Vilnius and airports in Lithuania
Thread Starter
Vilnius and airports in Lithuania
As all are aware, flyLAL ceased operations 3 months ago. Normally when an airline stops flying and there is a gap in the market, other airlines will step in to try to pick up some business as happened with Sterling in Copenhagen, particularly as Lithuania is part of the EU.
While Brussels Airlines have started a new route, other airlines in the EU have been rather quiet on this. Furthermore, airBaltic have cut some of their routes from Vilnius this month.
I know that Ryanair have a few routes to the UK, Dublin and Hahn from Kaunas (about 2 hours drive away), but I'm puzzled as to why Lithuania as a country is left with no routes to any of France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary or, most surprisingly, Sweden.
Yes, the economy is taking a hammering and airlines are hurting at the moment, but even the LCCs haven't announced new routes.
Anyone know why announcements of new routes have been so quiet ?
While Brussels Airlines have started a new route, other airlines in the EU have been rather quiet on this. Furthermore, airBaltic have cut some of their routes from Vilnius this month.
I know that Ryanair have a few routes to the UK, Dublin and Hahn from Kaunas (about 2 hours drive away), but I'm puzzled as to why Lithuania as a country is left with no routes to any of France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary or, most surprisingly, Sweden.
Yes, the economy is taking a hammering and airlines are hurting at the moment, but even the LCCs haven't announced new routes.
Anyone know why announcements of new routes have been so quiet ?
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I know that AirBaltic is making flights via Riga to over 50 destinations
. There is up to 7 flights per day between Riga and Vilnius. One problem in Vilnius is that the airport taxes are very high, I think that is a reason why LCC's not operating on Vilnius.
. There is up to 7 flights per day between Riga and Vilnius. One problem in Vilnius is that the airport taxes are very high, I think that is a reason why LCC's not operating on Vilnius.
Thread Starter
As the airport is state owned and operated by the Ministry of Transport.... one would imagine that the Govt would wish to encourage other airlines to start new services given the rather reduced connectivity to other countries there is today. Is the Govt making any serious noises on this ?
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Yeah, I am puzzled as to why more airlines have not increased frequencies or started new routes, especially to serve the Lithuanian diaspora in Western Europe who all visit home regularly.
Then again, I was puzzled as to why FlyLAL could not make more of a go of the Dublin route!
C
Then again, I was puzzled as to why FlyLAL could not make more of a go of the Dublin route!
C
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Assuming airlines do their market research.....They probably haven't started routes to this little served destination due to lack of demand.
if they started a route to vilnius....they get the monopoly on the route....they get 100% of the pax....
BUT if 100% of the passengers still isn't enough to be profitable, then they won't start the route.
No great surprise is it...!
if they started a route to vilnius....they get the monopoly on the route....they get 100% of the pax....
BUT if 100% of the passengers still isn't enough to be profitable, then they won't start the route.
No great surprise is it...!
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Vilnius Airport announced today that Skyways Express will start 4 new routes from Vilnius in May: Stockholm (12 weekly), Amsterdam (10 weekly), Copenhagen (5 weekly) and Berlin (3 weekly).
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Skyways not confirmed yet
Well, so far the Skyways flights are only announced by the press agencies, this is not announced on Skyways website or the airport website (even in Lithuanian). I believe it when the flights are bookable. Things in Lithuania are a bit shaky at the moment esp. the economy (Capital of Culture practically cancelled), and the connecting flights via e.g. Frankfurt and Vienna for business travel, and Ryanair to Kaunas for the common people, seem to cover the current demand. BA withdrew from Vilnius twice already, in much better times. AirBaltic made a clever move to connect Palanga, and they now go to Riga about 7x a day. The current amount of flights should just be enough until things look better. I think it's pretty much the same number as 2003. Other airports would be very happy about this list.
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Skyways VNO flights confirmed
Just to say that the new flights are now confirmed ! Not only by press release on the VNO airport website, but also by Skyways.se themselves. I asked them via the contact webform and they answered (!) - Nice customer service for you there. Bookable from their website from next Monday. Checking airport departures, I have the impression things are stable up there, which has to be good news looking at LT's 12.6% shrinking economy in Q1/09.
Juergen
(next itinirary: LGW->VNO via RIX on BT 20May, KUN->BHX on FR 22May)
Juergen
(next itinirary: LGW->VNO via RIX on BT 20May, KUN->BHX on FR 22May)
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Just Stockholm and Copenhagen from VNO with Skyways
Skyways have scaled down their plans for VNO:
"This week, Skyways the Swedish airline and Vilnius Airport have signed a cooperation agreement on direct service Vilnius-Stockholm-Vilnius (twelve weekly flights) and Vilnius - Copenhagen - Vilnius (five weekly flights). The flights will start on 2 June." Official press release here:
News
Which means no flight to Berlin :-(
"This week, Skyways the Swedish airline and Vilnius Airport have signed a cooperation agreement on direct service Vilnius-Stockholm-Vilnius (twelve weekly flights) and Vilnius - Copenhagen - Vilnius (five weekly flights). The flights will start on 2 June." Official press release here:
News
Which means no flight to Berlin :-(
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London flights from Vilnius are back, with Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus announced a daily VNO-LGW from 10th September
(though bookable only from 25th October currently) as part
of a larger LGW expansion. Very good news ! Breaks Ryanair
and Air Baltic's monopoly on affordable flights into LT.
