Eight carriers are set to operate regular wide-body services from former Yugoslav markets during the upcoming summer season, running from March 30 to October 25. A total of 1.788 wide-body flights have been scheduled so far (both directions included), marking a 47% increase compared to last year but still 19% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels. The decline is largely attributed to the Croatian market, which, unlike six years ago, is no longer served by American Airlines, Air Canada Rouge, Emirates, or Korean Air. However, United Airlines has increased its flights to Dubrovnik this year.
Scheduled wide-body operations for former Yugoslav markets, summer 2025
Belgrade will have the highest volume of wide-body capacity this summer. Air Serbia plans to operate 744 flights to and from its hub using up to four Airbus A330-200 aircraft, marking a 38.8% increase in operations. Hainan Airlines will continue deploying its A330-300 on 120 flights between Beijing and Belgrade, which is the same as last year. Additionally, China Southern Airlines, which launched operations to the Serbian capital in late September 2024, will also run 120 flights throughout the summer. Overall, Belgrade’s wide-body capacity will grow by 45% compared to last year, totalling 264.593 seats.
In Zagreb, South Korean low cost carrier T’way Air has scheduled the resumption of its seasonal flights between Seoul and Zagreb for June 10 with the A330-300, marking its second year of operations to the Croatian capital. Prior to resuming its regular service to Zagreb, T’way Air plans a one-off flight on April 24. Presently, it will have five fewer roundtrips on the route compared to last year. In addition, Air Transat will return to Zagreb this summer with the same schedule as in 2024, deploying its A330-200 aircraft. Service will resume on May 17, with a total of 132 operations - three roundtrips fewer than the previous year.
United Airlines will lead wide-body capacity growth in Croatia this summer. The carrier is increasing frequencies on its Newark–Dubrovnik route from four weekly flights to daily for most of the season, while also extending operations by a month until late October. The route will continue to be served by the Boeing 767-400, with United boosting its total operations by 129% to 326 flights.
Meanwhile, TUI Airways has scheduled a total of 88 wide-body flights to Dubrovnik, utilizing its Boeing 787-8 from London Gatwick and Manchester. Services from Manchester will run from May 8 to October 23, while flights from London Gatwick will operate between May 22 and September 25. However, TUI will offer five fewer roundtrips with twin-aisle aircraft to Dubrovnik compared to last year.
Overall, Croatia will have 668 scheduled wide-body operations this summer, providing 188.814 seats, an increase of 24.2% compared to the summer of 2024.
Edelweiss Air has scheduled wide-body flights to Pristina throughout this summer. The airline will deploy its new 339-seat A350-900 aircraft from Zurich starting April 5, operating three weekly flights between the two cities with the twin-aisle jet until May 19, after which there will be two weekly flights.
Changes to wide-body capacity and operations are possible at this stage. The information in the above article is correct as of the date of publication.
Shame it's just A330s and B787. We need more variety :D
ReplyDeleteA350 will be in PRN
DeleteOver 40000 pax for ZAG-YYZ/ICN. WOW bravo ZAG without domestic airline! Bravo 🤩, that’s big!
DeleteThis is capacity which means available seats, not passenger numbers.
Delete85000 of long haul seats without domestic airline capacity for airport size of ZAG.
DeleteCompare to over 270000 for BEG
Delete767-400 too, you never liked to read, aren't you?
DeleteWe can't expect A380 as they have very big operation limits so in reality in our region it is only 777 missing from a widebody list....it was in Zagreb before with Emirates
DeleteQantas flew Boeing 747 as a scheduled service to Belgrade until 1987.
DeleteToo small of a market for a 777 or a350
DeleteThere is just a small difference in capacity between A350-900 and A330-300/787-9 when equipped with similar cabins.
DeleteWow not usual to see A350-900 in this region
ReplyDeleteTraining flights if i am not mistaken.
DeleteTraining flights throughout whole of summer?
DeleteThey need to train crew, but there is also capacity, edelweiss uses widebodies regulary during summer in Prishtina, but it was the a340 until now
DeleteWhat about Split? Any chance we might see some seasonal long hauls from there?
ReplyDeleteSplit Airport CEO said they are not interested in long hauls.
DeleteProbably because they have nowhere to park those planes. They would earn much more from narrowbody flights.
DeleteNo, it's the runway
DeletePayload restrictions in summer are a problem for long haul flights at SPU due to short runway
DeleteSPU has the same runway length as NAP which has many long-haul flights...
