The Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, has said his office is actively negotiating with low cost carrier Air Arabia over the introduction of two new routes to the country. Both services are expected to originate in the United Arab Emirates, with Air Arabia boasting bases in both Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. During an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, Mr Nikoloski said, “We are in talks with Air Arabia to establish at least two new routes, one of which we hope will serve the Ohrid region to further boost tourism”. Macedonia has been lacking nonstop connectivity with the Gulf region since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when both Flydubai and Qatar Airways suspended operations to Skopje.
Flydubai, which was due to restore flights from its hub to Skopje this summer, recently pushed back its launch plans. Mr Nikoloski noted, “A nonstop Flydubai service between Dubai and Skopje is expected to launch soon. Flights have been temporarily postponed, though the airline remains committed to launching the route in the near future”. Under a state subsidy programme to attract airlines and boost the country’s connectivity, six new international routes from Skopje and Ohrid have so far been negotiated for 2025, one of which is the Flydubai service. “Through targeted support and a revised subsidy model, we’ve managed to attract new airlines, and the results speak for themselves. Under the government’s 2025 – 2027 financial support programme, a total of 5.9 million euros have been allocated to subsidise new air routes. The programme is designed to boost air traffic, make travel more accessible for citizens, and support the development of civil aviation in the country”, the Minister said.
Air Arabia has had a mixed track record in the former Yugoslavia. It served Sarajevo from both Sharjah and Abu Dhabi for several years but has not scheduled any flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2025. In 2011, the budget airline introduced a two weekly service from Dubai to Tuzla, which was cancelled a month later due to extremely poor loads. In 2012, the airline launched two weekly flights between Sharjah and Pristina. The service was also discontinued within a month. In 2019, the airline scheduled four weekly flights between Sharjah and Belgrade, which were to launch in June of that year. However, ticket sales were discontinued after four months, and the route was never launched.
Surprising that Air aarabia no longer flies do any ex-Yu market.
ReplyDeleteLooking at their success rate, it makes sense. The only route they seem to have been able to make work is Sarajevo and even that isn't returning this summer
DeleteI don't know what to think about a company that had 10 weekly flights to Sarajevo last summer, this one doesn't exist at all. Maybe Fly Dubai and Zwizzair are too much competition for them...
DeleteOr maybe they were waiting on a decision about the visas? Now that they have been temporarily removed maybe they schedule some flights.
DeleteThey’re thriving in Athens
DeleteCitizens of the United Arab Emirates do not need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina, so this should not be a problem. For the 2025 summer season, visas for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Bahrain have been waived.
DeleteWell, some 15 yaers ago Air Arabia had very cheap tickets and had a good net of routes in Middle-eastern area and around, I flew with them pretty a lot..But suddenly they increased the prices quite a lot and dropped service standards at the same time..I don't know how they are doing now?
DeleteAirarabia is good rated airline this days. Flew with them 2 years ago. The tickets are like any airline in this type los cost . Service is nice. Their planes are nice and pretty much new fleet.They are the strongest low cost in UAE and having 80 planes. I hope we will see them in Macedonia.
DeleteI think the problem why Flydubai postponed launching in SKP is the visas. Now finally when they are cutting them , and officislly in summer they would be , Fludubai signed a deal with the ministry for transport , and expected return is autumn.
DeleteVisas have nothing to do with the delay. Flydubai flew to Skopje for years with visas. Don't make things up.
DeleteI am not speaking about the past Flydubai flew to SKP , that years and numbers and airlines are still away from us.I am saying that possible now one of the problem could be the visa. It is not about demand the demand is huge si what else is the problem?
DeleteSuch a huge demand lol
DeleteThe demand for Dubai is huge from Skopje? Haha, yeah right… whilst Sarajevo, Zagreb and Belgrade have multiple Dubai flights for years now, SKP didnt have. If there was a demand, there wouldve been flights.
