South Korean low cost carrier T’way Air plans to commence flights between Seoul and Zagreb this coming summer season, with the outbound service to operate with a stop in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, while the inbound flights will run nonstop back to Seoul. Based on its preliminary schedule, the airline will commence the year-round service to Zagreb on July 2 with one weekly rotation. The carrier has opted to make the stop in Kyrgyzstan as the 347-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft it plans to deploy on the route may have difficulty reaching the Croatian capital due to the avoidance of Russian airspace and other war zones. The carrier says it can operate nonstop on the return leg due to westerly winds which reduce fuel burn.
The airline is unlikely to sell tickets from Bishkek to Zagreb, with the technical stop in Kyrgyzstan to last just an hour. T'way Air has filed a preliminary schedule which can be viewed exclusively here. The carrier plans to commence sales shortly once it is granted all necessary regulatory approval. However, changes remain possible. If the flights go ahead as planned, it will mark the first time Zagreb has been linked to Seoul with a scheduled service since Korean Air operated its last rotation on the seasonal route in November 2019, after which flights never resumed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, Korean Air handled 39.763 passengers on the route.
T'Way Air is transitioning into a hybrid carrier and is set to expand its network significantly in the coming months and years. Due to the planned merger between Korean Air and Asiana, T’Way Air is expected to be granted rights to operate a handful of European routes to alleviate European Union competition concerns as a result of the mega-merger. The carrier’s A330-300 aircraft have twelve seats in business class and 335 in economy. Passengers flying economy can check-in ten kilograms of luggage while business class travellers can bring with them two pieces of luggage weighing ten kilograms each. All other services, in both business and economy, are available for a fee, including meals and drinks, while there is no on board entertainment or other amenities.
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| T'Way Air A330-300 business class |
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| T'Way Air A330-300 economy class |
wow that is interesting. Considering it's an LCC, fares should be affordable.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, another wide-body operator at ZAG
ReplyDeleteWho had Bishkek-Zagreb on their cards for 2024? :D
ReplyDeleteYes, that was unexpected 😀
DeleteThey’re not gonna sell tickets for Bishkek-Zagreb
DeleteI know but just an interesting nonstop flight even if it is not revenue :)
DeleteDid not see this coming
ReplyDeleteThe stop in FRU isn't very convenient.
ReplyDelete12 hours on a plane without food and entertainment. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteWait, it's a long haul flight...even if it's an LCC, do they seriously not offer meals?
DeleteYou can preorder meals and drinks but no they don't offer them complimentary
Delete"All other services, in both business and economy, are available for a fee, including meals and drinks, while there is no on board entertainment or other amenities."
DeleteWTF??? BOB and no IFE even in Business? Wow, just wow, who on earth would book this unless it's dirt cheap w fares on eco level
DeleteWell it is an LCC
DeleteWell you alao have to keep in mind that Koreans have very different midset than we Europeans do. They are very sensitive about costs, they also love to save money and are very picky about their expenditure. So I doubt that no meal policy will affect Koreans, I think they will be fine with the oofer. Its us europeans that will have issuse with that policy. Simple as that. Korean air also doesnt offer any complimentary food on some of their flights in Korea, just complimentary drinks. You can easily check thisbon varous YT channels and forums.
Delete11:37 TBH, they're not the only one doing that. There's, for example, Scoot (basically Singapore Airlines, but if it was an LCC).
Delete300 + hungry and tired Koreans landing in Zagreb…somebody should put a food van just outside exit at Zag airport. Wait, I just gave an idea for a guy working at Bishkent airport lol
DeleteThey wont be allowed to exit the plane in Bishkek. Also, in Europe we have Playair which is low cost and offer 6+ hour flights in Europe and America, other companies such as Air Asia, Cebupacific are doing the same. So this model works for many many people in the world. You can always buy your meal onboard. Nothing wrong if you dont have IFE for 9 hours to be honest if the ticket is way cheaper then the ones regular carriers offer. If the prices are here and there then yes, nobody will use this route.
