Low cost carrier Ryanair has announced the introduction of a new service to the Croatian capital this coming summer season, bringing the total number of destinations in its Zagreb network to 27. The airline will be launching a two weekly service to Lviv in Western Ukraine starting March 27. Flights will run each Wednesday and Sunday with tickets available for purchase through the carrier’s website. It will mark Zagreb Airport’s second destination in Ukraine, with Windrose Airlines maintaining operations from Kiev. Based on OAG data, just over 1.100 passengers flew indirectly between Zagreb and Ukraine’s seventh largest city on a single itinerary in the pre-pandemic 2019.
Ryanair had previously announced it would add flights from Zagreb to Bratislava and Corfu during the 2022 summer season, with the latter operating on a seasonal basis. As a result, the carrier will serve significantly more destinations from the city than Croatia Airlines. The CEO of the Ryanair group, Michael O’Leary, has criticised the Croatian flag carrier’s slow development out of Zagreb. While he conceded the national airline provides good connectivity out of the capital, he noted this was insufficient to satisfy existing demand. Zagreb Airport introduced a new incentive scheme at the start of the year with the aim of securing new routes. Ryanair is set to significantly benefit from the new stimulus and is likely to further expand its operations as a result.
Besides the addition of new routes in its Zagreb network, Ryanair plans to increase infrequencies to nine destinations which were launched last summer. These include Charleroi and Bergamo, which will grow from four to five times per week, Gothenburg and Hahn from three to four rotations, as well as Basel, Malta, Memmingen, Paphos and Weeze, which will be increased from two to three weekly over the summer. The growth in frequencies will come into effect from March 31, with exception to the Gothenburg service, which will be increased from May.
Further flight details for the new Zagreb - Lviv service can be found here.
Bit of an unexpected route. Hope it works out.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia should have started this long time ago.
DeleteDoes this mean Ryanair will be basing a fourth plane in ZAG?
ReplyDeleteI believe so. I don't think any of the Zagreb flights are operated by an out of base aircraft.
DeleteBratislava will be operated by a plane based in Bratislava.
DeleteThey plan to base another 2 planes in ZAG next year.
DeleteThat means there are many more new routes to come.
DeleteWhich other routes could we see with the extra two planes?
DeleteBerlin, Billund, Riga come to mind. Since they like incorporating regional routes, I could see them start Tirana too.
DeleteFingers crossed for Berlin!
DeleteI think we could see similar routes to the ones from Zadar.
DeleteIt was reported here last year that O'Leary said two more planes would be based in ZAG in summer 2022.
DeleteVery interesting!
ReplyDeleteBravo !Soon 20 new routes;))
If they struggled in SOF and TGD then I don't know how they expect this to work out for them. This will no doubt affect OU, OS and ZAG-VIE as they were the fastest connection between the two cities.
ReplyDeleteThose 2 routes in particular need some to mature. In summer, SOF will be connected to 2 Croatian LCC destinations, I think for the very first time including ZAD. It will take some time I think.
DeleteWar is about to break out in Ukraine, so I doubt this route will start!
ReplyDeleteI think there were more high priority routes they could have launched from ZAG but I'm happy with any new destination.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Eastern Europe is getting some attention.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile as Ryanair keeps adding new routes Croatia Airlines is pulling stunts with Boeing and wasting time.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen an airline whose house is on fire be so calm and disinterested in what is happening around it.
Delete^ Agree. It's crazy
DeleteOU is in a deep and prolonged coma.
DeleteWrong. OU knows for a fact that they will be supported by Government (tax payer + LH influence) no matter what. OU is imbedded in CRO recent history and is one of its symbols.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWell done Zagreb
ReplyDeleteGreat to see. I'm sure this is just the start of their summer expansion. Can't wait to see the other routes they've got planned.
ReplyDeleteThey are quite lucky to allow themselves this expansion due to the lack of Wizzair. If this trend continues, ZAG will, for sure, become the busiest airport in ex-YU in a matter of 2-3 years. Those Ryanair expansions with 737s are something! Welcome to the O&D era where people will no longer need transfer flights and pay 40€ RT tickets. Bravo ZAG, Bravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteWet dreams about busiest airport in ex-Yu.
DeleteThey need first to become third, then second and then maybe to start dreaming about becoming the first.
Nice to see Ryanair stimulating locals to travel with routes like Lviv, Corfu, Malaga, Malta, Paphos.
ReplyDeleteZAG will steal even more passengers from LJU in next few years.
ReplyDeleteIt will certainly have an impact on LJU. Although they said they were unfazed by Ryanair's presence in Zagreb.
DeleteYou really believe Fraport that they are "unfazed"?
DeleteCroatia's entry to Schengen would hit the last nail to LJU's coffin. I believe border crossing is the only thing that keeps LJU alive these days.
DeleteFraport is just too incompetent to get new routes and airlines at LJU.
DeleteNot only border crossing but to pay 80€ from Celje to Zagreb.
DeleteRe: Tone
DeleteOnce border crossing is removed I am sure there will be regular shuttle service between Slovenia and ZAG. Remember that it has already been initiated prior to pandemic. And now there are Ryanair flights on top of it.
Not sure if Celje could be covered by shuttle though.
Would be interesting also to analyze how many passengers from Ljubljana is Ryanair attracting in Zagreb.
