Croatia Airlines farewells Podgorica
Following Istanbul and London Gatwick, Podgorica is the latest destination to be suspended by Croatia Airlines. Flights from Zagreb to the Montenegrin capital have been discontinued effective immediately, with no plans to resume the service during the summer season. The suspension comes in the wake of the carrier’s network reductions as it has been advised to cut costs. The Croatian national carrier maintained three weekly flights between the two capital cities this winter. As a result, Podgorica will now be connected to only two other EX-YU capital cities - Ljubljana and Belgrade. As early as two years ago, Podgorica was the only former Yugoslav city with connections to all EX-YU capitals - Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Priština, Skopje and Ljubljana. The quickest way to get between Podgorica and Zagreb by plane this summer will be via Vienna with Austrian Airlines, with the trip lasting over three hours.
Earlier this week, Croatia Airlines began tweaking its 2013 summer timetable, suspending planned new destinations from the Croatian coast to Western Europe as well as flights from Zagreb to Istanbul and London Gatwick. Changes are still possible as the airline puts together its summer timetable just a month prior to its commencement. However, fellow Star Alliance member, Turkish Airlines, is expected to replace Croatia Airlines on the Istanbul - Zagreb service as it plans to launch a second daily flight, with the Croatian carrier code sharing.
Furthermore, Croatia Airlines’ cancelled flights from Zagreb to Istanbul and London Gatwick have also affected its flights from Dubrovnik and Split. Last summer the airline operated a one weekly service from Dubrovnik to Istanbul which has now been cancelled. Similarly, the carrier’s two weekly nonstop flights between Split and London Gatwick have been dropped.
Well the removal of DBV-IST makes sense as I am sure tourist numbers from Turkey will take a hit now that they need visas.
ReplyDeleteI assume that this flight was operated by their Dash-8, where would it be sent now? I doubt they would leave it sitting on the ground during the busy summer season.
I just hope Pristina and Skopje follow next.
DeletePodgorica flights were operated in the middle of the day, with no possibilitiy to connect to OU traffic "waves" to/from Western Europe, and basically they were P2P flights, unlike SKP and PRN flights.
DeleteIn addition to that, Montenegro is much much smaller market then Kosovo and Macedonia.
In addition to that, there are 4 daily flights between ZAG and DBV, which is almost in Montenegro, that near. PRN and SKP don't have such an option.
All those are reasons why TGD flights were not profitable and should have been suspended, even before. And that's also why I'll have to disappoint you that SKP and PRN won't follow next, at least not as soon as you wish.
Unfortunately PRN is on list for execution. SKP was also proclaimed very unprofitable and there were negotiations with SKP about prices or CTN will leave this destination.
DeleteI hope the connection to SKP stays, especially the afternoon flight-dont like having to get up at 4 am to catch a flght. I also like the service and nice sandwiches-yum!
DeleteZagreb Airport needs a revamp though :)
For now in summer time-table there is:
DeleteZAG-SKP
9x weekly
1234567 evening/morning
1---5-- afternoon
ZAG-PRN
4x weekly
12--5-- evening/morning
------7 afternoon
...but we had IST, LGW and TGD just few days ago.
It is not true that OU ZAG-TGD frequency last summer was 6 times weekly. It was also 3 times weekly (1-3-5--), and frequency was like that all the time from very first day. So, please change this.
ReplyDeleteCroatia wanted to cancel that route in 2010 because it was highly unprofitable and asked Montenegro to participate in it with at least one weekly flight and code-share in OU flights. As Montenegro did not respond to that it was question of day to cancel this route.
You go Purger, show them <3
DeletePurger, not sure if you meant it, but the tone of your message seems to imply that it's partially Montenegro Airlines' fault that the route was cancelled.
DeleteIt's OK. Air carriers get it wrong sometimes, OU thought it would be profitable to open ZAG-TGD route and it did not work out. It's OU's fault. End of story. Podgorica can survive without a direct link to ZAG, it's not the end of the world.
This route did not have any sense with 3 weekly frequencies. DBV is too close (just 2 hours driving). Who will use ZAG-TGD with obligation of 2 or 3 nights in Podgorica if they can do that with 1 or no nights via DBV? Also you have to know that all passengers from Boka and Budva anyhow travel from DBV because DBV is closer to them than TGD. So this makes potential market much smaller. ZAG-TGD had chance just if there was at least daily frequency and code-share with Montenegro. Everything else is just waste of money and potentials and better to cancel that route.
