The Lufthansa Group has presented its 2025/26 winter season schedule, which runs from October 26, 2025, until March 28, 2026, with the German flag carrier set to suspend service between Frankfurt and Skopje in February and March. Ticket sales for this period have now been halted, with Lufthansa offering alternative connections via Vienna with Austrian Airlines instead. Based on the carrier’s schedule, it will operate its last flight between Frankfurt and Skopje for the upcoming winter on January 31, after which services will be suspended between February 1 and March 26. Operations are set to resume on March 27. Further changes at this early stage are possible.
Based on Lufthansa’s existing planned operations, the airline will run ten weekly flights between Frankfurt and Skopje in November and December, as well as a daily service in January. During the previous 2024/25 winter season, the carrier maintained ten weekly rotations between Frankfurt and Skopje in February and March. Lufthansa commenced service to the Macedonian capital in late April 2023. It successfully applied for subsidies provided by the Macedonian government to launch the route. This support runs until December 30, 2025. Lufthansa faces no direct competition, however, low cost carrier Wizz Air maintains operations from Skopje to Hahn, some 125 kilometres from the German city's main airport.
In 2023, Lufthansa carried 73.456 passengers on its new Skopje service for an average cabin load factor of 71.1% for the duration of the year. During its first full year of operations, in 2024, it welcomed 105.653 travellers on the route, for an average load factor of 72.7%. Data indicates that February and March saw some of the lightest loads on the route. In February and March of 2024, the carrier handled 6.269 and 7.288 passengers between the two cities respectively. This resulted in an average load factor of 53.1% in February, considered the slowest month in the aviation industry, and 64% in March.
Couldn't they have reduced frequencies instead of completely suspending flights? Kind of crazy to go from 10 weekly last Feb/March to 0.
ReplyDeleteLower frequencies means higher costs and on a route like Frankfurt it also probably means even lower loads. People need a flexible schedule to book a round trip that has multiple connections.
Delete'This support runs until December 30, 2025.'
DeleteThey start cutting the moment subsidies run out. Goes to show that 10 weekly flights are not sustainable without government support.
Unfortunately we have to understand that many smaller markets like SKP will struggle with legacies and they should be thankful for what Wizz Air did for them.
They are flying a whole extra month.
DeleteYes one month out of 12 in the year which is also the month after New Year and Christmas.
DeleteIts written 72% LF. If they struggle they wouldnt have operated 10 weekly until now and woudnt send A321s to SKP.
DeleteI don't think they struggle I just think the route is probably highly seasonal.
DeleteThey had a 72% LF with government subsidies. They probably sent the A321 one a few flights that were full or due to operational reasons.
DeleteNot surprising with this loads.
ReplyDelete*those
DeleteAnd no more subsidies
DeleteSeasonal adjustments like this are fairly common, especially when the data clearly shows lower demand in February and March. Makes sense from a business standpoint.
ReplyDeleteThe load factor in Feb–Mar justifies the cut.
DeleteCuts are primarily there because sunbsidies run out at the end of the year. Without them I doubt SKP can handle even daily flights.
DeleteSo much for reliability… just over a year after launch and they’re already suspending flights on some months.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they supposed to do according to you, fly with a 50% load factor for another year?
DeleteDude they only launched SKP because they got money from the government. If the government wants more flights then they should give them money. There is obviously no demand for LH to operate these flights on their own.
DeleteYes thats why they send A321s to SKP.
DeleteProbably a few flights were full but the article clearly states average LF was 72%. That's just bad for an expensive legacy like LH.
Delete:(
ReplyDeleteI flew this route in December and the flight was nearly full. Surprised to see such a long pause in winter.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the numbers above seems like your flight was the exception, not the rule.
DeleteDisappointing
ReplyDeleteThat means that North Macedonian market dried out. Very poor demand
ReplyDeleteDon't be so dramatic.
DeleteHe's just stating facts.
DeleteThe market is infinetely bigger than it was just 10 years ago!
DeleteDespite the massive growth of TIA, BEG and SOF at the same time.
Or SKG to the south.
BEG and TIA do not affect SKP, they are too far away.
DeleteSKP might be bigger now but not big enough.
TIA does affect SKP, there are many people from the capital and also other places in the West which are using TIA. There was one vlogger which did travel to MXP for a ridiculous low fare of some 30eur round trip from TIA
DeleteFebruary I can understand but not March. That's when demand starts to pick up. I can only imagine how bad advance booking were for this route. Without subsidies this route just doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will keep it as a summer seasonal.
With 105k passangers each year? Oh the drama! Daily is enough, since Wizz flies from Frankfurt Hahn. The Balkan mentality is sickening, and the balkan drama even worse! How can people be so happy about this?!