DeleteI am from Ljubljana and i have actually never flown privately from LJU before. On the other hand, i have already used Vie, Zag, Vce, Bgy and Tsf airports frequently.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteThe offer from ZAG is really getting better and better
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteO'Leary is completely right in regards to Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDeleteAgree. It has been disappointment after disappointment.
DeleteThe only sad thing is that this should have been OU adding all these routes over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they would have had they got the same sort of discounts and preferential treatment from the airport and city.
Delete^ So I guess all the tax payer money they get doesn't count
Delete@An 09.32
DeleteFor 20 years LCC 's banned from ZAG, several domestic airlines interested in starting services from ZAG lost AOC' s after the announcement, some CEO's even received life threats, hundreds of millions of euros, billions of kuna pumped into it during 30 years, and you speak about FR having preferential treatment?!?!?!?
You must be either an employee, or an Uhljeb, or a blind HDZ voter
No one says OU cannot launch new routes and get iniciatives for it.
DeletePozdrav, life threats??? From whom??
DeleteAfter the contracts signed to lease the first 320, and HQ's on Radnicka cesta, after vacations opened and published for wide range of positions, and about a week after online sales started, with significant income, for services ranging from HAM to LCA, the CEO of Dalmatian received threats to quit everything "if wants to keep the head on his shoulders". After 8 years of preparations, he did quit everything, and left Croatia for London, permanently. All passengers received the money for the tickets bought up to the last cent. I don't know who was the person who commited that criminal offence but one doesn't have to be brain surgent to make conclusions.
DeleteOne really has to wonder what will be left for Croatia Airlines to launch. They said how they will introduce new routes under new post covid strategy but so far they have announced 0 new routes while FR has 27 and counting.
ReplyDeleteYou snooze you loose. They had 30 years to be inventive and launch new routes while being financed by the government.
DeleteThey simply don't care.
DeleteSeems like ZAG found itself a good partner.
ReplyDeleteThey are both private companies and they speak the same language.
DeleteAmazing FR growth from Croatia this year.
ReplyDeleteunlike a certain other airline they are actually delivering on their promised new routes.
DeleteGreat news
ReplyDeleteNot so much for Croatia Airlines
DeleteHope there will be sufficient demand for Lviv.
ReplyDeleteWill this be year round or seasonal route?
ReplyDeleteIt's great FR flying all these routes to ZAG.
ReplyDeleteI love the diversity of routes Ryanair is bringing to Zagreb.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThis year will be huge for Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteExciting times definitely coming for ZAG.
DeleteWorst affected by all these new FR routes will be OU and the LH cartel.
ReplyDeleteI believe Windrose will be affected. They probably had transfer passengers to Lviv via their Kiev flights.
DeleteThis is great news. It means their loads and bookings are generally performing well.
ReplyDeleteThe number of suspended FR routes to Zagreb at the moment begs to differ.
DeleteSuspension are because of current virus crisis in Europe. Things will get better.
DeleteMost routes would have been suspended was it not that they had to keep certain routes so they can qualify for the incentives. LCCs are current performing poorly across Europe.
DeleteNow might be the time for Croatia Airlines to activate BCG's grand revival plan.
ReplyDeleteThey are on it. Ordering MAX. LOL
DeleteUnfortunately, in the middle of the pandemic, I'm not sure OU has the strength to compete against Ryanair in any way.
DeletePandemic or no pandemic, they wouldn't have the strength to compete.
DeleteAs I thought, the new incentive scheme was launched for Ryanair's new expansion.
ReplyDeleteWill there be some sort of reaction from Wizz Air? They seem very quiet on the Croatian market.
ReplyDeleteIf they haven't responded by now I don't think they will.
DeleteI think it is too difficult to compete with them now in Zagreb as they already have over 25 routes and more are to come.
DeleteTotally unexpected route. Good on them.
ReplyDeleteZAG is the first ex-Yu capital with two routes to Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia was about to start the route before the pandemic.
DeleteThey already have more destinations than Croatia Airlines, and the way things are going they will soon have more flights than Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDeleteThey will eventually cover the whole of Europe from ZAG.
DeleteI love that all of these Ryanair routes are year round
ReplyDeleteCFU is not y/r
DeleteTrue. My mistake
DeleteI'm still surprised at OU's passive response. As if nothing is happening.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you surprised?
DeleteWhat can they do at this point?
DeleteHow many passengers could Zagreb see this year with Ryanair and these increases?
ReplyDeleteI hope Ryanair starts getting those passenger numbers up and ZAG returning to top 3 busiest in ex-Yu soon.
ReplyDeleteToo bad Ryanair does not have similiar plans for BEG or even INI.
ReplyDeleteIf you pay they will come.
DeleteAir Serbia had similar plans for Lviv.
DeleteRyanair is the best that could happen to Zagreb airport.
ReplyDeleteI just have to wonder who will fly their more exotic routes like to Paphos or Thessaloniki?
And then theres OU which will never go away.
How will Ryanair be profitable if it doesnt have the place all for itself?
Ryan Air made a mistake on this one.
DeleteOU is going nowhere as it has the 100% backing of the Croat government AND opposition.
It may be not perfect but it still offers basic service. Something you can build upon.
Every service that doesnt get at least 90% lf will get scrapped by Ryan Air and that will be at least every third route.
Uhljebi na aparatima
DeleteThis is all a good sign. It means they are performing well and are satisfied with ZAG.
ReplyDeleteVery clever from Ryanair to take money for a flight that will never happen .
ReplyDeleteNo Zagreb to Belgrade, folk music inside of plane, crazy party with some beer and wine.
ReplyDelete