DeleteThis would be great
ReplyDeleteYes it is , plus the visas are finally getting cutted , so just expect positive news.
DeleteOh dear negotiating in public and with one of the most unreliable airlines out there. Sounds a bit desperate.
ReplyDeleteUnreliable?
DeleteThey've scheduled like 4-5 different destinations before in exyu ovrr the years and in the end only launched the Sarajevo ones, cancelling all the other ones
DeleteHopefully the government ensures that any agreements with Air Arabia include minimum service commitments to avoid quick cancellations.
DeleteCanceling the routes which had extremly poor sales doesnt make the airline unreliable.
Deletealso choosing TZL and PRN was not the smartest choice
DeleteEvery country is different and every market is different. You cannot compare that. Airarabia is the strongest low cost carrier in UAE and would be a great addition for Macedonia!!
DeleteBy not discussing with Emirates, Etihad, Gulf, Qatar airways shows the capability of the government in North Macedonia to develop direct flights, but rather focusing on some start up and low budget carriers.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the government that develops the direct flights, but the demand.
DeleteYou think Air Arabia is a start up?
DeleteI think it’s encouraging to see the government actively working on improving air connectivity. Air Arabia could open new opportunities for the country.
DeleteAirarabia is the strongets and biggest low cost carrier in Middle east , and having 80+ planes. It is serious player , I hope on positive news for this , fingers crossed. Btw the airlines you mentioned are not flying to many European countries esspecially not in country with less then 2 million people.
DeleteThis should be a nice addition
ReplyDeleteAt least the government is doing something. Meanwhile here in Slovenia we are just going in circles.
ReplyDeleteWell done to the government for focusing on aviation development. Every new connection matters for a small market like ours.
Deletelol
DeleteSkopje has been missing Gulf links for too long.
ReplyDeleteExactly we all wait for this flights since 2019
DeleteHope these negotiations succeed.
ReplyDeleteeven if they do, as the article suggests, it does not look as a reliable solution.
DeleteFurthermore, if at all, this would be a P2P, and what is needed more is a transfer option to the diaspora in Australia
So for transfer option we will see Flydubai soon this year. Airarabia is more for connecting to Abu dhabi and Sharjah as option
DeleteAdding Ohrid as a destination is smart. Seasonal tourism demand could support at least summer flights if marketed properly.
ReplyDeleteYes OHD could handle seasonal flights to Sharjah for sure.
Delete@16.48 kako da ne
DeleteAir Arabia’s track record in the region isn’t very encouraging. I hope this isn’t just another launch that gets cancelled after a few months.
ReplyDeleteLets start first and hope on positive scenario :)) always giwe a try for something new.
DeleteInstead of chasing Gulf carriers that have failed elsewhere in the region, maybe the government should focus more on securing proven European routes.
ReplyDeleteThey are doing that too.
DeleteThey are looking for Europe too. But we need flights to Middle east and that is big demand in the moment. The biggest problem were the visas , now finally they will be cutted.
DeleteThe visas were not the biggest problem. You could get a visa to Dubai within minutes online. Six years ago there were flights to Dubai and Doha, now there have been none for years and a visa has nothing to do with it. We know the visas will be maybe removed from your 25 other comments where you wrote it will be 'cutted'.
DeleteOh really thank you expert for telling us this. Visas will be removed this day
DeleteThis was unexpected
ReplyDeleteFor all of us yes to be honest. And new update saying Flydubai will start after the summer when the visas will be cutted officially.Hope to see Airarabia in Macedonia for both SKP and OHD as well
DeletePricam ti pricu ....
ReplyDeleteon a positive note: UAE are to scrap visas for macedonian passport holders as reported by local media. To be honest I see WizzAir Abu Dhabi launching flights rather then Air Arabia
Positive news is thst visas finally became past fo us. But in this scenario Wizz fleet as we know is grounded. Definitly they will not launch. Airarabia is more likely to do it. And yes Wizz has more importnant routes to Macedonia in Europe then Middle east
DeleteWizz Air's fleet is not grounded. Stop making things up.
