S7 Airlines to launch Zagreb operations


Russia’s S7 Airlines will commence flights from Moscow Domodedovo Airport to Zagreb from January 23. The carrier intends on initially operating one weekly flight, each Sunday. Services will run with the 174-seat Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring an all-economy class layout. S7 Airlines will become the third carrier to maintain operations between the two cities and the third new Russian airline to launch operations to the Croatian capital this year following Nordwind Airlines and Azur Air, although the later has discontinued its service. It will also become only the third Oneworld alliance member to maintain flights to Zagreb over the winter months after British Airways and Qatar Airways.

There has been increased demand for services between Moscow and Zagreb in recent months due to the availability of coronavirus vaccines for foreigners in Croatia. Russian citizens, who can only be vaccinated against Covid-19 with Russian-manufactured vaccines in their home country, are increasingly seeking different types of jabs in order to be able to travel throughout Europe and the United States, which, for the most part, do not recognise the Russian Sputnik vaccine. Furthermore, Croatia also provides the one-dose Janssen vaccine, which is appealing to foreigners as it cuts down on their required stay. As a result, Aeroflot also scheduled additional capacity over the past week by deploying its 296-seat Airbus A330-300 jet on select days to Zagreb. It will also utilise the aircraft on December 16, 18 and 23.

Zagreb - Moscow - Zagreb passenger performance by year


The Zagreb - Russia market has growth potential, with a notable number of passengers - 19.925 of them - flying indirectly between the Croatian capital and Russia during the pre-pandemic 2019, according to OAG. Despite Zagreb having flights to both Moscow and St Petersburg in 2019, the latter being operated seasonally by Croatia Airlines at the time, both cities also had the most indirect traffic. They were followed by Kazan, Krasnodar and Yekaterinburg. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport was most commonly used as a transfer point for reaching destinations in Russia from Zagreb and vice versa. It was proceeded by Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt and Belgrade. Aeroflot was the busiest connecting airline, followed by Lufthansa, Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia.

Indirect traffic between Zagreb and Russia in 2019


Busiest connecting airline on Zagreb - Russia flights in 2019


Further flight details for the new S7 Airlines service to Zagreb can be found here. Tickets can now be purchased through the carrier's website.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:06

    This could have been Croatia Airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:49

      Has OU ever flown to Moscow in the past?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:57

      Yes, 20 years ago.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:07

    Nice. They have a huge network in Russia. Would be good for transfers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      Will be good for transfers with one weekly flight?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:12

      Why not?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:16

      Because it is inconvenient for transfer passengers and the connections a flight on a single day can offer. Transfers will use Aeroflot instead.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:56

      These flights are for P2P passengers. I don't think they even expect any transfers.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:08

    The more airlines the better since it will help with ZAG's recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:08

    It's nice to see some more Oneworld airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:49

      Yes, especially in winter. In summer, the situation is quite good. In addition to BA and Qatar you also have Iberia and soon Finnair.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:09

    Welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:09

    What are the fares like?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:11

      Not that expensive. Between 200-220 euros as far as I can see.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:15

      Are the fares between ZAG and MOW expensive?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:34

      Aeroflot can be pricey.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:09

    Wasn't expecting them. They will be a nice addition.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:09

    Great. I just hope it doesn't end up like Azur.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:09

      They are a much more serious airline than Azur.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:11

    It would be nice if it was a city other than Moscow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:09

      All will come with time :)

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:12

    Almost every week we get good news about new airlines / routes in Zagreb. Even in the normal times it would be extra ordinary and especially in these crazy circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      +100

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:18

      This is already the fourth new route announced for next year. Plus we have another two starting this this week.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:19

      ZAG is making a strong comeback.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:42

      ^ Passenger wise not yet. But with all these new routes announced (primarily by Ryanair) things should start improving more noticeably in the next few months.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous19:10

      i was flying from zagreb to london on sunday and back today ... plane was half empty :/

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:14

    Hope these flights will stick past the pandemic and vaccination tourism.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:43

      Unfortunately I don't think they will because Aeroflot and Nordwind can cover the market well. But let's wait and see. You never know. Hope for the best.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:15

    Nice! But what is the point with one weekly frequencies?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      Point is to take Russians to get vaccinated and bring them back.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:55

      I hope they look past the vaccination tourists like Nordwind did.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:17

    Great news for Zagreb

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous09:20

    Good. The more foreign visitors the better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:12

      Keep them coming :)

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:22

    Not surprised considering Russian are coming to get vaccinated in big numbers.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:27

    Nice development. Hope that S7 can sustain these flights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      Me too. Or that they at least keep them 1 per week during the summer as well.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:27

    Loving the livery :D

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous09:28

    I'm getting really depressed here in Ljubljana reading about all these airlines launching flights everywhere around in the region and we are here stuck with neverending "talks with airlines".

