Flydubai considering Tuzla flights

Flydubai is considering launching services from its hub to Tuzla and is exploring opportunities for the set-up of a joint venture with local authorities to develop the country's aviation sector, the cantonal government said in a statement. It comes following talks between the CEO of Flydubai, Ghaith Al Ghaith, and the General Manager of Tuzla Airport, Rifat Karasalihović, in Dubai earlier this week. The meeting came as a follow-up on talks held between the two in Tuzla the week before. "Flydubai is in the process of linking Tuzla Airport with its network in the Middle East. This time around, talks were focused on Tuzla Airport's potential, especially in the cargo sector and the export of foodstuff to the United Arab Emirates. The establishment of flights was discussed, among other things, as well as the potential launch of a joint venture which would result in a wider investment in our canton", local authorities said in a statement.

Air Arabia previously maintained flights between Dubai and Tuzla. In 2011, the carrier operated a two weekly seasonal summer service with its Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline sold tickets through local tour operators with fares ranging between 460 and 700 euros at the time. The route was short-lived due to extremely poor loads and was cancelled after just a month. At the time, Tuzla Airport said the average cabin load factor on the route stood at some 25% with one flight having a single passenger on board. However, it should be noted that tickets were not sold directly through Air Arabia's website. The airline has since introduced flights to Sarajevo, while Flydubai is also present on the Bosnian market through its services to the country's capital, which will be expanded this winter with the introduction of non-stop flights between Sarajevo and Podgorica.

Over the past few years, Flydubai has expanded in the region by boosting frequencies on its flights to Belgrade and Skopje, in addition to Sarajevo, and has introduced seasonal services to Tivat as well, which will be replaced with Podgorica this winter. Earlier this week, Emirates announced it would begin codesharing on Flydubai's operations to the former Yugoslavia, providing passengers with better transfer options. For its part, Tuzla Airport has seen significant growth after initially struggling to attract airlines and passengers when it opened its doors for commercial use in 1998. Its fortunes turned in 2013 when Wizz Air launched its first service to city. The airline has since based two aircraft in Tuzla. Over the past two years, the airport has unsuccessfully tried to lure other airlines with Montenegro Airlines operating a short-lived service from Vienna.