ITA Airways is studying a return to markets in the former Yugoslavia previously operated by its predecessor Alitalia. As EX-YU Aviation News learns, the airline is considering operations to three destinations in the region now that it is part-owned by Lufthansa and the newest member of Star Alliance. Lufthansa aims to expand ITA Airways' network of Balkan and Eastern European destinations to facilitate a greater share of transfer traffic via Rome. This strategy is designed primarily to shuttle travellers from Eastern Europe to the United States, thereby expanding ITA’s market presence and improving connectivity within the Lufthansa Group's network.
ITA Airways does not directly serve any market in the former Yugoslavia, having dropped Split from its network, which it served for a month over the 2024 summer season. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, ITA’s predecessor, Alitalia, maintained a year-round service from Rome to both Belgrade and Podgorica, as well as seasonal flights to Dubrovnik and Split. In 2022, ITA announced launch plans for Belgrade, advertising the service on its website, but ultimately it didn’t follow through. In 2023, the carrier applied for daily slots at Belgrade Airport from June, however, the flights also failed to materialise. Elsewhere, Alitalia maintained operations from Milan to Sarajevo, Zagreb and Skopje until 2007 and 2008, as well as between Rome and the Macedonian capital between 2014 and 2016. It had also announced its intention to launch operations from Fiumicino Airport to Zagreb, Sarajevo and Pristina, but these flights never came to fruition.
ITA has a wide-ranging mutual codeshare agreement with Air Serbia, which was expanded in December of last year when the Serbian carrier added its designator code and flight numbers onto its Italian counterpart’s services to Brazil. At the same time, Air Serbia has strengthened its operations across Italy, now serving a record eleven destinations in the country. ITA also has a codeshare partnership with Croatia Airlines, which was expanded this year when the Croatian carrier added its designator code and flight numbers onto seven Italian domestic services operated by ITA. Croatia Airlines has also expanded its own presence in Italy this year, with the launch of seasonal flights between Zagreb and Milan and plans to upgrade its summer Dubrovnik - Rome service to year-round operations.
Through its codeshare cooperation, ITA Airways serves most markets in the former Yugoslavia. These include Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Skopje, Podgorica, Tivat and Zagreb (operated by Air Serbia), Dubrovnik and Split (operated by Croatia Airlines) and Podgorica (operated by Austrian Airlines).
Makes sense. Would love to see them start flights to the region.
ReplyDeleteit is surprising that such a large airline has 0 flights to anywhere in ex-Yu.
ReplyDeleteIt's just the same dysfunctional Alitalia with a new shiny cover.
Delete^ that's true. And heavily loss making. €227 million loss in 2024.
DeleteSuch a large airline? They have fewer destinations from Rome than Air Serbia has from Belgrade.
DeleteFor what it's worrh, their network is really dense due to all the domestic routes having several daily flights
DeleteAlso JU serves a lot of leisure destinations only a few times per week that inflate the numbers whereas ITA focuses on higher frequency business routes since leisure is already covered well enough by Ryanair, Wizz, Easyjet, Volotea and Neos
DeleteAnd we see that it does not work.
DeleteIt is time to introduce Rome to Zagreb flights. Now as a part of SA, makes much more sense. Especially as Croatia Airlines does not intend to launch direct ZAG-FCO flights.
ReplyDeleteZAG-FCO is empty on OU, therefore why the stop in Split makes sense, maybe people are thrown off by the stop but not a lot of people travel with OU to Rome…I wonder how FR is doing
DeleteFR is doing solid on the route.. I flew 3 times and LF was never below 85. But there is much needed legacy on the route to offer full service, connections etc.
