Sarajevo Airport is expected to soon reveal which airline will base an aircraft in the city and launch a handful of new routes. The announcement could come as early as this week. The airport has remained tight-lipped on which carrier will open a base in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital ever since it confirmed that a deal had been reached with an airline. Local media have speculated the carrier in question is Ryanair, which has expressed interest in expanding its operations in the county. However, other airlines that have been tipped have included easyJet, Eurowings and a smaller lesser-known European carrier. “Once all necessary permits are granted and after the agreement is ratified in line with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s legislation, the public will be informed which airline it is, along with all other additional details”, Sarajevo Airport said.
The development comes after Sarajevo Airport launched a tender to find an airline interested in opening a base in the country’s capital in return for subsidies and incentives. The development comes just five months after Wizz Air closed its base at Sarajevo Airport, citing inflation and commercial viability. Wizz itself won a similar public call in 2020, however, it now maintains a single route to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital, from Abu Dhabi. Sarajevo Airport is expected to extend its work hours this summer in order to be operational past midnight, a demand reportedly made by the airline which will open the base.
Under the terms issued by Sarajevo Airport in its public call, the carrier must open its base in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital this year in order to qualify for the incentives. The subsidies are limited only to the number of passengers carried, however, the airline will qualify for the incentives regardless of how many travellers it handles. The more departing passengers it welcomes on board its aircraft from Sarajevo, the greater the financial support, however, the exact amount of funds have not been made public. European hubs are among the top unserved destinations from Sarajevo Airport based on indirect passenger traffic volumes. They include London, Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Prague and Milan.
What on earth has to be ratified by Bosnian legislation? I don't remember them having to ratify Wizz Air base.
ReplyDeleteMy thought too
Delete^ I think it may be a Turkish company too.
DeleteCould be. Anadolujet or maybe Sun Express?
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2020/09/wizz-air-registers-bosnia-company.html?m=1
DeleteI'm starting to think this is going to be a big anti climax.
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteImagine if it is Aegean :D I mean they did apply for those Macedonian subsidies too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Aegean is about to open bases across the Balkans. But who knows.
DeleteZero chance of that happening.
Delete@ An 08:52 I thought exactly the same, however I doubt that it will be Aegean. Does anyone know how they performed on the route ATH-SJJ?
DeleteThey haven't resumed it since Covid. But maybe they are waiting for these subsidies?
DeleteATH-SJJ was pretty successful I remembered they planned to increase service to 4 weekly flights from 2.
DeleteIt's taking too long but I hope it will be worth the wait.
ReplyDeleteCrazy that a capital city in Europe lacks flights to almost any other capital in Europe. Exceptions are to FRA, VIE, ZRH, BEG and ZAG.
ReplyDeleteThere are seasonal flights to Oslo and Copenhagen, as well as year round to Stockholm.
DeleteStill poor
DeleteBeing a capital in the continent of Europe does not change the facts of small population and low income.
DeleteFRA and ZRH are not capital cities
DeleteIs ZAG a capital? I think Zagreb is the capital.
DeleteThe affinities there seem to be towards oriental capitals and not European ones, which reflects in the services currently offered. It's a different ballgame, all things considered.
Delete@10:11
DeleteFor an airport in the category of 2 to 5 million passengers, Zagreb is not so bad.
Surprised there is high demand for Prague.
ReplyDeleteCzech Airlines flights were packed most of the time when they flew PRG- SJJ route
DeleteMy bet goes for Ryanair. They already operate to 2 Bosnian airports.
ReplyDeleteIt is already April. They will miss the entire summer season in the end.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThere was also some rumour it is a Jordanian company.
ReplyDeleteThe airport denied this. Plus it makes no sense. As a non EU company they would be unable to fly anywhere.
DeleteFlyBosnia version 2 loading
ReplyDeleteFearing it might be something like this.
DeleteSarajevo management said it was a global carrier. Whatever that means.
