Spanish low cost carrier Vueling will be resuming the majority of its operations to Croatia in the coming two weeks, albeit at a significantly reduced volume, while its seasonal service to Belgrade has been suspended for the remainder of the year and will be restored in 2021. The carrier restored international operations just two weeks ago.
The budget airline will resume up to four weekly operations between Rome and Split starting tomorrow, while services from the Italian capital to Dubrovnik will follow suit on July 15. They are set to run three times per week and increase during August. Several days beforehand, on July 13, Vueling will resume three weekly flights from its main hub in Barcelona to Dubrovnik and on July 14 to Split. Seasonal services from the Catalan capital to Zagreb will restart on August 1 and run once per week, each Saturday, increasing to two weekly during the month of October. Operations between Barcelona and Zadar have been suspended indefinitely. Vueling, faces competition on its flights from Rome to Dubrovnik and Split from Croatia Airlines. On the other hand, the Croatian carrier is yet to schedule its seasonal service from Zagreb to Barcelona.
The low cost airline has suspended its seasonal two weekly service to Belgrade this year. It plans to restore operations between the two cities on March 30, 2021 and has already put tickets on sale. It comes at a time when competition is heating up on the route. Air Serbia launched two weekly operations to Spain’s second largest city last year, quickly growing the service to three weekly. It plans on resuming the flights following the covornavirus Covid-19 hiatus on July 13 with two weekly operations. On the other hand, Wizz Air will be inaugurating its new route between the two cities on July 18. Although it will also maintain flights twice per week, it will offer the most capacity, with the route to be served by the Airbus A321 jet.
With W6 starting BEG-BCN they could not have chosen a worse time to withdraw from the route. They may be selling tickets from April 2021 but I don't see it materializing with both JU and W6.
ReplyDeleteWith those middle of the night flights they never stood a chance in Belgrade.
DeleteIt was popular with tour operators. But they were unreliable. Most migrated to Air Serbia last year.
DeleteWell it's actually great news for W6 which will pick up most of these passengers.
DeleteW6 flying 230 seat A321NEOs on the route will have unbeatable cost advantage against both Vueling and ASL.
DeleteOnly if they can fill those seats at a reasonable price.
DeleteTheir breakeven point will be a lot lower than the competition.
DeleteSo their "reasonable" price will be lower than the other two thus taking pax away from them AND at the same time stimulating demand from new travelers..
You make it sound as if they can't fail no matter what.
DeleteSorry if a hurt your feelings.
DeleteDenial is not a river in Egypt.
That comment makes no sense
DeleteIt is an American expression.
DeleteI meant the whole comment in addition to that silly ending
DeleteBetter something than nothing. But last year they were flying Barcelona-Dubrovnik 9x per week :(
ReplyDeleteInterestingly they were flying FCO-DBV to the very last day before the airports started shutting down.
DeleteThis is not bad considering how badly demand has been hit.
DeleteZadar has really been hit the worst from Croatia's bigger airports due to covid. Primarily because of Ryanair suspending some current and planned new routes but a few other airlines have done the same.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIt is just not happening for ZAD. An airport w lot of potential and on verge of making it over 1 million pax, is thrown back 10yrs.As per Vueling, from twice weekly to BCN and FCO two seasons ago, gradually reduced this yr to 1 wkly to FCO. Pitty.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteGood to see them back.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time they used to fly Rome - Zagreb. Would be nice to see them back.
ReplyDeleteused to fly to Ljubljana too
DeleteThey failed in their Italian expansion completely.
Delete@9.52 Yes MAD and BCN!
DeleteHad no idea. Thanks!
DeleteIt would be fantastic to finally get some scheduled flights from Slovenia to Spain again so I'm really hoping for Vueling.
DeleteIt's interesting they failed FCO-LJU even though OU flies via DBV and SPU to Rome. I would have thought Vueling would have the upper hand with the nonstop flight.
DeleteSorry meant to write FCO-ZAG *
DeleteVery strange they failed with direct flights.
DeleteI took OU flight Rome-Dubrovnik last year. It Passengers continuing for Zagreb were asked to take all their belonging and go to passport and customs control before returning to the plane. That is basically as if they were transferring in Dubrovnik. Very inconvenient.
DeleteWow that sucks! Why do you have to go through customs again??
DeleteIt's surprising how poorly Spain used to be linked with ex-Yu just a few years ago. The siuation is much better now, Hope Vueling comes back.
ReplyDeleteJust one weekly to ZAG :( what's the point?
ReplyDeleteNo market for more obviously
DeleteWith fares as low as 50€ RT in August BEG-BCN not sure if BCN will continue.
ReplyDeleteVY is quite ambitious about 2021 with 3 weekly flights. BEG is not prepared yet for so many flights to BCN. Not much gastos in Spain.
It's a major tourist destination though
DeleteConsidering what the situation was like in Spain, I'm surprised any flights have resumed.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of Europe's biggest markets and probably the biggest leisure market for western Europeans.
DeleteWhat's Vueling like? Typical LCC?
ReplyDeleteWelcome back :)
ReplyDeleteLet's see if there will be enough space for 3 airlines between BCN and BEG next year. I somehow doubt it. Vueling seems the most likely to exit that route.
ReplyDeletedon't write them off just yet
DeleteIt is a mentality problem .
ReplyDeleteNeither Iberia nor Vueling or Volotea look further than beyound Croatia.
For them the Serbian market is terra incognita.
Kudos for TAP for at least trying it .
Well I'm not so sure considering Vueling has been flying BCN-BEG for seven years already and for 6 of those was the only one flying the route.
DeleteBelgrade was never a priority for them .
DeleteNothing too shocking about it really. Flights to Croatia are there because of Spanish tourists who are already familiar with the brand. Flights from Belgrade are there because of Serbian tourists going to Spain who are familiar with JU as a brand. For many here Iberia and Vueling are completely unknown brands and they would be reluctant to book with them.
DeleteI wouldn`t be surprised of Wizz Air to increase BCN next or even this year.
ReplyDeleteSame here, three weekly next summer is highly likely. I'm sure they'll end up suspending Oslo or Turku so they'll have extra capacity.
Delete