FlyBosnia set to launch in 2018


The new Sarajevo-based airline, FlyBosnia, plans to commence operations in 2018 with the start-up recently advertising job openings for cabin crew members. The carrier has been set up by the Al Shiddi Group, a Saudi Arabian investment and development company which also runs the Sarajevo City Center - a business complex, hotel and shopping mall in the Bosnian capital. "FlyBosnia is a new, young and dynamic airline based in Sarajevo, now looking for exceptional people who are friendly, confident and have a passion for excellent customer service delivery, to join the team of enthusiasts already passionate for flying. We will strive to ensure that our customers enjoy safe flights with high standards of customer service", the company said.

FlyBosnia plans to focus on shuttling holiday-makers between the Gulf and Sarajevo, which is becoming an increasingly popular destination for tourists from the Middle East. During the 2017 summer season, the Al Shiddi Group partnered with Egypt's Nesma Airlines to launch five weekly flights between Riyadh and Sarajevo, which were maintained for a three-month period between June and September. However, the investment company expressed anger at authorities after a number of Saudi nationals were turned back in Sarajevo for not possessing an entry visa. At the time, the Al Shiddi Group threatened to scale-back its investments in Bosnia and several of the planned flights were cancelled.

Previous attempts to set up a commercial airline in Bosnia have failed. The country's flag carrier has gone into bankruptcy on two occasions, while Bosnian Wand Airlines (BWA), founded by the Iraqi Al Wand Group in 2015, with plans to fly from Sarajevo to Stockholm, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Malmo and Athens, lasted for only a month. There has also been a previous attempt  by a different investor to set up an airline named FlyBosnia. In 2004, a UK-based company intended to establish the carrier with flights between London Gatwick, Manchester and Sarajevo. However, those plans never materialised. The Al Shiddi-funded FlyBosnia will reveal more details on its fleet and network early next year.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:04

    Here we go again. They just don't give up. The market is just too small and not wealthy enough to support a national carrier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:34

      I don't think these guys are creating a national carrier.

      Delete
    2. This will fail again

      Delete
    3. Anonymous23:47

      These are the people who have destroyed the air force in BiH, just changing the names of the airline companies and cheating people because they do not have any knowledge.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:05

    Another airline which will be of no use to locals since they will only fly to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:00

      Let's wait and see. We don't know if they will only fly to the Gulf.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:16

      99% they will fly only to the Gulf to serve the leisure arm of the Al Shiddi group.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:29

      Sarajevo needs more flights to European destinations. We are already well covered to the Gulf with FlyDubai, Qatar, Wataniya Airways and others.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:33

      But that's the point. This new airline is not being created to serve the needs of locals in Sarajevo, it is being created for Middle East tourists.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:01

      If they want to fly only from gulf region to BiH they dont need an airline established in BiH. So they planned to connect BiH with various other destinations

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:07

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:08

    That logo reminds me of my local fish and chips take-away joint...

    With all due respect to the Saudi Al Shiddi Group for their real estate investments and successes, they're getting themselves into a very tricky industry and in a country (and region in general) where bureaucracy and corruption always wins over commercial interests. Rather stick to buildings... much safer bet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:04

      Haha yes, they could have worked a bit more on the logo.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:12

      I don't mind the logo actually. Simple and clean.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:48

      Very simple and clean, as if my cat had the last bite off its tail :-)

      This has disaster written all over it, I just don't see this one lasting too long, even on the Middle East services, established competitors will eat them for dinner - excuse the pun. What are they thinking launching an airline for a highly seasonal network? Get some ACMI to do the dirty work instead...

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:08

    I wonder which aircraft they plan to use.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:07

      More interestingly we will see if they will use a Bosnian AOC.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:09

      They will have to if they want to fly from Bosnia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:12

      Oh really and Wizz Air has a Bosnian AOC?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:35

      Well they closed down BWA with the explanation that they do not hold a Bosnian AOC.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:08

      They will use Bosnian AOC

      Delete
    6. haha i think most likely a Airbus A318 :D

      Delete
    7. haha I fairly think A318 or B737-500 will come to use :D

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:16

    I hope this does not end up like Wand Airlines

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      At least it's a private airline. No public money spent, unlike with B&H Airlines.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:01

      True that

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:15

      Al Shiddi Group has deep pockets.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous16:47

      same CEO as Wand

      Delete
    5. Anonymous21:02

      majke mi

      Delete
  7. Anonymous10:04

    Pranje para

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:05

    I bet you this won't work, just like Dalmatian, Wand Air and Air Croatia...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous10:11

    Will be interesting to see how this plays out

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:12

    In this country, it seems everything must be owned by strangers in order to exist. Local politicians steal and dismantle everything which is owned by the country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:54

      Huh, nothing new on Balkan. Same in Makedonija, Bulgarija or even Serbia, Croatia, Slovenija.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:41

      +1

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:16

    So Sarajevo - Riyadh?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:27

      Most likely.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:51

      Or Sarajevo - Jeddah

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:18

    The first flyBosnia sounded better. At least we would have had flights to the UK.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:27

      Even Wizz could not make it work between Bosnia and the UK. I doubt a local start up would have.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous10:26

    Good news for Sarajevo.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous10:33

    Despite the number of flights from the Middle East to Sarajevo, there is obviously pent up demand. I mean FZ will fly three daily to SJJ next summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:35

      That is true but the demand is seasonal. Look at the operations during winter.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:05

      What times will FZ fly?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:19

      Morning, afternoon and evening.

