FlyBosnia is aiming to operate a three-member fleet by year's end which will serve a number of destinations in Europe and the Middle East from its hub in Sarajevo. The start-up carrier's CEO, Chris Gabriel, said, "We currently have the first Airbus A319 in our fleet. We are aiming to have another two aircraft this year and, by the end of five years, we aim to have a fleet of five aircraft. We are looking to increase the number of flights in and out of Sarajevo by more than double in the next twelve to fifteen months. With our first aircraft we are focusing on Europe, probably London and Frankfurt. In the Middle East we are looking at Riyadh, Jeddah and Bahrain". He added, "As we take on more capacity, we will be expanding in Europe to cities like Rome, Paris and potentially Moscow. In the Middle East, we will probably look at Kuwait and Beirut. So we will selectively expand where we know there is demand. and we will serve our customers both here and overseas".
The carrier is currently in the process of finalising its schedule and is expected to announce its launch date within the coming weeks. "We have a list of destinations, especially in Europe and some in the Middle East, that we are now finalising the schedule on. In addition to that, we have received numerous charter requests. So many in fact that we probably can't fulfil the demand in the early stages. We have built our schedule up and we are just slotting those charters in", Mr Gabriel said. He noted, "We are in the process of getting slots at the various airports we intend to fly to. That is under way and once we actually get that confirmed then we will announce our schedule and our packages that will be offered via our website. We will go public with that in the next one or two weeks and everyone will be able to see what's going on. They will be able to book directly via our website both their flights and packages, including accommodation, tours, transport, and then they can come and experience beautiful Bosnia and Herzegovina".
FlyBosnia intends on becoming the national carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, focus will be put on sustainability. "FlyBosnia is a very young company that aspires to be a sustainable airline and we are focusing on connecting the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina via direct flights to select cities in Europe and the Middle East. We want to be a safe, reliable and affordable airline. We want to care for our customers and give them the ability to finally experience the beauty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We don't want to be all things to all people. We will be a niche market. We are focusing where there are markets and where there is demand where direct flights do not exist", the CEO concluded. FlyBosnia currently has four fully trained sets of crew.
Photo credit: @sa_spotter
Photo credit: @sa_spotter
What would be the logic of Sarajevo-Moscow? I don't think there is much demand especially as there is barely any economic or cultural link.
ReplyDeleteBNX makes more sense. Just like a Banja Luka-Riyadh wouldn't make sense while SJJ does.
I still think SJJ should go the same path as TZL and BNX. Bring in LCCs, Bosnia is too poor for these small, niche airlines.
Agree, its a shame SJJ has no direct connection to Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Roma, Brussels, London
DeleteI agree!
DeleteAmsterdam would work!
Or even more european destinations like Frankfurt. Bosnian people are traveling often to germany and the rest of europe. And not to Riyahd or the middle east
@AviationEUROPE
DeleteYes you are right but market defines routes. There is a huge number of tourists from Arab countries. If there is need for that service why not?
And yes! According to some non-formal statistics people from Bosnia and Herzegovina are mainly in this countries:
➢ Germany – 180 000
➢ SAD – 145 000
➢ Austria – 90 000
➢ Sweden – 54 000
➢ Turkey 45 000
➢ Switzerland 40 000
➢ Australia - 35 000
➢ Canada – 30 000
➢ Netherlands – 25 000
➢ Slovenia – 21 542
Frankfurt will definitely work but London? Bosnians need visas to the UK. Tuzla - London didn't work out for Wizz Air, so not sure Fly Bosnia will make it work but let's wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThey said they are considering it. I am sure they won't go for it.
DeleteSTR on the other hand could do very well.
Maybe they could operate SJJ-STR-BNX-STR-SJJ. After all they are the airline of all Bosna.
AMS and ARN would work well.
DeleteAll routes that B&H Airlines used to fly would work.
DeleteAMS would work, however no slots are available for at least the next 2 years
DeleteThey can be smart about it and launch SJJ-EIN. Like that they cover both countries.
DeleteGreat news. I wonder where and from who they got the charter demand from?
ReplyDeleteProbably in the Middle East?
