Dubrovnik Airport eyes American Airlines return in 2022


Dubrovnik Airport says it expects for American Airlines to restore its seasonal flights from Philadelphia next year. The comments come after United Airlines recently announced it would launch summer operations from New York’s Newark Airport this July. American introduced flights between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik in 2019, handling 17.782 passengers during its four-month service run to Croatia, with an average cabin load factor of 83%. Frequencies and capacity were to be increased in 2020, however the flights were shelved as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “We expect for the Philadelphia - Dubrovnik service to be back in 2022. The route connected onto another 100 flights and that is of great importance to us, because it allows for the airline to carry passengers from the entire United States”, Dubrovnik Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ivan MaslaÄŤ, said. 

Mr MaslaÄŤ noted that Dubrovnik Airport was surprised by United Airlines’ decision to introduce flights from Newark as the airport expected for long haul operations to be the last to recover from the coronacrisis. “We were in talks with the US big three - United, Delta and American Airlines - but due to the ongoing pandemic, we expected for intercontinental operations to be restored later on”, the CCO said. He added, “We met all the conditions for flights to the United States with the introduction of American Airlines‘ service, so it makes sense that Dubrovnik is the first in Croatia to see the resumption of long haul flights”. 

Croatia was one of the few European Union member states open to American tourists last year. Furthermore, the country’s decision to reopen for all vaccinated travellers this year is also believed to have influenced United’s decision. In addition, the United States is expected to lift entry visa requirements for Croatian nationals, further aiding nonstop operations between the two countries. “Promotional campaigns by the Dubrovnik region and Dubrovnik’s visibility on the American market also had a positive impact on the airline”, Mr MaslaÄŤ concluded.
  


Comments

  1. Anonymous09:22

    Wow that would be fantastic. United and American both flying to Dubrovnik.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:22

    Nice

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous09:26

    How is the situation in DBV these days? Do they have flights? What's May like going to be?

    What DBV needs now is a seasonal EK.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:42

      Agree about EK. But Fludubai has cancelled this year's flights.

      Delete
    2. DBV right now has regular flights to ZAG , FRA (OU), MUC, FRA (LH), WAW (LO), MAD (IB), VIE (OS) , BCN (Vueling), Riga (Baltic air) and Trade Air (Split and Rijeka). For some of flights more frequencies expected till the end of May and few new routes announced for June.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:54

      POZ, KRK since June.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:28

    Won't AA and UA cannibalize each other?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:31

      Why? One flies to Philadelphia, the other to New York.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:45

      Delta and UA will cannibalize each other, DL 4pw JFK and UA 3pw EWR

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:32

    It would be fantastic to have them back. Preferably with the Dreamliner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:53

      Well they won't be back with the B767s since they retired them :)

      Delete
    2. It will be the 78 for sure, I doubt that would you the triple, and those are the only 2 WB aicraft AA has.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:43

    Delta will anounce jfk dbv 4pw this year too

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:00

      I doubt it. Too much capacity to New York.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:02

      You can doubt so much you want. But these are facts and will announce soon ;-)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:47

      I really hope so, it would be great.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous10:22

    Well done DBV.

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  8. Anonymous10:46

    One of the best managed airports in ex-Yu without doubt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:07

      Dubrovnik definitely knows how to do the job! And even more carriers are considered in the future! Really great!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:01

      Unfortunately it has nothing to do with management. It's all thanks to Dubrovnik being hard to reach with other means of transportation. Americans are crazy for Dubrovnik. My uncle used to arrange groups back in late 1980's from US.
      Management and employees are all there thanks to politics and nepotism. No one has been employed on Dubrovnik Airport without having "veza". Including lowest level personel. I know, I was offered job there, I was fully qualified, even better qualified than my supposed to be boss.
      BUT, I depeneded of blessings from HDZ. His words. Luckily I was offered other job at the same time and refused their offer with thanks.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous10:47

    American made a mistake not to resume the Philadelphia route this year.

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  10. Anonymous10:56

    Can't wait to see them back in Dubrovnik. This is a huge deal. Biggest airline in the world flying to DBV. Fantastic :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous10:56

    Croatia keeps winning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Especially Croatia Airlines :) :) :)

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:56

    What other city from the US could work to Dubrovnik? Other than New York and Philadelphia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:57

      LAX

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:57

      Chicago could work well too.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:59

      A year before the pandemic American launched daily 789 flights from ORD to ATH. So I can definitely see them launching DBV or ZAG too.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous10:57

    The choice of Philadelphia being their first route to Dubrovnik is quite odd.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:57

      PHL is American Airlines main transatlantic hub.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous11:00

