Wizz Air, Air Serbia and Ryanair will add the most new seats in the former Yugoslav markets during the third quarter (July - September), compared to the same period in 2025. Among them, Wizz Air and Ryanair, together with Air Serbia, will rank as the largest carriers by available seat capacity. Wizz Air will lead the growth, adding a considerable 1.138.127 extra seats. This growth stems from the opening of its Podgorica base, as well expansion of its bases in Skopje, Belgrade and Tuzla. Overall, the airline’s capacity will rise by 61.3% year-on-year.
Fastest-growing airlines by added seat capacity in Q3, 2026
Air Serbia will add 109.746 seats in Q3, increasing its capacity by 6.3%. The growth comes from the introduction of a number of new services, with the airline operating seven additional routes during the three-month period compared to last year. Although the carrier has nine new destinations in its network, including Alicante, Baku, Toronto, Brač, Seville, Tenerife, Santorini, Nizhny Novgorod and Munich, it has dropped Ankara and Lyon from its network over the past twelve months. On routes which were in operation a year ago, Air Serbia has added the most capacity during Q3 2026 on its Vienna flights, followed by Tivat, Milan and Brussels.
Largest airlines by available seat capacity in Q3, 2026
Wizz Air’s growth will position it as the largest carrier in the former Yugoslavia by available seat capacity during the third quarter. It is followed by Ryanair, with a more modest 2.4% growth rate, then Air Serbia, easyJet, Croatia Airlines and Lufthansa. As reported recently, Croatia Airlines, which had been expected to record its highest-ever summer capacity this year, has instead seen its seat offering fall below last year's levels following a series of network revisions, including the discontinuation of six routes and frequency reductions on a number of services.
Over 1.1 million extra seats is crazy
ReplyDeleteWizz Air's expansion is on another level. Over a million extra seats in just one quarter is remarkable.
DeleteWhether people like them or not, they've transformed air travel in the Balkans.
DeleteThose who 'dislike' certain airlines are, in my opinion, fools. Aviation is a business and a competition which has inovated and facilitated. Great to see the region with more connectivity than ever before. Long may it be.
Delete+1
DeleteThey are growing at a pace around 15% compared to the same month last year.
DeleteLooks like Spirit Airlines effect on a PW jet engines is taking effect
DeleteI wouldn't judge success based on one summer season. Consistency over several years matters much more. Two years ago Wizz Air was decimiating its network in the region and closing bases.
DeleteI wonder how much of Wizz's growth is actually profitable. Growing by 61% is impressive but filling all those seats is another challenge.
ReplyDeleteHaha the negative guy again
DeleteAsking questions is not negative. Calm down dear
DeleteCroatia Airlines really missed an opportunity this summer. With tourism booming reducing capacity seems like the wrong move.
ReplyDeleteTourism is not booming in Croatia this year, their bookings in the coastal area are significantly lower than last year, and most of their guests are anyhow arriving with the car or through EU based tourist agencies using their companies to fly to Croatia ...
DeleteMaybe in your head. In the real world, tourist arrivals are up by 5% for the year so far, and tourism revenue is up 9,2% compared to last year (which was a record year) so actually tourism is indeed "booming"
DeleteThat is probably a reason why Split has 19.000 air passengers less in June 2026 than in the same month in 2025.
Delete*fewer
DeleteRight, Since Split is the bellweather of tourism in Croatia.
DeleteWow thats beyond impressive from W6
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThe biggest surprise for me is easyJet still being fourth. They don't get much attention but they have built a solid presence across the Adriatic coast.
ReplyDeleteThey have expanded elsewhere too. LJU, PRN...
DeleteChair/AirPrishtina have increased ZRH-SKP to ten weekly and ZRH-OHD up to five weekly
ReplyDeleteIf ticket prices don't fall despite all this extra capacity then something is wrong.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Lufthansa is still among the biggest carriers despiteall the issues this summer.
ReplyDeleteThat is because the "issues" were blown out of proportion here in the comments. 20,000 flights cancelled is less than 1% of Lufthansa's flights.
DeleteBut it did have a big impact in the region. Ljubljana-Munich cancelled from end of October. Frankfurt-Skopje cancelled as well.
DeleteTwo routes is not a big impact for the region.
DeleteIt's a big impact on both markets. They have also reduced frequnecies on most ex-Yu markets.
