Low cost carrier easyJet plans to discontinue operations between Geneva and Skopje from the start of the 2024/25 winter season, marking an end to three years of continual service to the Macedonian capital. The airline has scheduled its final flight between the two cities for November 1. Ticket sales have been discontinued thereafter. It is unclear if the airline may restore operations to Skopje over the summer of 2025, although this is unlikely after it ended ticket sales on the route for next year as well. However, changes remain possible. The airline is the only operator between Geneva and Skopje.
easyJet reduced its operations on the route this year. In the summer of 2023, flights were operated four times per week between June and October and twice per week for the rest of the year, while services are being maintained twice per week over the summer peak this year. easyJet entered the Macedonian market in November 2021 buoyed by the quick recovery of the Visiting Friends and Relatives sector during the coronavirus pandemic. Wizz Air, which dominates in Skopje, is unable to maintain services between Switzerland and Macedonia - two non-European Union members - as flights between the two are regulated through bilateral agreements. Its operations to Basel are considered as being performed to France. On the other hand, easyJet has a Swiss subsidiary.
easyJet previously said it was unfazed by Wizz Air's presence on the Macedonian market and would only operate flights to the country if there was sufficient demand. “easyJet is focused on its successful strategy to expand across Europe and operates in the best interests of the company and its customers ensuring the attractiveness of its network. This means the airline concentrates its efforts on maintaining and developing routes which prove popular with passengers. We consider competition only in regards of tactic opportunities that can be complementary to our strategy”, the airline said at the time. Within the former Yugoslavia, easyJet serves Geneva from Pristina twice per day this summer, peaking at seventeen weekly in July and August. It also operates services to the Swiss city from Belgrade three times per week. Both are served on a year-round basis. It also maintains seasonal summer flights from Geneva to Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Tivat.
People used to say that easyJet did not fly to SKP because the chairman of the board and their founder is Greek. We see now that it's bull and that there was never that much demand to start with.
ReplyDeleteThis is bad news for SKP because it will make Wizz Air even stronger.
Too much competition from Pristina, unfortunately. Geneva was always more of an Albanian gasterbaiter destination, and it's served relatively well by easyJet already
DeleteInteresting to hear about the bilateral. Is it also effective on Serbia - Switzerland pair? If so, how does easyJet Switzerland fly to Belgrade with LX and JU boasting ZRH flights, as well as Wizz flying to Basel?
ReplyDeleteYes it is the same. Swiss and easyjet Switzerland are from Switzerland, JU is from Serbia and Wizz Air with Basel its explained in the text.
DeleteInterestingly they have increased both PRN and BEG next winter
ReplyDeleteNope, it was reported elsewhere that BEG is being reduced in summer and winter.
Delete^ well it is not true. Until last week BEG was on sale 2x per week from Geneva, now it is on sale 3 times per week.
DeleteThey were 4-5 per week when they were trying to chase JU.
DeleteAnd they were successful in that.
DeleteAt least JU can always replace them if they leave.
DeleteUnfortunate. Hope they reconsider
ReplyDelete:(
ReplyDeleteI just don't see them coming back
ReplyDeleteMost travelers of this route are Albanians.
ReplyDeleteThe tremendous grouth of TIA took some of that traffic from SKP.
You do realize these are Albanians from North Macedonia and Kosovo right? I don't see what that has to do with TIA.
DeleteI also don't see why someone from Skopje would travel over 300 kilometers to Tirana to catch a flight to Geneva that costs the same from Skopje.
DeleteThis route was used mostly from our Albanians and Kosovo citizens too , in all flight you will fins only 10 Macedonians the rest are albanians from Mkd and kosovo. Nobody will travel to Tirana or Pristina to catch a flight to Geneva , this is something else problem.
DeleteSad, especially considering their presence in ex-Yu rather small outside of summer in Croatia
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThey fly to Ljubljana year round
DeleteYes they also fly BEG and PRN but just one route.
DeleteCome to Bosnia please!
ReplyDeleteNot good but primarily for easyjet. I'm sure the airport will find alternative.
ReplyDeleteLike who?
DeleteSwiss International Airlines with their A220, of course.
DeleteThat would be nice. I believe they also fly GVA-PRN.
DeleteWould it not make more sense for Swiss to first start flying Zurich-Skopje?
DeleteGeneva-Pristina and Basel-Pristina are one of the busiest routes in Europe.
DeleteEdelweiss can took over the SKP-Geneva route even beggining this winter.
