The Saudi-backed Sarajevo-based start-up FlyBosnia is preparing to launch operations this summer, with Riyadh to become its first destination. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation has confirmed to EX-YU Aviation News that the airline has applied for an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and that its application is currently being evaluated. The carrier is likely to receive permits later this month, allowing it to launch operations. Although the airline will initially link Sarajevo with Saudi Arabia, it later plans to expand operations throughout Europe to in-demand destinations such as Frankfurt, Stockholm and Amsterdam. The carrier will officially unveil its plans once it is granted an AOC.
FlyBosnia has been set up by Saudi Arabia's Al Shiddi Group, which was founded in 1975 with interests in various fields, including construction, real estate, agriculture and tourism. It has been operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2006, where the group consists of four companies - SRE Investment, Shad Invest, Sarajevo City Center (SCC) and Hotel Bristol. Nudžejma Skenderović, the head of SRE Investment, and Sulaiman Abdullah Al Shiddi, the head of the Al Shiddi International Group, have been listed as the founders of FlyBosnia, while Haris Čoloman, who previously worked at the now defunct virtual carrier Bosnian Wand Airlines, has been named as the carrier's CEO.
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. This year, the route will be taken up by FlyBosnia itself which plans to lease a single narrow-body aircraft and operate flights with its own crew, which are in the process of being recruited. The Saudi conglomerate has described FlyBosnia as a "new young and dynamic airline", which will "strive to ensure that passengers enjoy safe flights with high standards of customer service". Previous attempts to set up a commercial airline in Bosnia have failed. The country's two former flag carriers, Air Bosna and B&H Airlines, have gone into bankruptcy, with the last of B&H Airlines' property, such as trolleys, airstairs and cargo containers, put up for sale on February 15. The only airline in Bosnia and Herzegovina in possession of a local AOC is the Tuzla-based cargo carrier Icar Air.
It's good that they are going the right way about it and first getting an AOC. Wish them good luck.
ReplyDeleteAbdullah Al Shiddi is on te bpack list of USA
DeleteBlack list*
DeleteLol. Do you know why?
DeleteGoogle Search says: 0 results.
DeleteMind to elaborate how and what list?
Otherwise: FAKE NEWS!!!
Sarajevo Airport could really benefit.
ReplyDeleteIf they are successful, Sarajevo will be handling a million passengers per year in no time.
DeleteSJJ will handle a million this year with or without them.
DeleteDoes Icar Air still have a plane?
ReplyDeleteYes, a small Turbolet plane.
DeleteThanks.
DeleteOn the weekdays you can watch Icar Air flights to/from Ancona and Bergamo at www.flightradar24.com
DeleteFlight codes RAC9001, 2, 3 and 4
Another airline which will be of no use to locals since they will only fly to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
ReplyDeleteIt says they will eventually fly to European countries.
DeleteSure they will...
DeleteMakes no sense.There is also winter season and tourists from Gulf almost abolish their visits,so that company will definetely fly to somewhere else,at least during winter season.Actually,those flights to/from Arabia will be operated in june-september period,so not even the hole season
DeleteIt says they will first fly to Saudi Arabia but will then start flights to Europe. So probably they will fly to Saudi in summer and then start new Europe routes in winter.
DeleteSo you are saying that they will fly European routes in the winter months instead of Saudi and Gulf destinations?
DeleteAnd in Summer when there is demand from the Gulf and Saudi Arabia they will stop the European routes?
For an airline flying scheduled flights that is a disaster!
No I'm not saying that. I'm saying that when they start flights this summer, they will first only fly to Saudi Arabia and then eventually introduce Europe flights in the winter. At least that's my understanding. There is little need for flights from Saudi in the winter because traffic flow from Middle East to Bosnia is highly seasonal.
DeleteSo which planes will fly those Saudi routes next summer? The same aircraft that will by busy in winter flying in Europe?
DeleteHighly doubt this will ever happen...
ReplyDeleteThey have backers with lots of money. I think they could work.
DeleteWand Airlines also havld backers with lots of money.
Delete*had
DeleteYes,they did but they didnt fall because of money but because their operations were illegal.They didnt have an AOC of Bosnia
DeleteExactly. This time they are going the right way about it.
DeleteThous backers were unable to complete the Sarajevo City Centre shopping mall due to the lack of money - they hoped to finance the completion from incomes of the part that already operates
DeleteGood news for Sarajevo.
ReplyDeleteWill be interesting to see how this plays out
ReplyDeleteIt won't
DeleteDon't get all the negativity. They are a private company. They are not using tax payers money.
ReplyDeleteExactly +1
DeleteAnd yet, when it comes to negativity and private companies, people had no problem commenting Trade Air, European Coastal Airlines, Dubrovnik Airline.
DeleteI don't remember people being negative towards those airlines.
DeleteAnother fiasco
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the ex-Wand Airlines CEO is now the CEO of this company does not make me very optimistic.
ReplyDeleteGreat news. Wish all the best for SJJ.
ReplyDeleteHope it works out this time.
ReplyDeleteWonder which aircraft they will lease
ReplyDeleteIf they are going to fly to Saudi Arabia it will probably be Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.
