Ryanair blocked at Tuzla Airport over Wizz Air


The head of the Supervisory Board of Tuzla Airport has said the local government did not sign off on an agreement with Ryanair, which was to commence operations to the city in September, so as not to put its existing business partner, Wizz Air, in an “unequal position” and cause “unfair competition”, among other reasons. Ryanair, which had previously scheduled flights from Weeze and Baden Baden to Tuzla, discontinued ticket sales ten days ago after Tuzla’s cantonal government in Bosnia and Herzegovina declined to agree to the negotiated terms and conditions. The budget airline was also to announce a further three new routes from Tuzla for the 2021/2022 winter season, which begins in late October.

The President of Tuzla Airport’s Supervisory Board, Enes Avdić, told the “Klix” portal, “We want to negotiate better financial terms than the ones that were agreed. Furthermore, we believe the agreement must not put our strategic partner, with whom we do business, in an unequal position. We shouldn’t bring them unfair competition”, Mr Avdić said. Wizz Air is the only scheduled airline operating out of Tuzla Airport, with two aircraft based in the city. The President of the Supervisory Board added, “We have told Ryanair that we are interested in establishing cooperation and invited them to continue talks in order to reach a final agreement to the mutual satisfaction of both sides. We have not yet received a response from them”.

The outgoing General Manager of Tuzla Airport, Esed Mujačić, who was recently dismissed by the cantonal government, said the actions of local authorities were destructive. “We negotiated all the elements of the agreement with Ryanair, which was signed by the airline. It was forwarded to the Supervisory Board and the Ministry for approval, and we are still waiting for their response. The board has been constantly delaying a decision on the matter, despite both them and the government being directly involved in e-mail correspondence with Ryanair. In their last e-mail, Ryanair requested for us to respond as to whether we would sign the agreement or not. Neither the Board nor the Ministry replied”, Mr Mujačić said.

Talks between Tuzla Airport and Ryanair began in April of last year. “I can’t believe we have come to a point where we will miss out on such an opportunity. It would be a huge pity because we would have profited from their arrival, since each passenger would be a new one at the airport as Ryanair would have flown to unserved destinations. Other than Weeze and Baden Baden, the airline proposed to launch a further three destinations in the winter and additional new routes next spring. As a result, our destination network would have grown which would have benefited the public, the local economy, the canton and the airport itself”, Mr Mujačić said. He added that a Ryanair representative told him the airline would not consider Tuzla as a future destination in its network over the next three years if an agreement was not reached on this occasion.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Let me get this straight. They actually negotiated an agreement and then suddenly they decided they didn’t like the terms they negotiated. Wow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    What a shock. Knew Wizz was involved.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    Wizzair gave more money to someone probably

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:03

    Wizz Air has been stagnating in Tuzla yet they don’t want any competition.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      The least they could do is launch some new routes.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:16

      I'm not surprised they are stagnating since they opened a base in Sarajevo.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:05

    Well Varadi didn’t go to Tuzla two weeks ago for no reason ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Means:Varadi manages his company well...

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:05

    Idiots

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:06

    For all those asking why Ryanair never launched flights from Skopje a few years ago when they negotiated everything with Skopje Airport, well here is your answer.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:06

    Wellcome to the Balkan way of doing business....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:06

    Wizz Air knows exactly how to do business in the Balkans.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:09

    What was their fear exactly? That Wizz Air would up and leave? Even if that happened Ryanair would have replaced them quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:09

    They could have had both like in Nis.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:09

    Wonder if Ryanair would have acted the same if the roles were reversed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      Well Wizz Air was not blocked from starting flights from Banja Luka even though Ryanair was flying there first for years.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:28

      Yes but Ryanair does not have a base in Banja Luka and far from the volume of traffic Wizz has in Tuzla.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:09

    wow

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous09:10

    I find it interesting to see how these deals work between major LCCs and small airports. Interesting to see Ryanair would "punish" them so to say but not launching flights for another 3 years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:12

      IMO that's a bit childish too.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:25

      You snooze you lose.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:11

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:11

    Wait isn't Wizz always going on about how they are in favor of competition?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      of course, on paper. Realty is different.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:12

    TZL shouldn't be playing these games.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:27

      Well the airport wasn't. They obviously wanted to bring the airline. It is the government appointed supervisory board and the government themsleves.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:38

      The only thing that the government manages is to kick out airlines with this decision. Shame on them

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:41

      it's one airline not airlines.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:14

    That's what happens when you get into bed with a single airport. They own you more or less. People have been saying that on here for years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:20

      You probably mean single airport.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:21

      Meant to say single airline.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:50

      Oops yes airline

      Delete
  19. Anonymous09:16

    What silly decision to halt the expansion of your airport, especially in these crisis years.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous09:18

    This is a national sport in the Balkana.
    Unbelievable! The other day JU also blocked Ural in BEG.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:20

      There is a bit of a difference when an airline is blocked based on the terms and conditions of a bilateral air service agreement negotiated by both sides and when an airline is blocked because another airline, not even from your country, was unhappy with them coming.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:45

      Not to mention when you are served by a single airline.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:18

    Maybe now FR will open a base in BNX instead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:20

