Aegean delays EX-YU return and terminates route


Aegean Airlines has delayed the resumption of its flights to the Serbian and Croatian markets, while it has also terminated its seasonal service to Split. So far in the former Yugoslavia, the Greek carrier has only restored operations between Athens and Skopje, albeit at a significantly reduced rate than initially planned. Despite resuming flights to Belgrade earlier this month, the airline only maintained two rotations before suspending the service until June 2, when Greek authorities are expected to facilitate entry into the country for vaccinated Serbian nationals, while those that have not received the jab will be able to enter with a negative PCR test. Once flights resume, they have been scheduled to initially operate twice per week, before increasing to four weekly in late June. All will be operated by the Airbus A320 aircraft. Air Serbia continues to maintain flights to Athens.

In Croatia, Aegean Airlines has pushed back the resumption of its flights between Athens and Zagreb from early April to May 29. Services are slated to run twice per week, with one weekly rotation operated by the A320 aircraft and the other by the brand new A320neo. Flights to Dubrovnik will resume on June 1 and run twice per week with the A320 jet. On the other hand, the airline has terminated its operations to Split. At this point, Croatia Airlines plans to resume its seasonal Zagreb - Athens service via Dubrovnik on April 20, three times per week, with the Dash 8 aircraft, while seasonal operations from Split to the Greek capital are scheduled to resume on May 29, once per week, with the A319 jet.

Over in Macedonia, the airline is currently maintaining flights to Skopje, however, the schedule has been reduced and flights are now operating just once per week. They are set to increase during the summer to two weekly. Services are being run by the ATR42 aircraft, however, capacity will be increased to the Dash 8 turboprop from June 1.

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March of last year, Aegean Airlines terminated its operations to Sarajevo, marking its exit from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s market after just one year. There are currently no plans to restart the service. Furthermore, the airline has terminated operations to Podgorica. Aegean has been serving Montenegro since 2017. The Greek carrier had over the years also served Ljubljana and Zadar, however, both were terminated after just one year of operations. Resumption dates for all the abovementioned routes may change due to the pandemic, although the airline filed its schedule revisions this week.


Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    Seems like Aegean is struggling

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      Who isn't?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:24

      I'm sure they are still doing better than ex-Yu flag carriers.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:25

      Aegean is about to get 60 million euros from the government.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:25

      Considering how much OU and JU got, and their size compared to A3, that's nothing.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:46

      Aegean is about to get a capital share increase from it's shareholders in the amount of 60 million. Dude, read the report before sharing info.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous21:34

      What is the financial situation with Aegean?

      Delete
    7. Anonymous06:26

      Don't forget that Aegean receives healthy amount of PSO for routes from ATH to the islands.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:01

    It's ironic Skopje is their only operational route in ex-Yu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:04

      But it's just served by the ATR42 once per week. Honestly, it's the same as if it didn't operate at all.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:07

      why, it was their first international route back in the day as well

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:02

    Can't they just use the Dash more and make some of these routes work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:02

    Considering out of these only Croatia is in the EU meaning they can enter Greece, I would hae expected them to start flights earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:57

      *have

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:47

      True, I'm surprised how JU is still operating certain routes considering we are now into the second year of Serbian citizens being banned from the EU.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:03

    Nice to see they will use the A320neo to Zagreb :)

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      Don't be so sure.

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    2. Anonymous09:36

      Well ok, it is currently planned. Might change of course.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:04

    Shame about Split. They used to have a lot of frequencies on that route :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:28

      Yes a 4pw were planned on this route just last week!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:05

    Does the reduction of frequencies, late start and termination SPU have more to do with them focusing on flying from holiday destinations to western Europe this year?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      income tourism is their main goal so it could be

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:10

      Have they announced any new routes for the summer?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:11

      They sure have. 33 new routes for summer 2021!