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous09:28

    Anyone ever flown with S7? What is their service like? They are a full service airline?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      They are a full service airline. They also have proper business class, although not on A320.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:37

      Their business class is great. Unfortunate they won't offer it on these flights.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:44

      Have a look at their product on short domestic Moscow-St Petersburg flight
      https://www.executivetraveller.com/s7-airlines-boeing-737-business-class-flight-review-moscow-domodedovo-st-petersburg

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:47

      Looks good!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:08

      Impressive

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:30

    Schedule is great in terms of timing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:36

      And it provides good connections via DME actually.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:56

      In both directions?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:07

      Yes, they have a wave of arrivals at 6 and 7.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:28

      S7 has generally higher fares than Nordwind on domestic routes.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:31

    "As a result, Aeroflot also scheduled additional capacity over the past week by deploying its 296-seat Airbus A330-200 jet on select days to Zagreb. It will also utilise the aircraft on December 16, 18 and 23."

    Very nice!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      Great to see more flight by the big bird.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:50

      What equipment is Nordwind using on their Moscow flights at the moment?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:52

      B737-800 on Mondays and E190 on Fridays. They don't plan on increasing capacity.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:06

      Maybe Aeroflot will opt for the B777 to ZAG soon :D

      Delete
  22. Anonymous09:33

    Seems like passenger numbers between Moscow and Zagreb were developing nicely pre pandemic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:41

      And all thanks to Aeroflot since Croatia Airlines doesn't seem to care.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:51

      Growth actually slowed down once SU added LJU flights.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:56

      That was to be expected.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:37

    Hope they add more frequencies soon.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous09:38

    I'm surprised. But nice to have S7 come too :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous09:41

    So 3 Russian airlines flying to Zagreb. All from Moscow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:45

      There is demand at the moment.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:57

      Maybe we see OU resume their seasonal St Petersburg flights next year.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:04

      I wouldn't hold my breath.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:05

      OU doesn't seem to be planning on resuming any of their discontinued pre-covid routes.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:13

      Nordwind will likely start St Petersburg before Croatia Airlines considers resuming it.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:35

      Well if you look at the table, there is not much demand from other cities in Russia. Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan to some extent. That's it.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous23:37

      Makes sense. Russians that go to Croatia on holiday go with nonstop flights to the coast and those are mostly from Moscow and St Petersburg. Other than that, there aren't many Croatians living and working in Russia and Russians need visa to enter Croatia.

      Delete
  26. Anonymous09:44

    Bad news for LH.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:57

      Why LH?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:06

      Well it is the busiest airline for Russia transfers to/from Zagreb after Aeroflot.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:10

      Their flights won't affect anyone. Neither Aeroflot nor Lufthansa.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:14

      I also don't think these flights will have a negative impact on any of the airlines transferring passengers between Zagreb and Russia. This is additional demand created by the need for Covid vaccines.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous23:36

      +1 last anon

      Delete
  27. Anonymous09:50

    Jab jet.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous10:11

    I wonder if Ural is considering Zagreb too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:38

      I would be happy with Rossiya from St Petersburg.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:46

      It is more likely for it to be Nordwind Airlines.

      Delete
  29. Anonymous10:15

    I hope they manage but I'm not sure they will be able to repel SU and N4.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:35

      I would assume S7 is stronger than N4.

      Delete
  30. Anonymous11:47

    So we have S7 Airlines and Finnair lined up for Zagreb next year. Can we expect any other new airline?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:35

      Hope so. I would love to see SAS launch flights.

      Delete
  31. JU520 BEGLAX11:59

    Glad to see this nice livery coming to ZAG.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous13:16

    They would have been flying to BEG as well had the DCV not blocked their permit earlier this year. Idiots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:22

      DCV did not "block" S7 airlines from flying to Belgrade. Russian authorities (not Serbian but Russian) have put a cap on the number of flights each side can operate between Belgrade and Moscow due to Covid. Each side can fly 8 flights per week. On Russian side you have Aerflot with 7 fights and Nordwind with one and on the Serbian side you have Air Serbia with 8 flights. So S7 was unable to launch fights because of Russian limitation on frequencies.

      Delete
  33. Anonymous15:44

    It would be nice to see more routes from Eastern Ehrope to Zagreb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:50

      * eastern europe obviously

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:53

      It would be nice but things have improved. There are new flights to Sofia, Kiev and Podgorica introduced since pandemic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:54

      And Pristina tomorrow

      Delete
    4. Anonymous23:34

      We also got Thessaloniki thanks to Ryanair.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous15:47

    I'm surprised LOT isn't on that list of transfer airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:34

      They don't fly to many cities in Russia.

      Delete
  35. Anonymous16:53

    Spillover Effect !!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:33

      From what?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:20

      From Belgrade .
      The Russians cannot indefinitely increase frequencies to BEG, so they have to find alternatives in the region . And Zagreb fits perfectly .
      Competition is a wonderful thing !

      Delete

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