Wizz Air has reached a preliminary agreement with the Montenegrin government to open a base in Podgorica. The country’s Minister of Transport, Maja Vukićević, said, “We have reached a preliminary agreement with Wizz Air, and I expect that we will soon sign a cooperation contract, which will see Montenegro become a base for this renowned airline. This will significantly enhance our connectivity and further increase passenger numbers. We already have the announcement of Wizz Air’s base, as well as new routes from other established carriers, and what is particularly encouraging is that the number of available destinations continues to grow each year. What is certain is that, in the period ahead, we will increase the number of destinations Montenegro is connected to year-round”.
The head of operator Airports of Montenegro, Roko Tolić, had previously noted that Wizz Air plans to station two aircraft in Podgorica with the potential addition of a third jet later on. Mr Tolić emphasised the mutual benefits of this partnership, noting that while the airport operator may accept lower per-passenger fees, the broader economic impact, such as increased tourism and job creation, would be substantial. Wizz Air currently serves Podgorica from Budapest, Dortmund, Memmingen and Milan Malpensa on a year-round basis, as well as Katowice, London Gatwick, Vienna (ending October 24) and Warsaw seasonally. It will also add a new summer service to Vilnius in June 2026.
The new base would also help Podgorica improve on its sluggish performance in 2025, which is primarily due to Ryanair’s reduced operations, resulting in the airport’s passenger numbers to decline during the peak summer season in July and August. Montenegro is shortly expected to outline Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes, a number of destinations that have been deemed unprofitable but of high strategic importance, which will be subsidised by the state. “The government, acting on the proposal of the Ministry of Transport, has adopted a regulation defining the conditions for declaring a route to be of public interest. We are currently in communication with the European Commission to ensure that the entire process aligns with Montenegro’s obligations as a country negotiating membership with the European Union”, Ms Vukićević noted.
Huge news, congratulations
ReplyDeleteYes, good news for MNE. Happy for them.
DeleteOne comment from Montenegro, an ordinary citizen. I am not at all happy about more noise and mass tourism.
DeleteMontenegro has done an excellent job replacing all the Russian traffic it lost after Putin's war.
DeleteI didn't expect them to rebound that fast.
@09:14 you are employed by the government or a pensioner and you believe that the money are brought to your bank account by Deda Mraz, right?
DeleteSome people don't want to sell their soul for more cash.
DeleteYou can live on air and sunshine. The rest of us want to work and earn money for ourselves and our families.
DeleteAlso these flights are to Podgorica, not Tivat, so other regions barring than Kotor will benefit from em
DeleteAnonymous09:27
DeleteWhy do you believe there is no life outside of mass tourism? it has become impossible to live here because of tourists and noise. enough of race for money at the expense of a decent life. this much crowding becomes rude
Well, in Montenegro there would not be much life without tourism.
DeleteExcellent move by the government. A base will create jobs, boost tourism and give people cheaper travel options. Hope they also look at Tivat for future expansion.
Delete+1000
Delete@Anonymous 09:44
DeleteBecause without tourism revenues even more of us would have to go get employment in western Europe!
Because it is either tourism, a bit of services and farming OR mass migration.
Because we do not have high teck industry or multinational companies bases in Montenegro to employee us instead of tourism.
Mass tourism is wonderful. Nothing boosts national pride like watching your own culture turned into an all inclusive weekend package while locals can no longer afford their own homes or a decent meal and finally end up as expats.
DeleteTwo aircraft base would mean a lot of new routes
ReplyDeleteWhich ones could we see?
DeleteAlot ? 2 aircrafts for you is alot ? For sure will not be 30 routes , it will be max 6 to 10 routes which half of them will be seasonaly
Delete6-10 new routes for an airport the size of Podgorica is definitely a lot! The airport falls apart when it has 3 flights boarding at the same time.
DeleteNot sure if you have been to TGD but it is one of the worst airports in ex-Yu incapable of handling several flights at the same time.
A new base with two aircraft stationed could mean 10, maybe more new destinations on a 3 times a week frequency.
DeleteIn general, from a LCC, you should expect 5 to 7 routes per aircraft.
DeleteNo it does not. Because if they do open a base, Podgorica based Wizz planes will take over all the routes that they operate so far from Podgorica which are written in the article with exception to London which will be operated with UK based aircraft.
DeleteMy comment above was in response to anon 9.19
Delete@Anonymous 09:22
DeleteWHY would "Podgorica based Wizz planes will take over all the routes that they operate"???
Where in the article did you read that?
The majority of those will be taken over by aircraft in TGD.
DeleteSource: Trust me bro!
DeleteThe source is examples of all other bases they have opened across their network.
DeleteWherever they opened bases routes and frequencies exploded.
DeleteIt will be the same story in MN.
@10:08 I think only DTM and FMM will be taken over by TGD based planes. The rest are not needed.
DeleteAnyone remember how hostile Montenegro was to LCCs in the 2010s. How times have changed
ReplyDeleteProtectionism runs deep in our region.
DeleteAnd it was completely for nothing. Montenegro Airlines went bust and in the end here we are offering subsidies to Wizz. Could have all been done 10 years ago.
