Flying tickets to Montenegro still extremely expensive - What impedes decrease in fares for flights from Belgrade to Podgorica and Tivat?

(Photo: Jelena Đelić)

However, traveling by plane is reserved only for those wealthier than average people, given that most of the latter reckon that they can buy a flying ticket to almost every big city in Europe for the same price they would pay for a ticket from Belgrade to Podgorica or Tivat.

There are two carriers operating on this route: Air Serbia and Montenegro Airlines. In the season, flying to Podgorica and Tivat would cost you 125-135 and 135 -145 euro, respectively, whereas the average price of the ticket outside the season ranges from 115 to 125 euro. This price covers all taxes and the ticketing fee.

In the first six months of 2015, Montenegro Airlines transported 111,404 passengers from/to Belgrade (to and from Podgorica and Tivat), up 6% from the same period last year. Montenegro's flag carrier operated a total of 1526 flights in H1 2015 on aforementioned route, up 12% from the same period in 2014, Montenegro Airlines officials told eKapija.

To the seaside and back for 50 to 60 euro

(Photo: Jelena Đelić)

Nikola Stankov, former long-time chairman of the Managing Board of the Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services (SMATSA), was advocating the idea of changing the policy for years. He came to a conclusion that a return flying ticket from Belgrade to Tivat or Podgorica should cost between 50 and 60 euro and, according to the analysis done by Stankovic and SMATSA, that is absolutely feasible.

How does this calculation look like? Stankov explained his calculation by saying that the number of passengers on the route in question was on a decline for several years. Also, Stankov explained that the cost price of the ticket accounts for 29% of the price of return ticket from Belgrade to Podgorica or Tivat, while taxes account for 71%.

Nothing has changed to date. Instead, airlines claim that ticket fares "depend on the competition", "demand and supply"...

On the other hand, some of the citizens of Montenegro we asked if the flying ticket to their capital city was expensive said it definitely was.

What is solution?

The former director of SMATSA gave a proposal three years ago to make an agreement between Air Serbia and Montenegro Airlines and airports in Serbia and Montenegro to reduce taxes for the citizens of the two countries. In his opinion, the timetable should be reorganized and an air bridge should be introduced during the summer season. The estimates are that the interest would be such that as many as 15-17 flights could be operated from and to Belgrade for sure in the summer season.

When asked why he, as the first man of SMATSA, advocates this idea, Stankov said it was because all parties - companies, airports, SMATSA - would have more work and better revenues, adding that it cannot be disputed it would benefit citizens as well. "My job is to fight to increase traffic," Stankov used to say.

Jelena Djelic