Dubrovnik Airport eyes American Airlines return in 2022
Dubrovnik Airport says it expects for American Airlines to restore its seasonal flights from Philadelphia next year. The comments come after United Airlines recently announced it would launch summer operations from New York’s Newark Airport this July. American introduced flights between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik in 2019, handling 17.782 passengers during its four-month service run to Croatia, with an average cabin load factor of 83%. Frequencies and capacity were to be increased in 2020, however the flights were shelved as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “We expect for the Philadelphia - Dubrovnik service to be back in 2022. The route connected onto another 100 flights and that is of great importance to us, because it allows for the airline to carry passengers from the entire United States”, Dubrovnik Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ivan Maslač, said.
Mr Maslač noted that Dubrovnik Airport was surprised by United Airlines’ decision to introduce flights from Newark as the airport expected for long haul operations to be the last to recover from the coronacrisis. “We were in talks with the US big three - United, Delta and American Airlines - but due to the ongoing pandemic, we expected for intercontinental operations to be restored later on”, the CCO said. He added, “We met all the conditions for flights to the United States with the introduction of American Airlines‘ service, so it makes sense that Dubrovnik is the first in Croatia to see the resumption of long haul flights”.
Croatia was one of the few European Union member states open to American tourists last year. Furthermore, the country’s decision to reopen for all vaccinated travellers this year is also believed to have influenced United’s decision. In addition, the United States is expected to lift entry visa requirements for Croatian nationals, further aiding nonstop operations between the two countries. “Promotional campaigns by the Dubrovnik region and Dubrovnik’s visibility on the American market also had a positive impact on the airline”, Mr Maslač concluded.
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