DeleteOf course ZAG-FCO is empty on OU. OU tickets are ridiculously overpriced, that's why their LF is below 60 % overall and market share 13 %. Add to that stop in SPU, relict from the distant past, and everything is clear. OU and what and how it "does business" means nothing. They are useless on most of the lines they operate. On the other hand, FR from ZAG to FCO nonstop is constantly full and ITA will probably give it a try as well, in order to try to steal some North and South America transfers from Iberia which operates ZAG to MAD daily, very often with A321
DeleteHopefully they start flights to Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteThey fly to Slovenia via Trieste 😁
DeleteMeans they are already flying in Slovenia :D
DeleteIf they will start any new destinations from the Balkans, im sure that Ljubljana will be among the firest especially now that Ita is owned by Lufthansa.
ReplyDelete+1
Deleteand the only one with no flights to Rome at the moment and even worse, 0 flights to italy ...
Delete^Bravo Fraport!
DeleteBut you can drive to Trieste Airport from Ljubljana in about 90minutes...But yeah it sucks. I would love to see Naples-LJ or Catania-LJ. These seem like natural routes x2 a week for an airline - perhaps not ITA but Easyjet or FR.
DeleteLJU is not the Balkans (talking mindset, not geography). At least their malomeščani like to think of such a delusion as of reality 🙂
Delete^
DeleteTheir per capita GDP sure seems to agree that they are not a traditional Balkan country.
They can have Switzerland's GDP. Mindset will remain Balkan.
DeleteMeh, they're considering it since 2022 if I remember correctly...
ReplyDeleteEven if they return somewhere, it will be something symbolic, like 3 or 4 weekly departures and that's it.
LHG airlines offer the most consistent and reliable connectivity to our region!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteReliable german partner, right?
DeleteThey surely are!
DeleteWizz serves good portion of Italian airports from Skopje ,and as well returns Fiumicino after almost a year using Ciampino.. it also serves Milan malpensa ,Bologna ,Venice .. what possibe can be launched from ITA?🤔 and latest news are SKP TAV ADP menagement is targeting Italian coast ...
ReplyDeleteITA will offer connections to its global network from FCO.
DeleteTAV of course won't like that, they want us to use IST.
Is that a conspiracy theory?
DeleteYou think TAV isn't focused on driving traffic via IST and SAW?
DeleteTK has many weekly departures from SKP, so logically traffic is via IST.
DeleteAnd even if, I don't mind - IST is the second biggest airport in Europe based on passenger traffic and has a huge network for transfers,
Would be great to have nonstop flights to Rome again. The Skopje–Rome route used to be very popular and well-utilised. ITA should seriously consider it.
DeleteFar more preferable for SKP than having many connections to IST would be to have reliable yearly connections to major European hubs.
Delete@10:42
DeleteHaving network carriers connecting us with ZRH, MUC, CPH, CDG. FCP, MAD, LHR is what we need the most.
*FCO
DeleteI am not sure that considering prices W6 offer from FCO now compare to what ITA would offer would be acceptable for our people living there. In the end of the day I think everyone will choose W6 option. In term of connecting flights nobody will choose FCO rather than IST,FRA,VIE,WAW,ATH as well OSL in summer BEG and ZAG also offer solid transfers , AMS and ORY also , so as I said above Italian market is well covered from W6 and if Ryanair enters there will be for sure Italian airport added , so I think there is not enough space for ITA considering their prices are crazy high....
DeleteSo they haven’t disclosed which 3 destinations
ReplyDeleteProbably ZAG, BEG and PRN.
DeletePRN might work given the limited leisure routes from there, plus additional transfer PAX and the ongoing airport incentives.
DeleteI think it will be a double daily to SKP
ReplyDeleteWith A350.
DeleteMaybe after 35 years this makes Croatia Airlines consider Zagreb-Rome nonstop.
ReplyDeleteDon't count on it. If anything, this means they will fly no where else in Italy other than FCO and MXP. They will just codeshare with ITA.
DeleteAs soon as Jasmin finishes drinking his coffee and all bright and shiny (except for a bit of corrosion) Intergalactic Spaceships arrive 🙂
DeleteShut up pozdrav. There is no corrosion on A220!