    I thin that they should have introduce Zagreb flights. In Zagreb they will have much more connections than in Dubrovnik, but I am happy for Dubrovnik anyway. It is good for Croatia in general.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:00

      Hope to see some of US carriers in ZAG during the summer months in near future

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:03

      ^ It will be United
      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/04/united-eyes-second-destination-in.html

      Delete
  15. Anonymous11:04

    Congratulations to Dubrovnik.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous11:04

    I think that next up they should definitely target Canada or South Korea flights. After they secure one destination from each they should look into adding more points in the US.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:06

      I am confident we will be seeing more long-haul routes to YYZ, NRT and maybe LAX or BOS.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:06

      I hope Dubrovnik can somehow interest Air Transat to launch flights from Toronto.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:06

      Didn't Dubrovnik have JAL charters from Japan? Would be nice to see them back.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:11

      It did. They even used the B747.

      Delete
    5. Yes, JAL operated charter flights to Narita, Osaka and Nagoya , mostly August and September.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous11:07

    Routes from US to Dubrovnik definitely have potential.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous11:13

    Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:14

    Very nice. American's arrival in 2019 triggered United to come.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:23

      I believe United was triggered by what the CCO says in the article - Croatia being open to US tourists .

      Delete
  20. Anonymous13:55

    So, Dubrovnik is aiming for more cities in the US in the future? Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous13:56

    Generally flights from US and Canada should always do well to Croatia. Mix of leisure and diaspora passengers.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous14:01

    Are these United flights, as well as the previous American ones receiving some sort of subsidies from the tourist board?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous14:02

    Hope we see that bird in the pic in Dubrovnik :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous14:36

    Soon I'm hoping American Airlines JFK-ZAG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:37

      I hope we see AA expand further in the region :)

      Delete
  25. Anonymous14:36

    Congratulations Dubrovnik and a very good catch with the worlds biggest airlines.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous17:16

    I hope we see not only North American Airlines but also a Latin American connection to DBV. LAN Chile or AerolĂ­neas Argentinas would be great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not sure how such flights could be profitable as number of Latin American visitors is not so large comparing US or Canada, and most of them use Madrid airport with more flights from to South and Central America airports than any other European hub.

      Delete
  27. Someone mentionne Chicago. Western has confirme flights from Chicago to SJJ this year. we will see if it happens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:48

      Eastern not Western :D

      Delete
  28. Anonymous18:04

    Delta needs to start flights from Atlanta. JFK has half of ATL passenger traffic. The business is not serious unless Delta gets in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Delta to Atlanta, American to Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and United to Newark and Chicago, not saying will happen 100 percent, but any of those 5 might happen in future, and relatively soon

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:30

      LAX is not a convenient hub for Europe. Improbable.

      Delete
    3. Today, May 1, 2021, on the peak of corona, with all closures and all limitations, and with about two thirds of Europe-North America flights cancelled, and with full summer season not begun yet, there are 12 departures from LAX to Istanbul, Munich, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Paris, Amsterdam and London. Normally, it's over 30 daily departures from LAX to Europe. So I would appreciate explanation why is LAX not "convenient hub for Europe" and why potential DBV flights are "improbable"

      Delete
    4. Anonymous08:36

      Just look at the map. A European interested in Western coastline will fly to LAX and may even transfer there to San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco or Las Vegas. But for most Americans, transfering in LAX for DBV is a detour. Much better to transfer in ORD, DFW, DEN, ATL or in one of the hubs of the Eastern coastline. There is nowhere near so much inbound traffic to DBV as to LAX. And LAX O&D is not sufficient to upkeep flights to DBV.

      Delete
    5. I agree most Americans will use ORD, EWR, ATL JFK, DFW, PHL to travel to DBV when and if (re) introduced. However, lot of them from western part could still use LAX to transfer, even with detour, as the case is, for example, with ex-yu passengers transferring to North America detouring via IST. However, I believe LAX can sustain 3 weekly seasonally to DBV even without transfers, only P2P, taking into consideration half of the Hollywood industry spends summer holidays in DBV, and San Diego is "half-croatian" (diaspora)

      Delete
  29. Anonymous19:28

    No one is going to cannibalize each other. UAL, AA and DAL are having monopoly over certain parts of the US. People taking flights from JFK, EWR or PHL are not coming just from that region. Most are connecting there to DBV. DAL is controlling majority of SouthEast US, Northwest and Great Lakes area. UAL is major also in Great Lakes area, South TX, Mountain West, California. AA is major in Florida, has a lot of stake in the SOuth East and Great Lakes area as well as New England. So it is irrelevant whether DAL and UAL go from same metro area and the fact that AA is flying from some 80 miles to the south.

    ReplyDelete

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