DeleteOpening a base without mentioning new potentinal routes are little wierd , but anyway good luck 👍
ReplyDeleteIt's because it's not a Wizz announcement. The minister basically leaked an agreement.
DeleteIn the past there also was a case with Ryanair then FR decided to withdraw from the agreement at the time. Montenegrin officials are used to kids play boasting that only they have some information.
DeleteFantastic news
ReplyDeleteIf this happend and depend what kind of routes they will launch definitely Air montenegro will be pushed down alot ....
ReplyDeleteAir Montenegro is irrelevant. They could survive off BEG and IST alone and summer charters.
DeleteDidn't Tolic say how they will have to expand infrastructure to become a Wizz base? So much for that...
ReplyDeleteThey will also have to extend opening hours. The airport does not open until 6AM. In October last year TGD could not be bothered to open the airport an hour earlier for the Montenegrin football team which had to circle around Podgorica for an hour until the staff showed up.
DeleteA jado dje ces u zla doba kad ni zora nije pukla? A dje je kafa? Pa duvan....
DeleteAnd of course they get reduced fees while others don't.
ReplyDeleteIt's an LCC. It's not different anywhere else.
Delete^
DeleteIt is different in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal.
??? How exactly is it different?
DeleteTheir airports do not subsidize W6 and FR over all other airlines ibn order to get service.
DeleteAnon 09:44 Those airports do not subsidize W6 and FR because those two airlines are begging them to fly there ! Who does not want to fly to big tourist markets ?!
DeleteMontenegro is also quite big tourist market, but the fact it depends on Serbs and Bosnians... Diversify!
DeleteGreat news for Montenegro! A Wizz Air base will mean more affordable flights and better connectivity, especially for the diaspora and tourism.
ReplyDeleteAirport in Podgorica is very bad ans I dont know how they can handle new routes with current infrastructure
ReplyDelete+1 unfortunately
DeleteWell perhaps this would set things in motion to make improvements
DeleteBoth MN airports will go into concession with Incheon.
Delete^ not happening
Delete^ Eventually it will.
DeleteIsn't this just Government working against it's own National airline. Maybe better spend money on it.
ReplyDeleteNo thanks, 1 Euro towards an LCC will bring a lot more revenue back to the country than 1 Euro towards YM.
DeleteThis is the best aviation news for Montenegro in years! Having Wizz Air base aircraft here will finally give us more year round routes instead of seasonal ones.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIf two or three planes are based here, we could easily see flights to Spain, France or Scandinavia. Those are the markets missing from our map right now.
ReplyDeletewow! Great news for TGD!
ReplyDeleteSo that means LJU, PRN and SJJ only three major ex-Yu cities without being and LCC base.
ReplyDeleteSJJ will soon join the rest.
DeleteAnd LJU will be left as the only airport without a based airline.
DeleteDon't worry, LJU is becoming major charter hub. Bravo Fraport.
DeleteIs it wise for the minister to announce this before the agreement has been reached? I remember that some 10 years ago Ryanair cancelled its plans to launch flights to Montenegro after the minister leaked the details.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to that would be no. It's not wise.
DeleteFinally. Twelve years too late but better late than never. And of course the minister leaked the info prematurely. They just can't keep it in their pants, on par with Bosna.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, let's see what the network is. I had a clear vision and a winning formula 12 years ago before they got allured by FR's grandiose promises.
Could you share what your idea was for Wizz in TGD/Montenegro?
DeleteYes, would be interesting to hear :)
DeleteThe government should focus on making the airport more efficient before adding new routes.
ReplyDeleteGood to see Wizz expanding in the region again.
ReplyDeletethis will create competition for Ryanair in Montenegro. They’ve been reducing routes and this could be Wizz’s chance to dominate.
ReplyDeleteTGD's performance this year is quite bad. All airport (especially capital city ones in ex-Yu) are growing and they are losing passengers in July and August of all months.
ReplyDeleteTivat is doing well though.
DeleteWould it make sense to build one major airport in Montenegro, somewhere between Podgorica and Tivat with good road infrastructure to serve as one big hub for the country?
ReplyDelete:No. Montenegro is better served by two complementary airports than one. Also there is no "in between" Podgorica and Tivat where an airport could be built.
DeleteI really hope they go for Podgorica-Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteyes me too ...
DeleteWould it be viable?
DeleteAirMontenegro is seeing around 78 % loads to Tivat and Podgorica in July even after they reduced the amount of weekly flights this year, so the numbers are not the best, but then again - sometimes Wizz does wonders.
DeleteLook numbers of Adria and now wizz on Ljubljana - Skopje ...
DeleteHasn't Montenegrin government got to take care of Air Montenegro? Or is that company out there only to harvest easy money from Belgrade routs?
ReplyDeleteAir Montenegro, proportional to its size, gets the most state aid of any airline in the wider region. It is currently under investigation for breaching state aid so the government has thought up of this PSO to legally give it money. The government also bought it another Embraer plane recently (a former Air Montenegro one which was on financial lease from Brazilian bank) but it is missing documentation and a functional engine. But don't worry the government is paying for it to be fixed.
DeleteMeant to say *former Montenegro Airlines one
DeleteRather childish to announce a deal until it's not done. Preliminary agreement does not mean a thing if your business partner steps back because of your unprofessional behaviour.
ReplyDelete