DeleteBelgrade leading the charge!
ReplyDeleteAnd it is the only one with year-round wide body ops, with both local and foreign airline.
DeleteSad that there are just 3 cities with scheduled wide body flights. We are way behind the rest of Europe.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWith the exception of Dalmatia north American visitors have little interest coming to the rest of our region. Same situation with Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and the rest of Eastern Europe.
DeleteEven the Nordics have trouble retaining the service of the US3 they had before the pandemic.
I think in 2019 TUI also flew wide-bodies to Pula from Gatwick and Manchester, and I think Jet2 flew 757s to Dubrovnik too.
ReplyDeleteYep TUI flew Gatwick-Pula (not Manchester) in 2019 with 787-9. DBV was also operated with 787-9. Now it's with 787-8.
DeleteEdelweiss A350 also looks nice.
DeleteYes, and condor flew from Frankfurt and Skyservice Airlines from Toronto to split, both by B757
DeleteAnother attempt at airline history forgery. Skyservice B757 never flew from Toronto to Split, only to Belgrade and Zagreb, both with tech stop in Ireland.
DeleteTK used to send its A330s to the region from time to time. Now it is rather uncommon. Pity.
ReplyDeleteThey have increased frequencies to most capitals in ex-Yu. There is no need to for a widebody when you have 3 daily flights.
DeleteI'm sure TK will deploy A330 to Ljubljana here and there during the summer. They do it every summer.
DeleteI doubt it because they are increasing frequencies to LJU but we will see. I hope so.
DeleteIsn't having more of smaller planes better in every way?
DeleteLarger ones, barring A330neos, aren't designed for the stress of frequent take-offs and landing, hence they rake up maintenence fees. That's why airlines only deploy them on very high yield routes in short-haul markets
DeleteI still see potential and a possibility that Qatar Airways upgrades either ZAG or BEG or both to a Dreamliner or A330.
ReplyDeleteQatar Airways operated several A330 flights to Sarajevo in 2019 in the summer when it flew year round and now it only flies a few times per week during the summer. What happened?
DeleteI think it's because all the Gulf airlines started flying to Sarajevo during Covid since they were looking for alternative markets. QR was full with Gulf transfers to Sarajevo but now with airlines from Kuwait, Oman, Saudi, UAE, all flying to SJJ, there is no need to transfer.
DeleteQatar is still being cautious. ZAG back then was double daily, mostly on A321s, and now it's one daily flight on the A320.
DeleteAnd BEG used to be on A321 in 2019 daily and 10 weekly in peak summer. Unfortunate.
DeleteIt's not about lack of demand why QR is reducing BEG and ZAG but delays in getting new A320 fleet
DeleteToo many A330s, give some different types of big birds
ReplyDeleteBeggers can't be choosers.
DeleteInteresting article. Nice to see BEG grow so much. I do hope some of those airlines that flew to Zagreb from 2019 come back, primarily Emirates.
ReplyDeleteAny chance for American to return to Dubrovnik? I know that before the pandemic they were even considering a second destination, from Chicago.
ReplyDeleteIt was written here recently that they are negotiating with another American airline for flights but that it might take some time.
DeleteEither American or Delta. Delta also flew to DBV during Covid.
DeleteAll US carriers have fewer widebody aircraft than they would like and deliveries from Airbus and Boeing are slow.
DeleteLove that TUI livery on the 787.
ReplyDeleteAnd it looks great on this pic with the sea behind
Delete11 routes with wide bodies is not so bad considering how small and unimportant our region is.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is it goes down to 6 in winter from just one airport.
DeleteEven that is improved since last winter there were just 4.
DeleteWhy is it an issue? Why should airlines send A330s to fly empty in the winter?
DeleteMore should be done to attract flights from far away markets.
Delete@09:40 During winter some destinations, especially in Asia, wouldn't be empty..Look at Guangzhou now, even though it has just started recently, my connections say that during this winter flights are almost full..and there are 4 weekly..They should try out some other far east destinations..people go for sun and swim there
DeleteWe could see Flydubai 787-9 maybe in years to come
ReplyDeleteSome of Chinese carriers could start BEG in a year or two with B787.
DeleteYes, I think that would be realistic.
DeleteThank you for those numbers!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHave a feeling Sarajevo will be next with scheduled wide body flights.
