Slow start for Dubai flights

Dubai - Tuzla flights begin
The Tuzla – Dubai service was inaugurated yesterday with flights operating twice per week with an Air Arabia Airbus A320 and organised by a local tour operator in cooperation with Middle East Passenger Services Group. However, the flights got off to a slow start. Only a 25% cabin occupancy rate was recorded on the first return flight, although it’s still early days. Enver Jukanović, the CEO of Tuzla Airport, told the “Sarajevo-x” portal that the service will attract Bosnians living in the Middle East region but also those transiting from Australia and even the United States. If the flights prove successful they will continue to operate throughout the winter as well.

There are several types of passengers Tuzla Airport is trying to attract for these flights with the Bosnian diaspora living in the Middle East and Bosnians holidaying in Dubai the most likely to use the service. Air Arabia’s flights mark a rebirth for the airport which has failed to attract airlines for over a decade. Ticket prices for the Dubai – Tuzla – Dubai service varies from 455 to 688 Euros.

Comments

  1. lol Bosnians travelling to the US? EPIC FAIL

    His statement shows how *much* knowledge he has in aviation. I am sorry but the standard of living in that area is low and minimal price of €450 is too much. Not to mention that Jat is much cheaper than that flying from Belgrade to DUBAI on a smaller capacity aircraft.
    This flight is a ripp off.

    True icing on the cake would be if we would find out this flight is being subsidized.
    I mean what can they expect when Jat through its interline agreement with Emirates has about 44% load factor!!

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  2. Anonymous09:22

    load factor is much better than Adria's on LJU-BNX route, with those prices they won't improve. If you think that 450 euros is expensive for Dubai flight, what do you think about LON-BNX-LON between 300 euros up to 1300 euros!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. Stefan10:13

    Every route needs some time until it gets passengers but I did laugh my head of about the US connecting pax.

    @Nemjee: The BEG-DXB is highly seasonal because of the AUS passengers. I think they are doing really well now on the DXB-BEG route while in September they will be doing well on the BEG-DXB route. On tonight’s flights there are just over 100 pax from BEG with around 50 getting off in LCA.

    Anyway I’m really glad that Tuzla got some flights. The worst thing is to build ghost airports so its great that it finally got some flights.

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  4. @Anonymous,

    Well your argument would stand if I had praised Adria, which I didn't.

    @Stefan,

    Actually Jat's May results for Dubai were 44%. In or out of season the loadfactor doesn't change that much. Their worst competitor on the BEG-DXB route is Turkish Airlines. Both airlines take you through hell when going with them.
    Jat takes you there on their B737-300 with a wonderful stop in Larnaca. End result being, a sleepless night and a 06:00 arrival to Dubai.
    Turkish first makes you transit in Istanbul, which is a special kind of nightmare, and then on top of it all arrives to Dubai just before 04:00. The only good thing there is that they operate their B777-300 on the route.

    Service charges in Tuzla must be lower than Belgrade's (duh) hence why it's impossible for the fares to be higher.
    Not to mention that the flight is direct (no expenses to a secondary airport) and they are using the lowcost terminal in Dubai.

    off the record:
    Jat's load factor to Larnaca is 25%.

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  5. Anonymous11:25

    Why is transiting through IST a night mare, do you have to wait a lot for a connected flight?i'm just curious, because i flew with TK from LJU to BKK and back from SIN (via IST) and have found IST airport really pleasant (compared to, say LHR etc) because it's not too crowded&hectic.the only bad thing was i had to wait quite a lot for a connectec flight.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The problem with Istanbul, well at least for me, is the usual lack of professionalism of the staff. Not to mention that half of them do not speak English.
    Actually, the lack of professionalism is a major problem in IST as very often vehicle drivers tend to hit planes. Recently they damaged the door of one of TKs 777.

    Also, when I was there the airport was crowded beyond belief and we were sitting forever in the airplane waiting to taxi for take off.

    However, airport as an airport is very nice. I like the fact that you can see the tarmac and it's easy to plane spot. Not to mention that it's one of the few airports today with a viewing terrace :)

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  7. JATBEGMEL20:25

    Air Arabia isnt based in DXB, but SHJ...Air Arabia does offer flights from Dubai, but they are sent by bus to Sharjah where they fly onwards to other destinations.

    The flights are cheaper with JAT and probably better on JAT than on Air Arabia, as Air Arabia is a LCC that has a high dense seating config on the aircraft.

    I doubt the flight connect pax, and there is no way any passenger would fly the extra 12+ hours to fly via DXB or SHJ to catch a flight to Tuzla.

    JAT's flights to DXB for the next month and more are all sold out apparently. The problem on that line is that the flights should go daily to make the route more convenient for passengers. Emirates is also selling tickets via other Euro destinations onwards to BEG as well such as DUS, FRA, VIE...i think JAT and EK should do a codeshare agreement with would minimise this.

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  8. AirKoryoTU-20415:43

    Why is it so expensive to fly into Bosnia? I am trying to find flight from Athens or Thessaloniki to Sarajevo for December and the prices with Olympic Air are 400Euro flying via BEG with Jat connections to SJJ. Croatia Airlines is very expensive too from Athens to Zagreb and then onto Sarajevo is 550Euros online. Turkish Airlines flying with TK and B&H airlines is roughly 490Euros.

    I think OA and YU service will be the best and 4 hour services are quick. Also I hate to take a train or bus on a distance that far. I think that B&H or OA should introduce a route from SJJ/ATH to one another via SKG even, it is quite impossible to fly from ATH to SJJ.

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  9. @ AirKoryo

    SJJ Airport charges ridiculous fees and there is almost no competition present. Even after visa restrictions were lift, none of the LCCs decided to enter the market. Like many other public enterprises in Bosnia, SJJ airport is also led by bunch of incompetent people, who were named to the position just because of political affiliation with the current government.

    ReplyDelete

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