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    4. Anonymous09:12

      None of them from ATH i think

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    5. Anonymous09:13

      Yes, absolute majority is from the islands.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:12

    No surprise. Lower yielding ex-Yu markets are getting overlooked for higher yielding summer routes to western Europe. These are all the new routes they are launching:

    https://www.anna.aero/2020/11/20/aegean-airlines-reveals-33-routes-for-summer-2021/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:13

    I wonder what was the point of launching two flights to BEG in the first place and then stopping them again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      I'm surprised JU has managed to keep this route going.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:39

      Huge number of transfers and JU has a good brand there.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:56

      @9.13 I guess they were hoping for better numbers. They might have sold an ok number of tickets for the first two flights but it made no sense to continue afterwards.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:59

      @9.39 :D :D

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:50

      @09:59 You can laugh all you want, but if you had lived in Greece you would had seen JU's commercials and ads on social media (in Greek). After all, 2x ATH and 2x SKG/day is not a small number of flights at all.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous06:28

      Also before covid JU used to send two daily flights to ATH, one on the A320 and the other (night flight) on the A319.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:17

    Let's hope the dates stick this time.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:17

    Did they used to fly with ATR to Skopje in the past or was it the Q400?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:18

    Love you Aegean

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:18

    List of terminated destination by A3 in our region is getting long: Split, Zadar, Podgorica, Ljubljana, Sarajevo...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      Maybe they should retry Ljubljana now that Adria is no longer around.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      They should try seasonal flights to Banja Luka.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:34

      Right, because it's a much bigger market than the one mentioned above.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:40

      It would make sense since JU operated BNX ATH

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:46

      if SPU doesnt make sense for them at the moment ...

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:51

      Weren't there plans also for Banja Luka - Thessaloniki?

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:55

      I think Aegean has tried everything that can potentially work in the region.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:59

      no that was Kraljevo :D

      Delete
    9. Anonymous14:32

      There actually were plans for Banja Luka - Thessaloniki.

      "We will suggest for Ryanair to commence seasonal flights from a point in Greece. The airline has a base in Thessaloniki and Athens. This would be of great use for our citizens holidaying in Greece."
      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2018/07/banja-luka-airport-eyes-additional.html

      Delete
    10. Anonymous19:04

      Definitely wouldn't work with a plane like a B737. Much more chance of it working with an Aegean Dash.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous06:29

      Aegean also tried Cluj and that failed as well. Seems like they struggle in these secondary markets.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:20

    need to know that greek airports have low traffic at the moment: ATH has -85,5% (international pax -89.8%). SKG has even less pax then SKP in the first two months which is crazy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      I think international flights are currently banned from Thessaloniki.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      nope just checked on the airport page: Tarom, Austrian, Aegean have international routes

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:46

      There are some restrictions on airlines (countries) that can only enter Greece through Athens.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:57

      Turkey, Macedonia and Albania (both had no flights to SKG anyway) and only 500 Russians are allowed to enter a week. not sure if the Catalonian airports ban is stil in place

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:50

      Greeks can still exit their homes only after sending a text to get a permission. Been like that since Nov.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:55

      Depressing

      Delete
    7. Anonymous19:04

      Crazy, it's like being in jail.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:29

    There will be more of this happening. Ex-yu is a poor market.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:33

      It's happening across the world. New routes are only being added from Western Europe to holiday points and that's about it.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous06:32

      Budapest is not a poor market yet demand has literally collapsed. BUD on some days has 10 flights.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:34

    Real shame

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous09:34

    Horrible livery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:59

      I prefer it compared to the original one.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:16

      The old one was iconic, especially if we talk about Olympic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:33

      Olympic is one thing, but Aegean another.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous19:03

      I hope they introduce an Olympic vintage livery on one of their planes :)

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:34

    :(

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous09:56

    Goes to show that this Easter travel period will be a disaster. Barely anyone is starting flights or increasing frequencies around the start of April.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:03

      Most countries are keeping travel restriction in place this Easter with the sole aim of preventing travel.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous06:33

