Seven carriers are set to operate regular wide-body services from former Yugoslav markets during the upcoming summer season, running from March 29 to October 24. A total of 1.836 wide-body flights have been scheduled so far (both directions included), marking a 2.3% increase compared to last year but still 25.8% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels. The decline is largely attributed to the Croatian market, which, unlike seven years ago, is no longer served by American Airlines, Air Canada Rouge, Emirates, or Korean Air. However, United Airlines will enter another route this year, from Newark to Split.
Scheduled wide-body operations for former Yugoslav markets, summer 2026
.png)
Belgrade will have the highest volume of wide-body capacity this summer. Air Serbia plans to operate 812 flights to and from its hub using up to four Airbus A330-200 aircraft, marking a 10.9% increase in operations. This summer, the Serbian carrier is adding seasonal flights between Belgrade and Toronto, from May 23 until September 26. Coupled with China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, which will maintain the same level of operations as in the summer of 2025, Belgrade’s wide-body capacity will grow by 8.2% compared to last year, totalling 283.514 seats.
In Zagreb, South Korean low cost carrier T’way Air has scheduled the resumption of its seasonal flights between Seoul and Zagreb for June 27 with the A330-200, marking its third year of operations to the Croatian capital. Presently, it will have nine fewer roundtrips on the route compared to last year. In addition, Air Transat will return to Zagreb this summer with the same schedule as in 2025, deploying its A330-200 aircraft. Service will resume on May 9, with a total of 106 operations - one roundtrip less than last year. However, the carrier has also scheduled a one-off service between Montreal and Zagreb, which will bring the total number of flights to the Croatian capital to the same level as in 2025. Zagreb’s wide-body capacity will decline 10.2% compared to last year, totalling 61.440 seats.
United Airlines will lead wide-body capacity growth in Croatia this summer. The carrier will maintain its operations between Newark and Dubrovnik with the Boeing 767-400 aircraft and one additional roundtrip compared to last year. United will inaugurate flights between Newark and Split this summer, maintaining three weekly rotations between April 30 and September 7 with its B767-300ER.
Meanwhile, TUI Airways has scheduled a total of 88 wide-body Dubrovnik operations, utilising its Boeing 787-8 aircraft on London Gatwick and Manchester flights, matching last year’s operations. Wide-body services from Manchester will run from May 7 to October 22, while flights from London Gatwick will operate between May 21 and September 24. TUI will restore wide-body operations to Pula this summer, with flights from Birmingham also operated by the Dreamliner from May 9 until October 3, with a total of 44 operations. Overall, Croatia will have 784 scheduled wide-body operations this summer, providing 195.156 seats, an increase of 15.5% compared to the summer of 2025.
Unlike the 2025 summer season, Edelweiss Air has not scheduled wide-body capacity on its Zurich - Pristina service. Last year, the airline deployed both the A340-300 and A350-900 on a regular basis between the two cities.
Changes to wide-body capacity and operations are possible at this stage. The information in the above article is correct as of the date of publication.
A330 ruling the region
ReplyDeleteSad that there are just 3 cities with scheduled wide body flights.
ReplyDeleteFour actually
DeleteDon't know where you got 3 cities or 4. There are 5 - BEG, DBV, ZAG, SPU, PUY
DeleteSurprised to see Edelweiss dropping wide-bodies to Pristina.
ReplyDeleteThere will be some for sure.
DeleteWhen does Edelweiss plan to retire those A340s?
Deleteall A340s expected to be retired by 2027. First of five was retired last October.
DeleteThanks!
DeleteTK used to send its A330s to the region from time to time. Now it is rather uncommon. Pity.
ReplyDeleteThey have increased frequencies so much, there really is no need for widebodies.
DeleteEvery time widebody is used on a narrowbody route, it means schedule planners have failed. Or it is Japan.
DeleteErm no. You have widebodies operating on regular basis on intra European flights.
DeleteDamn no. If there is widebody flight on intra-European flight that means something:
Delete1. there is premium demand which cannot be carried on narrowbodies
2. there is a lot of cargo
3. there is a lot of passengers and no enough narrowbodies
Where within Europe does LHG, AF/KL or BA/ON use widebodies?
Delete*BA/IB
DeleteIt makes sense on slot constrained airports for high demand routes
DeleteApart from TK which operates wide bodies to many European destinations, other airlines that use widebodies on European routes regularly are:
DeleteFinnair (London, Amsterdam, Gran Canaria)
Icelandair (Amsterdam, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Dublin, Munich)
Iberia (London)
Air Europa (Madrid- Barcelona, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Gran Canaria)
I have excluded airlines like Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Ethiopian which have fifth freedom Europe flights with wide bodies, as well as non planned wide body deployment like Swiss this month on many routes.
Interesting that almost all are flying to AMS. I guess like @11.14 said due to slot constraints.
Deleteisn't there also a cap on how many seats airlines can sell at AMS? Or was that just during the crazy covid times when the airport was falling apart?
DeleteIf you ask why not, and get some vague answer along the lines because or simmilar, you know that we have an expert in conversation
Delete+1000
DeleteNot bad actually
ReplyDeleteI'm actually impressed. That's a solid number of flights and capacity.
DeleteI still see potential and a possibility that Qatar Airways upgrades either ZAG or BEG or both to a Dreamliner or A330.
ReplyDeleteToo many A330s, give some different types of big birds
ReplyDeleteBeggars can't be choosers.
DeleteJFK transatlantic passengers are also beggars by that logic. Except on 777 on routes to major hubs in Europe, all other transatlantic traffic from JFK (and most other US East coast airports) is dominated by exact same mix of aircraft listed in the table: A330, B767, B787
DeleteEx-YU, I think there is an error in your table at No.7 Air Serbia Belgrade-Guangzhou-Belgrade. It's also at No.9.
