An airport falcon killed in Krakow

A man threw a stone at a preying bird (Falco cherrug) that landed on his porch, and then finished it off with a stick. The falcon was specialy trained to scare off birds roaming around Krakow airport that would pose a threat to starting or landing planes.

The man faces up to 2 years in prison, since this species of falcon is legaly protected in Poland. He admitted, but also confessed that the falcon attacked his hens.

Malev withdrawing from Krakow

Hungarian national carrier cancels its Budapest-Krakow connection. The last departure from Krakow will take place on October 26. Malev will also close its office at Krakow airport. The flights between two cities by Malev commenced in July 2003. The Hungarian airline was using Fokkers 70 (seen on the photo) and CRJ 200ER on this route. These planes were able to take 50-70 passangers on a single flight.

Two weeks ago Sky Europe - one of the first middle-European low-cost carriers - decided to quit its operations in Krakow and moved on to concentrate its business in much cheaper and profitable airports as Vienna, Prague and Bratislava. Polish low-cost airline Centralwings (subsidiary of LOT Polish Airlines) filled in the vacant spot. The Krakow airport authorities are also in the middle of talks with Ryanair to bring the Irish airline to fly from Krakow.

Photo by Viktor Laszlo/Malev

Sky Europe says farewell to Krakow

Slovak low-cost airline is leaving Krakow airport in Balice for good. Next year it plans to cut costs, as it ends its operations at its bases in Krakow and Budapest, concentrating with its 14 planes on flights from Vienna, Prague, and Bratislava.

Krakow turned out to bring earnings only in the 3 summer months and for a few days at Christmas time, while generating no revenue in the rest of the year. Plus the operating costs from Krakow were over 50 % higher than in Bratislava and 30% higher than in Prague. What's more Sky Europe had to deal with a frequent foggy weather conditions at Krakow airport, which is located in a valley. It also lacks the proper equipment - like support navigation system that helps pilots to take off and land in very difficult weather conditions. The airport doesn't even have a hangar.
Jason Bitter, Sky Europe's CEO says, his team tried to negotiate the airport fees but was given an unacceptable offer.

Sky Europe's last flight from Krakow will take off on October 28 and Balice airport will be left without any base of low-cost carrier. Ryanair serves only 6 destinations in England and Ireland from here, and EasyJet has connections with some British airports.

A partial replacement for Sky Europe will be Centralwings - a Polish low-cost carrier - which just signed an agreement with Krakow airport authorities and will be flying from here to Dublin, Manchester, Athens and Barcelona starting this winter, adding these new destinations to London and Italy that are already existing in its Krakow schedule.

Ryanair's Boeing got flat tires

Irish Boeing 737 landed not exactly as planned on Tuesday morning. It got flat tires in the front landing gear upon touchdown at Balice airport in Krakow. Passengers left the cabin safely, and nobody was injured. The airport was closed for a few hours and some flights were diverted to different cities in southern Poland.

The flight from Shannon, Ireland was carrying 175 people on board.