B&H’s EX-YU expansion

Soon in Belgrade and Zagreb
Speaking at a press conference in Antalya, Turkey, the CEO of B&H Airlines, Nudžeim Rečica, announced that the carrier is planning to commence services to Belgrade and Zagreb. “Soon we will commence services to Belgrade, Zagreb and Banja Luka. Particularly interesting is the line to Banja Luka which will be served to Sarajevo 11 times per week. The 20 minute flight will bring these 2 cities closer together and Banja Luka closer to the world”, Rečica told the “Dnevni Avaz” newspapers.

Rečica believes that the airline should have better finances after visa free travel to Schengen Zone countries for Bosnian citizens is available. Although no firm dates have been set, it is speculated that visas may be lifted during the summer, which would naturally increase passenger numbers.

Both Croatia Airlines and Jat Airways operate flights to Sarajevo. B&H Airlines code shares on Jat’s service to Belgrade. Jat’s Sarajevo service is one of the worst performing flights in its network. Croatia Airlines offers 12 weekly flights from Zagreb to Sarajevo.

Rečica did not mention new services to Amsterdam which are expected to be launched this summer. B&H Airlines is yet to publish its 2010 summer timetable.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Oh, some day i think those three airlines should be one, have so many airlines at same destination where people dont have so much money? Philswe

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  2. Arturo09:38

    Emm... BNX again. They have to fit the connection very carefully or all efforts on this low-yield high cost flight would become futile.

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  3. umm...wow!

    I will only believe this when I actually see a picture of B&H Airlines landing at either Pleso or Nikola Tesla. If it becomes true, it is a good move - more competition = better! B&H Airlines just needs low ticket prices, great service, proper advertising and a good schedule.

    ...but I won't get to optimistic! We'll just leave this to the professionals of the aviation industry.

    Pozdrav

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  4. Arturo10:33

    To ah: great service and low ticket price rarely comes together, esp considering such a high tax environment like that of your country. In a very steep price differentiation scenario, yes you might get the first 10% of your ticket being sold under cost. But in the end, it's whether you can capture those high yield traffic that counts. easyJet and Air Asia X both excel in this mode of selling.

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  5. Anonymous11:03

    Hmmm...Maybe they are finally getting it. Link BNX and establish itself before SkySrpska starts (if ever) or JAT...Going to be interesting to see their summer schedule

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  6. frequentflyer12:50

    Finally!!

    This:
    - counters any moves to get SkySrpska off the ground (though if it ever happened would be another story), 11-weekly is not quite twice-daily on weekdays (optimum) but better than nothing
    - allows predicted 73G operations to ZRH (especially if the AT7s are timed properly, BNXs only destination for some time)
    - BEG will be handed over from JU, but not surprising given the inflexibility of flights on offer, and poor connection times
    - ZAG would easily be profitable due to the strong business links between the two cities

    The only thing missing from the list is an announcement when flights from OMO recommence!

    @ Philswe

    Must we all keep repeating, one airline will NEVER happen again for the region. Too much at stake, ridiculous politics involved, and given other setups such as SAS are burning money like crazy just to stay in the air, why make the airlines complete basket cases?

    @ Ex-YU

    OU has been flying twice-daily to SJJ for at least 3 years now...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Faris17:31

    Nice to see this!

    On a very optimistic and far-fetched note, wouldn't it be interesting to see B&H Airlines the first ex-YU airline to start direct flights to New York with a 757 or A310?

    These flights would connect passengers from Belgrade and Zagreb.

    I must say, for BNX to work they need very low ticket prices, under 100 euros return, and around 150 euros for the other two cities.
    Croatia Airlines has done this well... you cna get regional Coratian flights with them for around 70 euros return with taxes.

    Let's just hope for the best...

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  8. Anonymous18:01

    It would be great to see flight between SJJ and BNX, and to avoid ENDLESS journey on the coach(5,5 hours!! or on the train even longer!!!!) This will work out ONLy if they do the same what Croatia Airlines has done with domestic flights, regarding prices, if something like that happens than we shall see more passangers at BNX and SJJ too, and obviously using SJJ as a connection from other cities in Europe. If this really starts I am going to be the first to book a ticket to BNX and of course if that is going to be for reasonble price. I do not need any special service for 20-25 min journey. Just flight on time and that's it! Quite easy!!!

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  9. Yeap, for example INI-BNX via SJJ :D
    Croatia should do the same thing: 7/14 ZAG-SJJ flights should be operated via BNX...JAT could do BEG-MXP via BNX...

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  10. Anonymous19:32

    Quite good point! Whith prices what OU has done in domestic routes that would definitely work(od course MARKETING< MARKETIND, and "education" nation/s about flying as we have said here milion times there is no "flying culture"!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again.

    B&H airlines should make a good connection between Belgrade and Pristina.

    They already fly to both destinations, no?

    They should make it easy for people to fly between Belgrade and Pristina and visa versa.

    This would be good for two reasons:

    1) there is a market for it.
    2) it would solve the "serbian stamp issue"

    That is, if you crossed into Kosovo from any way other than Serbia, you can't go directly to Serbia without transiting through a 3rd country. That's because, as Serbia deems Kosovo part of its territory, if you try to cross the 'administrative border' between the two states, the Serbian police look in your passport, see no Serbian entry stamp and send you back because you're in Serbia "illegally".

    No other airline makes sense to do this geographically, as Sarajevo is kinda-sorta in-between.

    Not trying to start any fights about Kosovo, just discussing a travelling situation in the balkans

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  12. oh... Silly me. B&H doesn't fly to PRN and Bosnia doesn't recognize Kosovo.

    Ok. forget that idea :P

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  13. @ doot

    You're completely right, but B&H Airlines won't be able to fly to Pristina since the country doesn't recognise Kosovo YET. The authorities in Pristina will not let an airline fly there with a license from Belgrade, as B&H Airlines would only be able to do so.

    Maybe B&H Airlines could get a license from the UMNIK (correct me if I'm wrong!) and then connect Belgrade and Pristina or fly to both of these destinations deperate so Sarajevo could be sort of a mini-transit hub. Would be good and very very profitable.

    **Please don't let this comment start another Kosovo argument :)**

    Pozdrav

    ReplyDelete

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