential new toutes and them not being in Germany.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:16

    Not sure about these routes but the fleet plan is good.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:16

    Opa!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:36

      Which grandfather?

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:17

    Nice to see all ex-Yu flag carriers adding new routes in 2020.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      Considering the record tax payer money they are all getting this year it's the least we deserve
      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2019/11/all-ex-yu-carriers-to-receive-state.html

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:24

      +1 last anon

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:51

      So far all new routes are merely announced as potential ones, none have materialised.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:53

      All will be scheduled within a month. Some even by the end of this one :)

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:17

    Lisbon is so random. This destination failed from every EXYU country. Huge doubt over the success of this route from Montenegro.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      It didn't fail everywhere. Croatia Airlines flies Zagreb-Lisbnon in summer.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:21

      Yes but even they had to reduce it

      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2019/05/croatia-airlines-scales-back-lisbon.html

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:39

      I agree about LIS.
      MAD seems a much more logical choice.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:43

      Or BCN

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:44

      BCN is already served by Ryanair.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:59

      @9.21 I love this site lol. It's like an ex-yu aviation encyclopedia :D you can dig up a link from the past for virtually everything.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:05

      That is why we have hubs. Like Nis Lisbon with coffee in Bergamo.

      Delete
  11. Any other land-locked destinations would make a lot more sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      They might have made a deal with tour operators for this routes.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:25

    Well this is a bit of a surprise.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:26

    Montenegro keeps winning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:30

      A 155 million euro state aid winner for sure.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:26

    Not such a big increase in passenger numbers in 2019.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      Hopefully losses didn't increase much either.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:40

      They recorded a bigger loss in 2019 than in 2018...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:42

      How do you know? No numbers are out yet.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:19

      Fuel also increased last year so that increased their expenses.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:21

      The CEO said so himself in an interview to a montenegrin newspaper a week or two ago. He did list the factors that contributed to that though.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:22

      Ok thank you :) although not good news about the results.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:30

    Maybe Lisbon is the next Barcelona when it comes to the region :D no flights until recently and then many new ex-Yu routes from there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      I think it will take a few more years. Portugal isn't such a massive tourist destination fron ex-Yu and there is very little diaspora or business ties.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:32

    "we will also be working on commencing flights towards new destinations within Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East”.

    Which routes in the Mide East are plausable?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      Dubai?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:38

      Can an E195 make it from Podgorica to Dubai?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:38

      There is already Flydubai flying Dubai-Tivat. I doubt see the point of MGX starting it.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:41

      *don't

      Delete
    5. Dejan10:04

      It is far more likely that by Middle East they mean flights to Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Egypt.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:05

      IKA? :)

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:20

      My money is on TLV.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:23

      They already operated charters to Tel Aviv and Amman so they may explore something there.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:31

      Eilat is giving subsidies, maybe YM goes there?

      Delete
    10. Anonymous11:31

      Eliat is giving subsidies for INCOMING tourists

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:34

    Excellent news!
    YM seems to be recovering slowly. I also like how they stick to 1 fleet type as this makes it easier to maintain.
    The Embraer jet itself proved to be quite reliable. Many former communist states opted to use it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:00

      recovering`?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:06

      not quite sure why one would connect a particular airplane model to a former system of governance, but fyi, 'former non-communist states' like Germany (LH) and Austria (OS) also have embraers in their fleets.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:37

      Anon 10:06 - maybe they are flying only in DDR part od Germany :-) (joke)

      Delete
    4. Yeah, EMB also in Portugal, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, all communist countries, just like ex Yugoslavia, that one I must agree LOL

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:35

    I'm very interested to see whether these will be from Podgorica or Tivat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      I think it will be Tivat. Just a guess.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous09:36

    It is interesting that they opted for routes which no LCC would be interested. At the same time Ryanair knocking on their doors with European gasterbaiter routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      Yeah those Polish routes are really for gasterbaiters.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:46

      Other than those and Barcelona the rest are mostly for the diaspora. Either way I would be worried about them if I were MGX management.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:39

    Nice. Wish them good luck with their development. The last full service airline in this part of the world.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:43

      ^yes but at what cost?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:58

      I would say OU is still a full service airline. Very few hidden extra charges.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:01

      OU charge for luggage so they are not full service airline

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:06

      Anon at 10:01
      EVERY airline in Europe is now charging for checked luggage.
      Just like they are charging for seat selection.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:10

      Not every.

      YM is not charging for it. Therefore it has been mentioned here that YM is the last full service airline in this part of the world

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:21

      In our part of Europe it's YM and RO.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:32

      Turkish Airlines, currently the best European airline, doesn't charge for luggage either.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:33

      The best, if you don't look at their safety record...

      Delete
    9. Anonymous11:30

      So, after all there are still European airlines who still do not charge for checked luggage.

      Just to conclude

      Delete
    10. Anonymous13:27

      Right... Of the well over 100 European airlines the only full service carriers are YM and RO!
      The BS that you can read here is amazing!

      Delete
    11. Anonymous14:33

      Who else is providing checked luggage FOC?

      Ryanair maybe?

      Delete
    12. Dear friend, by my definition of "full service carrier", it must include :offer in various classes of travel, dedicated lounges, on line check in, miles collecting programs with bonuses, membership in alliances and /or vast range of code - shares, possibility of multiple daily connections for majority of services with minimum connecting times, possibility to book exact seat online in advance with no charge, developed in-flight entertainment system, some kind of free in-flight service, free checked luggage, and much more. Taking out just checked luggage from "svedski stol" to prove right might not be the best idea. Unfortunately, not single one out of Balkan carriers, including the biggest Aegean, and especially not Tarom or Montenegro are not even near to any kind of "full service" of anything

      Delete
    13. Anonymous16:07

      These standards are maybe for Emirates.

      For Balkan it is enough to have a drink, meal and 20 kg of luggage.

      Something nobody except YM is offering

      Delete
    14. Anonymous19:21

      Tarom offers the same.

      Delete
    15. Anonymous19:31

      YM and RO leaders of Europe!

      Delete
    16. Anonymous20:03

      In that sense...yes

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:49

    Finally Fokkers becoming a history!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous09:49

    Out of the box destinations. Would not have expected them.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous10:29

    LIS is becoming very popular. The only problem is the lack of slots. The airport is well over capacity and Vinci are expected to start building the new terminal but they are a slow operator.
    YM will do just good and filling an E195 is much easier compared to A320 or B738.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:48

    When did Montenegro Airlines last introduce a new route?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:52

      Hanover last summer.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:52

      And Leipzig.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous14:23

    Weird route TIV-LIS.....but perhaps many sailors from Montenegro and surrounding use Portugal ports of call.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous04:14

      Don't be so sure. Look at W6. They quietly launched LIS a couple of years ago and now have various connections from BUD, IEV, SOF, WAW, OTP, etc.

      Delete
  26. Anonymous01:06

    "Montenegro Airlines is expected to remain profitable for the duration of the state aid package"

    Quote of the year, and we just started 2020.

    I say this in good faith: I hope YM losses double each year until they come to their senses and admit that running a tiny, isolated airline only hurts their country. The faster they realize it, the better it will be for Montenegro.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous08:52

    TGD-VIE on E95 this morning 19 passengers. With such loads no wonder they are losing money.

    ReplyDelete

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