DeleteMyb flights for EYOF 2019 contestants and staff
DeleteTrue. Forgot about that.
DeleteI like the plans so far.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Just tweak the livery a bit.
ReplyDeleteTheir A319 went to Sofia for some maintenance. Maybe they do something with that livery.
DeleteThe aeroplane is already baptised: "Sarajevo". Did you see it?
DeleteYes :) my guess is the next two will be Banja Luka and Mostar.
DeleteI hope so. If SJJ is given a chance it will boom like crazy.
Delete@9.42
DeletePlane returns on Monday to Sarajevo.
Yes, seems to in the Sofia Lufthansa Technik centre:
Deletehttps://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/e7-fba
Lufthansa Technik?! Nice. So will they be in Star Alliance as well?!
DeleteLol no :D
Deletehttps://www.lufthansa-technik.com/lufthansa-technik-sofia
Nice. They seem serious.
ReplyDeleteWell their owners have deep pockets.
DeleteWhat about charters from Mostar to Italy? They could replace Mistral Air.
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
DeleteDefinitely good idea. They should try to do it with on line for beginning.
DeleteI expect they will launch at start of S2019 if they put tickets on sale in a week or two.
ReplyDeleteIt would make most sense.
DeleteIt would be both good news for them and for Mostar.
DeleteI'm glad it won't be just Middle East flights.
ReplyDelete+1. Finally local population can have some use of these airlines.
DeleteHope it works.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic news for SJJ.
ReplyDeleteIt could overtake Podgorica this year.
DeleteWish them all the best!
Delete@9.49 polako...
DeleteNational airline can work in Bosnia. It's just a question of having a professional and realistic management.
ReplyDeleteWill the next two planes also be A319s?
ReplyDeleteI think they need smaller capacity planes if they want took make this work.
DeleteAgree. Especially for Sarajevo-Europe flights.
DeleteHave they shown the interior of their plane?
ReplyDeleteNot yet.
DeleteIt is good that they already have charter demand. It is a good way to make the airline sustainable, especially at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThey are not the first airline to try this... it's worth mentioning that all have failed until now.
ReplyDeleteI give this airline 3 months... tops!
DeleteGood luck, FlyBosnia! Bosnia and Herzegovina is underestimated.
ReplyDeleteThis is still amazing for me...I thought that they will never take off and yet here they are in just couple of months...
ReplyDeleteLet's just hope they don't disappear as quickly.
DeleteWhat does the logo represent?
ReplyDeleteA bird I guess.
DeleteI really hope this works. BiH needs a strong airline.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck and fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteDid they purchase the plane or is it on a dry-lease?
ReplyDeleteLease.
DeleteThere is a glimpse of the aircraft interior, leather seats, not looking bad at all.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opn16sYqFpY
I hope BiH gets a chance on a happy start. SJJ is one of the most underestimated cities in Europe. Plus BiH has so much to offer as a country and can easily compete with the other neighbouring countries.
Again, people are "complaining" about visit of so many Arabs but in the end this is pure tourism.
Arabs also love and obsessed with Istanbul for instance.
Thank you! It does look good inside.
DeleteAgree with you. Wish them the best.
Its looking good for 16 years old plane.
DeleteWho is the owner of the FlyBosnia?
ReplyDeleteAl Shiddi group from Saudi Arabia which also operates hotel and shopping centre in Sarajevo.
DeleteWill be a dry airline?
ReplyDeleteGood question. My guess would be yes, but you never know. It would be a potential source of income if they sell on board.
DeleteIn 5 years they plan on having 5 airplanes. That is in the same range as the number of active planes at Montenegro Airlines or number of Wizzair planes based at Skopje. To put things into perspective, Wizzair needed years of subsidies to get to the current level at SKP and Montenegro Airlines is still in the red. Some critics say that largest airlines in the region, Croatia and Air Serbia, are too small to be sustainable.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Bosnian Wand airline, right?
ReplyDeleteNot really!
ReplyDeleteThere are some of 80,000 Bosnians who live in St Louis,MO,USA alone nvm other parts of USA or Canada who would love to have direct flights to and from Bosnia...
ReplyDelete