DeleteHow exactly is anyone happy?
DeleteMarch is a dead month.
DeleteNo it's not. That's when demand starts growing rapidly.
DeleteDemand is february and march , but after that SKP is growing rapidly in any route , also this one to Frankfurt. The increase could come at anytime , especially summer time.
DeleteWow, thats sad :(
ReplyDelete7 flights per week is enough, they keep sending the a320&321 to Skopje and have 105.000 people using this route each year AND people are saying they should just cut it?
ReplyDeleteNo one said that.
DeleteYou don't understand things clearly. Lufthansa has a pilot shortage, aircraft shortage, slot restrictions. Why fly to Skopje when it can fly to Palma or Sofia or Madrid.
DeleteThis has nothing to do with pilot shortage. Lufthansa just doesn't have enough passengers to justify this route. Average LF is around 70%. This is borderline catastrophic for a legacy airline.
DeleteThat is why they are cutting the route the moment subsidies are over.
We will see what will happen with summer timetable too.
Delete@Anonymous 11:04
DeleteExactly!
They fly to PMI, SOF, MAD... because there is enough demand to fly there without subsidies. SKP doesnt have enough demand.
DeleteWith 105k pax per year you are the proffesional who knows more and works in LH. Thats why they send A321s in summer.
DeleteDude give it up with the A321. They are reducing SKP the second subsidies run out. Also average LF was 72% which is very bad. Those are facts, deal with them.
DeleteAt least it’s not a permanent suspension. Let’s hope demand recovers and they bring the February–March service back in 2027.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be so sure.
DeleteNo they will probably use some smaller planes for that time of the year. The good thing is route will be still active after no supporr anymore
DeleteYou are proud that Lufthansa hasn't completely cancelled a route to Frankfurt (which is available from every European capital) because it will no longer get money for it. Jesus.
DeleteThey have postponed alot of European cities during winter time. This is nothing new from them. If they have smaller plane available they send if not this is what they do.
DeleteWhat exactly have they " postponed" other than Skopje? Don't make things up as you go along.
DeleteBefore they have done this to many other airports in same winter period. This is nothing new. February and March there is no alot of people using Frankurt to go Germany , or either make connections to Europe or North america. It is slow months especially for this route. But for us is positive that is not cutted at all so whats wrong with that?
DeleteTell me which ones.
DeleteSuspending flights during slow months is common, especially when load factors dip below 60%. Better than cutting the route entirely.
ReplyDeleteWe read on here how SKP wants flights to USA but then they can't sustain FRA without large subsidies.
ReplyDeleteLots of Balkan armchair CEOs know best
DeleteWhy so negativity when there is article about SKP? You finally feel happy that there is one kinda bad news connected with SKP? You see, despite this, despite the declines of Wizz Air, SKP still has record numbers this year and connections to more important cities than before.
DeleteThe hate is always for SKP , even there is new route launched they are hating that it will not work. Never saying anything positive. Nothing new
DeleteNo, what we are seeing here is some of you cheering at this news and presenting it as positive which is just crazy. And what is wrong with what the original poster wrote? Obivously the airport can't sustain a year round route to Frankfurt by one of Europe's largest airlines.
DeleteIf BEG can do 320K a year to FRA Skipje can certainly do a third of that.
ReplyDeleteThe ipportunity is clearly there.
Now if a company such as LH can't see the value and make profit on 100K passengers that might say something about the company itself.
I am guessing but I have a feeling that TY is saying:
- your loss, is my gain.
LH gave SKP a chance and it got a 72% LF.
DeleteYou shouldn't blame LH here, blame passengers who didn't fly more with them.
So 72% for a country with less then a 2 million is not ok ? You expect all routes from SKP to be 95% full ? Are u real with this ? Of course this is not good but if they dont like SKP they will cut route right away! Handling 100k passengers in a year for market like SKP is good and accept that. Probably in future they will find solutions for this winter time ,for now I assume there is no smaller planes available and thats it.
Deletetypical lufthansa, not surprised
ReplyDeleteThey do this on regular basis , they dont send smaller planes just decide to suspend. Obviously if they dont like SKP they will cut completely then just tempotrary suspensions..
DeleteThey don't do this on a regular basis at all. Give an example of one city where they have done this. Stop making things up.
Delete105K passnegers per year and people here are saying there is no demand? What u want 200k people? Than the flights would have been triple daily. For a legacy carrier its not that common for the planes to be full 100%, they make profit with lower LF. Its understandable to suspend the route during the two quitest months of the year if the LF was 50%.
ReplyDeleteFrom November there will be Skopje-Larnaca flights.
