No need. We have prestigious LH. Bravo Fraport! Bravo Fanboys!

Fraport Derangement Syndrome sufferer is at it again!

Because the biggest clown of slovenian aviation decided so. Because their incentive scheme are useless, unless you are Lufti.

I've been hearing moaning about new airlines in LJU for years now, but to tell the truth such a small airport looks quite well connected. I was there last summer, looks pretty much like a bigger train station. Can't expect to have 100 destinations from an airport of that size...

You can’t with that management. Actual problem is that it’s still small and will remain small, although it’s one of higher EU’s GDP capital

That high GDP per capita doesn't mean much if nearly 90% of travellers go for holidays to Croatia with a car.

Anon@12:00 If you compare LJU to a bigger train station then you haven't been at LJU or you don’t know what a bigger train station is. LJU is tiny.

LJU is problematic for those suffering the syndrome of size. In our region only TGD would manage to relatively easier and faster cover the loss of a national carrier, not ZAG and definitely not BEG. So, LJU could bring some routes faster (for some price) but at this point of time I don't think they would have much more traffic with any normal strategy they could pick back than (giving crazy discounts to LCC I don't consider normal and sustainable for a national airport).

+1

Exactly. The big takeaway is that despite geopolitical turmoil, the region is still growing. Other regions are much more affected.

Well growing is relative. Losing population by the month and balloning and unworkable debts on the other hand. So bravo for a few more flights. But fundermentally the region is not in rude health.

Also flyDubai is gonna, Turkish and Pegasus have some reductions. Not the best but an ok growth after all. Hopefully the things stabilise in the 2nd part of thr summer.

Ljubljana’s recovery continues quietly. It doesn’t get much attention, but 11.5% growth is solid, especially without a home carrier.

Its funny how the same people who did whatever it was needed to prevent the formation of the new national carrier now use this same argument as a proof of how successful Fraport is. Sick.

@9.41 not that many others airports in ExYu have home carriers

@13:00 are you referring to the success of Tuzla and Banja Luka?

I don't think anyone is referring to Tuzla and Banja Luka as a success.

A few years back, the people that are trashing LJU now, have been saying that Tuzla and Banja Luka are overtaking LJU and that LJU should take the same strategy as Tuzla and Banja Luka.

And if Lufthansa didn't shut CityLine.

JU could go double daily to MUC with the E-jets and prevent LH relaunching the route with someone like Discover or Air Dolomity.

I don't think JU is that adventurous to go double daily even though there is demand. I think they will wait for next summer to increase it to 9.

People forget that most LH traffic between BEG and MUC is transfer traffic (roughly 70%). Double daily is unnecessary.

I'm sure LH will keep MUC-BEG, despite JU or what they do.

And turn into another pathetic LH feeder? No, thanks

What?

Why wouldn't JU have transfers from Munich to Montenegro? They could also add some codeshare at MUC but not LH, of course, if possible (I used Air Europa codeshare at Zurich many times). It's not all about LH when you fly to their hub.

No new Ryanair routes and not a lot of growth from other airlines.

I do wonder if Wizz Air's expansion in Tuzla had some impact on Sarajevo?

09:26 Not really capacity wise, passenger numbers are still growing despite it.

With new bases and a lot of new aircraft in the region, there is no chance for Ryanair to be ahead.

Let's just hope they don't collapse. Their finances are far from great.

Who would have thought a year ago.

If a second Wizz aircraft comes Montenegro’s market could look very different by next summer.

They should have first expanded the terminal before inviting Wizz. The situation at the airport is unsustainable with this much traffic.

They need the concession desperately!

They don't need concession at all...TGD and TIV are making loads of money, they don't need to be privately operated enterprize..Why would anyone sell zlatnu koku? Tourism is the biggest engine of Montenegrin economy, who normal, for God sake, would give the key lever of tourism into foreign hands?

No, they dont need a concession at all. They need a better state owned operator!

It's not possible to have good state-owned operator in the region. Why, must one ask, since this is not the nuclear plant management? Because here the foreign investor must be perceived as better and desirable solution.

ZAG had better results while it was state-owned operator/enterprise. Mr. Matković was very successful CEO and had plans for ZAG to build new terminal and expand traffic on its own, without concession. Despite huge limitation factor in form of useless and corrupt midget Croatia Airlines. He was fired, and everything that came later is result of greed of politicians, crime and corruption on national level

Montenegrins should definitely keep their airports under the control of the state owned operator. There are civ/mil reasons for that. Concession is a mistake.

A lot of people claim things in the comments without any evidence.

It's mathematics, not opinion. Your competitor adds more seats than you - you lose the share. But that's yet to become market share, it's just a share in what's offered for now.

No people did not say that

I didn't write the original comment but they definitely did say that. I remember comments how their share is below 50%.

I remember reading an article here where Marek said that they are happy with keeping market share between 47% and 50% and said it is rather impossible to go much over 50%.

