Montenegro’s new national carrier, Air Montenegro, has been granted an Air Operator’s Certificate, enabling it to launch commercial operations in the near future. The new airline, which has a fleet of two Embraer E195 jets, is readying for its first flights from Podgorica and Tivat to Belgrade. As previously reported, its first E195, registered 4O-AOA, has arrived in Bratislava for painting, although the carrier’s livery and logo are being kept under wraps for now. Its second jet of the same type, registered 4O-AOB, is undergoing maintenance in Podgorica in order for it to be fit for service in the first half of June.
Air Montenegro is expected to schedule its flights to Belgrade and begin ticket sales shortly. The carrier is aiming to launch in late May or the first week of June. The Montenegrin government, which is the sole shareholder in the new flag carrier, is currently in talks to purchase a third E195 for the new company, registered 4O-AOC, formerly operated by Montenegro Airlines. The carrier’s CEO, Predrag Todorović, said the fleet would further grow in the future. “We will have three, four and even six aircraft. It is completely unprofitable, and the fixed costs are too high, to have just two jets. How quickly the fleet will develop depends on market conditions. The company will be developed in phases”, Mr Todorović said.
Commenting on its AOC, the CEO noted, “By obtaining the AOC, the company has demonstrated that it meets all the requirements in terms of equipment, professional qualifications of its employees, organisational structure, approved operating manuals, as well as numerous other conditions, which ensure the safe and secure performance of air operations”. He added, “Together with our team, we have worked day and night to achieve this result. We are continuing to diligently work towards a common goal, which is for the national airline to be operational as soon as possible and be ready to respond to the needs of the upcoming tourist season”.
That was quick
ReplyDeleteAny idea how many frequencies they are going to have between TGD/TIV to BEG?
ReplyDeleteAnd how are they going to operate them with 1 aircraft, at least in the begining?
DeleteProbably something like TGD-BEG-TIV-BEG-TIV-BEG-TGD-BEG-TGD.
DeleteAnyone know what percentage of YM's passengers on the Belgrade route were transfers via BEG?
DeleteGreat news!
ReplyDeleteGood luck
ReplyDeleteSo much about some so called regional experts saying Air Montenegro won't be flying any time soon.
ReplyDeleteLet's now see how sustainable this airline will be and will it be any different from Montenegro Airlines.
ReplyDeleteLufthansa System is their main advisor. Maybe that counts for something.
DeleteAt least they are doing an analysis of route profitability for them. I'm interested to see what will remain from YM's original network.
Delete@9.05 They are not magicians...
DeleteThey should already have started ticket sales if they are launching in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteThis is the Balkans. Everything is done last minute.
DeleteI don't think it's going to have such a huge affect. I mean people flying between Podgorica and Belgrade usually do buy tickets in the last minute.
DeleteFinally! Air Serbia has one crazy with its pricing to Montenegro. Hopefully some competition will make them reduce the fares.
ReplyDeleteTrue. JU's fares have become ridiculous.
DeleteThey have no competition...
DeleteOf course if you buy tickets for flying in next 7-14 days. It is the case with any other company.
DeleteAnything in a longer term is more than acceptable.
Yes, but since it is pandemic you can not plan flight too much in advance. So let's think little bit about guest.
Delete@09,42
DeleteNot much different than buying 3-4 months in adcance. Nothing under 7.500 din for TIV, TGD and LJU for one way! Pandemic or no pandemic, these are the typical prices.
airserbia.com and play with the dates.
If you want to buy only one month in advance to TIV or TGD you can buy tickets starting from 99 EUR both ways.
DeleteI did it yesterday and know what I am talking about.
Someone on Twitter started this fake news thread how JU increased prices after YM's bankruptcy and the media picked up on it.
DeleteI wonder if they will have a codeshare with JU like YM did?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not at first.
DeleteWondering what the livery will look like.