      Or start flying to Sarajevo :)

      Delete
  22. Anonymous09:19

    How pointless. Now Tuzla is left without FR.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      In the end the public looses out.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:26

    They coexist at so many airport, they would have managed at Tuzla as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:51

      They coexist at airports where is the a big enough market to coexist. The question is if Tuzla is big enough. Wizz Air hasn't exactly been expanding from there much in the last few years.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous09:27

    What a stupid decision.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous09:29

    Good signal for any other airline wishing to start flights to Tuzla...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous09:29

    Should they all be airing their dirty laundry to the public like this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:10

      Why not if they are doing something completely senseless. Everyone should know.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous09:33

    I wish Croatia would ignore the E.U rules and ban Ryanair from Zagreb!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      LOL why exactly?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:48

      Because he want ZAG to be premium airport

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:52

      That doesn't make an airport profitable.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:40

      Government intervening in business between a privately operated airport and the largest airline in Europe. Yeah, that would go down very well for Croatia :)

      Delete
  28. Anonymous09:40

    In my village this maneuver is called letting someone to freely hold your intimate "ball like" structures, and squeeze 'em without your consent.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous09:40

    Why am I not surprised

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous09:41

    So basically the government is working in the interests of one airline and not the people.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:50

      It is only working in its own interest. No one elses.

      Delete
    2. 9:41 Exactly. It means they are corupted and took some money from Wizz.

      Delete
  31. Anonymous09:41

    Shame

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous09:42

    :(

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous09:48

    Welcome to the Balkans FR.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:54

      I wonder if they had the same situation anywhere else.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous09:51

    Ryanair has been expanding nicely at Banja Luka since they started flights and Wizz came afterwards. Both can fly. This is a senseless decision.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:09

      Yes but Ryan does not have a base and 15 routes from BNX.

      Delete
    2. BNX affected much Traffic at TZL. Thats why WIZz CAME to BNX. We Can wait And see that BNX Is going to have more Traffic than TZL

      Delete
    3. Anonymous22:20

      And more than LJU :)

      Delete
  35. Anonymous09:54

    Shocker... not

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous10:11

    Considering the general manager was mainly responsible for bringing Ryanair, no surprise he has been dismissed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:08

      Of course. It was the same like INI general manager was dismissed when he made deals with Wizz and Ryanair.

      Delete
  37. Anonymous10:12

    Would it make sense for FR to launch flights from BEG?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:08

      I doubt their terms could be met at BEG.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:13

      It would be nice but not going to happen.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:27

      Never say never :) look what happend in ZAG.

      Delete
  38. These are worse than Croatian government. They are protecting something that isn't even theirs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:00

      That's what I find funny. I would understand to some extent if you are protecting yur own airline/company but this makes no sense.

      Delete
  39. Anonymous11:01

    Let's then hope we see some new Wizz Air routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:26

      Varadi said just recently they plan to expand in Bosnia

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:27

      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/07/ceo-wizz-air-looking-to-expand-in.html

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:37

      Fingers crossed

      Delete
  40. Anonymous11:07

    This is truly something you can read happening only in ex-Yu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:26

      Probably somewhere in Africa too.

      Delete
  41. Anonymous11:10

    Well Tuzla can farewell any other European airline starting flights. Who would want to do business with them after this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:25

      I don't think anyone else is interested otherwise they would have started flights by now,

      Delete
  42. Anonymous11:11

    Come to Mostar! The airport is literally empty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:02

      I don't understand what's the problem is with Mostar. No one seems to want to fly there.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:13

      Incompetent politically appointed management that is more concerned with traffic figures at another airport in another country close by. That's the problem.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:29

      Mostar is only 2 hours by car from SJJ, but it requires extremely good weather for aircraft to be able to land there.

      I doubt many airlines will be interested in flying there, unless they get very good incentives from the airport/government.

      Delete
    4. Corupted ruling parties in Mostar hired all incompetent workers who are just burning governmental money and not doing anything. So many time I wrote here about that and no one response. It means no one even know English or interested in aviation to read coments her. I would like to see some response from some workers from OMO here.

      Delete
  43. Anonymous12:02

    Great work...

    ReplyDelete
  44. What is diference between Nish-Banya Luka from one side and Tuzla-Skopje on other? N-BL do to not have based aircrafts... So they are free to negotiate.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Anonymous12:40

    Now I understand why Wizzair is the flag carrier in SKP. They are probably doing the same with FR. This is insane.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:02

      No doubt. That's why there is no other European LCC flying to Skopje.

      Delete
  46. Anonymous14:02

    Childish games with big price.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:12

      Not childish but a dangerous precedent.

      Delete
  47. Anonymous14:03

    In the end the general public looses out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:37

      Luckily BNX and OSI are not far from there and they have competition so fares are lower. In the end TZL loses.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:49

      OSI barely has any traffic

      Delete
  48. Anonymous16:37

    Wizz might want to address issues they have with their fleet. After SJJ now it's BEG's turn. They ferried a Danish Air Transport A321 just today. Really crazy and bad planning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:50

      I think chasing out competition is a bigger priority for them :D

      Delete

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