No plans for new US - Croatia flights
There is currently no interest from airlines to introduce new services between the United States and Croatia after American Airlines announced earlier this year it was terminating its seasonal flights between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik after one season. Despite the success of the summer flights, the route was discontinued due to the coronavirus pandemic and an expected lack of demand for overseas leisure travel in the coming years from the US market. Last year’s service launch marked the resumption of scheduled nonstop flights between the United Stated and Croatia after more than 25 years. American carried 17.782 passengers during its four-month run to Dubrovnik, with an average cabin load factor of 83%.
Speaking to the “Dubrovnik Times”, the head of the Croatian National Tourist Office in New York, Ina Rodin, said, “We were very disappointed to find out that American Airlines had cancelled their seasonal direct flights from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik this year and for 2021. Airline companies were hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis, and in spite of government aid, their recovery will be long and difficult. As per my knowledge, at the moment, there is no interest from US carriers in direct flights from the States to Croatia. In my opinion, the initiative, as well as government support and subsidies, should come from us once things go back to normal. In the meantime, we should build and maintain good air connectivity with major European hubs to which Americans can fly to and catch a connecting flight to Croatia”.
After Covid-19 disrupted air travel across the world earlier this year, American Airlines initially scheduled the resumption of its Philadelphia to Dubrovnik service for June 2021 with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, before shelving the route. The company’s Vice President of Network Planning, Brian Znotins, said, “A flight such as the one from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik saw a huge increase in traffic in recent years. Airlines ramped up flights to those types of destinations partially because traditional launching point airports in Europe and Asia were full. Until traffic recovers, international travellers will likely have to make a stop in London, Madrid, Rome or Milan before continuing on to Dubrovnik”. Last May, the Croatian Minister for Tourism at the time, Gari Cappelli, said that nonstop services between the United States and Zagreb would likely commence during the 2020 summer season, noting the flights would most likely be seasonal from New York during their first year of operation, while year-round services could commence as early as the second year.
0 Response to "No plans for new US - Croatia flights"
Post a Comment