DeleteSwiss is not flying in Pristina , there are Easyjet and Edelweiss doing both route Geneva and Zurich
Edelweiss does not fly out of Geneva.
DeleteI have seen Geneva flights from Prisfina are operated by some airline without logo in the planes , but definitly its not Swiss.
DeleteWhat on earth are you on about? GVA-PRN is flown by Swiss, flight LX1431.
DeleteI am saying I never seen Swiss fly from there , there is alot of planes without logo and name of an airline , its just a blanco airline , how can I know which airline is ?
DeleteOuch
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should try connecting GVA with either SJJ or TZL.
ReplyDeleteNot good
ReplyDeleteAgree. Because it means there will no longer be easyjet in Mak and there will no longer be flights to Geneva.
DeleteWhat are their fares like on this route?
ReplyDeleteCheck their website.
DeleteWon't help passenger numbers which are already affected by Wizz Air engine problems.
ReplyDeleteThis year was clearly when passport problems start and then plus Wizz engine problems that SKP will not get number increasing.
DeleteThis equals to an average of 1k less Pax per week at SKP.
ReplyDeleteNo. First of all it is 720 seats less not 1000, and not pax. People who used this route will suddenly stop flying? Some of them will use PRN and others will use BSL from SKP or get a connecting flight, just like they all did three years ago when there were no flights to GVA.
DeleteIs it possible we see Edelweiss to took over this route for the winter ?
ReplyDeleteI really dont understand why they cancel this route , it is always with good load factor , I think here is something else in game , or making way for other airline to take the route. They start at the pick of Covid when all the countries were struggling , now when thinks are better they cancel the route , doesnt make any sense to me.
ReplyDeleteIt is not about loads but yields. It is likely they can make more money on another route and will use the aircraft there instead.
DeleteBut if they have loads arent they make money ? What will be different?
DeleteIdk I don’t know how much plane capacity Easyjet has. At 1 november they will continue Tel Aviv again so that might be the reason for Skopje flights ends.
DeleteSKP and OHD are not doing well at all, dunno if it is the economy or something. Wizzair reductions, now comes easyJet. Numbers are declining compared to all the rest. Failure to restore Gulf flights since Covid. PRN and TIA are booming and SKP is stagnating. Barcelona route frozen. Maybe the subsidies ended.
ReplyDeleteDont put Wizz in everything related to SKP , it is because of their engine problems , when they solve it they will return to their normal operations and that is next year.
Delete18:28 It is airline decision to restore their flights , not airport not the country. Dont blame anyone for Guld routes , they just dont see potential for now and thats it. Which not means they will not come back to SKP in future.
DeleteAbout OHR also , airlines just dont see potential economical growth in this moment , which also doesnt mean that OHR will have better days in future. Btw we have new government now maybe they will be more succesfull in the aie transport in Macedonia. Will see ...
Two airports in near proximity-Skopje and Pristina-is one too much..
ReplyDeleteThat is not the problem , SKP-GNV route was since today always with good load factor , here the problem is something else , could be political or another airline to overtake the route.
DeleteLOL
Delete21:10 so majkati ?
Deletemajka ti*
Delete@20:09 Who is going to take it seriously when you talk about "political" decisions and can't write the code for Geneva properly
DeleteI hope they don’t pull out of BEG. They are the best of the low cost airlines and I wish we had more flights from them and not just Ezy Switzerland.
ReplyDelete17 flight per week in PRN is insane. No wonder they have become biggest airline there with only 3 destinations in total.
ReplyDeleteWith Wizzair ever reducing its schedule out of Skopje, airlines pulling out and existing airlines reducing their already weakish schedules to/from Skopje, I think the new government should rethink the idea about setting up a national airline.
ReplyDeleteIt will finally provide the connections to main the oh-so-needed connections to hubs like CDG, AMS and the likes and most importantly, it will reduce the dependence that SKP has on foreign airlines and the high concentration that Wizzair has on the market.
Avioimpex should return! It was the best airline Macedonia ever had.
DeleteCanceling these flights doesn't make any sense.... I travel on this route every 2nd week and it's always full .... I hope we will get a suitable replacement :(
ReplyDelete...and how much do you pay for your fare? A full plane doesn't not equate to a profitable route. It just shows that their revenue management department is doing their job at keeping the plane full. Market demand will determine the price.
DeleteSo if this plane goes to another city people will pay 1000euro for the flights to Geneva ? Comeone dont be funny , a full plane is always profitable , the airline leaves because of something else.
Delete