LOT to start Mostar charters, boost EX-YU operations


LOT Polish Airlines will commence charter flights between Katowice and Mostar on behalf of the Rego-Bis tour operator, as well as increase its scheduled operations to the former Yugoslavia this coming summer season. The Mostar charters will cater for religious pilgrims visiting the Medjugorje sight and will commence in June. Local authorities in Mostar concluded a three-year agreement with the tour operator, which fosses LOT as the operating carrier for its entire duration. Although flights to Mostar will be maintained on a charter basis, it marks the Polish carrier’s first venture into the Bosnia and Herzegovina market. The airline maintains scheduled flights to Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia within the former Yugoslavia.

LOT will also boost its scheduled operations across the region this coming summer season, which begins on March 27. Based on its current schedule, the carrier will maintain up to eleven weekly flights to Zagreb, nine weekly to Belgrade and six weekly rotations to Ljubljana. Although these frequencies are still below pre-pandemic levels, they represent an improvement on last summer. The airline also plans to restore its seasonal network across the Croatian coast with flights from Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar, although services from Rijeka are yet to be scheduled. Changes to frequencies and the network remain likely, as the airline continues to finalise its summer operations.

Elsewhere, LOT will restore services to Skopje and Podgorica, which are currently suspended due to reduced demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The carrier will initially shift its Skopje operations to Ohrid between March 30 and May 17 due to runway work in the Macedonian capital. It plans to run daily operations to Skopje at the height of summer, while flights to Podgorica will run six times per week. On the other hand, seasonal operations from Tivat and Ohrid are yet to be scheduled. Based on OAG data, LOT was a popular choice for transfer passengers from both Skopje and Podgorica prior to the pandemic. Toronto, Oslo and Amsterdam were the airline’s top transfer destinations to and from Skopje in 2019, while Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Kiev were most popular to and from Podgorica.



Comments

  1. Great news for Mostar. I hope they will reach also an agreement with Air Dolomiti and Wizzair to have year around scheduled foights

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:28

      Me too. Wish all the good luck to OMO!

      Delete
  2. Anonymous12:08

    Finally LOT comes to Bosnia. At least through charters.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:16

      Hopefully Sarajevo is next.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:20

      I'm surprised they are ignoring SJJ. They could have good transfer feed.

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    3. Anonymous14:47

      Agree. Hopefully now that Sarajevo has a proactive management, we will see them soon there.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous12:08

    I think they will add more flights as the virus situation improves.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:14

      They actually reduced frequencies compared to what they had loaded a few weeks ago. But still up on last summer.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:27

      I agree that it is likely they revise it up as Europe seems to realise they will have to live with this virus.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous12:16

    The top transfer routes from/to SKP show just how desparately it needs flights to main European airports.

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  5. Anonymous12:21

    Good news for OMO finally. They had a disastrous 6 passengers in January!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:49

      Should be added that at the same time they employed even more people. Just don't know who for.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous12:22

    Wasn't LJU supposed to become 10 weekly this summer? I remember looking at schedule and it was 10 weekly. Does Fraport still believe they will have 900.000 passengers this year?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:37

      I think that number of 900,000 was waaay optimistic.

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    2. Anonymous13:32

      They have reduced everything from what they originally planned, not just LJU.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:37

      I think it's still 10x weekly but later on in the season
      Judging by the prices, there are quite a few full flights from lju (for example I had to pay 400€ for one way ticket to CDG for next week)

      Delete
    4. Anonymous14:50

      I can't find 10 weekly. Looked as far as August. It still lists 6 weekly

      Delete
  7. Anonymous12:26

    Is Poland still strict with entry restrictions?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:52

      Yes, very. Only citizens of EU countries and around 10 expmpt countries can enter Poland (plus Polish citizens). For example people from Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro can't enter Poland. Vaccinated or otherwise.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:34

      Crazy!!

      Delete
  8. Anonymous13:32

    What is the financial situation at LO? Before the Covid crisis they seemed to be doing great.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:42

      They got 650 million euros in aid due to Covid.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous13:33

    Their performance to ex-Yu must have been hugely impacted by the US transfer ban.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:38

      Indeed.

      Delete
    2. LO transferring passengers between ex-yu and US? JU as well? LH, OS, BA, AF, KL, SK, EY, SN, LX, IB, TP, TK as well? Who would have thought there are any passengers between ex-yu and the US at all? Maybe OU should be informed about it. Oh, wait, they know it, but....

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:52

      Did OU used to fly to Warsaw before LOT came along?

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    4. Yes. In the beginning. Before they willingly handed over half of their services and let LH fly passengers via MUC and FRA. When they still operated ATR/737, they flew to Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Tirana, Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Madrid, Manchester and Istanbul

      Delete
    5. Anonymous23:33

      Wow I had no idea they had a more versatile network then. Where did it all go wrong...

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    6. Where? In sredisnjica HDZ-a. When? With Misetic. He bought his position in Star Alliance Managing Board by turning OU to feeder only

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    7. The same as Plenkovic is now buying his high Brussels position with A220's which will make feeding just more expensive and make even bigger losses

      Delete
  10. Anonymous13:34

    What happened to their Budapest base. In 2020 they planned to launch Budapest-Belgrade which was obviously cancelled because of corona. Any plans to coma back on that route?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:26

      They are flying from Budapest ot several cities but they scraped that expansion. Doesn't look like Budapest-Dubrovnik will come back either.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous13:37

    What equipment are they currently using on most of their ex-yu routes?

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  12. Anonymous13:38

    So they will have most flights to Croatia. Good work.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:53

      Croatia is very popular among Poles during the summer. Also Croatian citizens can actually enter Poland unlike most other ex-Yu nationals.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous13:39

    Great news

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  14. Anonymous13:39

    Never used them before. What is their service like?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:49

      Flew them short-haul in 2020, they were pretty good. Had some problems in WAW and their ground staff was super helpful.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:53

      Good to hear. Wonder what they are like long haul on their B787s

      Delete
  15. Anonymous13:39

    How many flights per week did LOT have to each city in ex yu before covid?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:41

      Ljubljana - 7 weekly (was supposed to become 8 weekly in summer 2021)
      Podgorica - 6 weekly
      Skopje - 6 weekly
      Belgrade - 11 weekly (was supposed to become 12 in summer 2021)

      I can't remember what was Zagreb's frequnecy. I think it was double daily or almost double daily.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:43

      It will take some time for LO to recover.

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    3. Anonymous13:45

      Like for everyone else.

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    4. Anonymous13:47

      What about other nearby markets? Romania, Bulgaria?

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    5. Anonymous23:31

      ^ This summer planned 20 weekly flights to Bucharest, 14 weekly to Sofia.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous13:56

    Love LOT

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  17. Anonymous14:38

    OMO securing flights and LJU still in hibernation. Until when, we don't know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:27

      In all fairness, OMO is still way behind LJU :D it had just 6 pax in January.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous14:50

    Love LOT from MIA to LJU, great connection through Warsaw. Not so much on return because of a long layover where you have to spend the night.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:26

      What is Warsaw Airport like for transferring.

      Delete
    2. Decent. Not too big, not too small, organized, efficient, even less expensive compared to most

      Delete

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