NEWS FLASH
Air Serbia has downgraded its operations between Belgrade and Rostov-on-Don, from year-round to seasonal operations just weeks after announcing services would operate throughout the winter. The Serbian carrier performed its last flight from Rostov to Belgrade on November 1. The carrier will operate a select number of flights between the two cities during the New Year and Christmas holiday period, on December 24, December 26, January 2, January 7, January 9 and January 14. Air Serbia introduced flights to Rostov this summer. The carrier’s other destinations in Russia, including Moscow, St Petersburg and Krasnodar, will operate throughout the winter as planned. Nordwind Airlines also recently discontinued its flights from Rostov-on-Don to Belgrade after just three weeks of operations.
Expected, it's all part of their strategic planning.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what will Marek say now. Why did his department fail in Rostov? Why did they initially think it would work and where did their projections fail?
Maybe because the virus situation across Europe is worsening, demand is down and Russians are still not allowed to enter anywhere in Europe.
DeleteThe flights performed well during the summer.
And they could not predict that? Someone obviously thought this route would perform well. I'm curious to know why they thought that especially since there was no marketing over there.
DeleteThis didn't age well.
Delete“We are happy with the success achieved with our services to the Russian Federation, as it indicates the promptness in adjusting to changes on the market. Rostov-on-Don is the third completely new destination in our network since the beginning of the pandemic, which is an additional reason to be satisfied with the results of this well-thought-out, but also very brave, decision. We continue to monitor the global situation and we react quickly to all changes in travel restrictions in order to use every opportunity and offer as many options as possible to our passengers,” said Jiri Marek, General Manager Commercial and Strategy at Air Serbia.
The situation is not the same as it was last week or month. It’s worse both in Europe and in Russia. Flight cancellations are nothing rare these days as nobody has the power to look into the future.
DeleteI think it also has to do with Nordwind canceling ROV-BEG flights as well. N4 quickly canceled the route. With no competition, it would be easier for them to make the decision in making the route seasonal.
DeleteLED was usually a seasonal route, however now that there is SU and N4 are flying LED-BEG, JU have kept it at 2 pw.
So how do you explain them not canceling KRR?
DeleteKRR handles double the traffic of ROV.
DeleteKRR started 2 years before ROV.
KRR has a shorter flying time allowing it to better connect in BEG to many destinations in 1 particular market (European) which is not the same for ROV, longer flight that needed to be split with Balkan and European/JFK markets.
KRR is 'unofficially' the international airport of Crimea as well.
DeleteSo basically they are downgrading Rostov for the likes of increasing Ljubljana. Those secondary Russian airports should not be given such high priority...
ReplyDeleteFor all airlines it's hard to see where the demand will drop or pick up. JU did comment that they are having alot of bookings within 2 weeks of departure. An ATR on an established route with good O&D demand is easier to get a decent load compared to an A319 on a new route with little O&D demand. That doesn't mean that secondary Russian destinations are not good, it's just at this current moment JU doesn't have alot to offer it.
DeleteThey were waiting too much to announce it for winter timetable so it is so surprising. Also in summer JU probably get transfers to Montenegro and Croatia and situation in Russia regarding Covid is catastrophic
ReplyDeleteThe problem is not that, but that they won't find anything smart to do with the plane instead.
ReplyDelete2 pw is no big deal as they will have a smaller fleet this winter and will still operate the route over the peak Christmas/New Year season.
DeleteThis could also change as we see regular changes to their flight schedules, so it could be brought back earlier if demand picks up.
Rostov will mostly likely be replaced by Yakaterinburg
ReplyDeletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/09/air-serbia-negotiating-yekaterinburg.html
ROV isn't being canceled altogether as of yet so there isn't any replacing. LED was previously seasonal, similar to ROV this season, but that's now upgraded to year round. Yekaterinburg will probably be a 5th destination in Russia.
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