DeleteAnonymous 11:20
DeleteYou have to know that Srečko Šimunović CEO of CTN in 2010 told us "Route to Podgorica is political one and we don't need it as much as Montenegro state. Because of that eider they will participate in that route eider we will stop flying it". Than I was sure that route will be canceled in 2 months or Montenegro will take part of it. And it survived for another 1,5 year, so that means some kind of negotiations was on. Unfortunately failed.
The fastest way from ZAG to TGD is to drive to LJU and connect from there to TGD. JP and YM have 5 codeshare flights weekly.
ReplyDeleteIt takes much longer over VIE if you add connecting time in VIE.
On that way it is even faster to go from TGD to DBV and than take CTN to ZAG.
DeleteIn the article it says by air
DeleteAnd what's the difference driving ZAG-LJU or DBV-TGD? Except there are 4 daily flights between ZAG and DBV, mostly on Airbus, and not even daily on TGD-LJU, on CRJ I guess?
Deletewell, did you ever go by car/bus from Podgorica to Dubrovnik?it might be rather short distance in kms, but it takes quite a long time.specially in summer.
DeleteThe shi*t has officially hit the fan. Its Adria Airways take two
ReplyDeleteAdria and Croatia had less debt together than Jat alone. Not to mention than Jat has shit fleet, very modest passengers number, no maintenance in company but still more employees than Croatia and Adria together with their maintenance... But those Governments are responsible and know how to say STOP!
DeleteWhat does my comment have to do with Jat?
Delete70% of passengers carried by OU doesn't sound that modest to me, given all the advantages OU enjoys.
DeleteThat is because it is after huge discounts to make number of passengers higher and in same time revenue is catastrophic, and debt even bigger than before. Let me remind you that just few months ago Jat has 950.000 passengers and that is real number. Everything after that is bigger debt. Jat can put ticket for all the flights for 20 EUR. You will have 7.000.000 passengers in one year. And bankrupts in same time.
DeleteSame goes for Croatia or any other airline. Qatar even.
DeleteFor Croatia. You are joking, right?
DeleteThat is because it is after huge discounts to make number of passengers higher and in same time revenue is catastrophic, and debt even bigger than before. Let me remind you that just few months ago Jat has 950.000 passengers and that is real number. Everything after that is bigger debt. Jat can put ticket for all the flights for 20 EUR. You will have 7.000.000 passengers in one year. And bankrupts in same time.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry! The Serbian taxayer will bail out jat from it's debt's
DeleteOT: from monday on Adria flights only coffee, tea and water, except SVO, BRU, IST
ReplyDeleteWhy?? Will they introduce the buy on board concept or...?
DeleteWhat will we get on the SVO, BRU and IST? Does this also include flights from PRN?
You now the airline is close to bankruptcy if this happens! 2 days before MA dismiss I got the same 'menu'! One week before MAT's dismiss there was only coke and coffee on board! Same with SR few days before their grounding! Should we say RIP Adria?!?
DeleteWhat about Ural Airlines flights to Podgorica?
ReplyDeleteOn this blog you only can read about those miserable and shitty airlines
like Jat or OU...
Adria's UNOFFICIAL statistics for FEB
ReplyDeleteflts 1368 -6,9% 2012
pax 55200 -1,5% 2012
pax per flt 40,3 +5% 2012 (do not have LF info).
I hate to say this as I have loved Croatia Airlines since my very first flight with them in 1995. They are definetely the best out of all the airlines I have flown with, but this feels like the beginning of the end of their existence. I have noticed in recent years the Croatian tourist board would rather promote any other airline then OU and even the embassy are busy promoting BA flights to Croatia! It looks like I will have to start flying Austrian or Lufthansa from London to Sarajevo!.
ReplyDeleteHere is a similar new blog about airplanes you might want to check out :D http://airplanepassion.blogspot.com/
ReplyDelete^Cool blog dachblogger!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate Ex Yu aviation and every new blog i can get.
Would like to start an aviation blog by myself...
IF i would only have time for it!
In regard to OU and TGD:
OU better cancels these unprofitable routes,so it can concentrate on the more successfu onesl.
Thinning out a network is not sign of defeat but a necessary evil.