Banja Luka Airport aims to handle some 100.000 passengers and offer flights to up to five destinations by the end of next year in a bid to turn around its fortunes. Following another disappointing year in 2017, during which it handled 20.867 passengers, representing a decrease of 3.8%, Banja Luka Airport's newly appointed General Manager, Duško Kovačević, is seeking assistance from Belgrade Airport's management in attracting low cost airlines. The two signed a strategic partnership agreement last year. "Our goal is to introduce at least three to five new routes over the next two years with at least two weekly services to western Europe. We expect some 100.000 passengers at Banja Luka Airport in 2019", the General Manager of Belgrade Airport, Saša Vlaisavljević said.
Banja Luka Airport has struggled to attract travellers over the past few years with Air Serbia being its only customer at the moment, maintaining two to three weekly flights from Belgrade during the winter and five over the summer. Last year, the government of the entity of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina suggested for Air Serbia to station an aircraft at Banja Luka Airport and open a subsidiary in the city, however, the airline rejected the offer. Mr Vlaisavljević noted that Belgrade Airport will provide assistance to Banja Luka during talks with foreign carriers, representation at global route development forums, relevant data on passenger and diaspora flow in the region, as well as cooperation in stimulating carriers to fly to Bosnia and Herzegovina's second largest city.
The Entity Ministry for Transport has said it will facilitate talks between Banja Luka Airport and budget airlines, signifying a major turnaround from last year when it noted that “low cost carriers are not our future". General Manager Kovačević noted, "We must maintain flights operated by Air Serbia. They are very important for us and we will work towards increasing frequencies on this route. Of course, in addition to Air Serbia, we are determined to enter into talks with any low cost airline interested in flying to Banja Luka". Negotiations with Wizz Air over potential services began in 2013 but collapsed later on as the two sides were unable to reach an agreement over fees.
Comments
Talking of Wizz Air, its BEG-LCA was 100% full this morning. Every flight in January carried a different football team going there for training. Last week it was Red Star, this morning it was Cukaricki.
I think they realized they can no longer afford to ignore any airport in the region that has potential.
Good idea because i think 3 rd aircraft would be too much alone in beg.
We should not forget that ZAG is not LCC friendly and BNX could see their chance there.
2 hours driving is not that far and it could be good solution both for passengers from ZAG and surrounding as well as for BNX airport.
Lowcost airlines will be flying from SPU, LJU, BNX, TZL and OSI.
https://www.bl-portal.com/media/k2/items/cache/aadedfb3423a3489bf972cecba07ad72_XL.jpg
Air Transat
Emirates
EL AL
Aegean
KLM
Brussels
CSA
Monarch (meanwhile ceased ops)
Volotea
came during last 2 years, or are to come this summer, or turned charter into scheduled flights. With negotiations going on for flights to/from the USA, Thailand, China and Korea, plus some more european airlines, with average monthly growth of 10% for the last year, and with increased profits,I really don't understand how can you call it disillusioned and dare to put ZAG in the same sentence with BNX, the ex-YU aviation black hole, actually not only to put in the same sentence, but to call it dangerous for ZAG. And btw. even if BNX gets a LCC, it will be one, two the most, and ZAG has Norwegian, Germanwings and Eurowings, with confirmed Volotea to come, and Easyjet to come back, so could you please enlighten me an tell me where the danger is?
Although I would like for this to happen, you guys first need to persuade Mr Cerar to vote yes, which in current situation will be pretty much impossible.
On a different note, the border crossing procedure between HR and non-EU neighbors is already up to Schengen standards, so I don't really see how could it become more strict and time consuming. They follow the "Schengen catalogue" to the letter, unlike Hungarians, who allow themselves occasional relaxing of control when there are no monitoring missions around.
Wizz Air launched flights and look at where they are today... they are coming close to overtaking Sarajevo.
Banja Luka has a larger catchment area and the city is richer than Tuzla meaning the potential is greater.
Just like Serbs from BNX go to Zagreb to catch a flight to Canada, that's how Croats will go to Banja Luka to catch a flight to, let's say, DTM of €50 in stead of flying on Eurowings for €200. Pretty much the same as when Croats go to LJU to fly for less money.
Second of all, if ZAG was such a major regional power house then airlines such as Air Canada ROUGE, Air Transat, EL AL, Brussels and CSA would not be flying on a summer seasonal basis. Even EK was forced to downsize its initial plans for winter flights to ZAG.
Stop looking down on others, there is no need to be condescending. Remember what the Bible says: When you point a finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you.
In the end, my point stands. All airports around ZAG are attracting lowcost airlines while they are pretending to be a boutique airport. lol
Mostar - Eurowings
Banja Luka - Ryanair ??