      Delete
    4. Dubai-Sarajevo flight schedule STT2018
      FZ 8605 DXB-SJJ 03:10-07:10 Daily
      FZ 761 DXB-SJJ 09:15-13:15 Daily
      FZ 8697 DXB-SJJ 13:55-17:55 Daily
      FZ 8606 SJJ-DXB 08:10-15:45 Daily
      FZ 762 SJJ-DXB 14:15-21:50 Daily
      FZ 8698 SJJ-DXB 18:55-02:30 Daily

      Delete
  15. Anonymous11:21

    This summer they cancelled 24 of the 92 flights. They say its because of Saudis thinking they don't need visas to Bosnia, but I'm not so sure. I think they just could not fill the planes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:21

      This refers to the Riyadh-Sarajevo flights.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous11:23

    So

    Riyadh - Nesma Airlines
    Sharjah - Air Arabia
    Dubai - Fly Dubai
    Kuwait - Wataniya
    Doha - Qatar Airways

    and now FlyBosna?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:32

      Impressive.

      Delete
    2. Spend a day in Sarajevo and surrounding area and you'll see why so many flights. It's like you are somewhere in Middle East

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:47

      Are there any stats or estimates how many tourists from the Middle East visit Bosnia each year?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous01:25

      January-October tourist arrivals in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
      1 Turkey 85.835 +8,5%
      2 Croatia 78.948 +11,7%
      3 Serbia 64.966 +10,6%
      4 South Korea 49.183 +25,5%
      5 Slovenia 48.020 +9,5%
      6 Italy 40.492 +6,0%
      7 Poland 39.180 +26,6%
      8 United Arab Emirates 31.625 -1,1%
      9 Germany 31.443 +18,9%
      10 China 28.581 +129,9%
      11 Saudi Arabia 23.946 +34,9%
      12 United States of America 23.923 +25,3%
      13 Austria 21.159 +13,5%
      14 France 15.267 +13,1%
      15 Oman 13.144 +
      16 Nederland 12.133 +32,2%
      17 Montenegro 11.948 +16,5%
      18 United Kingdom 11.809 +26,0%
      19 Sweden 11.166 +27,5%
      20 Hungary 11.152 +22,7%
      21 Malesia 10.792 +
      22 Spain 10.002 +27,5%

      Delete
  17. Anonymous11:28

    Again with Middle East...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:31

      So? The demand is there.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:14

      And no demand for Europe?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:25

      If Middle East flights work for Sarajevo then why not?

      Delete
  18. Anonymous13:55

    The Balkan mania of having a flag carrier. Swallow your prides.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:43

      The only European countries that don't have a flag carrier are Macedonia, Bosnia, Lithuania, Hungary and Slovakia.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:48

      This airline will not be a flag carrier. It is a private airline being established in Bosnia by a Saudi Arabian investor. No public money will be spent on it.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:57

      You forgot Estonia, Cyprus, micro states in Europe. This makes around 10 countries and as you can see, there is no drama.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous16:59

      Estonia's national airline is called Nordica and as far as I'm aware European micro states don't have commercial airports.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous17:49

      There’s nothing wrong with having a flag carrier. But there is no reason why such company has to be state owned and live on taxpayers life support for decades.

      Take a look at British Airways, private-owned flag carrier. And UK seems to be doing just fine and don’t need to “invest” millions of pounds every year to keep it running.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous00:47

      And the rest have a dying flag carrier like Czechia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Ukraine etc etc

      Delete
    7. Anonymous03:28

      Exactly, meaning we no longer need a national carrier

      Delete
  19. Anonymous14:44

    Good opportunity for young people to get employed. And if they are successful, Sarajevo will be handling a million passengers per year in no time. Wish them all the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:56

      And here is the job advertisement :)
      https://m.posao.ba/#!job;id=181907

      Delete
  20. Anonymous15:01

    Similar to Serbia with Germany, the Middle East flights to Sarajevo will soon be saturated. Supply will destroy demand sooner or later.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous16:50

    95% of the passengers will be Arabs, no use for locals and probably no or poor chances of connecting flights. Any extra airline for SJJ is a plus tho.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous16:55

    Their website is currently under construction
    http://flybosnia.ba/

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous11:13

    These are the people who have destroyed the air force in BiH, just changing the names of the airline companies and cheating people because they do not have any knowledge.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous17:49

    To su ljudi koji su unistili avijaciju u BiH, samo mjenjaju nazive avio kompanija i varaju ljude jer nemaju nikakvo znanje.

    These are the people who have destroyed the air force in BiH, just changing the names of the airline companies and cheating people because they do not have any knowledge.

    ReplyDelete

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