Ryanair and Mostar Airport advance talks


Low cost carrier Ryanair and Mostar Airport have held another round of talks this week over the potential introduction of flights. The negotiations are said to be heading "in the right direction" with a "positive outcome" expected. Potential destinations from Mostar include Rome, Warsaw and Dublin. The two sides have already discussed potential routes at the carrier's headquarters in the Irish capital. Ryanair simillarly negotiated with Banja Luka Airport throughout the winter of 2017 and 2018 before announcing flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina's second largest city in late April of last year, which were eventually launched in October.

Ryanair and Mostar Airport have discussed possible services on several occasions since 2012. Previously it was proposed for the low cost airline to introduce flights from Charleroi, Frankfurt and Oslo. However, there is also strong potential for the carrier to cater for religious tourism on routes from Italy and Poland. Ryanair previously said, “We are the leading airline in Europe. We have developed many small and regional European airports and there is no obstacle for us to do the same in Mostar”. The company added that its only condition is for flights to the city to be profitable. The General Manager of Mostar Airport, Marin Raspudić, previously noted that low cost carriers would reverse the trend of declining passenger numbers. "Without budget airlines we will find it difficult to survive since we are surrounded by a number of high quality airports. There is always interest and we are at everyone's disposal. We are confident there is a significant number of people from our diaspora who would fly to Mostar". He added, "Our main objective is to see the return of those passengers who left us during the war and post-war period. They are now using Dubrovnik and Split for charters to Medjugorje and Sarajevo Airport for scheduled services".

Mostar Airport rolled out an incentives program late last year in a bid to attract carriers to launch flights to the city, after its passenger numbers tumbled 34% in 2018. "Mostar Airport is offering a number of incentives in the form of discounts to encourage airlines and tour operators to develop their services to Mostar, as well as to stimulate greater choice and greater benefits for all airline companies", the airport said. It added, "The incentives do not distort competition among airlines at the airport and are offered for a limited period of time on a non-discriminatory basis". Mostar Airport's incentives program includes discounts for handling and landing services, as well as the passenger tax, for a three-year period.




Comments

  1. Anonymous09:08

    Fingers crossed

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:09

    I hope it happens. It would be very good news for Mostar

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous09:10

    The reason they are loosing passengers is that more and more people are flying to Croatia instead and then going to Medjugorje. People prefer a scheduled service they can book for cheap over the internet. So I fully support Mostar trying to get some airlines to fly there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      I know people flying to Mostar mainly use SPU & SSJ, but do some people use TZL, or is it too far?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:46

      Too far, they are on the opposite sides of the country and roads are really bad. I think even BNX would be closer.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:05

      I've met several pax at TZL flights coming from Mostar and that area south of Sarajevo. Even some Dalmatians once in a while, but they being somewhat rare.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:55

      I actually also met a guy from Mostar on TZL when flying to Malmö. Mostar is not that far from Tuzla, I would say around 3,5 hours of drive.

      Delete
    5. I even know people from West Hercegovina flied from/to TZL ... its just about the destinations and price...

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:11

    Does Ryanair have a base somewhere in Poland?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Yes. They have their own Polish airline - Ryanair Sun which is now rebranding to Buzz. Bases in Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Poznan Airport, Warsaw Chopin, Warsaw Modlin and Wroclaw.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:46

      I think they closed their base in WAW, it's only Modlin now.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:12

    it's quite amazing that Bosnia will has 4 fully functioning airports with traffic considering its size.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is basically because it is a landlocked country without developed road and rail connections both within the country and to the rest of Europe and a very large diaspora.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:59

      That does not have any sense whatsoever. So what if its a landlocked country? (and it isnt btw, Bosnia has 25km of Adriatic coast). And what has anything to do with the roads between Bosnian cities? Its not like someone is flying from Sarajevo to Mostar, or Banja Luka or Tuzla? So I dont really understand the argument? And lastly, I dont think Bosnian roads are that bad, there are highways and good regional roads. And it is much closer and faster from Bosnia to reach Europe via road than from some parts of Serbia, Kosovo, Maedonia, Montenegro, Albania, etc. So dont really get what do your arguments stated have to do with the fact that Bosnia has 4 fully functioning airports :i

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:29

      10:51 + 1000

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:34

      His argument about roads make sense. If there was a highway between Mostar or Tuzla with Sarajevo, it would be easier for people to reach SJJ so there would be less need for airline to launch flights to OMO or TZL since they could concentrate on a single airport. Look at Hungary or the Czech Republic or even Austria. Good land infrastructure kills flying from many secondary airports.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:26

      Yeah but the cities aren't that far apart, it takes between 2h and 2:30h to reach BNX from TZL, SJJ from both OMO and TZL, around 3 hours to reach BNX from SJJ, it ain't much, the highways will only shorten those times by ~30%.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:27

      Say what you want but I left for SJJ from DUB via MUN at 5:30 am, arrived to SJJ little after 12pm. Took a taxi to the bus station. Boarded a bus for Mostar at 2:30 and arrived at Mostar bus station at 5pm. Entire journey 12 hrs. I could have been in Florida by than.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:12

    This would probably generate around 100,000 passengers per year. Not bad.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:14

    Great work Mostar. I am really optimistic that brighter days are ahead :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Let's just hope they don't muck it up during the talks.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:23

    Dublin?? Wow! That's a really nice addition! Putting the rest of the ex-Yu capitals to shame.
    BiH is the box of surprises this year. Remarkable achievments indeed.

