Austrian Airlines will reduce frequencies to Zagreb, Belgrade, Skopje and Dubrovnik during the upcoming summer season, while increasing operations to Podgorica and Pristina. The Star Alliance member will cut five weekly services between Vienna and Zagreb, maintaining a daily rotation between the two capitals. On the Belgrade route, frequencies will be reduced by three weekly flights in May, June and October, resulting in eighteen weekly services, and by five weekly during the peak summer travel period in July and August, for a total of sixteen weekly. At the same time, competition on both routes is intensifying. Croatia Airlines is doubling frequencies on the Vienna service from five to ten weekly for most of the season, while Air Serbia will add four weekly flights between Belgrade and Vienna this summer, bringing its total to 21 weekly services.
In Skopje, Austrian Airlines will scale back operations outside the peak summer period. In April and May, frequencies will be reduced by two weekly flights, for a total of eleven weekly rotations, while in October the carrier will cut two weekly services, operating twelve per week. During the remaining months, services will continue to run twice daily, in line with last summer’s schedule. Dubrovnik will also see reductions, with the airline cutting three weekly flights during the peak summer months of July and August, for a total of fourteen weekly services.
The changes follow Austrian Airlines’ decision to terminate its wet-lease agreement with Braathens Regional Airways, citing a decline in operational reliability. A total of twelve routes had depended on the wet-lease capacity, including services to Zagreb and Belgrade. The carrier has since introduced alternative wet-lease partners and deployed its own aircraft on the two routes, although with significantly greater capacity than originally planned. This summer also marks the rollout of the Lufthansa Group’s “Matrix Next Level” program, a restructuring initiative designed to centralise operational planning across the Group’s network. Under the new framework, route planning decisions are now coordinated from Frankfurt, with the objective of optimising schedules from the Group’s feeder traffic from European markets.
However, Austrian Airlines will boost frequencies to both Podgorica and Pristina this summer. Services between Vienna and the Montenegrin capital will increase by between two and three weekly flights, resulting in a total of sixteen to seventeen weekly services, depending on the month. In Pristina, frequencies will be raised during the peak summer period in July and August, with the addition of three weekly rotations, for a total of seventeen weekly flights.
Shame to see them reducing flights so much in the region. Is there any particular reason?
ReplyDeleteLack of leased aircraft
DeleteYes increased competition from JU and OU and problems with wet lease provider, as described in the text.
DeleteYes, withdrawal of turboprop fleet. And even worse, they’re withdrawing Ejets soon, replacing with A220s. That will be ther last nail in the OS coffin. But that’s because LH is not a Mutti, but a step mother
DeleteAustrian will not switch to A220. Their official long-term strategy involves transitioning to an all-Airbus A320 family fleet for short- and medium-haul.
DeleteNote that they're still keeping the B787s for long haul flights and retiring the 777s and 767s
DeleteAustrian offloading non profitable flights to OU which will have to fly a 150 seater on the route
ReplyDeleteWill have? No they can also use the aircraft to other routes that generate more demand: Portugal, Spain, and many others…
DeleteCorrect, it is Croatia Airlines' choice to do this.
DeleteAt least summer peak months are unchanged out of SKP , plus the new addition to OHD is still good
ReplyDeleteGood news for JU! They are starting to beat Austrian in what seemed like an impossible fight. With reductions around the region, some will transfer to JU generating even more passengers
ReplyDeleteGood news for JU! They are starting to beat Austrian in what seemed like an impossible fight. With reductions around the region, some will transfer to JU generating even more passengers
ReplyDeleteStrong competition from JU in BEG for Austrian.
ReplyDeleteNow W6 could step in with BTS BEG route
ReplyDeleteThey failed in INI.
DeleteThey didn't fail, they just found a market where they can earn even more money. Also, I don't think BEG and INI are the same. If they were, BEG would not have 120 destinations compared to INI's 10.
DeleteConsidering we have railway as new player in Viena-Belgrade market, don't think JU should expand...
ReplyDeleteRailway is definitely not an alternative and the railway existed before too.
Delete@09:42 wait for it to actually begin operations to see what degree of use this will have. As a point to point option it might be ok. Although its still quite a voyage.
DeleteThe renewed train link will significantly reduce previous travel times so it will definitely be more competitive. It will compete more with busses than air travel for O&D demand while also stimulating new travellers. Both VIE and BEG are hubs in some form so there will always be demand for air travel so the impact won't be significant.
DeletePeople are curious, many will give it a try
DeleteYou are right. JU should discontinue flights to Vienna because there is a train available again.
DeleteNobody said that. Point was that maybe not the right time for expansion...
DeleteThey increase frequencies based on the demand that they are seeing in foreword bookings. Not on a whim.
DeleteSurprising there is no concern over Croatia Airlines increasing frequencies between Zagreb and Vienna even though there is a TRAIN between the two cities.
DeleteThis is an open forum. Diferent opinion and debate should be welcomed. As far JU reading tea leaves, would't be the first time they missread it.
DeleteThankfully they always have the expert brain trust here.
DeleteThe train will have little impact. Especially for JU. They use the right aircraft for the route. They'll be fine for a long while yet on this route
DeleteTrain will compete with flights simple as that. If the price is low enough most people wouldn't mind taking a few extra hours by train.
DeleteDon't know why JU being challenged is a bad thing, the JU OS duopoly kept prices high, so there's plenty of good to come from more options. That said it's nowhere near a disaster the other end of the spectrum makes it out to be.
Cheering for companies to dominate a route over a healthy competition sometimes really makes me wonder how many of people posting here actually travel regularly or if at all ..
No one is cheering. It's just delusional if you think that people who fly will suddenly catch a train to Vienna.
DeleteOhrid is not mentioned - they are starting seasonal flights to OHD for the first time this year.
ReplyDeleteThere was an entire article about it. This is obviously about existing services that have changes. They also fly to Zadar but it's not mentioned because frequency is unhanged.
DeleteThe cuts to Skopje outside the peak months suggest yields aren’t strong enough year-round. Twice daily in summer but trimmed in shoulder season seems like a more realistic approach.
ReplyDeleteThe termination of the Braathens wet-lease probably forced Austrian’s hand.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t read too much into the reductions. Austrian is still maintaining solid frequency levels on all these routes. Vienna remains a key hub for the region.
ReplyDeleteVienna’s role as a hub for the Balkans remains strong, but competition from direct long haul and low cost carriers is slowly eating into transfer traffic.
DeleteBelgrade–Vienna will be oversupplied this summer. Air Serbia 21 weekly + Austrian 16 weekly is a lot of capacity for such a short sector.
ReplyDeleteIn the end it will be the similar capacity as previous summer, OS reduces 5 weekly frequencies, while JU increases 4 weekly frequencies.
DeleteThe Dubrovnik cuts during peak summer are interesting. One would expect maximum capacity in July and August not reductions.
ReplyDeleteGlad for the increase in PRN. W6 will have it tough from BTS to attract any meaningful traffic.
ReplyDelete