ReplyDeleteThey said before they will likely keep the eagle and have more red than blue.
DeleteIn my opinion they should just change the blue into royal red and paint the eagle logo from white to gold to reflect the flag.
DeleteMGX was grounded around 25th of December. In it is now 7th of May and we are expecting the new airline to launch shortly. Not bad at all.
ReplyDeleteIf would be a disaster if they missed the summer season. They need to launch next month to have any sort of chance of getting a piece of the summer season.
DeleteThe more airlines we have in ex-Yu the better.
ReplyDeleteAnother loss making airline. That's all we need.
DeletePeople here again being negative. For aviation enthusiast, one would think you would support the notion of new start ups and national airlines.
DeleteGood to see things are moving in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteThis airine will work fine. Flights to BEG, Russia, summer charters from Tivat. I don't think they need more than two to three planes.
ReplyDelete**airline
DeleteWith 2 aircraft they can have a respectable network. I wonder what will its routes be. Besides BEG of course.
DeleteIn ex yu they will probably fly to LJU besides BEG, and then probably CDG, FRA, VIE, ZRH, CPH, but who knows..
DeleteI hope they fly to Belgrade several times per day and that the prices go down .
ReplyDeleteThat would be bad for JU.
Delete@9.18 Hope so too. Prices are currently quite expensive.
DeleteMontenegro keeps winning!
ReplyDeleteWe missed you.
DeleteNext route IS BNX-TVT, seasonal :)
ReplyDeleteI truly hope you meant BNX-TIV.
DeleteSorry, my mistake.
DeleteYes. A BNX-TIV flight is also planned.
There are no such plans.
Delete
DeleteTake it easy. It will be published soon :)
Sure
DeleteIt's a big deal that they managed to purchase aircraft for them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, but except for words I don't really see how this time it would be different.
ReplyDeleteWhat about that 1 YM Fokker left. I assume they will use that too?
ReplyDeleteI doubt it
DeleteTo me, in addition to Belgrade, Vienna, Zurich, Frankfurt, Moscow and Ljubljana would make sense to be launched.
ReplyDeletethey will be no different than Montenegro Airlines
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. They will probably greatly reduce costs. I mean YM was offering all passengers free baggage and food on board. That's great for passengers but bad on the bottom line. LH Systems is giving them advice and I doubt it will be the same as Montenegro Airlines.
DeleteHave they obtained a IATA code?
ReplyDeleteNot yet
DeleteHave a feeling they will get some number code.
DeleteCan they take over Montenegro Airlines code - YM?
DeleteThe gov has said this will be a "budget airline". Are they sticking to this?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it will be budget in terms of prices but they will probably have several fare types and little service on board.
DeleteAt least they are working on it and dedicated to make it work. Wish them all the best.
ReplyDeleteYay! Good to see we will have 3 flag carrier in ex-Yu after all.
ReplyDeleteThis will not work
ReplyDeleteThank goodness they changed the name from To Montenegro.
ReplyDeleteWill there be relaunch of gambling charter flights to Italy?
ReplyDeletewow were those really for gambling? I've always wondered why they had a one weekly Bari charter for so many years.
DeleteThere will be several daily flights to BEG from Podgorica and Tivat by Air Montenegro from what I've heard.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense.
DeleteIs there any course in Montenegro to which we could send Slovenian politicians? Well done MNE!!
ReplyDeleteWell done Montenegro!
ReplyDeleteThere you go again, the fix costs are just too high to operate two aircrafts only..... So how will they operate 6 aircrafts during WITT without making huge losses?
ReplyDeleteI assume they won't be changing the cabin on the E195?
ReplyDeleteWhat is there to change? They are not going to put a dedicated business class cabin with wide seats, that's for sure.
DeleteAlso wonder about the uniforms. MGX got nice new uniforms in 2019. Will they keep them or get new ones?
ReplyDeleteAnd in the meantime, in Slovenia...
ReplyDelete