DeleteStill can't compare 6 hours with a 12 hour flight.
DeleteI didn't have working ife on air serbia on jfk to beg route 🤣 It didn't work on way back
DeleteBetter something than nothing. Hopefully the flights will skip Bishkek in the future.
ReplyDeleteAnd increase frequencies
DeleteHow? Are they planning to additional fuel tanks in the A333? Gosh
DeleteThe Russian airspace wont remain closed for ever.
DeleteIt will be closed for a long time.
DeleteAt least for twenty years.
DeleteI fear this won't work at just 1x per week with an inconvenient stop in Bishkek. The question is will they sell tickets between Seoul and Bishkek. They already have another flight operating Bishkek as terminator route.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on the price. Korean was very expensive on the ZAG route, and generally fares at the moment are really expensive between Europe and Asia (except Thailand).
DeleteThey could be in partnership with a travel agent selling European holiday packages.
DeleteA lot of people from central Asia work in South Korea, I think it would be convenient to fly several times a week through Bishkek. One a week doesn't make much sense. I think Tashkent would be more convenient, many Uzbeks work in South Korea.
DeleteThey do fly several times per week to Bishkek. On the day the Zagreb route is going to be operating they have another flight to Bishkek.
DeleteIt is refueling stop most probably.
Delete"Business class travelers can bring with them two pieces of luggage weighing ten kilograms each. All other services, in both business and economy, are available for a fee, including meals and drinks, while there is no on board entertainment or other amenities"
ReplyDeleteSo, apart from the seats, their "business class" is even worse than economy class of legacy carriers in long haul
This is standard for these Asian long haul LCCs. I flew Japan's Zipair in business and you have to pay for everything extra (even water) but you get a fully flat seat in 1-2-1 configuration. This isn't the case on T'way since their seats are angled and 2-2-2 config. But the fare is very cheap.
DeleteWell it is better than Air Transat business in terms of the seat.
DeleteYes but you have entertainment on Transat
DeleteBetter than Scoot too which basically have a bad premium economy product they call business but it is very cheap!
DeleteTrue, Scoot business is crap seat wise
Delete09:10 Atleast WIFI is free.
DeleteCool. Hope these materialize
ReplyDeleteAre the number of Korean arrivals to Croatia recovering? Any stats for 2023?
ReplyDeleteNot yet. Some 30% of pre covid numbers reached!
DeleteExotic
ReplyDeleteWhat is the flight time between Bishkek and Zagreb?
ReplyDelete7 hrs
DeleteThanks
DeleteCongrats. Good to see long haul recovering slowly
ReplyDeleteHope Korean comes back eventually but until they do it's good to hand a replacement.
ReplyDeletenot before end of war in Ukraine, perhaps summer 2026.
DeleteI'm very interested to see what the fares will be like
ReplyDelete10kg checked baggage? Wow that’s interesting, I mean who can fit something in that? 20+ kg is avalabile for purchase or?
ReplyDelete10kg - that's basically a full, regular hand luggage suit case
DeleteGreat news for ZAG. Hopefully this will work to encourage more carriers to start long-haul to ZAG. Shame that OU didnt try start their own long haul over the last 10 years.
ReplyDeleteWell for one, I know I'll be using it
ReplyDeleteGood luck mate
DeleteWell its easier for me to drive 2h to Zagreb and fly business with a stop than flying LJU-FRA-INC especially with 4h stopover
DeleteOr u just fly directly from budapest…
DeleteI would much rather take a legacy carrier with a stop in one of the European hubs...
DeleteThey fly to Bishkek so I guess that's a decent choice
ReplyDeleteGreat news for ZAG! Hope for more flights, since Koreans are coming back to Croatia! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBravo for Zagreb and Croatia! 🤗
ReplyDeleteI think this is a first as far as I know - a (U)LCC operating with a technical stop on one leg.
ReplyDeletePlus having crew for a whole week on paid duty in ZAG and paying single rooms in hotels for them all. I can just imagine the fixed costs, and have no idea how this can work out for them.
