Europe’s largest low cost airline, Ryanair, will launch new seasonal flights from London Stansted to Osijek and Podgorica next summer season. The low cost airline will return to Osijek after five years while the new route to Podgorica will complement the existing seasonal service from Charleroi. As a result, Montenegro Airlines will lose its monopoly on the London route since it operates seasonal summer flights to Gatwick. On the other hand, the news has been warmly welcomed by Osijek Airport which has struggled to attract passengers over the past few years.

John Alborante, Ryanair’s Sales and Marketing Manager for Italy, Croatia and Greece says, “Osijek will become the fourth airport to be served by Ryanair in Croatia. We will fly twice per week between Osijek and London, every Monday and Friday”. The airport’s CEO, Domagoj Marinić, says it is important for Osijek to be connected to a large hub such as London. “This does not mark the end of our pursuit to expand the network of low cost airlines operating to the airport. In 2015 and 2016 we will further expand this offer, particularly with flights to Germany”, Mr. Marinić says. Flights between London and Osijek will be inaugurated on March 31.

London will become the second destination Ryanair will serve from Podgorica in addition to the existing Charleroi service which will resume next summer (on March 31). Ryanair, which launched flights to the Montenegrin capital in June last year saw success on its initial service from Charleroi with its load factor exceeding 90% within a month. Services between the British and Montenegrin capital will be inaugurated on April 1. The new flights come as part of Ryanair’s commitment to operate services to Montenegro over the next three years. According to an earlier announcement, Ryanair also plans to launch flights from Tivat to Milan, Barcelona, Stockholm, London and Oslo in 2014.