Record numbers for Sarajevo and Podgorica airports

Podgorica and Sarajevo airports register busiest year on record

The airports in Podgorica and Sarajevo have recorded their busiest year on record in 2015 despite a disappointing December for the latter, affected by poor weather conditions which resulted in the cancellation of over a quarter of all flights throughout the month. Bosnia and Herzegovina's busiest airport reported that it handled 772.851 travellers throughout the year, an increase of 8.7% compared to 2014. Passenger figures declined over 35% in December due to low visibility, which saw the airport shut its doors for several days, resulting in the cancellation of numerous flights. "We are still evaluating the financial losses incurred, but it is apparent they are significant", the airport's spokeswoman, Belma Čureković, said earlier this week. Despite the December hick-up, the airport has seen record figures throughout the year and has maintained its position as the ninth busiest in the former Yugoslavia, fending off strong competition from Podgorica, from which it took over the position last year.

Podgorica Airport also reached a milestone in 2015. It handled 748.175 passengers, up 6.7% on the year before. "2015 will be remembered as the year Podgorica broke records on a monthly basis", the airport said. Aircraft movements grew 5% during the year. In contrast, Tivat Airport saw its figures decrease slightly, 1.7% on its record 2014 result. It welcomed 895.033 travellers through its doors. "The decline comes purely as a result of the Ukraine crisis, which had an impact on Montenegro's tourism industry as a whole. Therefore, we view this result as an achievement", Tivat Airport's operator said. Montenegro Airlines, which has aircraft based at both airports, saw its passenger numbers increase 4% on last year's 557.000 travellers. Its operated 6% more flights during 2015.

Sarajevo Airport enters 2016 with plans to improve its facilities and attract new carriers. Czech Airlines is expected to launch services to the Bosnian capital in May with ticket sales to begin later this month. The two sides are in talks regarding landing and departure slots which could see the airport extend its business hours to accommodate for the carrier's planned late arrival and early departure. Furthermore, Qatar Airways is expected to launch services to Sarajevo, according the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Preparations are in their final phase and we can expect for Qatar Airways to make a final decision on the establishment of nonstop Doha - Sarajevo flights very soon”, the Ministry said recently. In addition, the airport is expected to begin work on the construction of rapid exit taxiways and the expansion of its apron. On the other hand, Flydubai is planning to introduce two weekly services to Podgorica next June.

Comments

  1. "which could see the airport extend its business hours to accommodate for the carrier's planned late arrival and early departure."

    If SJJ does extend its business hours, ASL should certainly take advantage of that by introducing a night flight.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:55

    I feel sorry for Sarajevo. They were so close to 800k passengers. If they had a normal December they would have surpassed it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:56

      There is fog in Sarajevo each winter and each winter there are disruptions. I don't get that the authorities have done absolutely nothing to deal with it.

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    2. Anonymous10:31

      What can they do? Pray for the fog to go away?

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    3. Anonymous10:47

      Install necessary equipment.

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    4. Anonymous11:30

      They can install all the equipment they want but with mountains near the airport and visibility sometimes less than even 100 meters there will be little to no improvement.

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    5. Anonymous11:33

      CAT IIIb allows for landing at visibility at less than 50 metres.

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    6. Anonymous11:39

      Yeah but a lot of aircraft that land there are not equipped for CAT III, starting with JU's little Atrs. :)

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:40

      CAT IIIb requires no obstacles or elevated terrain around the airport. SJJ can not operate like that. Just like many other airports around the world are hampered by geography.
      SKG is a close example that gets often disrupted by fog and CAT IIIb cannot be installed because of a mountain nearby.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous14:57

      Anon 11:40 AM
      +1

      Delete
    9. Anonymous16:21

      Exactly. Airlines will not attempt landings between mountains in fog even if the airport had CAT VIII installed. It is not always the authorities to blame.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous10:02

    Well done Podgorica and Sarajevo. Shame about Tivat.

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  4. Anonymous10:04

    With Easy jet coming to Tivat and the crisis in Ukraine calming down, plus Russians no longer traveling to Turkey and Egypt, I think TIV could be very close to 1 million this year.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:24

      Russian presence in Montenegro will keep fading, regardless of what happens in Ukraine. Reasons are mostly political.

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    2. Anonymous17:44

      Russians are running out of affordable countries where they visit for holidays.
      Egypt, Turkey, Montenegro, Ukraine.
      Where will they go?

      Delete
    3. Crimea брат.

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    4. Nemjee18:22

      Hmm Greece? Cyprus? Thailand?
      Plus, both India and Israel are investing millions in promoting themselves in Russia. I am sure there are going to be quite a few tourists in Goa during the summer.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:39

      Yes but those are more expensive places than Turkey and Egypt.

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    6. Nemjee18:45

      Have you been to India? You can comfortably survive a week with just €80!

      My guess is that with the crisis going on now, Greece is not much more expensive than Turkey. I am not talking about Athens or Thessaloniki but random islands.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous20:47

      I am sure there are going to be quite a few tourists in Goa during the summer. - You mean in winter? Cause in summer Goa is pretty unbearable.

      Delete
    8. Nemjee20:59

      Oh yes, in winter, my bad. Thanks.