I wonder how they will sort out the crew. Could they have a crew deadhead to operate the return flight?
DeleteOn flights like this, the crews of course don't stay on site for a whole week, but are flown to the country of origin with another company, for example ZAG-FRA-Seoul.
DeleteI know for a fact and by own experience that this is usually not what's done, at least not with legacy carriers. I stayed in SEZ for 8 days in a Kempinski and flew with OS from VIE. OS had 1pw VIE-SEZ-VIE in a 763. The whole crew, 3 pilots and i dont remember how many cabin crew (7 to 8?) stayed the whole time in the same hotel, rooms started at about 340 EUR per night (sure they got some discount but still). On both flights the crew was the same and exactly who stayed in the hotel. So no, they are not heading back during the week. That's why I am saying just imagine the costs driving up costs per seat massively.
DeleteYou are telling about one airline experience in the past? Aha …. The times did change
DeleteIf they have several weekly flights to Bishkek, they will probably change the crew there. That's why it's Bishkek and not Tashkent or Baku, just for example. Maybe the plane will stay in ZAG for 14-15 h (12 h min rest period plus time zone diferrence) and return to Bishkek with the same crew. Or there will be some DHC travel for the crew between Zagreb and Bishkek, probably via IST or DXB, if the plane will have only 2 hours turn around in ZAG. I doubt LCC crew will stay in ZAG (or anywhere else) for a week off
DeletePozdrav, you really need to read the article. You can see the schedule is linked in the article and the plane is on the ground in ZAG for 2 hours. They chose Bishkek because they fly there. On the way back from Zagreb the plane does not land in Bishkek, it is nonstop.
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DeleteOne really need to first read, and than at least try to understand what was written, before commenting, because I gave an option, and explained what could happen if the plane is 2 hours in ZAG. Let me make a drawing now : One of the crews which are in Bishkek, will come DHC via IST or DXB to ZAG the day before, to fly the plane nonstop back to Seoul the next day. The crew which took over in Bishkek and came to ZAG, will either stay on board and fly DHC to ICN (more likely, as after duty home heading DHC is not counted in duty time), or stay in ZAG one day, and return to Bishkek DHC, to operate one of flights to ICN from there (less likely). And, conclusion : I don't mind if somebody is stupid, or has no clue how aviation functions, and therefore make mistake. It's acceptable. But I do mind when such a people pretend to be clever, right, and perfect and spit on people who have 30 years experience in aviation. But as people who closely follow this blog already know the guy commencing his posts with "pozdrav" is either sick and obsessed with me, or has bot duty to belittle everything I say for obvious reasons, then I will refrain from any further comments.
What is DHC? I only know it as De Havilland Canada
DeleteIm sure this model will work well for Koreans so i hope thats the intention here. Korea Is one of the few countries in that Part of Asia that i would visit but definitely not with this airline.
ReplyDeleteI think the intention here is for this to work for Koreans. That's their business model.
DeleteJasmineeeeeee!!! JAT, Pan Am, Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Transat, Sky service Canada, United, Delta, American, Emirates, Flydubai, Qatar Airways, Malaysian, Korean Air, T'way..... all operated or operate or will operate to and from Croatia on scheduled bases. So let me say once again : Jasmineeeeeee!!! Dje si? Imas li obraza? Znas li za sram i stid? Single type A220 Minken Vrankvurt Vrankvurt Minken. Fuj!!!!
ReplyDeleteBrate vadiš avio kompanije iz naftalina. Sky service je leto pre hrista.
DeleteAko su letjeli prije Krista, ako su letjeli nedavno, ako lete sada i ako ce letjeti ubuduce, znaci da je trziste konstantno i potvrdjuje moju tezu. Dakle, brate, hvala za potvrdu.
DeleteSve to stoji, ali ne može biti samo zbog nesposobnosti da OU nije pokrenuno direktne linije za S. Ameriku. I nije baš da Liftika nije dao.
DeleteŠta je zaista pravi razlog?
Bravo Zagreb 👏
ReplyDeleteLol great and honest nick
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