DeleteDid you check how many A320 are still ongoing under maintenance ? Around 30 , is that a small amount for you ?
Delete@16.45 Wizz Air Abu Dh has no A320s. you posted now 20-30 posts which make zero sense
DeleteI am speaking for total aircrafst Wizz in the moment are under maintenance not for Wiz abu dhabi. Wizz priority in Macedonia is Eurooe not middle east if u didnt k ow that.
DeleteOk…
ReplyDeleteOhrid definitely deserves more international links. Hope this plan with Air Arabia works out and helps bring more visitors to the region.
ReplyDeleteFor sure we hope on positive news for both SKP and OHD , we need flights to the Middle east. And finally the visas are going into past very soon.
DeleteHistory tells us Air Arabia often launches and quickly cancels routes in this region.
ReplyDeleteIt depends of the country and market where they launch , you cannot compare. Every market is different ;)
DeleteIf Flydubai is already delaying their return, is there really enough demand to support another Gulf carrier at the same time?
ReplyDeleteThey didn't delay it because of demand since they never even put tickets on sale.
DeleteFlydubai is delaying because of the visa for Macedonian passport holders. Their new update is they will launch flights at autumn and they signed a deal already. Visas will be cutted very soon too.
Delete^ stop making things up. Last week you made up they are delaying it because of technical problem. Now it's visa. They flew for years with visas for Macedonians. I don't understand your need to fabricate things.
DeleteI think it becomes obvious whats the real plan of the government. They want us to see that they are in talks in talks and that they are so focused on the aviation market in the country. In reallity, we got nothing except three new routes of Wizz from Skopje and Turkish to Ohrid, which would have happend anyway maybe not now but in the future. Wizz scheduled Barcelona, Stuttgart and Lyon but has discontinued Stockholm, Copenhagen, Bremen, Cologne, Salzburg and Budapest in the past months. Not to mention Turku, Billund, Vaxjo, Hannover, Luxembourg, Turin, Larnaca. in 2019 Skopje had direct scheduled flights to 50 routes in Europe apart from charters. We still cant reach that number.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot Transavia with Amsterdam and EasyJet with Paris Orly, Lufthansa with Frankfurt — surely a win against Billund, Turku, and Växjö.
DeleteSalzburg and Cologne were cancelled due to fee disputes between Wizz Air and the airports. There are no Wizz Air flights to these destinations.
Budapest and Larnaca are painful to miss out on… especially the latter, a great summer destination.
Let's hope for the UAE flights to happen soon.
Once Wizz get their planes fixed they will return some of the cutted routes espeacilly whete there is demand.
DeleteNice one. Let's see if it will materialise. Government confirmed that Visa for the UAE will be absolished for Macedonians and UAE tour operators are planning to promote Macedonia - so hopefully this will further boost travel and flights. Also seasonal flights to Ohrid from the UAE would be a nice addition as well.
ReplyDeleteOther good think is that UAE is scraping visas for Macedonian passport holders finally!! Hope to see Abu Dhabi to Skopje and Sharjah to Ohrid. Flydubai is returning at autumn thats what they said
ReplyDeleteYou have written the same comment 5 times already. Yes, we got it that visas will be removed at some point although there is no official date when it will happen.
DeleteAir Arabia to Macedonia? Why not!
ReplyDeleteStill i would begin with the most prospective destination in Ex Yu and then progressively go down from there. I hate to say it but all these foreign airlines should try Belgrade first and after establishing them there expand further.
Just my personal opinion without claim of ultimate truth..
Belgrade already have flights to UAE , some other countries in ex-yu including Macedonia still dont have, and this is good sign , and definitly worth trying why not ? It is always good to giwe a chance , if you dont try how you will know it would be a success? I really hope on positive news in the end👏
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