DeleteThis airline will definitely work.Once the business starts(i.e. when the other routes open),they should get a couple of airplanes and make some money!I believe in FlyBosnia
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think it will work?
Deletei think it will work because Al Shiddi Group have made excellent investments in Bosnia.This airline is first getting an aoc which other airlines didnt do(bosnian wand airlines,skybosnia etc)
Delete+1
DeleteNot exactly: the C of A of that a/c ran out and it was transported on a flatbed trailer out of SJJ. The other one was already held back at MGL due to unpaid heavy maintenance....
Deletesorry, wanted to reply one comm below....
DeleteSad to see everything from B&H Airlines has been sold off. What happened to the plane?
ReplyDeleteIt's been cut into pieces.
DeleteWhy? COuldn't it just have been leased to someone else. That ATR wasn't that old.
DeleteThe atr was very old,about 23-26 years.
DeleteIt will stay that way until they get an AOC.
ReplyDeleteI support this. It's good that there will be a local airline hiring locals and increasing connectivity from Sarajevo. Will it work? I don't know but the group has had many good investments in Bosnia so far.
ReplyDeleteIt will be of no use to the local population if they only fly to the Middle East so hopefully those Europe flights start soon too.
ReplyDeleteSo they must have done quite well last summer on Riyadh route if they are bringing it back this year.
ReplyDeleteThey actually cancelled a lot of flights last year but they said it was becase Saudis were being turned back at Sarajevo Airport. Apparently they were all coming without visas.
DeleteSaudi Arabia is introducing tourist visas. Maybe there will now be some demand the other way too.
DeleteLet's wait and see before we pass judgment.
ReplyDeleteHow can we apply for a job at Air Bosnia ��
ReplyDeleteThey were advertising for cabin crew positions in December. I don't think they are offering any new jobs at this point.
DeleteOvo bi bilo svakako odlicno za turizam u SJJ i donelo bi dosta doprinosa.
ReplyDeleteMozda bude i posle vise od jednog aviona ako planiraju vise destinacija.
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Ovo je kao komentari sendvičara na B92.
DeleteOcigledno znate iz iskustva sta se dobije, ali ako volite nastavite sa komentarima koji nemaju veze sa avijacijom posto ste tu najbolji.
DeleteINN-NS
INN-NS
DeleteVi ste svojim komentarom dokazali.. što?
DeleteSvakako da ne sirim ne istine razne ili se bavim avijacijom za razliku od vas gde uvlacite politiku umesto da komentarisete nesto iz avijacije.
DeleteINN-NS
Svakako da ne sirim ne istine razne ili se bavim avijacijom za razliku od vas gde uvlacite politiku umesto da komentarisete nesto iz avijacije.
DeleteINN-NS
Kakva politika, čovječe? Napisao si post u stilu 2+2=4. Svrha mu je ista kao i onih "Bravo (umetni državu)!" postova. Napiši konkretan komentar, mišljenje, štogod, a ne ovo.
DeleteSvako zna sta ste konkretno mislili , a ja sam dosta puta pisao nesto konkretno pa ne moram svaki put za razliku od vas koji samo posecujete forum da bi vodili raspravu.
DeleteINN-NS
Dude, wat?
DeleteNista vidim da niste toliko komentarisali odavno kao danas.
DeleteINN-NS
Još jedan stalker, vidim.
DeleteNe nego ste nestofrustrirani kad vodite toliku polemiku samnom oko nicega.
DeleteI napisite vi jednom nesto o avijaciji a ne samo o sendvicima.
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Ne nego ste nesto frustrirani kad vodite toliku polemiku samnom oko nicega.
DeleteI napisite vi jednom nesto o avijaciji a ne samo o sendvicima.
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Lol. Vidim da ne kopčaš, a jasno kao dan.
DeleteAjd' ćao.
Ja kopcam ali ocigledno vi ne razumete i znate da vredjate samo kad neko nesto normalno napise.
DeleteNe znam sto sam uopste zalazio u raspravu sa vama i dao vam dzabe na znacaju.i sad od mene ajd cao.
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Ja kopcam ali ocigledno vi ne razumete i znate da vredjate samo kad neko nesto normalno napise.
DeleteNe znam sto sam uopste zalazio u raspravu sa vama i dao vam dzabe na znacaju.i sad od mene ajd cao.
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Good luck Bih and Fly Bosnia.
ReplyDeleteThe company will be bringing tourists with money from the KSA. This money will go to locals and their businesses. Is it really hard to understand this? I have seen so many Saudis in Marbella, and locals are happy to have them there. They even had their own consulate in Marbella. Why can't we get a piece of this pie here? The whole Balkan region is gorgeous. Bosnia has probably special appeal for these people, and it should be used. It is good if Fly Bosnia venture works. No taxpayer money is involved into it. There is no harm to any of us if Fly Bosnia does not make it.
ReplyDeleteJust a general question on how a decision to set up an airline in BiH is made.... so do all three parties (Bosnian, Cro and Serb) have to give their node of approval?
ReplyDeleteHahaa,no ��
DeleteTo su ljudi koji su unistili avijaciju u BiH, samo mjenjaju nazive avio kompanija i varaju ljude jer nemaju nikakvo znanje.
ReplyDeleteThese 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.