DeleteThe article is about the wider region and the comment said "big impact in the region". Two routes is absolutely nothing in the region.
DeleteArticle is about ex-Yu markets...
Delete@10 40. FRA to SKP did not make sense to begin with. LH group had to decide FRA or VIE...as transit hub for SKP. Yes, both...even more would be great but there is not enough demand (money) in Macedonia for that. One strongly connected hub (VIE) is better than two weak ones.
DeleteI'm surprised Pegasus isn't higher considering how much it has expanded throughout the Balkans over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteThey are actually quite high and are even higher in Q4/Q1 when most of the LCCs have a lot less seats.
DeleteAir Serbia will eventually need more aircraft if it wants to keep pace with Wizz and Ryanair
ReplyDeleteGood one
DeleteWhy? Don't you think it will if it wants to remain competative within this region. Of course, I am not talking Europe wide.
DeleteTheir business models and cost bases are totally different. JU can never keep pace with airlines who can buy off the shelf factory fresh high density aircraft. They operate in two different sectors of the market so 'keeping pace' is both impossible and uneccesary. JU is aiming to be the best in its model and part of the market.
Delete@09:22
DeleteJU needs better utilisation of its existing fleet.
What airport is that on the phto?
ReplyDeleteNiš maybe? I have no idea tbh but someone will know
DeleteYes, it is Nis.
DeleteNis. Perfect pic for this artivle :D
DeleteThank you
DeleteThe three ex-YU hegemons. No one can come close.
ReplyDeleteHahaha oh the drama!
DeleteNot the drama, but the fact.
DeleteWizzair and Ryanair are Europe wide 'hegemons' by that metric
DeleteThe real question isn't who adds the most seats. It's who makes money doing it.
ReplyDeleteAnd who will be here in 10years time
DeleteRyanair.
Delete+1
Delete+1
Delete@9.33
DeleteTen years from now, I think we'll see even greater consolidation, with just a handful of airlines carrying most passengers in the region.
And Ryanair will be the leader
DeleteMost likely. But they have expanded very little on the market this year.
DeleteI wouldn't be surprised if Ryanair overtakes Wizz eventually. They usually play the long game.
ReplyDeleteRyanair are well placed to beat wizzair air on every metric gling forward. But variety is key to keeping the aviaton market healthy in the region.
DeleteIs there any truth in O'Leary's claims that Wizz may go bankrupt? What is he exactly basing those claims on?
DeleteHe says that for dramatic effect. Wizzair has far weaker finances than Ryanair (which are the industy's most sable and profitable airline). But i dont think its bankrupty is anyway expected.
DeleteLol sure they will if they continue to ignore Macedonia and Serbia
DeleteThey fly to INI.
DeleteThe 4 routes of which 2 are seasonal?? For the whole of Serbia! That is equal to ignoring it, sorry
DeleteI don't think they will be coming to BEG. it's too expensive for them. That is, BEG won't lower that fees for them.
DeleteAnon 10:14 , the reason is not that BEG is expensive . It is because Belgrade and Serbia are not a tourist destination . We all know the arguments with ATH airport But Athens and Greece are a huge tourist destinations .....so I think there is no further explenation needed .
Delete@11:16 Well, I think Beg is more touristy destination than Sarajevo, and Riga and Vilnius are nit touristy destinations as well, yet they fly to all of them with a lot of destinations from each..Also Sofia, is it bigger tpuristy destination than Beg really?
DeleteBEG is not less tourist destination than ZAG, SJJ, TGD or SOF.
DeleteWell TGD is a gateway to the Montenegrin coast. As a destination in of itself its negligable. One day FR will enter the Belgrade market that is all but written in the stars...
Delete12.30
DeleteHave you been to Riga and Vilnius? Generally I am not a big fan of both Northern and Eastern Europe but both cities are really beautiful and worth visiting
How dare you call them eastern europe!!
DeleteBecause unlike ex Yugoslavia, which was never part of Eastern Block, they were part of not only Eastern Block but Soviet Union itself. But you are very well aware of it. And I am aware that you are unsuccessfully trying to be funny, commentinh on my opinion, and my previous posts, again, based on the facts, that ex Yugoslavia was never Eastern Europe.
DeleteWhile some Yugoslavs get het up about the exact bounderies of eastern europe, many Europeans regard you as eastern europe like it or not :) so its probably best to relax about it.
