December will mark the first time in 25 years that British Airways will not operate a single flight to any market in the former Yugoslavia. It also represents the first time in a quarter of a century that the Oneworld member will have no year-round service in the region. Today, British Airways will operate its final flight of the season to Dubrovnik. The airline will return to the coastal city in early March, with services to Ljubljana and Zagreb scheduled to resume at the start of the 2026 summer timetable later that month.
The Slovenian capital was initially served only during the summer season. In 2023/24, British Airways upgraded Ljubljana to year-round operations, offering several weekly flights from Heathrow. Yet, only a few months later, the airline reversed course, discontinuing winter service and returning to a summer-only operation from 2024 onwards. Zagreb, considered the airline’s most stable route in the region over the past decade, has followed the same trajectory. British Airways resumed year-round Heathrow flights to Croatia’s capital in 2012 and built up strong frequencies during peak periods. However, this year the airline has shifted Zagreb entirely to seasonal operations. On the other hand, operations to Pula were discontinued at the end of the 2024 summer season.
After a thirteen-year absence, British Airways restored flights between London Heathrow and Belgrade in late October 2023, branding its return as an important link for both point-to-point and transfer traffic. However, the carrier announced the route’s suspension less than a year later, with the final service operating in September 2024. The carrier also exited Pristina after operating just two summer seasons from Heathrow, despite post-pandemic efforts to diversify its network. Planned year-round services to Podgorica were announced on more than one occasion but never materialised, while upcoming flights to Tivat in 2026 mark a renewed attempt in Montenegro.
British Airways has also altered its approach in Dubrovnik multiple times. The coastal city saw flights throughout the winter reinstated as recently as 2022/23, only for them to be withdrawn again after a single season. The carrier will maintain a limited seasonal presence, but its inconsistency has opened opportunities for competing airlines that have steadily strengthened their winter offering this year.
During the 21st century, British Airways has served Belgrade, Dubrovnik, Pristina, Pula, Sarajevo, Skopje, Split and Zagreb. Recently, the airline announced the suspension of several European routes, including Cologne, Riga and Stuttgart.
