The Montenegrin authorities yesterday adopted a call to designate six Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes from Podgorica Airport. PSOs allow the allocation of state funds to assist unprofitable air providers deemed important for the financial improvement and connectivity of the areas they serve. The designated year-round routes embrace Brussels Nationwide, Amsterdam, Zagreb and Bari, whereas providers to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt will function on a seasonal winter foundation. A public tender for the collection of working service(s) is anticipated to be launched shortly. The PSO providers are scheduled to begin on June 1 this 12 months and can run for a four-year interval, till Could 31, 2030.
Air Montenegro is extensively anticipated to function the vast majority of the PSO routes, if not all six. The service is going through intensifying competitors at its dwelling base, with low price airline Wizz Air set to station plane in Podgorica beginning late subsequent month and introduce seventeen new routes. Air Montenegro maintained providers to each Paris and Frankfurt till October 2025, whereas it has already introduced plans to launch flights to Bari this coming summer time in cooperation with the Maestral Resort and On line casino in Budva. Then again, Ryanair operated providers between Zagreb and Podgorica from September 2021 till October 2024. Previous to that, Croatia Airways linked the 2 capitals from June 2008 till February 2013.
The federal government’s choice will formally enter into power in eight days, after which a public name will be issued to airways. The state has mentioned that frequencies will differ by route and will likely be agreed with the chosen working service. Montenegro will grow to be the third nation within the former Yugoslavia to introduce Public Service Obligation flights, becoming a member of Croatia and Serbia. Croatia’s current PSO contracts finish in late March, whereas Serbia’s will conclude on the finish of 2027. Each are anticipated to be renewed.
