Wizz and Ryanair eye Mostar flights


Low cost airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair are considering launching operations to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and are currently in contact with local authorities. According to the General Manager of Mostar Airport, Marin Raspudić, both the airport and local government must first secure funds to subsidise one of the two carriers in order for them to introduce services. "No low cost airline will start flying to an airport if there is no co-financing involved. Today, no risks are taken in the aviation sector. Without subsidies it is impossible for budget airlines to launch flights", Mr Raspudić said. He added that in September both the airport and authorities will approach one of the two mentioned no frills carriers and give them an offer. "They want to have answers by September. Every serious airline wants to have information so they can plan for next summer", Mr Raspudić noted.

In 2013, the Federal government of Bosnia and Herzegovina designated both Mostar and Tuzla airports as the country’s low cost hubs. Since then, Wizz Air has opened a base in Tuzla. Mostar Airport attempted to attract low cost carriers on several occasions but has had little success. Back in 2012 it held talks with Wizz Air over potential flights from Dortmund and Malmo, but the airline opted for Tuzla instead. However, Wizz Air's Head of Airport Development, Jozsef Ujhely, recently said the carrier was looking to further strengthen its presence in Bosnia and Hezrzegovina, which could result in potential flights to Mostar as well. On the other hand, in October 2014, Ryanair confirmed it had entered negotiations with Mostar Airport concerning the possible launch of services from Germany and Scandinavia. In the end, these flights did not materialise either.

Mostar has struggled to attract scheduled flights but sees a significant number of charter traffic throughout the year, carrying religious pilgrims visiting the nearby Medjugorje sight. Mostar Airport handled 18.486 passengers during the first half of 2016, down 41.4% on last year due to fewer charters, making it Bosnia and Herzegovina’s third busiest airport behind Sarajevo and Tuzla but ahead of Banja Luka. It handled a record 86.000 travellers in a single year prior to the breakup of the former Yugoslavia but has been unable to surpass that figure ever since. This summer, a total of seven airlines are maintaining regular charter flights to Mostar, one of them being Croatia Airlines. The Croatian carrier maintains services from Mostar to the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:05

    If one of them can do what has been done in Tuzla that would be excellent for Mostar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Airport Morava have enough room for LCC players, soon as Serbian authority blessing this forgotten airport. Rodney & Partners✈. Summer 2016. Kraljevo✈Sydney+

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:55

      Mostar will get flights before KVO even opens.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:20

      No matter what the topic Rodney always writes about Morava. I would like to hear his thoughts, based on his decades in the aviation experience, about today's topic.

      We all wish Morava the best, but what do you think Mostar should do to attract LLCs?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:44

      Cause Rodney only replies to places he remembers from 50 years ago which he hasn't visited since.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:40

      I think he really only cares about Serbian aviation.

      Delete
    6. Postovani @ 12:40 PM
      Vi ste u pravu. Moje opredeljenje u zbivanjima civilnog vazduhoplovstva u ovom delu jugo istocne Evrope se prevashodno odnosi na Srbiju. Druge ucesnike retko komentarisem. Nikada provokativno. Kao ni ljude. Kako vazduhoplovne krugove Srbije tako i sve druge. Opet sam misljenja da opredeljenje politicara, relaventnih krugova u olukama, zajedno sa lokalnim gradovima koji gravitiraju oko ovih sekundarnih aerodroma. Verujem da dolazak LCC u Mostar zavisi od upornosti i uslova koji moze ponuditi operaterima. Veoma znacajna je podrska okolnih gradova i lokalnih zajednica. U slicaju Mostara nisam upoznat. To ostaje Mostarcima. Ipak trenutno po tom pitanju zainteresovanost sto se Morave tice nije uravnorezena u podrsci sto se tice okolnih gradova. Prvensveno mislim na Kragujevac. Izuzev verbalne, direktne podrske nema za sada. Dali je slicno u okolnim drzavama nije mi poznato. Ali jeste sigurno da svma zelim uspeh. To cinim u Austrliji, kada sam ovde u Evropi, ili na nekom drugom kontinentu. Eh sad, sto nerazumem ovdasnja kretanja u ovoj oblasti, oprostite. Ako imate volje. Za danas dovoljno. Rodney & Friends. KVO✈SYS+...

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  2. Anonymous09:05

    Fingers crossed :)

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  3. Anonymous10:15

    Hope this materializes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:15

    Why don't they try to attract both? Why do they just want one?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:22

      First one to prove the market.

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    2. They can only afford to pay for one, as the article states Mostar must subsidize the flights! Ryan Air already is at Tuzla, so it is logical to go after Wizz..!!

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    3. Peter "Ryan Air already is at Tuzla"check your facts dude

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:52

    Great news

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous10:54

    I will believe it when I see it but yeah good news.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:12

    BNX take note and see how it is done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:51

      Exactly my thoughts! I simply cannot understand that things are like this at BNX in 2016. Ridiculous.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous08:32

      There is nobody in charge at BNX who is even able to take a note about anything concerning not only civil aviation but any other lines of work as well.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous12:04

    Whats the connection between Beirut and Mostar?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:41

      Cheistians from Lebanon also visiting Medjugorje.

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    2. Anonymous12:41

      * Christians, sorry

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    3. Anonymous13:03

      I remember JAT did really well with Mostar. They had specially chartered flights to the US catering only for pilgrims (going via BEG). There were even tour groups from Australia flying with JAT to go to Medjugorje. I can't remember exactly but I think JAT use to fly there only seasonally. When you look at it. Mostar then had some 100.000 passengers more than Tuzla now on year base.

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    4. Nemjee13:06

      Even today JU sells quite a lot of tickets to Christians heading to Medjugorje. They route them via DBV.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous13:38

    Bergamo-Mostar with Ryanair would do the job!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Possibile location for Mostar:
    Düsseldorf Weeze
    Eindhoven
    Cologne-Bonn
    Oslo
    Barcelona

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:15

      I'd add Warsaw as well as either Rome or Milan, maybe even both.

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    2. Anonymous22:48

      Dublin?

      Delete
  11. Anonymous17:15

    Two A320 will be transferred from EY to JU by the beginning of the winter season... Sorry haters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:16

      Source?

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    2. Anonymous17:24

      Etihad.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:11

      If this is true, then St Petersburg and Kiev would probably be in the winter time table as well

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:28

      ASL needs regional jets in order to replace turbo prop machines and old B733s , especialy during winter season. They do not have demand for four A320.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:28

      Internal EY info or can you find it somewhere? Also are you sure they are not A319 since EY has two of them that they are planning to retire since last year

      Delete
    6. Anonymous20:20

      From what I was told they will come from AB via EY. I guess it's because Etihad plans on renegotiating the leases themselves.

      If all works well in the end they will be added in the winter schedule soon.

      There is also a possibility of EY giving its own BEG flight to JU. They will run it double daily with the A319.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous21:09

      Rich daddy again.......may god bless him ( etihad ), air serbia is uncapable to do anything by themselves.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous22:47

      Well, better to have a rich Etihad dad, than a rich Lufthansa stepdad.

      Delete
    9. Get rekt haters,last anon you are totally right

      Delete
  12. Anonymous20:22

    Just to help from about 1988 till 92 I helped from London office operate ju199/8. Lhr/ omo via Ljubljana ( to drop of 30 pax) operated by a 727 we launched a pilgrimage brochure via pilgrim tours, and had very good loads. Pilgrim Holidays did tours to the coast using *Adriatic class

    ReplyDelete

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