DeleteI am very much relaxed about it. If those "Europeans" you talk about are poorly educated and/or brainwashed, it's their problem, not mine. I just know that when Eastern Europe had closed borders I went to Italy twice a month for coffee, ice cream, pizza... When they had Aeroflot only and Tupolevs and Ilyushins we had 4 airline companies with Boeing, Douglas and Airbus aircraft. When they learnt Russian in school, we learned English. When they could only dream about it, we smoked Marlboro and Winston, wore Levi's, Wrangler and Benetton, drank whiskey, Coke, Pepsi, Schweppes and many more. When they drove Trabant and Wartburg we drove Volkswagen, Opel, Fiat, Ford, Renault, Citroen... And once again, I do not care what they think. I know what the facts are and for me that's more than enough. Unlike for those who try to make fun out of it.
DeleteSounds like a real eastern european response there mate. Get a grip
DeleteI was in Baltics and with no intention to be rude, it was very depressive and dark. Cities like cities, mix of Salzburg and Skopje, but whole days no sun, just clouds and darkness and rain.
Delete08.43
DeleteThere is no such thing like "eastern european response" or "western european response". There are clever responses and stupid responses coming from clever people and stupid people, no matter where from do they come. You and me are the best example.
There is no such thing as western or eastern Europe full stop rather political constructs that get people like PIR, who specialises in being deeply cantankerous, hot under the collar.
Delete@11:49 There are many parts of the Balkans that are 'depressive and dark' too. Never heard a Baltic town described as a mix of Salzburg and Skopje...quite a fun description but I'm not sure its exactly fair. All three Baltic capitals are beautifully preserved and compared to any capital in the former Yugoslavia very clean. Each to their own with travel preferences etc so observations are always subjective.
Yeah, you are right, there are no such things like Eastern and Western Europe. London and Moscow are exactly the same, and their citizens predominantly have the same mindsets. Thanks for just proving my point
DeleteYou really must be a jolly type
DeleteIt feels like every airport now wants its own Wizz Air base.
ReplyDeleteLjubljana next :D
DeleteI still don't get why there is no LCC base in Pristina.
DeleteIt is too expensive and the concession agreement is so nuts that the government sets the fees, not the airport operator.
DeleteThe tour operators with free baggage and low fares are just too strong on that market
DeleteLjubljana will not get a base. It is cheaper to base additional aircraft in other bases and fly to Ljubljana
DeleteUnofrtunately :( Really hoping for some breakthrough for LJU. Maybe with easyjet if not with Wizz.
DeleteThis makes me wonder which airports will have the strongest winter schedule once the summer season ends.
ReplyDeleteStrongest in what way? Growth? Number of routes?
DeleteThe ones with a big diaspora
DeleteStrongest in growth
DeleteWell in percetage terms it will most likely be Podgorica because it will be its first winter as a Wizz Air base.
DeleteThe market clearly isn't saturated yet. Airlines wouldn't be adding this much capacity otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a "saturated" market
DeleteLet Wizz base all 270 or so incoming airframes in the Ex Yu region to test your claim.
DeleteIt would be interesting to have an article on who has cut the most compared to last year too.
ReplyDeleteThey usually publish it a few days later
DeleteThat willbe interesting to see.
DeleteAny guss who it could be?
DeleteProbably the Gulf airlines.
DeleteMaybe Croatia Airlines' slower growth will actually help yields while competitors fight for market share.
ReplyDeleteIf Croatia Airlines cannot grow during record tourism demand, when exactly will it grow?
DeleteWhen competitors retreat
DeleteDoesen't look like it will happen any time soon since the competition keeps on growing
DeleteYeah, they will grow yields with constant "outlets" in peak season while flying for peanuts to Minken and Vrankvurt. Their entire concept of LHG feeder is wrong and highly corruptive single type fleet BCG deal will be the nail in the coffin within the concept. At least for tax payers. As long as mafia gets its share and politicians control it by appointing incompetent aparatchiks to "management "
DeleteNo AI today?
DeleteAnother failed attempt to divert attention from tragedy called Croatia Airlines
DeleteNot at all. They are useless. Just nice to see your responses more human today
DeleteI'd like to know how much of this growth is supported by subsidies. Most of Wizz Air's growth this year is based on money hadnouts.
ReplyDelete