Ryanair has recorded solid passenger numbers across its three new routes to and from Banja Luka, which were launched last month. The carrier registered an average cabin load factor of 94% on its services from Charleroi, Memmigen and Stockholm Skavsta to Bosnia and Herzegovina's second largest city, with flights from the Swedish capital proving most popular with travellers. Since entering the Bosnian market on October 30, the no frills airline has sold an additional 8.225 tickets for the three routes. "If these trends continue, we will end 2018 with a total of over 25.000 passengers, while we anticipate over 100.000 travellers in 2019", Banja Luka Airport's General Manager, Duško Kovačević, said.
Ryanair recently noted, "Even though we do not analyse our performance purely on a route-by-route basis, we are very pleased with the overall interest and a record number of advanced bookings". A number of Banja Luka-bound flights around the New Year holidays are sold out. During the January - October period, Banja Luka Airport welcomed 19.643 travellers through its doors, up 4.8% on the same period in 2017. This year is expected to become its busiest since 2014, while 2019 is likely to be its busiest on record.
Mr Kovačević noted that talks with Ryanair over the launch of additional new routes are ongoing. He added that the airport is targeting flights to either Vienna or Bratislava. "We have made some suggestions and the result of these discussions should be known around the New Year", Mr Kovačević said. In addition to Ryanair, Air Serbia's dedicated charter brand Aviolet and tour operator KonTiki Travel will introduce new charter flights between Banja Luka and Athens next summer season. Services will run between June 20 and September 8, 2019. It comes following the successful partnership between the two companies this year, which saw Aviolet run leisure flights between Banja Luka and Antalya in Turkey, which are set to resume next summer season. Mr Kovačević previously noted that the airport was in talks with a further two well-established carriers over the introduction of new routes but refused to reveal their names as the negotiating process was ongoing.
Stockholm most popular? Why am I not surprised, gasto central :D
ReplyDeleteThis is great to hear. Good luck BNX.
ReplyDeleteStockholm makes sense as there is no direct flight from ZAG.
ReplyDeleteI really hope it will be Laudamotion from Vienna next.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't complain about Bratislava either.
DeleteIf Wizz Air was smart they should just launch Vienna-Banja Luka. Not only would it be a success, they would also have presence in BNX which gives them a better opportunity to compete against Ryanair.
DeleteFlew last week to Sweden. Lots Croats on those flights.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear that flights are being used by others as well. What was the load like?
DeleteAnd we heard here that Croatians would not have interest to fly from BNX - too far, border control, their fancy airport etc
DeleteWell i'm one who will never fly Ryanair, I would rather my fancy airport and regional leader airline!
DeleteObviously there are more people who think differently!
DeleteWhich other routes (except Vienna) from Ryanair network could work from Banja Luka?
ReplyDeleteZURICH!
DeleteI could see Switzerland, ATH, possibly STN.
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DeleteAny gasto routes.
DeleteNext will be Basel... I bet a beg portion of Mujos cevape!
DeleteHHN
DeleteCheck which bus routes are most popular from Banja Luka and there you will see the potential air routes from BNX.
Delete^ good point
DeleteGreat news. BNX has the potential from its catchment area to grow a lot.
ReplyDeleteI don't get this
ReplyDelete"Even though we do not analyse our performance purely on a route-by-route basis"
How do they analyse it then?
I think with fourth FR route and new Athens charters, along with Antalya, the airport could reach well over 100,000 next year.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThis could actually hurt Air Serbia. I'm sure they had transfers from Stockholm to Banja Luka, especially around the holidays. FR launching Vienna could also hurt them.
ReplyDeleteConsidering they used to have daily flight to Banja Luka a few years ago and now they have 2-3 per week in winter, I doubt transfer demand was that great.
Delete+1
DeleteI think the launching of VIE and ZRH flights will be the most damaging.
But they increase BNX to 3 weekly from mid Dec to mid Jan, for a reason and I don't think it's because of point to point demand. Also, they fly 5 weekly in summer.
DeletePo broju putnika da,finansijski ne.Linija se subvencionise.
DeleteZAG will feel this
DeleteSpeaking of Air Serbia, today is exactly 5 years since they (re)launched Banja Luka :)
DeleteOnly airport in BiH left to get itself in shape is Mostar.
ReplyDeleteDon‘t forget Trebinje hehe
DeleteI feel sorry for Mostar because like Tuzla and Banja Luka, they are subsidizing flights but unlike those two tge flights to Mostar are not performing well.
DeleteThe airport is probably used by Croats too hence the 94% LF in winter. This purely means that there were will be more flights to come.
ReplyDeleteThe strategic geographical location of BNX combined with the extremely low fares gives it more advantage.
Meanwhile, FR responded to W6 in INI by launching prices from BTS-INI starting as little as 97 eurocents!
https://flyfromnis.blogspot.com/2018/11/let-od-bratislave-ka-nisu-vec-od-1-evra.html
If W6 arrive in BNX, this will be a new battlefield!
The next reaction of FR to W6 will be to scrap this route altogether.
DeleteI would like to see Laudamotion (VIE, STR, CPH) and RYR (BSL, GOT, DTM, CGN, FRA and SKG in summer season) that would be enough
ReplyDeleteAnd add EIN with ryanair
DeleteMaybe BNX - DUB
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any sort of diaspora in Dublin from Bosnia.
DeleteBut there is a Croatian one.
DeleteNot sizeble enough to entice such a large number of people to fly to Banja Luka and then drive.
DeleteWould be nice if Swiss or Edelweiss launched flights from Zurich.
ReplyDeleteYes like in Nis would be perfect.
DeleteA few years ago Edelweiss started ticket sales to Banja Luka but flights were cancelled before the launch.
DeleteAnd it is still unknown was it because of poor sales or the management at the time chased them away.
DeleteAt the same time Endelweiss also planned to start Podgorica and they started sales too but cancelled it before it started.
DeleteSales probably were not good for either route.
DeleteQuestion: does Banja Luka airport get affected by fog often like Tuzla?
ReplyDeleteNo...There is no fog in BL not even close like in Tuzla
DeleteIronically the inaugural flight from Brussels was diverted to Zadar because of fog. But it is very rare.
DeleteNot that much of fog like in Tuzla. But there were flights redirected to Zadar because of fog (Memmingen).
DeleteCongrats to BNX and FR!
ReplyDeleteThis is a big turnaround. I'm very happy for Banja Luka.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more flights from Banja Luka, hopefully they will be as sucessful as Tuzla :)
ReplyDeleteBut hopefully smarter than Tuzla not to get tied down to one airline. We saw what happened in TZL in October when Wizz started cutting routes - numbers went down.
DeleteGood. The only way these small ex-Yu airports can develop is by attracting LCCs. Tuzla and Nis would still be dead without them.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhy don't they start Sarajevo???
ReplyDeleteCause it's expensive. Same reason they don't fly to any ex-Yu capital except Podgorica.
DeleteWay too expensive for FR.
DeleteEvo još malo da zapržimo.
ReplyDeletehttps://corporate.ryanair.com/news/ryanair-launches-new-dublin-routes-to-dubrovnik-split/
evo objavljeno da iz Banjaluke ide za Berlin
ReplyDeletehttp://mondo.ba/a843018/Info/BiH/Let-Banjaluka-Berlin.html