ReplyDeleteThanks, fixed.
DeleteThank you for those numbers!
DeleteIt would be nice to see comparation of 2026 and 2019 numbers for Serbia/Belgrade and Croatia
ReplyDeleteIn terms of widebody capacity, Belgrade has seen an increase of 316% 2019 vs 2026. Croatia has seen a decline of 44%.
DeleteNice to read about BEG, thanks
DeleteI do hope some of those airlines that flew to Zagreb from 2019 come back, primarily Emirates.
ReplyDeleteThat ship has sailed. The GoT/Korean hype has died down post-COVID and tourists from the Far East have moved on to other destinations. At this point it's more likely for DBV to get FlyDubai than for Emirates to return to ZAG.
DeleteDubrovnik already has flydubai
DeleteAny chance for American to return to Dubrovnik? I know that before the pandemic they were even considering a second destination, from Chicago.
ReplyDeleteAmerican in 2020 went on and retired all their A330s, their 767s and postponed deliveries of the 787-9s.
DeleteSo now they gave way fewer widebody aircraft available than they need.
One of the main reasons they only have one tenth of the profits DL andUA have despite carrying more pax than them.
Yes there is
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/11/dubrovnik-airport-in-talks-with.html
Bravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteHow when y-o-y is below last year?
Delete^ It is down for Zagreb, not Croatia
Delete"Overall, Croatia will have 784 scheduled wide-body operations this summer, providing 195.156 seats, an increase of 15.5% compared to the summer of 2025."
@09:32
DeleteAnon 09:29 knows that, he's just trying to find something to be negative about the country...
I didn't know that. I saw the Zagreb number and mistook it for Croatia total. My apologies.
DeleteCroatia’s 15.5% growth sounds impressive but it’s largely concentrated on US leisure routes. That’s not the same as having diversified long-haul connectivity.
DeleteThere are no better longhaul tourists to have than Americans.
DeleteThey spent more per day than any other nationality.
And only 1 city with year round wide body capacity.
ReplyDeleteThe only real city!
DeleteSMFH...
Delete@09:35 funny much?
DeleteWill be interesting to see if Toronto will be extended.
ReplyDeleteIn December they said they will have a decision in 6 months.
Delete14 routes with wide bodies is not so bad considering how small and unimportant our region is.
ReplyDeleteCroatia thanks to Dalmatia is not unimportant. The rest of the region sadly is though.
DeleteMost of the region's capacity is allocated to just one airport outside Dalmatia and Croatia. So much for being unimportant.
DeleteWe could see Flydubai 787-9 maybe in years to come
ReplyDeleteSome other Chinese carriers could start BEG in a year or two with B787.
DeleteI think the agreement between Serbia and China limits the number of airlines that can launch flights. Air China would be welcome though.
DeleteI much rather see JU finally launch Beijing.
DeleteIt would be better to increase frequencies on existing routes.
DeleteBoth can be done with the existing A330 fleet.
DeleteHave a feeling Sarajevo will be next with scheduled wide body flights.
ReplyDeleteWould have nothing against it but what gave you that impression?
DeleteSarajevo with 2.600m runway is hardly going to get any widebodies.
DeleteIn 2019 during peak season, Qatar Airways regularly operated flights to Sarajevo with the A330.
DeleteIt is crazy how quickly the EWR-DBV route has expanded. Hope they have the same success with SPU.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHoping there will be more
ReplyDeleteA330 still reign supreme in terms of equipment in terms of long haul in this region.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense for these market. Unfortunately we are all second tier markets.
DeleteWhat? Why would you consider A330s second tier exactly? Hainan's A333s that they send to Belgrade are just 6 years old.
DeleteUS big 3 still operate A330s and 767s in large numbers.
DeleteA330-900 for routes up to 9 hours has unbeatable economics.
DeleteBut not too many airlines have ordered the A330-900
DeleteI was flying with A330-900 and it is such a great plane.
DeleteDreamliners are used by China Southern and occasionally by Hainan. A330 is predominant but we have diversity in BEG.
Delete@11:46
Delete32 airlines and lessors have ordered 473 A330neos so fat.
Not bad at all for a derivative aircraft
Remember when Transaero used to send 747s to Pula regularly?
ReplyDeleteI do, sadly Putin put an end to it.
DeleteTransaero's Siberian tiger 747 was amazing!
Putin put an end to it???
Deletehttps://www.aviationsurf.co.uk/2021/06/where-is-siberian-faced-tiger-boeing.html
Yes, Transaero went bankrupt because the state wanted to protect Aeroflot.
DeleteDidn't Rossiya also send 747s to Pula? Or I mixed it up
DeleteNo it was to Dubrovnik.
DeleteBelgrade has 4.5 times widebody seat capacity of next largest exyu airport. Huge difference, much more than difference in overall passenger capacity.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers are solid but the region still lacks year-round long-haul depth outside Belgrade. Seasonality remains the key challenge.
ReplyDeleteOther than Belgrade I cant imagine anywhere except Zagreb being able ever to have year-round widebody flights. The markets are tiny outside of tourist seasons everyhwere else. Even airports such as Bristol in the UK (which serves a city the size of Montengro and with almost 2milliom passengers more than Belgrade) doesnt have widebody flights. Winter in the exyu space will for a long time be the preserve of narrow-bodies.
DeleteCan someone explain to me what is the one off Montreal-Zagreb flight? What is its purpose?
ReplyDeleteWondering the same.
DeleteUnited in two Croatian cities is big news.
ReplyDeleteThere is still a lot of untapped potential.
ReplyDeleteOut of 14 routes listed in the table, breakdown per airport:
ReplyDeleteBEG 7
DBV 3
ZAG 2
SPU 1
PUY 1