DeletePragusa One with A350 to Bali.
DeleteAnonymous 09:18
DeleteThat has TK written all over it.
It would be very difficult for TK to get permits to fly to EU markets from Sarajevo.
DeleteWhat does the fact that after the departure of Wizz Air, SJJ had more passengers every month than when Wizz Air had a base, what does it tell you?
DeleteIf Wizz could not make it work out of Sarajevo, no one else will.
ReplyDeleteTrue dat unless massive subsidies are given for year round connectivity.
DeleteWhat does the fact that after the departure of Wizz Air, SJJ had more passengers every month than when Wizz Air had a base, what does it tell you?
Delete^^^
DeleteYou are confused.
You are comparing pandemic numbers with post-pandemic numbers.
It was not about Wizz Not performing well, they had excellent load factors but the company had to cut their losses elsewhere. Also given the beef the owner has with Orban, I wouldn't be surprised if they continued to cut.
DeleteKudos to SJJ for hiding it so well haha
ReplyDeleteWhich I think goes to show it is some minor or no name airline. Let's see.
DeleteCause there is nothing to hide.
DeleteFingers crossed for the best.
ReplyDeleteSJJ needs this
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteVolotea, Fly One or HI Sky they have eu aoc in romania. Sky Up, other Romanian carier, LOT, AirBaltic, Aeroitalia?
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines
DeleteIt would make sense for it to be OU
DeleteI don't think they have sufficient aircraft in the fleet.
DeleteIf it is OU they will just fly Lufthansa group hubs and nothing more.
DeleteI would be pleasantly surprised if it was OU, it would mean they are actually active.
DeleteBut FR or EW.
OU as a "global carrier" LOL
DeleteLOT or Tarom comes to my mind. Flyone not gonna happend, thieves in the sky 😁
DeleteFeeling less confident it's going to be Ryanair.
ReplyDeleteOr any major LCC for that matter.
DeleteCan't wait to find out.
ReplyDeleteIts not Ryanair for sure, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you think it's not Ryanair? Not saying that it is though
DeleteIt is going to be difficult replacing over 140 weekly flights Wizz had from Sarajevo last summer.
ReplyDeleteThey are dragging this along too much
ReplyDeleteCould it be AirSerbia? Would it be possible for them to get permissions to fly out from Bosnia to EU?
ReplyDeleteUnlikely they would get a permit and I don't they are interested considering their fleet and the network they have planned from BEG this summer.
DeleteW^ in SJJ did not fail... It was working well. However, with incentives gone, same metal could probably earn more somewhere else, and/or was needed at some other destination...
DeleteOnly an LCC would make sense. Everything else is destined to fail.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBut Wizz Air, an LCC failed.
DeleteWizz has been an absolute mess lately.
DeleteW6 definetely needs new management.
DeleteHahaha yeah sure they do.
DeleteW6 situation is quite worrying. They cancelled so many routes. They failed in London, fulled out of Lanzarote but thing is Ryanair is simply not leaving them alone. They have a very agressive policy and with the Maxes and different Lauda, Buzz branding have really rattled them and already stealing older markets where Wizz used to dominate.
DeleteIf I am not mistaken they are now bigger in Poland and Bulgaria.
It seems they are focusing on the UAE, Egyptian and Saudi market but Saudi Arabia already has huge aviation plans by 2030 so time will tell. Also with the arrival of the A321XLR they might have new possibilities especially flying to exotic destinations such as Zanzibar, Maldives or Cabo Verde.
W6 in SJJ did not fail... It was working well. However, with incentives gone, same metal could probably earn more somewhere else, and/or was needed at some other destination...
DeleteThe major problem with SJJ is huge seasonality. It will be very difficult for any airline to change it.
ReplyDeleteI think this current Sarajevo Airport management has proven themselves as serious so I expect a good outcome.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI was so hoping it is Ryanair :( please let it be them
ReplyDeleteAir Bosnia_v2 loading...
