FlyBosnia is planning on introducing its first European destinations to its route network following the launch of flights to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait earlier this month. The airline has put up adverts across Sarajevo announcing that London, Paris and Rome will be its first European points and are "coming soon". FlyBosnia previously said it was considering both Gatwick and Luton airports for its London operations. As a result of the new European flights, the airline will link Sarajevo with the UK for the first time since British Airways discontinued services to Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital in 2009, while operations to Paris will resume over a decade after Air France suspended its flights to Sarajevo.
FlyBosnia recently said, "We are a niche airline designed to provide affordable, direct flights to key destinations where we know there is demand. We have conducted extensive market research into creating an innovative and sustainable concept". It had hoped to already be operating revenue flights to a number of European cities, however, "Due to the high demand for airport slots, as well as airspace congestion, the drafting of our schedule is taking longer than expected", it said recently. FlyBosnia currently has two Airbus A319 aircraft in its fleet. It will take a further two A319s in "the coming quarters". "These aircraft will enable FlyBosnia to progressively expand its destination network as it builds up to a planned eight-member fleet by 2023", the company said.
The airline recently inked a deal with local tour operator Globtour Event Sarajevo for the sale of its tickets. The company also plans to operate charter flights which will cater for religious pilgrims visiting Mostar. As a result, it has partnered with the Italian charter service provider SoleAir in order to run such flights. Furthermore, FlyBosnia is seeking EASA rated Airbus A320-family Captains and First Officers for a minimum six-month contract. "This in an urgent requirement with assessments to take place on June 22 and July 1", the airline's recruiter, AeroProfessional, said.
About time
ReplyDeleteFinally, I think those destinations are a good pic.
ReplyDeleteSarajevo-Rome with an A319? Will they really be able to fill these flights up?
ReplyDeleteMaybe they are primarily for the Medjugorje pilgrims?
Deleteif they manage to fill flight to remote Saudi districts, then they will have no problem filling FCO.
DeleteYes they are being filled by Saudis and their Saudi tour operator. We will see how easy it will be to fill to Rome.
DeleteAlitalia announced years ago they would start FCO-SJJ but they never did.
DeleteLetili su, ali su brzo ukinuli. Bilo to tamo oko 2005.-2006.g.
DeleteWere there ever flights between SJJ and FCO?
ReplyDeleteDa. Prije nekih 12-14g, ali samo kratko sa AZ. Radio sam tada u Tunisu i moj prijatelj iz Bosne je ponekad letio SJJ-FCO-TUN tako da je to moralo biti negdje oko 2007.g, ali točno se ne sjećam.
DeleteHope they try and launch them in summer, August preferably.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWill be interesting to see which of the two London airlines they choose. I think London and Paris are good starting points for them.
ReplyDeleteHow are their Gulf flights performing?
ReplyDeleteThey are doing well. Flights are full with tourists.
DeleteLGW is a smart option. Very few ex-Yu are connected. U2 has a strong presence overthere and BA used to also connect some Yugo cities it a decade ago.
ReplyDeleteSJJ-LGW will be a huge one.
Again, I'm not sure there is enough P2P demand. There is virtually not enough P2P from any ex-Yu city to London. Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia rely a lot on transfer passengers heading to the US on these flights, as well as passengers transferring from other Balkan cities (Sarajevo among them) going to London.
DeleteLondon didn't work from Tuzla on Wizz either.
DeleteOne of the reasons is that visa regime is still an issue.
DeleteThere is virtually not enough P2P from any ex-Yu city to London.
DeleteSad ima nekoliko mogućnosti:
1) Ja ne razumijem engleski.
2) LJU nije za tebe ex-yu grad
3) Easy i wizzair imaju transferne putnike
4) Easy i wizzair su kao majka tereza pa šalju avione tamo di im se ne isplati samo da aerodromi imaju što radit
Still not sold this airline will work out, at least their European destination network. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteStansted is the best option for London.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteWell at least they are starting European flights, so that's more than I hoped for.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know how many frequencies we could expect?
ReplyDeleteI think it will be two per week.
DeleteLooking at Sarajevo's route network, these are more than needed
ReplyDeletehttps://i.imgur.com/3XnEmEp.png
+1
DeleteIt looks like just gastarbeiter and Arab routes.
Everything west of Germany is not served so these FlyBosnia routes are welcome. Hope they work out.
DeleteI find it interesting that Wizz Air never gave Paris a go even from Tuzla.
DeleteJeddah is doing good for them. They added second flight in July and August and its completly booked for tour operator.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear!
DeleteIs this a completely new category of passengers or did they use airlines like Fly Dubai in the past?
Deleteor Turkish Airlines?
DeleteSome of them used those, but mostly they used the nonstop flights from Saudi Arabia. Last year they were operated by Nesma Airlines. I think Al Shiddi sold those as well.
DeleteFinally Paris. Will they fly to CDG?
ReplyDeleteYes I think it will be CDG.
DeleteWho knows maybe they go to Orly.
DeleteI would prefer if these were operated by Air France, Alitalia and British so we could have some connections.
ReplyDeleteMaybe FlyBosnia will make deals with some airlines and offer connections.
DeleteHope so but somehow I doubt BA will be signing any deal with an airline that is less than one month into operations.
DeleteNo such chance.
DeleteExcellent news for Sarajevo Airport.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the passenger numbers.
DeleteFirst effects should felt this month although Flynas, Aegean, Eurowings and Norwegian will also positively impact numbers.
DeleteWe could see Sarajevo handle over 200,000 pax in one month for the first time.
DeletePlease unify the livery please. Thank you.
ReplyDelete+1. A two-aircraft fleet yet they look completely different. Great branding. Hope the next one won't have a 3rd kind of livery.
Deleteit might be time to remove the EYOF stickers off the A319.
DeleteAre they going to wait till winter to launch European destinations or will it happen sooner?
ReplyDeleteIt;s obviously going to be sooner.
DeleteFrankfurt would have been the smarter choice over Rome.
ReplyDeleteFrom Rome they can get diaspora and tourists going to Medjugorje.
DeleteBTW B&H flew to Frankfurt and failed.
DeleteB&H failed on every market. That's why they are bankrupt.
DeleteDo they have business class?
ReplyDeleteThey said they will have euro business. They don't sell business on the Saudi and Kuwait flights.
DeleteInteresting that for pilot positions they are looking for EU citizens. So they are discriminating against their own country. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteSo Montenegro with its 700.000 people and not so brilliant living standard has Montenegro Airlines with 7 jets, Adria no matter how much struggling 12 jets, Flybosnia now expecting to have 8 Airbuses soon, Air Serbia after all sanctions and miseries with some 15 jets including wide body long haul, and Croatia Airlines proudly flying 6 A319/320, with all of the tourism, all of the diaspora and all of the best geographical position in the biggest aviation market, second biggest country and second best living standard in exYu. So BRAVO CROATIA AIRLINES and BRAVO HRVATSKA, samo tako naprijed, fantasticno......
ReplyDeleteYou've compared incomparable.
DeleteWhy are they not after diaspora e.g. Sweden?
ReplyDeleteActually, they are after diaspora, but, that is a highly seasonal market. They will connect with European larger hubs to bring business travelers, diaspora and tourists. Sweden would not work during winter, fall and spring periods. I think it is a smart decision not to compete directly with any airline on these routes. Find your niche and try to survive until summer season. In summer, rake up on Middle Eastern and in future US tourists.
ReplyDeletetime to start working on codeshare agreement with Skyteam members as Star Alliance pretty much owns the market there. MUC and VIE should be great options if you look at TATL
ReplyDelete