Again, by the basic math, their share in offered seats (again, not market share) must be lower than year before, if they add less seats than their competitor.

Have they added less than competitors? Wizz may have just replaced Lufthansa, Flydubai, TAROM and others that have reduced flights.

With the last cuts, could be that Wizz and JU just replaced those decreases and even made their shares go up. Wouldn't be great news for BEG but could be much worse.

I remember when people wrote that but it was during the month when JU's share was 42%.
Also don't forget that in May there is no CityLine so JU's share grew thanks to that.

Three daily flights is quite a capacity.

They absolutely never had 42% share. The lowest they have gone to is 47% (at least in recent years)

Hahahahaha, imagine Croatia Airlines speaking of market share of 42-52 percent. Instead of shameful 13 %. But hey, Bright and Shiny will change it. Uuups...

In this climate, 30 percent growth. Absolutely bonkers!

98% of it is being generated by Wizz.

^So?

So, God forbid that Wizz gets into trouble!

If they did, they would likely get replaced by Ryanair, which would get even better conditions than Wizz since they would be able to blackmail the airport and authorities.

please leave keeps winning to MNE. Izmisli nesto drugo

Bravo MNE??? Like brother in mindset?

Forgot to put crying smileys above 🤣🤣🤣

SKP is killiiiing it✈️✈️👏👏🇲🇰🇲🇰🇲🇰

@14:06 really?

Yes really plus the charters it is a real booom 🥳🥳🥳

I mean calm down with the obssive patriotism. Its dull

Nothing wrong to share the reality!!!

As long as I dont offending anyone and telling the truth, nothing wrong with it!!!

But obsessiveness about one relatively small European airport is a bit weird. But sure

Why?

They are one of the few airlines that serve every single ex-Yu market. Not so surprising.

And they are present here long time ago, and they are constantly growing and increasing. Their prices are very affordable, they have great connection options to Europe and Middle east so dont be surpised. And their services are excellent as well

Actually it's probably less. Freebird airlines has several daily charters to Skopje every day. Since these are charters they are not counted. As far as I'm aware, ZAG does not have many charters.

Wizz will likely come to ZAG this year and things will change again.

Skoplje and Zagreb are very similar cities. Same population, capitals of small countries. Difference is that ZAG has national carrier, higher wages and probably more tourists. And that is why have more pax.

ZAG also has transfer passengers.

Yeah like 15 transfers per day since OU doesn't have normal waves.

^ That does apply to the international network but people overlook that OU and Zagreb have quite a few transfers onto the domestic network. Particularly Dubrovnik and Split (and not just through OU but through Star Alliance partners)

^ some people are really obsessed with Skopje. Its not a race or competition guys. It screams a bit strange to be so obsessed with comparisons.

@10:53 "Probably" more tourists? What are you on ?

They also seem to think ZG is almost the same size. When its a out 25% larger. But size queens abound with figure worship.

In some point in future SKP will come really close to ZAG thats for sure, its just matter of time. Maybe will not overpass but come close it is real scenario.

It is already winner since January 😇

If the war didnt happend, it would even had more passengers and growth, but thanks to someone world is struggling again now....

True dat!

Why? Airlines are airlines. Its about allowing populations to move following and forging travel patterns. Nothing strange about that

+1

"in your face"? What is that supposed to mean? Adding seats on the market is easy. Filling them is much more difficult. Especially for Croatia Airlines.

easyjet will have more capacity than OU in June, July and August.

JU is having 521,714 available seats for May, OU 321,171 seats. That is a 3/5 of JU's capacity.
Or am I missing something?

True, some people cant accept that Jasmin Lion is one the best airline CEOs in South Europe.

I thought you were sincere and objective. But I feel bad now that you underestimate and offend our Jasmin the Lion that much to be the best in SE Europe only. Cause he is at least the best all over entire Europe. Maybe even wider. Therefore, you should apologize, for the beginning

They were pretty despised last year when they were cancelling flights, abandoning passengers, doing diversion to Timisoara etc.

And it's all forgiven because they are back in BEG stronger than ever. <3
Wizz Air loves Serbia just like Serbia loves Wizz Air.

No, Serbia loves Air Serbia

Some can't accept yet the new normal.

What is a traditional airline? Ryanair is older than all the countires of former Yugoslavia are as independent states. So perhaps they are the traditional airline..

Next step: local/regional LCC. Maybe not in a year or two but it happened everywhere and will happen here.

Can you outline where it has 'happened' everywhere ? And how and who would pay for a local LCC? Because there is no company i can imagine who would qualify as 'local' (e.g shareholders or private capitali from the exyu region) that could do such a thing on any scale. Ex yu has a regional lcc in wizzair.

Why not, there are multi-million business in the region who could invest. Here's the list of some Euro LCCs: Norwegian, Smartwings, Pobeda, FlyOne, HiSky, Jet2, Aeroitalia (if alive), Buzz, Iberia Express etc.