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteEurowings comes to mind. They have a base in Pristina to why not Sarajevom
ReplyDelete*sarajevo
DeleteIt seems ex-Yu markets literally have to pay everyone if they want to see flights.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Vueling will open a base!
ReplyDeleteErm no. They just announced a few days ago they were in talks with Vueling about flights whereas they have already signed a contract with this mystery airline.
DeleteI think something definitely isn't going to plan. It has been more than a month since this agreement was signed and still nothing
ReplyDeleteJust be patient :)
DeleteWell I hope it's worth the wait
DeleteThey shouldn't have announced that they signed an agreement until they can actually reveal the airline.
ReplyDeleteFlynas,Saudis are expanding and looking to reach EU market
ReplyDeleteThey don't have EU/Freedom of skies AOC available to qualify for that...
DeleteThanks God!!!
DeleteAir asia 🙃
ReplyDeleteIli pre neka Air Arabia i slicno.
DeleteEmirates :)
ReplyDeleteIt's BA Airlines. They're just holding off because they don't want to insult Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines. (The BRE people and the DECKI people )
ReplyDeleteAny international treaty/agreement must be approved by BiH authorities, CoM, BiH Parliament (both Houses) and finally by BiH Presidency that issues the Decision on ratification that needs to be publisheded in the BiH Official Gazette. The day that it is published, the agreement enters into force.
ReplyDeleteSo every airline needs approval from all branches of government to launch flights to Bosnia? Don't think so.
DeleteThis is definitelly not an international agreement but usual business deal. Unless there are some state legislature that needs to be changed but that would have already been known.
Delete15:06 Not every. Just those which will receive a subsides. Because these incentives are from the government.
DeleteSeems a bit odd? Watch them end up coming out and saying talks fell through or the permits required were not granted and in the end we’ll never know who it was lol i mean it’s right before summer why keep holding off? What carrier wants to announce ticket sales last minute?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't be surprised
DeleteThey seem quite desperate to have an airline open up a base in Sarajevo, why not just restart a government owned airline again with 1 aircraft? Instead of private people trying over and over to open an airline in Bosnia? I dont see why it wouldn’t work
ReplyDeleteI see why it wouldn't work in Bosnia and I think everyone should be able to see why national airline in Bosnia can't be success story. First thing first and there are many things to be solved first.
DeleteA čo tak Krakow Sarajeva kvôli medjugoriu
ReplyDeleteMy opinion it is Croatia Airlines, they are first airline who open airport after the war, also they have Part145 open at SJJ and they need new market because of Rayan in ZAG.
ReplyDeleteI Hope It Will be Ryanair simply thinking that some flights from Banja Luka are out of schedule without explanation,.No more flights Milan-Banja Luka after 4 years
ReplyDeleteMaybe Bosnian Wand Airlines will resurrect itself? 🤣
ReplyDeleteCome on everybody, what's with all this drama and mystery, we all know it's Pragusa.One.
ReplyDeleteI know who it is!
ReplyDeletePRAGUSA.ONE
This mystere it is safe to say it's not fair so no way Pragusa One or Ryanair will enter this way in the airport play.Most likely it will be Mujo i Haso Air for this affair.They have more sway!
DeleteMujo i Haso Air hahaha :))
DeleteGledajuci iz poslovne perspektive povezati najmnogoljudniju muslimansku zemlju sa BiH direktnim letovima ima itekako smisla. Narocito ako govorimo o 15k putnika na godisnjoj razini.
ReplyDeleteIndoneziju i BIH?
DeleteCity Jet
ReplyDeleteOr it’s just WizzAir reopening the base with new terms and conditions, just saying from first hand 🤫🤐
ReplyDeleteThat would make no sense in my opinion and also how would you know?
DeleteWhen they will reveal the airline does anyone know?
ReplyDelete