      Delete
    9. + Croatia and Bulgaria

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:57

    Anyone have the loads for today's Ural flight to BEG?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:30

      Dont know but it was an A321

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:35

      It was scheduled to be an A321 from the start. I am sure DME-BEG was rather full but I am wondering about the return flight and if some booked on them. Maybe they returned empty, don't know.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:34

      QR A321 in BEG, again! Would be great if anyone had their loads too.

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    4. Anonymous15:50

      And to flight to Nis from Kaluga? With superjet 100

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    5. Anonymous16:04

      Yesterday Aegean A320 ATH-BEG was almost completely full.

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    6. Anonymous17:38

      With QR starting direct flights soon, the loads should be better

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    7. Anonymous18:24

      Actually there probably are and they are in some resort city where charter flights are arrived completely full.

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    8. Anonymous20:51

      so QR numbers anyone?

      Delete
  6. Anonymous11:26

    35% decline in December. Yikes.

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  7. Anonymous11:29

    What happened to plans to convert the old terminal in Sarajevo into a LCC terminal? Another Velican promise that didn't come true?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous12:02

    Što je sa Turkish Airlinesom?
    Već nekoliko dana za redom, otkazuju oba dnevna leta za Zagreb?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:03

      Sneg u Istanbulu?

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    2. Anonymous13:35

      Low demand.

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    3. Anonymous13:49

      Yesterday 285 out of Istanbul was canceled due to snow.....

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    4. Anonymous13:50

      285 flights.... sorry.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:01

      Otkazivali su i Sarajevo i Prištinu zbog lošeg vremena, počelo je negde oko 28. decembra. Onda je udarila snežna oluja u Istanbulu pa je otkazano sve živo. Još uvek "opravljaju" redovno stanje na IST.

      Delete
  9. Hi all and Happy New Year!

    Sorry for the OT but noticed FlyDubai has 2 services to Zagreb today. Anyone know why?

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nemjee12:27

      This used to happen in BEG too, usually around the holidays to cope with increased demand.
      I guess ZAG is performing well for them.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous12:32

    Anyone know why TIV was so delayed? Was there some nasty weather in Tivat or did YU-ALU break down?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:35

      It is -8 and there has been a snow storm with strong wind for the past 12 hours. Everything is late. All airlines are delayed.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:38

      Are you speaking of Tivat or Belgrade? BEG seems to be fine.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:40

      BEG and it's not fine since most departures are delayed by at least an hour and that includes all airlines - Wizz Air, Turkish, Air Serbia etc

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:59

      YU-ALU hasn't flown since it arrived from Sarajevo yesterday. It was scheduled to depart at 10.00 when other flights were departing normally.

      Also, TK is late because of the mess at IST, not so much because of the weather in BEG.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous13:07

      YU-ALU is absolutely useless. It's old and unreliable, just like YU-ALN and to a lesser extent YU-ALO.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous13:34

      YU-ALN is a disaster according to aerologic yesterday.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous19:16

    BEG tonight:

    https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10363818_10153831319993826_8476109337716006650_n.jpg?oh=49e0fee6b3391b957d7db2ac7edf6d59&oe=57478977


    Courtesy of Uros Mitrovic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:35

      Any more pics? Thank you!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:25

      What's with the JU A319 @ B apron? De-icing? I guess the other position in near C gates?

      Delete
  12. Anonymous19:24

    Why was YU-ANJ in Nice?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:31

      Suntanning... it was a charter flight with a group. Just like it went to GVA last winter and stayed there for four days.

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    2. Charter for ppl that spent NYE there :)

      Delete
    3. JATBEGMEL19:49

      It flew from OHD to NCE today.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous20:39

      no, it was not the same boeing..

      Delete
  13. Anonymous20:19

    Well, seems like Nis handled 35.519 passengers in 2015. They are expecting to have an air link to Istanbul.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous20:52

    how credible is this article?
    http://www.kurir.rs/vesti/drustvo/er-srbija-ucenjuje-pilote-napustite-sindikat-ili-ne-letite-za-ameriku-clanak-2082121

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:05

      Knowing how the top of JU works I wouldn't be surprised. Let's not forget that pilots almost went on a strike last year and it was barely avoided.
      If this goes to court JU will not stand a chance. I don't like sindikats but come on, this is atrocious behaviour.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:09

      Also, it's suspicious that there was no reply.

      Delete
    3. If this article is true, it is a great shame for ASL. It sends a clear message to any potential employees that they should look for employment elsewhere.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous00:10

      25 pilots left Air Serbia last year (that is more than 10% of total number of pilots in JU)

      150 cabin crew left Air Serbia last year (that is more than 50% of total number of cabin crew in JU)

      Air Serbia is asking for pilots intensively:

      https://www.pilotcareercentre.com/Air-Carrier-PCC-Profile/2087/Air%20Serbia

      Delete
    5. Anonymous00:52

      And it is also hiring new cabin crew all the time.
      It doesn't get more planes or open new routes but it hires new cabin crew constantly.
      Some of us noticed months ago that trend and spoke about the working confitions and the low crew moral that drive many pilots and cabin crew to lieve the company but we were called "haters" by the cheerleading squad...

      Delete
    6. Anonymous05:02

      Maja Gedošev na Sejšelima...

      Delete
    7. Aэrologic00:36

      Frequent cabin crew reshuffle takes the service level into a downward spiral, that is why recently UIA seemed like QR/CX after Air Serbia in terms of cabin crew service.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous23:43

    Any news about Qatar´s flights to Sarajevo. When will the tickets go on sale??

    ReplyDelete

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