      Restrictions are pointless. Once you remove them you go back to square one.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:56

    I'm a bit surprised they have delayed the start of flights so much. I mean June!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:58

      liek many other airlines. Its when the EU Green pass should be installed.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:01

      I'm not so convinced that will work out. It's like the traffic light system they introduced last year that no one obeyed or obeys. Everyone still made up their own rules.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous10:43

    I'm not surprised because other than Skopje my guess is all the other routes depend primarily on tourists.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:51

      Actually, regarding BEG - during winter most people are visiting friends and family. But most of them have Serbian passports and that's a no-no now.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:00

      @10.43 not really. I can't speak for others but Athens flights for Air Serbia are currently being kept alive by Greeks living in Serbia (lots of banks and Greek businesses operate in Serbia), as well as some transfer traffic.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous10:43

    This is sad :(

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous10:44

    Maybe OU should finally makes ZAG-ATH year round.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:54

      They should first drop the Dubrovnik stop and make the flights nonstop.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:58

      But is there really a market for non-stop flights?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:34

      There seems to be one for Aegean.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:59

      Between Aegean nonstop and Croatia Airlines' Dubrovnik stop, I don't understand why anyone flying this route from/to Zagreb would choose the latter.

      Delete
    5. Plus Aegean 320(neo) versus OU Dash (with single toilet and no window blinds)

      Delete
  24. Anonymous11:01

    Really shocked Split is not coming back, yet Dubrovnik is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:02

      I'm surprised Sarajevo didn't work out pre pandemic.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:03

      Me too. Especially since they planned to increase frequencies from 2 to 4 last summer.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:04

      If they planned to double frequencies obviously it was working but Corona and travel bans changed all that.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:58

      Wizz Air can now start it if there is sufficient demand.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:40

      Quite sure they chose DBV over SPU due to competition. Want to force OU out.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous11:35

    It seems that after the AF delay news from yesterday, it is now A3 delaying its flights in BEG. Unfortunately, the situation is getting more and more complicated with airlines delaying to July. It will be a tough year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:43

      Seems to be exactly the same situation at all other airports. For example TAP delaying Zagreb until July, Aegean until June, Lufthansa extending Munich suspension until October, Eurowings delaying route resumptions etc.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:09

      *June. And of course, that's when the real summer season kicks in. And just like last year, all summer holiday-oriented countries will have stellar infection rates. One of the countries covered by this blog excelled last year, too. But somehow everyone returning was positive lol.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:20

      Further delays are expected in BEG and not only by A3 even if Greece opens up to all international tourists requiring a negative test. We already see smaller aircraft operating to the airport and frequencies have reduced dramatically.
      For example JU regularly deploys ATR and currently A3 sends ATR 1 weekly to SKP.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:23

      I'm glad you are only concerned about BEG.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:57

      Absolutely every airport in ex-Yu is in the same boat.

      Delete
  26. Anonymous16:44

    Anyone know how Greece performed last summer in terms of tourism numbers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:36

      Over 80% decline in 2020 vs 2019.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous02:42

      Wut? Says who? I love how confident some commentators here are. The correct answer is 76.5%. https://news.gtp.gr/2021/03/03/insete-greek-tourism-2020-performance-in-numbers/

      Delete
  27. Anonymous18:57

    Welcome to 2021, a repeat of 2021.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous18:59

    I wonder who were the passengers on the Split flights for Aegean. Were these Greeks, Croatians?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:33

      Both

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:33

      Transfers from Israel and the Middle East too.

      Delete
  29. Anonymous21:33

    A lot of airlines are rethinking their route networks.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous21:35

    Guys many airlines have announced plans to shrink network and operations. Not surprising.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Volotea plans to maintain seasonal flights to ATH from SPU and DBV ..Were Aegean's flights to ZAG pre-pandemic year-round or seasonal like SPU?

    ReplyDelete

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