The United States and Asia have positioned themselves as the top long haul markets for Zagreb Airport as it looks to recover and develop links to far-away destinations following the coronavirus pandemic. The Croatian capital boasted the biggest long haul network in the former Yugoslavia over the summer prior to the global health emergency with Korean Air, Air Canada Rouge and Air Transat all maintaining services. Talks were also taking place over potential operations from the United States, while summer charters from Bangkok were due to be launched by Air Asia X in 2020. Since then, only Air Transat has restored operations to Zagreb.
New York is the busiest unserved long haul route out of Zagreb. It is followed by Tokyo, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai and Bangkok. Zagreb Airport recently noted, “We are in constant contact with carriers across the world to negotiate and reach an agreement to increase airport traffic. The US market is no exception. We are working on the establishment of nonstop flights between the United States and Zagreb. However, ultimately, whether these services will be introduced depends on the commercial decision of the individual carrier”. Despite favourable circumstances, such as the recent US visa waiver for Croatian citizens, as well as the success of United Air Lines on their seasonal flights to Dubrovnik, services between Zagreb and the States are yet to be established.
Zagreb Airport's busiest unserved long haul destinations
Zagreb Airport currently offers airlines incentives for the establishment of long haul flights, that is, service that are seven hours or longer. They include discounts on landing fees and the passenger service charge. The reduction in fees is dependent on whether services are operated on a year-round or seasonal basis. Incentives are also available for long haul charter flights. “Zagreb Airport had a notable number of passengers from the Far East, Australia and North America. The return of these flights will depend on Covid restrictions. We expect the gradual resumption of these services between 2022 and 2025”, the airport noted.
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Conditions are good for the US flights. Don't know what they are waiting for.
ReplyDeleteNew York flights are long overdue.
DeleteUnited would be prefect for US flights.
DeleteThey are trying but they can't force an airline to start flights. They say in the article "We are working on the establishment of nonstop flights between the United States and Zagreb. However, ultimately, whether these services will be introduced depends on the commercial decision of the individual carrier”
DeleteWonder which airlines they are talking to.
DeleteEvery year they say the same.
DeleteUA always made the most sense since OU is in Star Alliance and can offer good onward connections to the region.
DeleteOU nowadays only flies to Sarajevo and Skopje in the region (from Zagreb). UA would not have much to gain from them.
DeleteThe expectation would be Croatia Airlines would expand its network as a result of United's arrival.
Delete^ I wouldn't count on it.
DeletePresumably those airline's leadership are morons not to see the lucrative Croatian market.
DeleteOh come on....
The issue is that many of the markets in their top long haul destinations are closed. Japan, China, Thailand partially.
ReplyDeleteJapan isn't closed for Japanese people. They can travel wherever they want and they no longer need to do any tests and quarantine to return home. Its closed for foreigners but as we have seen with ZAG long haul flights, all of them are for tourists.
DeleteThailand is open.
DeleteThe only chance of these US flights happening is for Croatia Airlines to lease a widebody and start it themselves. Otherwise no one else is interested.
ReplyDeleteApart from that being extremely expensive, I don't see much point in OU doing that. They already carry a lot of transfers to the US. Why bother with an expensive route when you can just shuttle people to Frankfurt which seems to be their only successful destination.
Delete^ And that's how they loose so much money. On a ZAG-FRA-JFK ticket they get peanuts for the ZAG-FRA sector, even less than they would get on a point to point ticket while Lufthansa gets over 90% of the ticket value. With fares to the US not being expensive in the first place, OU gets very little money from it.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteTime for mAdikejsn
DeletePozz, tebi je uvijek to vrijeme.
DeleteI must say that the list of destinations is quite prestigious as usual. We don't see irrelevant secondary Asian cities but rather important and rich ones. Happy to see Singapore in the list. Very beautiful and advanced nation.
ReplyDeleteYou see a list like that because of tourists. Not because local population is traveling there.
Delete"Prestigious" guy. again...
DeleteMr. Prestigious, we need numbers for each city to understand actual potential.
DeleteAdmin, can you get those figures somewhere?
Singapore is generally a good choice. It's not just Singaporeans you can attract but transfers from Australia. As far as I'm aware, ZAG was in contact with Scoot at one point, which is Singapore Airlines' LCC but also has long haul flights. In Europe, I think they fly to Athens and Berlin but it might have changed since the pandemic. They fly with B777.
DeleteB777? They don't have B777s anymore.
DeleteTrue, they now use B787 to Europe, my mistake. Although this would be even better for an airport like ZAG.
DeleteZAG has lost the long haul race in the region.
ReplyDeleteBUD was faster.
DeleteBEG too.
DeleteUnfortunately, ZAG is a lot smaller pax- and traffic-wise than BUD and also more expensive (fees and taxes).
DeleteApart from securing more long haul flights they should also try to secure year long long haul flights.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAgree. It's a pity all of them were seasonal.
