NEWS FLASH
Mostar Airport has seen its passenger numbers decline for a twentieth consecutive month this October by handling 1.654 travellers, representing a decrease of 60% on last year. During the January - October period, Mostar welcomed 27.412 passengers through its doors, down 35.2% year-on-year. The airport has been hit by the loss of its busiest customer Mistral Air, which used to operate a number of scheduled charter flights from Italy to Mostar, carrying Christian pilgrims visiting the Medjugorje sight. The airport believes a solution to its problems could be a concession. "Mostar Airport requires significant funds and investment. The Federal Ministry for Transport and Communication has allocated some resources which will be of use. However, we have to work harder on marketing and offer services at dumping prices. But if we provide dumping prices, the question is how will we make a living", General Manager, Marin Raspudić, said recently.
Mostar Airport has seen its passenger numbers decline for a twentieth consecutive month this October by handling 1.654 travellers, representing a decrease of 60% on last year. During the January - October period, Mostar welcomed 27.412 passengers through its doors, down 35.2% year-on-year. The airport has been hit by the loss of its busiest customer Mistral Air, which used to operate a number of scheduled charter flights from Italy to Mostar, carrying Christian pilgrims visiting the Medjugorje sight. The airport believes a solution to its problems could be a concession. "Mostar Airport requires significant funds and investment. The Federal Ministry for Transport and Communication has allocated some resources which will be of use. However, we have to work harder on marketing and offer services at dumping prices. But if we provide dumping prices, the question is how will we make a living", General Manager, Marin Raspudić, said recently.
BiH should be more than happy with 3 airports. So many countries in the region, bigger in size have barely 2 international airports. Good examples are Serbia and Hungary.
ReplyDeleteDEB and INI sometimes are simply forgotten.
BiH should focus on SJJ, TZL and now the new FR jewel - BNX.
Agree. However, as a person from Mostar I cannot but deeply regret the fact that Tuzla was better (all credit to the them though) to invite the Low-cost airlines, Also, shame on everybody that gets their relatively big salaryes for stopping development of Mostar airport instead of promoting it. No surprise to anyone that the politic is the source of all evil in whole Balkans.
DeleteSorry to hear this my friend. I have never been to Mostar but it seems very very beautiful.
DeleteThis unfair high salary political thing is everywhere my friend.
You know how in Srbija they prevented INI from growing more than 1 million? Again, unfair.
But anyway, this happens
When I worked for JU I organised a very successful flight to Mostar every Friday JU199/8 LHR via LJU with a boing 727 with pilgrims for medjugorje ( the flight had to offload 30 pax at LJU for landing restrictions at OMO) it was full every rotation, there are oportunties for the Pilgrim market and also in the Mostar area for outbound adventures, rafting on the Neretva and climbing and hiking, they just need to market themselves far better
ReplyDeleteHow is this possible when Eurowings flights were introduced this summer?
ReplyDeleteThey only operated with Dash 8s and they are seasonal. Mistral Air used to fly numerous destinations to Mostar and most importantnly year round.
DeleteI would say that in OMO they simply don`t care about numbers going down. They receive their salaries through grants of FBiH and HNK when they do and don`t deserve it.
DeleteCouple of years ago great study was developed on this topic in a cooperation with OMO management and I know that all equipment that was requested by that study was eventually bought by OMO. FBiH has granted 1mil (if I am correct) for LCCs. They managed to bring Eurowinghs but I somehow still have the feeling that MUCH MORE could have been done in the previous period on this topic...