Its not about demand , thing is they dont have smaller planes for that winter periods and they are sending A320 and A321 that period which are not full ... and they dont cut the route , they will fly without support , its just temporary suspension
Delete^ Lufthansa does have smaller planes like the CRJ900. Stop spreading misinformation.
DeleteBut not for SKP , they are sending here A320 and A321 , will see how they will play in future.
DeleteVery normal situation in Feb & Mar. Unfortunately LH doesn't have smaler planes in the Fleet like Austrian to adapt to the winter demand. A220, Embraer 170/190 or CRJ700/900.
ReplyDeleteA320 is just to big for the winter demand.
LH has CRJ900 in the fleet, plus they work with AirBaltic in a wet lease agreement for A220s, so there would be ways how this route could operate. Maybe if not out of Frankfurt, then Munich.
Deleteregional jets are operated by Lufthansa CityLine, a subsidiary of Lufthansa. Even it is part of lufthansa it is different company. It will be like somebody taking over the route for 2 months and give it back. Unfortynately Not possible.
DeleteSucks for the passengers including myself but it is what is.
The best option is to transfrer year round to LH CityLine and run embraes 190 l, 14 times a week in summer and embraers 170, 7 times a week in winter.
Aint going to happen.
It is possible and Lufthansa does it on many routes. Lufthansa CityLine is exactly the same airline. They are just registered differently so they can offer lower pay to pilots and crew.
DeleteYou win, you loose. All good. Changes remain possible.
ReplyDeleteWizzAir at least announced that they are bringing back Skopje - Larnaca this October.
And also Stolckhom is a possibitly
Deletefrom 2026
DeleteMaybe now that Wizz got subsidies for LCA, maybe Lufthansa will get them as well?
DeleteLufthansa informed that they will fly after support is finished , and thats what they do , they just suspend some winter period but they will still operate in Macedonia even witbout support. They cannot get money now , basicly they cannot apply for something thay they already operate...
DeleteHow do you know that Lufthansa "informed" anything? They are clearly suspending flights in February and March and we will see what happens afterwards. No airline has published its summer schedule yet.
DeleteLufthansa is another story in this tender. Only they accept to operate route after the support. Other airlines giwe up from this deal. I guess they have plans and know what to do after 2028 when they can cut if they want , but not now. I explain tjis down in the article. And I am not related to this comments above.
Deletepossibility from 2026*
ReplyDeleteNothing is yet confirmed , tickets are still on sale , could be just some period temporary suspended.
Delete^ oh god here he is. Brace yourself for 100 of the same comments how this is excellent news for Skopje Airport and if you dare say anything different you are a hater and jelous.
Delete@16.43 why are you spreading misinformation? NO tickets are not on sale in February and March 2026.
DeleteLufthansa is finding out the hard way how much Macedonians love Wizz Air and Turkish Airlines.
ReplyDeleteThose two airlines are king in SKP and unfortunately there isn't much room for airlines like Lufthansa.
It is just temporary suspended , it will operate with no supporr which is still good. Handling 100k its not a small job
DeleteEven with no subsidies anymore the airline will still operate👍👏 nothing tow worry about.
ReplyDeleteNo. It is not thumbs up. Subsidies are created and last a certain period of time to make a route sustainable within that period. If an airline suspends flights on some months after the subsidies end it means you threw away a good chunk of money. Because even after 2 and a half years the route is not self sustainable.
DeleteYes I understand , but they are not cutting the route , it is just temporary suspension for the slowest months of the year... it will still run with no support
DeleteThe fact that you are giving thumbs up and saying how it's amazing they are suspending SKP for two months clearly shows that you can't separate pride or love for your country and business logic.
Deleteno trying to say this is already seen thing from LH to other bigger airports and cities then SKP .... thats what I want to say.
DeleteWhich ones it is seen?
DeleteI will write what all people dont know why is this: So first the previous tender waa forcing the airline who apply to run the route and after the support finish , so means Lufthansa is this case accept that and sign that deal, so even if they want they cannot to cut the route because they sign to operate after support , which means extra 3 years ,so if they really want to cut they need to do after 2028. Second thing is previous tender was giwing money for everyone passenger to leave country(now its for coming passenger) so basicly February and March not alot of people leaving country to Europe or north america (most common connections) so they targeted this months as not busy and decide to suspend , probably because no having available smaller plane. So once again the route will until 2028 , after that it is airline decision will they continue or not. I hope now everyone will understand this situation!!! :))
ReplyDeleteForget to mention if they want to cut the route let say now , they will need to return all the money giwen to them from government. I use to work in the ministry and see the contract wih my eyes :) I am not sure if they wanr scenario like this.
Delete