DeleteWon't happen unless OU starts flying longer routes.
DeleteThat's not possible, at least not now. ZAG is heavy inbound tourism market for longhaul flights. Why would anyone from Japan come to Zagreb in February?
DeleteWhy would someone pick precisely February, the slowest nh month out of all 12?
DeleteI think airport management has to work on these to boost revenue after the discounts they gave to FR. They have to compensate somewhere. Long hauls are the perfect answer.
ReplyDeleteI can only dream that one day Croatia Airlines will start long haul flights.
ReplyDeleteWith what money and what supporting network?
DeleteKeep dreaming.
DeleteWhat is Croatia Airlines' longest route at the moment?
DeleteTel Aviv I believe.
DeleteYear round, ZAG-LHR.
DeleteAs long as Croatia is hostage of fully verdicted criminal organization, nothing will change. Kradeze is only after their individuals interests and profits, not nation and country benefits. Croatia Airlines had potentials to be three or four times bigger. ZAG had chances to position itself as the main hub for southeastern Europe. Instead of development strategy and ZAG and OU synergy, the market, and not only ZAG one, but coast one and Balkan one had been deliberately handed out to the Cartel
DeleteIf they get a US airline to start flights next year that would be an achievement along with Air Canada and Transat. Doubt Korean will come next year.
ReplyDeleteUS flights next up.
ReplyDeleteThey have been delaying flights from Zagreb to US each year. Hope it finally happens in 2023!
DeleteIf there are going to be flights to the US I assume sales would have to start very soon.
DeleteThey started sales for Dubrovnik 2 months before they launched.
DeleteIt was in middle of pandemic when few people could plan in advance. I think that is starting to change now.
DeleteBookings are still being made very late and last minute actually.
DeleteGood luck, I hope we get a surprise of two in the next few months :)
ReplyDeleteWhat about attracting Air Astana? I mean they are flying to Montenegro, perhaps they could give Zagreb a try.
ReplyDeleteDoubt it will happen. Air Astana executives said they launched flights to Montenegro only because Montenegrins waive visas for them over summer. That's not possible in Croatia.
DeleteHow long would those flights take?
DeleteFrom Astana around 5 hours and to Astana around 6.
DeleteThanks. Not bad. They can make it with A320.
DeleteWell I do hope flights eventually start to the US. I was hoping for next summer but seems unlikely.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? Summer 2023 is months and months away.
DeleteLove that Air Transat livery. The tail looks almost 3D.
ReplyDeleteI think Japan, South Korea, China and the US are perspective long haul markets for Croatia.
ReplyDeleteThe challenges for legacy carriers to establish a long-haul ZAG are low yield, seasonal destination, no alliance hub, and weak outbound demands. For the charter supported by tour operators such as KE, JL, a lack of hotel capacity.
ReplyDeletea very little cargo demands too.
DeleteActually ZAG has the highest yields in the entire ex-yu. Cargo is not very little as well. Emirates for example was there precisely because of yields (premium cabins almost always full) and significant cargo. DHL maintains regular cargo ops to ZAG as well. For seasonality, I agree, it should be improved, but Tourist Organisation is working on it. The main thing I agree is "no Alliance hub" because OU didn't manage to create one in over 30 years, didn't create decent feeding regional network and didn't start its own long haul operations. But if situation was so doom and gloom as you say, ZAG wouldn't have had scheduled long haul flights and/or flight predominantely used by passengers from long haul markets by JAT, Pan Am, Air Canada, Air Transat, Emirates, Qatar, Malaysian, Korean....
DeleteA few weekly DHL flights by B757, B737, ATR are very insignificant. ZAG is not even world's top 100 cargo airports. Croatia is located in centre of the Europe with a good road network, Rijeka port, and plenty of slot availabilities, and the long runway at ZAG. If the government was smarter, ZAG could become a freight hub potentially.
DeleteAnd also lack of hotel capacity is not exactly true : 3 hotels in Zagreb from Hilton brands only - Doubletree, Canopy and Garden Inn, than Sheraton, Westin, Movenpick, Esplanade, Dubrovnik, International, Aristos, Amadria Park Capital, BW Astoria, Antunovic, President, Panorama, Palace, Diplomat are big 4 and 5 stars hotels able to accomodate over 100 guests each, some of them up to 500.
DeleteOf course, there are over 100 physical rooms in many hotels. But you have no idea how the group, tour operating industry, and hotel leisure sales work. The hotels are not releasing enough rooms to tour operators with feasible rates and conditions, allotments, contracted rates etc. Let's say JL, NH, KE operate charters as before, tour operators need to book 900-1200 room nights per flight at LJU, ZAG, SPU, DBV for a week-long itinerary. In the past the hotels were happy to sell their rooms with tour operator's asking rates and conditions. Now the hotels can fill the rooms with better rates to OTA, FIT, MICE etc.