DeleteThe highest Kradeze democratic standards : If one speaks truth that does not fit into Kradeze bright and shiny propaganda, one have zero right to speak at all, and should shut up, for ever. In such cases not even manners are important any more : No please don't say that. No you are not right. No you are not fair. No. SHUT UP!!! These two short words show all of your misery and 1950's mindset. Nothing more to say.
DeleteCrazy that JU has 11 destinations in Italy. If AZ comes to BEG, it will be a much tougher market than before.
ReplyDeleteItalian market have more potencial.
DeleteHonestly they have nothing to search for in BEG, I'm afraid they'll end up like Air France, British or even worse.
DeleteItaly is even more dominant market for JU, they have covered basically the entire country by themselves. When it comes to long haul network out of FCO, they codeshare JU's flights anyway.
^ true
DeleteThey may try San Marino ;-)
Delete^^^
DeleteVery strange seeing people not wanting a major European airline to come to their airport and connect it to its global network of destinations...
You do not understand codeshare?
DeleteCodeshare ticket classes are way more expensive. Also we want more flights.
DeleteFrequencies to most places in Italy are a joke.
DeleteHere comes the complainer, unhappy and unsatisfied with 11 destinations in italy and 40 weekly flights. He needs 80 flights to be happy. Doesen't matter if they are empty. He needs them so he can complain why there are not a 100 flights a week.
DeleteJust 40 flights a week for 11 destinations does seem rather week.
DeleteYes, what an absolute disaster, of course. It is very important to endlessly spit and complain. Air Serbia just happens to have more flights to Italy than LOT Polish Airlines, Air Baltic and TAROM but it is important to endlessly complain about something.
DeleteSomeone is unable to hear anything other than praises for JU.
DeleteNo, it's just that you are talking absolute nonsense and are detached from reality or market size. How many JU flights to Italy have you taken to request daily flights to each city?
DeleteI honestly don't get why Lufthansa would pick ITA for Eastern Europe transfers. Didn't Austrian used to specialize in this?
ReplyDeleteI think the goal is to increase market share of LH Group carriers wherever possible and feed their hubs even more.
DeleteAh yes, Rome airport famous for losing bags, will be a joy to layover there instead of MUC or FRA… i mean even in the first episode of The White Lotus s2 they joke about it!
ReplyDeleteRome Airport is now one of the best airports in Europe. They have completlely renovated the airport. And they no longer lose bags. Used to be the case 10-15 years ago. No longer like that.
DeleteJust came back a week ago, SUF-FCO and then FCO-TRS, with ITA, had only about 45mins to change planes, yet my luggage has arrived:) similar was in the opposite direction. 3 of 4 those flights had a delay of about half an hour yet i made it. All in all my impression with ITA was good (but keep in mind all 4 flights were less then one hour) and FCO is a great aiport for transfers btw. I have decided to try ITA instead of direct flight with Ryanair since he price was the same and Ryanair had very bad timings of flights, i would do the same next time
DeleteFCO changed a lot for better. FRA changed a lot for worse. Everyone knows that. Today it's FRA to be avoided, not FCO any more. Similar as "if it's not Boeing I'm not going" before and "if it's Boeing I'm not going" today
DeleteAgree. FCO is one of the best and FRA one of the worst, especially for transfer.
DeleteWould love to see ITA back in Belgrade. Rome is a great transfer point to North America.
ReplyDeleteCrazy how Alitalia/ITA just vanished from the region.
ReplyDeleteIt's called mismanagement.
DeleteIt's what happens when the state lets the unions run the airline.
DeleteMismanagement, but the real and serious one, ultra one, could be found on the third floor in Buzin. Everything else, including ITA, is way way way way way behind
DeleteConspiracy!
DeleteInteresting how they keep announcing flights and never follow through. Let's see if it actually happens this time.
ReplyDeleteAlitalia had a solid presence in the region back in the day. It’s time ITA stops relying only on codeshares and actually returns with its own metal.
ReplyDeleteFrom a Rome hub perspective, adding Belgrade, Sarajevo or Skopje could feed the US flights nicely. Lufthansa’s influence might finally push it through.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteFingers crossed!
