www.travelwirenews.com SkyEurope Airlines, leading low fare airline based in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, is to open a hub in Krakow, Poland on September 30, 2004, the airline announced.
One Boeing 737-500 will launch six flights a week to London’s Stansted Airport, four weekly flights to Paris’ Orly Aiport and three flights weekly to Rome, Milan and Amsterdam respectively.
Krakow is the second SkyEurope Airlines hub in Poland. The first one was opened in May 2004 in Warsaw, serving seven destinations to the European Union countries and Slovak carrier is looking for other polish destinations too.
Initially started with a 30-seater Embraer 120 in Febraury 2002, SkyEurope Airlines is serving 18 destinations in 12 European countries from two Slovak hubs, Budapest and Warsaw by 13 airplanes.
Bratislava is offered as a secondary airport for the travel from/to Vienna, Austrian capital, too, because there is only 50 km distance between booth airports only.
The carrier is aiming its first million passengers and minimum 32 airplanes in 2004 and five millions passengers by 2007. SkyEurope is already funded by large regional private equity funds backed by renowned institutions including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Fund and Dutch ABN-Amro Bank.
British and German low-cost carriers recognizing the demand for low-cost carriers in post communist poor countries offer stiff competition for SkyEurope, the first low cost airline launched in post communist countries. |