    SJJ - new airline born
    TZL - already a W6 base
    BNX - new FR routes and Russia
    OMO - presence of OU and now FR

    Superb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:35

      Just to let you know Ryan will start flights from Dublin both to Split and Dubrovnik. At the same time Croatia will start flights from Zagreb to Dublin.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:30

    I will believe it when I see it. Officials from the Balkans are known for boasting before striking the deal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:42

      I think it will finally become a reality

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:34

    It would be good if they got Ryanair. Then you would have Wizz from Tuzla and Ryan from Mostar and Banja Luka.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:35

      It would be great if they got both not just one. Like Nis.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:36

      Yes but even in Nis Wizz came first for about a year before Ryan came. One airline needs to show that there is a sustainable and growing market.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:34

    Great news

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:43

    Bosnia becoming popular with LCCs :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:13

      Mostar should have gone for easyjet so we would have all the major LCCs in Bih :)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:16

      Perfect scenario would be :D

      Mostar - EasyJet
      Banja Luka - Ryanair
      Tuzla - Wizz Air

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:55

      EasyJet is not very keen on small and poor Eastern European destinations.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:21

      No, Ryanair is taking Mostar. So now we can only hope that easy Jet will take Sarajevo :D

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:27

      Easy jet to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Milan...etc. would be the best thing that could happen to Sarajevo.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:40

      Unfortunately, with the current fees and management, I doubt we will see any major LCC start flights to SJJ.

      Delete
    7. easyJet to Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin would be very usefull

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:29

      It's hard for SJJ to strike a LCC deal since every ticket includes a 10€ federal tax that helps sustain OMO and TZL. The federal government could possibly waive it as they did with Wizz

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:44

    I'm already puzzled how FR would advertize it. Dubrovnik north, Sarajevo south or Split Southeast

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous09:48

    Area around Mostar is really not populated like the area around Osijek. Why can't OSI make a deal with FR like this? Especially now when Wizz Air is cutting its only route from OSI to BSL. Last flight is on 14.06.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous10:00

    Even though W6 is the Eastern European specialist, FR still found clever ways of being innovative.
    They started opening bases in the West and connect the East.
    Good examples are the new French bases and SXF for example.
    It would be riskier to open a base in East due to lower demand and poorer market. Good examples:

    SXF-INI
    CRL-TGD
    BTS-BOJ
    SXF-BNX
    DUB-ZAD and so on.

    They are quietly invading the rest of BiH while W6 is focusing on TZL.

    Situation is the same with Crna Gora.
    The Irish is older than the Hungarian and has more experience since thr 80s...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:15

    OMO had almost 80,000 passengers in 2012. In 2018 28.000 :( hopefully Ryan comes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:08

      This is because of the loss of Italy charters.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:18

      True. Mistral Air ceased all passengers operations. Those flights were daily charters with full big aircraft.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:21

      Charter flights from southern Italy airports (Naples, Bari, Palermo, Lamezia, Catania) will be operated by Romanian charter carrier Aviro Air which has replaced Mistral Air.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous11:10

    I think a flights from Bergamo, Weeze and Warsaw would work great.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I see potential for Ryanair from Mostar not only to Charleroi, Frankfurtu and Oslo but Nurnberg, Dortmund, Hannover, Berlin, Dublin, Warsaw, and Rome as well. Germany for huge Herzegovina diaspora there, spread from South to the North and Italy, Poland and Ireland for 3 biggest European Catholic Medjugorje markets. I believe we will see all or almost all of these Ryan flights from OMO soon. Fingers crossed. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And agree with @An.11.10 about Bergamo.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous11:25

    The good thing about Mostar is that they signed multi year contracts with Eurowings and Croatia Airlines so the airport will have traffic for at least a few years. By then other airlines should take notice. Hopefully Ryanair is the result.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:28

      Yes but the contract was signed because those airlines get subventions.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:56

      I am certain Ryanair will be getting subsidies too and they probably signed a contract for a certain set period.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:17

      Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia also subsidize its flights, what's wrong with that?

      Delete
  20. Anonymous12:18

    Congratulations BiH. All four airports are finally going to have decent traffic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:27

      All the best to all the airports in BiH.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous12:22

    Good. Can't wait to finally see some serious airlines that can serve the local population.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous12:26

    Great news for Bosnia :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous12:27

    Big year ahead for OMO and BNX.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:41

      Overall I think it will be a good year for all airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:42

      How exactly will it be a good year for Tuzla? For several months now their numbers have been crashing and there are no new announcements coming soon.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:45

      Tuzla and Wizz Air are renegotiating their agreement and new flights will probably be announced for winter 2019/2020.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13:08

      There is a saying which is very appropriate here: прво скочи па реци хоп.

      Don't know the English equivalent.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous13:34

      in English it would be:

      first jump and then say hop ;)

      Delete
  24. Anonymous18:56

    VLG is looking possiblility to open flights to OMO

    ReplyDelete

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