They fly even to TIA, which is a massive market from Italy only seasonally. I don't hold much hope for them.
ReplyDeletewhat does "even" even mean? Flights to Italy are aprox 40% of TIA traffic. Comperable only to Switzerland from PRN
DeleteYeah that’s what the OP is saying - even in TIA they are only seasonal.
Delete@12:52 good observation. OP formulated the sentence wrong. It should have been: "they fly even to TIA seasonally, which is..."
DeleteI wrote the original comment. Sorry, missed a comma after "market". I meant to say that even in Tirana where there is huge demand to/from italy, ITA only managed seasonal flights.
DeleteBecause all of the traffic is LCC diaspora looking for low fares....ITA just scoops up international transfers and transatlantic transfers during the summer. Its not for nothing they fly seasonally, but up to 3 daily on certain days during the summer
DeleteITA is weak. OS flies to TIA 3x daily in summer and 2x daily in winter while both W6 and FR fly TIA-VIE. And the diaspora there is not even remotely comparable to the one in Italy.
DeleteI don’t get the article. ITA Airways currently flies 6 times per week from Milan Linate to Split!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? They do not fly between Milan and Split. The only airline flying between these two cities is easyjet. Check something before writing absolute nonsense.
DeleteThey do not fly this route. Where do you come up with such stuff?
DeletePlease help yourself guys and check Flightradar 24 and tell me what airline this morning landed in Split at 08.10
DeleteYes, it was easyjet! Flight number U21974. Get help!
DeleteHow embarassing for you @10.15 lol.
DeleteWell, in flight radar it says „ITA AIRWAYS“ and on the picture it’s an ITA airways plane. Pardon me
DeleteYou could have checked Split Airport website, ITA Airways booking site etc before making up claims that they are flying 6 weekly to Split.
DeleteBecause of restrictions at LIN ITA had to give 3 A320s to EasyJet.
DeleteThat is EasyJet Europe operated by ITA Airways flight!
DeleteSeems like they saw that other airlines have packed planes, especially in B&H and North Macedonia, so now they're trying to create transfers. But can they compete with W6 and the ability to get to Marrakech for 80-90 EUR
ReplyDeleteHopefully to Sarajevo
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone actually have something to gain from ITA (except maybe Skopje which has few major European legacies serving it)? Don't get me wrond I think it would be great to have them at any airport but what would they bring?
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Skopje, I'm not sure how they would make it work year round if Lufthansa can't make it work on Frankfurt-Skopje route in February and March (they are suspending the flights then) and they offer much more connections than ITA.
DeleteMight be more P2P traffic compared to Frankfurt. Austrian makes it work year round precisely becuase of that.
DeleteITA could serve SKP without any problems. Taking in consideration that Macedonian diaspora in Italy is huge and growing, for sure there is demand.Do not compare other airports like Frankfurt every airport is story for itself
DeleteLove that livery
ReplyDeleteSome routes to ex-Yu could work with A220.
ReplyDeleteThey could work with A320 too. lol
DeleteZAG 220. BEG 320. Believe LJU will be the 3rd one. 220 as well.
DeleteIs this the so-called kafič info?
DeleteNo. It's my opinion. BEG as the biggest ex-yu market. And ZAG and LJU as dependent on Germans, which club ITA joined recently
DeleteI know it's not the first destination that's going to be launched, but OMO would make a lot of sense, as an FCO route would work for both religious tourism and transfers.
ReplyDeleteBelgrade will be the 1st new destination in our region from March 2026
ReplyDeleteCrystal ball?
DeleteKafic said it
DeleteI would pick Podgorica first. Market most used to the transfers, nice p2p, short flight. Plus, they have some expertise with Alitalia. LH not flying there is a factor too.
ReplyDeleteNo Podgorica is not big market enough for serving routes like Rome , could work Tivat as summer seasonal nothing more than that!
Delete