Montenegro Airlines in crisis

Montenegro Airlines treading on thin ice

For a second day in a row, Montenegro Airlines finds itself in the firing line. After it was revealed the airline owes 500.000 Euros to Skopje and Priština airports, the airline’s own pilots have now announced they will be launching legal action against the carrier. The Montenegrin daily “Dan” reports that pilots received their final pay checks in November. Furthermore, the airline owes millions to other airports in Europe. Montenegro Airlines’ CEO, Zoran Djurišić, admits that the carrier owes 40.000 and 60.000 Euros to Vienna and Frankfurt airports respectively. He explains that the carrier urgently needs 2 million Euros and notes that pilot salaries have been slashed by 30% so the airline can live another day.

Djurišić launched a scathing attack on low cost airlines, which are expected to enter the Montenegrin market this summer. He maintains that if low cost airlines come to Montenegro they should operate an all year round service and as a result, struggle. “Montenegro Airlines struggles for 8 months while low cost airlines will operate for 3 months and fill their aircraft to London, Paris and Moscow, services which we have nurtured for 8 months. I have cut pilot and engineer salaries by 30% so we can survive”, Djurišić says.

On Wednesday the airline suspended flights to Priština and Skopje indefinitely without prior notice. The Montenegrin Government attempted to sell 30% of the airline last year but there was no interest in the carrier.