ReplyDeleteI think Sarajevo needs to extend the runway in order to handle widebodies.
DeleteGreat to see Belgrade leading in widebody operations this summer. Air Serbia is really stepping up its game with the A330 fleet expansion. Hopefully, they’ll announce some new long-haul routes soon.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see more North American carriers flying to the region. United is doing well in Dubrovnik, so maybe they’ll consider expanding to Zagreb in the future.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteChina-Serbia connectivity is improving fast. Hope we see fourth carrier.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be the next city launched?
DeleteChengdu would make sense.
DeletePEK could see a second carrier, either Air Serbia or more realistic Air China.
Delete@10.43 why Chengdu?
DeleteIt is the fourth largest city in China by population size after Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. It is in southwest China which is not close to any of the cities served from Serbia.
DeletePlus the shortest transfer way to all chinese main cities/markets
DeleteDid not expect PRN to have regular widebodies to be honest.
ReplyDeleteEdelweiss has been flying widebodies to PRN for several summers, A340-300 but it was only for a few weeks. This time it is whole season which is great.
DeletePRN was 2024 the Nr. 1 destination out of BSL in terms of passenger numbers. The Saturday before Xmas 2024 there were 25 flights from Switzerland to PRN. And yep fantastic to see the A359 on the ZRHPRN leg
Deletehttps://www.bazonline.ch/euro-airport-beliebteste-reisedestination-ist-pristina-544900522843
DeleteVery good
DeleteA350-900 is a big upgrade on the A320. And the best part is that there is no difference in price due to different equipment.
DeleteAgree. And a refreshing change to the A330s and Dreamliners in the region.
DeleteI'm actually impressed. That's a solid number of flights and capacity.
ReplyDeleteThere is still a possibility JU will add more wide body flights. They said they are considering either introducing Beijing or adding more frequencies to either CAN or PVG this summer.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a bit late? Shouldn't they announce it already?
DeleteI don't think it's late. If they increase it in July they can announce it in March and still have several months before launch.
DeleteThey it themselves they are looking to strengthen long haul ops this summer. When the 4th A330 arrives we will hear more.
Delete* they said it themselves
DeleteWith the flight program announced so far the 4th A330 is more than redundant.
DeleteIf they know that they will have it by June they can announce more destinations and or frequencies and start selling tickets now.
Almost all airlines start selling tickets for new longhaul routes many months before.
Hoping there will be more
ReplyDeleteCapacity from the table per airport and number of services:
ReplyDeleteBEG 270,593 (6)
DBV 102,656 (3)
ZAG 86,158 (2)
PRN 44,748 (1)
A330 still reign supreme in terms of equipment in terms of long haul in this region.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense for these market. Unfortunately we are all second tier markets.
DeleteWhat? Why would you consider A330s second tier exactly? Hainan's A333s that they send to Belgrade are just 6 years old.
DeleteSecondary markets? US big 3 still operate A330s and 767s in large numbers.
DeleteDoes TUI operate the all economy B787-8 to Dubrovnik or the one with business class? One has 300 seats, the other 325.
ReplyDeleteFlights from London Gatwick are scheduled with the 300-seat B787-8 this summer, while the one from Manchester with a mix of the 300 and 325-seat jet.
DeleteThank you!
DeleteAll these reisebüro-companies in Prishtina, but no one manages to lease a widebody to JFK/EWR in summer? These flights would be full! Does anyone know why?
ReplyDeleteA tour operator did it in 2009. 2 weekly on B767 to New York. Lasted just one season. I think the tour operator went bust or stole people's money.
DeleteTypical.
DeleteI mean there is really high potential, I could imagine a service TIA-PRN-JFK like some other airlines do it to collect more passengers. Also TIA is one of the biggest unserved route from JFK, 12.000 people traveled to JFK and 6.000 to EWR from PRN in 2024 and about 102.000 from TIA to JFK only
DeleteTK to Belgrade very soon
ReplyDeleteReally?
DeleteDoes anybody knows, would EL AL during next summer season (2025) deploy it own 737-800 or Klassjet and Sun D'or own 737s (4X-EKR & 4X-EKM)?
ReplyDeleteSun d-Or.
DeleteYou mean leased (KLASSJET), or Their own (4X-EKR & 4X-EKM) ?
DeleteTransaero flow to pula three times to pula weekly some years ago
ReplyDelete