Passengers up for Montenegro

Montenegro Airlines Fokker F100

As we approach the end of February many airlines in the region have not yet publicised their January passenger figures, most probably because of their bad results. So far only Jat Airways has posted its January result. They have now been joined by Montenegro Airlines. Interestingly despite expert predictions that Montenegro, as a country, would be hit hard by the global financial crisis it doesn’t seem to have had any impact on its national carrier. Montenegro Airlines reported that it had approximately 44.000 passengers in January, some 8.5% more than in January 2008. The authorities at Montenegro Airlines also stated that the airline will have plentiful and inexpensive promotions for passengers this year. The carrier says it will once again reintroduce charter flights during the summer period. These will be popular charter destinations in Sothern Italy, Greece, Russia, the Czech Republic and Graz in Austria. 9% of the airline’s total passenger figure in 2008 were passengers travelling on charter flights.

Montenegro Airlines CEO, Zoran Đurišić, stated that Dubrovnik Airlines is welcome to start flights between Croatia and Montenegro, responding press speculations that the government would not issue a license to the Croatian charter carrier in order to protect the state owned Montenegro Airlines. The Montenegrin national carrier will enter the summer season, which starts on March 29 with 5 aircraft which should be increased to 6 from May, 2009. The airline’s management also announced the closure of its Podgorica to Milan service due to unprofitability.