DeleteI admit I am not familiar how hotel industry works. I know there are many big hotels and lot of capacity in ZAG, but I didn't know what you explained. I learnt something new today. Thanks for that! 😃
DeleteWill Croatia Airlines at least organize charters to Doha during the World Cup?
ReplyDeleteDid they have charters to Russia during last world cup?
DeleteYes they did.
DeleteWhen looking at Zagreb's long haul potential and demand one should also look at Ljubljana's/Slovenia's since ZAG can easily capture that market.
ReplyDeleteSlovenia's long haul demand is served by Venice and one stop connection via Frankfurt, Zurich or Munich.
DeleteNot only long haul. Everything is served via other airports. Barely anyone still use LJU.
DeleteSure sure. That's why for example LJU to Dubai is 7 pw and ZAG 4 pw.
DeleteZagrebovanje
ReplyDeleteFlights to the US could start if OU had the guts to launch long haul flights.
ReplyDeleteIt needs money more than guts.
DeleteNeeds both.
DeleteIt needs to get rid of political influence, of politically appointed and incompetent management, of Uhljebs, of excessive administrative working force, and of mindset stuck in 1950's, then both money and guts will not be an issue. Unfortunatelly it won't happen as long as Kradeze is robbing and destroying Croatia.
DeletePOZDRAV : Here you go again on your own ! Once again proves mister proves !!!
DeleteTime for mAdikejsn!
DeleteBtw, noun is proof, proofs in plural. With proves verbal form, used where you wanted to use noun, you are repeatedly embarassing yourself, like with mAdikejsn. And we all don't need better proof than full verdict by croatian Supreme Court. Pravomocno osudjena zlocinacka organizacija. No matter how much it is painful for you. Full stop.
DeleteKeep on dreaming POZDRAV !!! And please get over the fact that you were fired from OU once and for all ! It's not good for your mental health !!!
DeletePozz, uzmi lijek. Stvarno si patetičan. Mala riječka komunjara.
DeleteI was not fired from Croatia Airlines, I LEFT it voluntarily as it was and it is not the company I want to be with, because Kradeze made it as it is - pathetic. Croatia Airlines is pathetic, not me. For everything else in the two posts above - I list facts, you list lies and insults. That's it. Have a nice day!
DeleteAnd just btw, 80 percent of ex KPH/KPBIH/KPJ joined Kradeze, so please look for "komunjare" at some other address, not Rijeka.
DeleteI really do hope that something materializes out of this.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't understand how Zagreb doesn't have (at least) seasonal flights to the US. I mean, so many American tourists with arrivals increasing every year.
ReplyDeleteMost tourists are interested in the coast.
DeleteWhich they can easily reach from ZAG.
DeleteNot really, Zagreb is out of the way and adds 5 hours one way of extra travel and extra traveling and traffic. It wouldn’t make sense since American tourists mostly go to Split and Dubrovnik.
DeleteGreat cause there are numerous daily flights to SPU and DBV from ZAG.
DeleteWhen Asia recovers from Covid I could see some of these routes launched.
ReplyDeleteNot really. Far east markets traffic are heavily relying on group tours. This year, hotel occupancies in Croatia are higher than before the pandemic without far east market. These markets are already struggling to secure enough hotel rooms in 2023.
DeleteThere's simple solution: raise the prices.
DeleteSurprised about Taipei being on the list.
ReplyDeleteSame. Interesting
DeleteNot really. There are more Twainese tourists than mainland china.
ReplyDeleteWhen Croatia was to get their sovereignty out of doom and gloom Yugoslavia, with people not being able to buy more then one type of yogurt, ZAG had decently developed intercontinental traffic.
ReplyDeleteNow you should continue singing
Danke Deutschland! and be happy with “very” lucrative connection to FRA.
And very "profitable" one, just to add. The beers are on me 😃
DeleteAir Serbia should launch BEG-HND or BEG-NRT with the third A332 for the transfers
ReplyDeleteBEG said in yesterday article they are in 'constant contact' with airlines, ZAG said today they are in 'constant talks' with airlines regarding long haul, yet both said it's up to airlines to make a decision. Sounds exactly the same. Looks like airlines have the upper hand here. But is really true airlines can't do anything to change airline's minds?
ReplyDeleteWell airports can offer incentives which BEG and ZAG do. But airports also have to be proactive. Present a case to airlines, show that there is potential, that there is a market.
DeleteApparently both airports are constanty presenting to airlines if you believe them.
DeleteDoubt this is legal, but if it was, airports could offer incentive to airlines to offer specific route, for example EWR or JFK. At the same time, any codeshare to those same airports would require additional fee. For example UAxxxx codeshare to ZAG would now have additional 20eur fee per passenger for a period of a year or three. That's not just incentive for direct service but also de-incentive for those who would rather squeeze out every drop out of JVs and codeshares. Probably not legal anyway.
DeleteI've lost all hope for the US flights.
ReplyDelete