That list doesnt mean anything i'm afraid. Because behind most on that list are other airline groups or money. So think closer just how a 'local' lcc would be formed? Because you will find it very hard. But i like your strong belief in the regions abilities even if the combined population of the former yugoslavia is only slightly more than the Netherlands.

low cost are shaping ALL of Europe more than traditional airlines, the Balkans are finally part of it

Excatly! Well said

12.14
About 15-20 years ago, there was a guy in Croatia, returned from Australia, where he worked for Ansett and Qantas. He had huuuge plans for local/regional LCC with neutral name "Dalmatian". I saw with my own eyes signed contract for lease of first aircraft, A320, I saw with my own eyes signed contract for lease of offices at Radnička str. in ZAG were HQ were supposed to be, internet ticket sales for first 10 destinations, Larnaca, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Prague, Geneve... already started and sales were performing excellently, positions were opened for personnel employment on all levels, and everything was just about to start. After some time, suddenly, literally over night, everything disappeared from the net. All passengers with bought ticket were instantly refunded. And about two weeks later, I received a call from the guy, excusing, and telling me, I will quote: "I had to do it in order to keep my head on my shoulders." He was treathened to be eliminated if the things go on. Therefore, when I speak about Mafia which prevents aviation in Croatia to develop and grow, it's not just a figure of speech. It us brutal and sad reality

interesting

@13:51 well a croatian LCC called Dalmatian is hardly going to have grown to a wizzair style op. But yeah its a shame that ship sailed for Croatia so many years ago with successive awful governments.

I mentioned local/regional LCC and I definitely didn't mean Wizz size, the same none of our legacies is Lufthansa size - there are many LCCs in Europe (and whole world) who are not the biggest LCCs, someone has to be mid-sized too. That's our future regional LCC. And PIR, thanks for the story. We must believe more in ourselves and work toward bringing the common sense back, and we will have to do it bottom-up in our societies. Tough job.

Ryanair is from Ireland, far away island with war on that very island which I remember, and I'm not that old. Of course I will never accept the Balkans backwater as a destiny. It's our choice.

Ryanair is from the Republic or Ireland. There was not a 'war' there. But yes you are right that Ryanair grew along side good governement and a very very strong business mindset during the late 1990s. This has been missing in the former yugoslavia on many aspects. But a LCC formed from 'domestic exyu' money or backed by any reputable business seems very unlikely to me in the current climate. The ship sailed a long time ago on small (forget ideas of medium) new LCCs in Europe. Anyone remember Sky Europe and Air Polonia in the early 2000s? Blue1 from Finland? Dutchbird? FlyingFinn? Icelandexpress? Xl? The list of failures and lost investments is very long.

Another month, another reminder that low cost carriers will earn far more taking passengers away from traditional airlines (LH Group, AF/KL, BA/IB) than by "reshaping" the ExYu region.

To whom?

And with how much % finished March ? With roughly 33% thanks to the war😡

People are dying and petrol prices are damaging business globally. Skopje's % seem trivial in comparison to the issues we all face

@14.29 not sure we are understanding what you are saying

15:06 I am saying with how much growth SKP finished March in % because of the war

with 37%

37% isnt the planned numbers growth ??? But the final is 37% as well ? If thats yes than well done I didnt notice that!!

37% isnt the planned numbers growth ??? But the final is 37% as well ? If thats yes than well done I didnt notice that!!

40%

Planned was 40% airport finish with 37% ??

@14:27 fannnnboy

@14.27 daj namali ziti se

🇲🇰🇲🇰🇲🇰👏👏👏✈️✈️✈️

It's good but it would be better if majority of this is not just about people who left the country and who obviously didn't think it's so great. It's about high time for NM to elevate the national economy.

15:55 everyone have the right to leave the homeland for a better life, someone is happy outside someone is happy inside the country. You think German people not moving to live in Swiss,USA,Canada etc?? For a better life in some point?? Thats normal , you think only Macedonians leaving abroad? First our people left our country is back in 1950 in Australia,Canada,USA ,Europe, yes nobody wants to leave its home but rhats the life. Btw this growth is not only from our fasto people,mostly yes, but there is good portion of foreign people in this numbers visiting our country as a tourists or business or something else :)))

@15.55 you are free to write the same in a blog dedicated to aviation from any east european country.

I will when I see them praising their amazing gasto numbers the way you do.

@15:35 dull hahah. Move the narrative to something constructive rather than random fanboy flagwaving for an airport

Where do you have the result that all those numbers are by gasto ?? So this means all airports that growing in Ex-yu arr gasto numbers?? Or u just hate the reality that SKP growing rapidly??

Calm down

Amazing results for Skopje. I think Tirana and Skopje are the airports with the largest growth in the region. Totally deserved for both countries after years of neglect!

Yep. Growth from a low basis is dramatic and welcome.

18:40 the other countries just growing with flag carriers not low cost airlines right ? 😂😂😂😂 if there is no low cost option Europe people will dream of flying and vacation deals ;)