I can report that VNO looked like a ghost-airport last time
I used it in May, no over-night stoppers just one Air Baltic
Fokker 50 and the Aurela B757. Air Baltic had such a good
run, they used a B757 on the RIX-VNO segment.
Juergen
(though bookable only from 25th October currently) as part
of a larger LGW expansion. Very good news ! Breaks Ryanair
and Air Baltic's monopoly on affordable flights into LT.
I can report that VNO looked like a ghost-airport last time
I used it in May, no over-night stoppers just one Air Baltic
Fokker 50 and the Aurela B757. Air Baltic had such a good
run, they used a B757 on the RIX-VNO segment.
Juergen
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Interesting news about Star1.
Wikipedia says they are planning the following destinations
Star1 Airlines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So they are also looking at Gatwick it would seem. And Dublin, another Aer Lingus route.
Frequencies and schedules would be of interest to see how much these 2 would be competing / complimenting each other...
Eitherway it's great news about the new Aer Lingus route!
Wikipedia says they are planning the following destinations
Star1 Airlines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So they are also looking at Gatwick it would seem. And Dublin, another Aer Lingus route.
Frequencies and schedules would be of interest to see how much these 2 would be competing / complimenting each other...
Eitherway it's great news about the new Aer Lingus route!
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Rumours are that Star1 will commence the LGW-VNO route with 4-5 flights per week as early as June 29th which is excellent news.
Prior to January 2009, London to Vilnius was served by 14 flights per week and was the most popular route from Vilnius so I am surprised it has taken until now for someone else to offer the route.
Unfortunately FlyLAL went bankrupt after taking on airBaltic in a pricewar they could never win due to the outrageous tax breaks that airBaltic were given by Riga Airport. AirBaltic ditched the LGW-VNO route and increased their flights on VNO-RIX and RIX-LGW as soon as LAL went bust in an effort to retain the customers who were previously flying London-Vilnius.
AirBaltic are almost certain to reopen the route (and have already started making noises that they intend to restart it) when someone else starts it up so we could have 3 airlines to choose from by October. But I know who I will be choosing to book my flights with... and it certainly isn't airBaltic!
Prior to January 2009, London to Vilnius was served by 14 flights per week and was the most popular route from Vilnius so I am surprised it has taken until now for someone else to offer the route.
Unfortunately FlyLAL went bankrupt after taking on airBaltic in a pricewar they could never win due to the outrageous tax breaks that airBaltic were given by Riga Airport. AirBaltic ditched the LGW-VNO route and increased their flights on VNO-RIX and RIX-LGW as soon as LAL went bust in an effort to retain the customers who were previously flying London-Vilnius.
AirBaltic are almost certain to reopen the route (and have already started making noises that they intend to restart it) when someone else starts it up so we could have 3 airlines to choose from by October. But I know who I will be choosing to book my flights with... and it certainly isn't airBaltic!
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Star1 flights from VNO now bookable
Thanks for the interesting summary, Finknottle.
I know the national airline going bankrupt was a dark
day for the proud Lithuanian soul.
The Star1 flights are now bookable at:
Star1 Airlines - Home Page
It's Stansted and Gerona, to be precise, for London and
Barcelona respectively.
Yes, will be interesting to see how Air Baltic try to counter
this attack.
Looking through the articles about this, I spotted something
with Lufthansa and Riga airport (sorry to be geographically
a bit off-topic),
written in Lithuanian. My skills are poor there, my guess is either
LH withdraw from Riga, or they plan to open a mini-base there ?
An interview with Harro Julius Petersen. Sorry, I've lost the link.
Surely we'll here about this. Again something to do with the Riga
airport fee 'intransparency'...
I know the national airline going bankrupt was a dark
day for the proud Lithuanian soul.
The Star1 flights are now bookable at:
Star1 Airlines - Home Page
It's Stansted and Gerona, to be precise, for London and
Barcelona respectively.
Yes, will be interesting to see how Air Baltic try to counter
this attack.
Looking through the articles about this, I spotted something
with Lufthansa and Riga airport (sorry to be geographically
a bit off-topic),
written in Lithuanian. My skills are poor there, my guess is either
LH withdraw from Riga, or they plan to open a mini-base there ?
An interview with Harro Julius Petersen. Sorry, I've lost the link.
Surely we'll here about this. Again something to do with the Riga
airport fee 'intransparency'...
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Lufthansa and Riga
Found the article again. Maybe Herr Petersen is just
moaning that LH don't get a red carpet at each landing.
(I'm allowed to say this about LH's high nose, being German).
"Lufthansa": Rygos oro uostas elgiasi nes??iningai - Verslas - Verslo naujienos - Verslo ?inios
moaning that LH don't get a red carpet at each landing.
(I'm allowed to say this about LH's high nose, being German).
"Lufthansa": Rygos oro uostas elgiasi nes??iningai - Verslas - Verslo naujienos - Verslo ?inios