Italy’s Sky Alps has made a bid to introduce flights to Mostar this coming summer season in return for subsidies. The bid from Sky Alps has been verified by Mostar Airport, confirming that it satisfies all the necessary criteria outlined in the recent low-profile public call initiated just a month ago. According to its application, the Italian regional carrier intends to commence services from Rome, Munich, Bari, and Verona using its Dash 8 turboprop fleet. “We are delighted that the Italian carrier Sky Alps has met all the set conditions and submitted a very appealing bid for the launch of these routes. Details on this important milestone for the development of Mostar Airport will be announced in the coming days”, Mostar Airport said in a statement.
Sky Alps is based in Bolzano, in the South Tyrol region of Italy. It operates a fleet of six Dash 8 turboprop aircraft. Three out of its four proposed Mostar route are from Italy, which is the main source market for Mostar Airport, primarily because of religious tourism and pilgrims visiting the nearby Medjugorje sight. On the other hand, Germany is considered to have the largest diaspora from the Herzegovina region. Last month, Croatia Airlines was awarded a contract in a similar public call for the upkeep of flights between Zagreb and Mostar. Subsidies have become a popular method in attracting new carriers to airports across Bosnia and Herzegovina lately, with Mostar complementing both Sarajevo and Tuzla which have held similar public calls over the past weeks and months.
Commenting further on its plans, Mostar Airport said, “This is just the beginning of the positive development the year will bring and we are delighted that we will build a successful future for the development of air traffic at Mostar Airport together with our passengers”. Mostar Airport is also believed to be in the final stages of negotiations with Air Serbia for the introduction of flights from Belgrade this coming summer season. Mostar Airport handled 19.522 passengers during the January - November period of 2023, representing a decrease of almost 40% on the same period during the pre-pandemic 2019.
This is just what Mostar needs
ReplyDeleteHow much money is being given to all these airlines to start flights to Bosnia? Some transparency would be nice
ReplyDeleteBosnia desprately needs a national carrier.
Delete+1
DeleteI completely agree! The list of failures is long, attracting the airline that eventually goes at some point. So I have often wondered if it is not good to subsidize the existing airlines and destinations (FRA, VIE, ZRH, IST, ZAG, BEG)? Just to have more flights there. Bosnia is a market for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Turkiye. That's it.
DeleteFrom 2010 to now:
B&H Airlines
Wizz Air
FlyBosnia
Bosnian Wand Airlines
Now Ryanair and Lumiwings. I speak for SJJ and TZL.
Yet another national carrier? Just another way for certain crooked businessmen/government officials to siphon off money.
DeleteI also think it would be worth for the local government to say how much each of these tenders is worth. This is basic information that every single other ex-Yu country provided when they organized such tenders.
DeleteSkyalps would be a perfect fit for Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteAt first I read Maribor, and I was even happy....but suddenly I saw Mostar...
DeleteOtherwise, well done to OMO, there is only JU left and it will be very good with these regional planes! Looks like Lumiwings won't be coming back.
Skyalps did attempt Maribor flights, although cancelled them before they were launched
DeleteNote that neither Maribor nor Skyalps did any advertising on the new flights, so hopefully they've learned from their mistakes
Skyalps name would be very good for Ljubljana, yeah...and the capacity of their planes (c. 80) is also very nice for some missing medium demand routes like Tirana, Prague, Barcelona, etc.
Delete@10.28 lol
Delete10:28
Delete+10000
anon 9:04, me too I first read Maribor :)
DeleteVery good for Mostar and tourism!
ReplyDeleteYes! Hope Air Serbia starts flights this year.
ReplyDeleteHope thats true!!
DeleteIn the summer, 10 planes a day land in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Persian Gulf, now these additions from Italy will be very nice, 10 flights is not bad for such a small market.
ReplyDeleteFantastic news for Mostar
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of this airline before
ReplyDeleteThey are big - 10 Dashes
DeleteThey fly a lot of odd routes.
DeleteWhy weird? They connect Bolzano to the world.
DeleteThey fly PSO flights too, so it might seem odd that they are flying just 2 routes out of Catania for example
DeleteI wouldn't go as far as "connecting Bolzano to the world" :D
DeleteAnyone flown with them?
DeleteI did, it's decent airline but nothing special; they'll get you there but that's about it. Same as JU, OU and many more
DeleteThis is the first time I hear of a city called Bolzano in my life.
Deletewell that speaks more about you then about Bolzano
Delete+1
DeleteYes, I am sure Bolzano Is a famous, cosmopolitan city everyone has heard about!
DeleteActually it is.
DeleteMaybe "Bozen" rings a bell? It is the German name of the city and South Tyrol is generally German speaking. That region is massively beautiful.
DeleteSkyAlps also flies to Brač and DBV seasonally.
Good for OMO, they definitely need much more reliable carriers
ReplyDeleteIs Sky Alps that reliable? They seem to start and discontinue many routes.
DeleteIs this the airline that wanted to launch flights to Maribor but in the end gave up because there was no demand?
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteThey have had a few flights in the last year, but they are clearly not for the tour operators, just individual flights.
DeleteThey were contracted for the operations by a tour operator selling the tickets, it was never their choice nor were they selling the flights directly from their network
DeleteWell done Mostar. More and more airlines are coming
ReplyDeleteWith them it is a total of 2. I wouldn't say they are lining up.
DeleteAny chance for Eurowings to return to Mostar?
ReplyDeleteEW only came to Mostar in the first place because their main route manager was from Mostar and they managed to persuade the local government to give them money..
DeleteBut even during their first year of flights (are should I say only year), they downgraded the routes from year round to seasonal, downgraded the aircraft type and reduced frequnecies.
DeleteTrue
DeleteToo many airports in short proximity. They cannibalize each other.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying Mostar will cannibalize Dubrovnik? LOL
DeleteWait for Trebinje
DeleteWizz Air/Ryanair are much better in generating demand
ReplyDeleteI think Mostar Airport is now under pressure since all other commercial airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina are functional and have regular flights. They need to do something.
DeleteDespite the low level of traffic at Mostar, it amazes me that this country has 4 functioning airports and that all have international flights.
Deleteand all are paying to have their flights
DeleteThey do not have udruzeno oglasavanje.
DeleteA missed opportunity for OU. Could have launched flights from Mostar to several cities.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Since these routes are subsidized, they could have made some money.
DeleteCroatia should really think of keeping those Dashes for secondary PSO flights. Station one in Mostar, one in Sarajevo, one in Ljubljana and a few in Italy. PSO flights are basically free money generators
DeleteToo early.
DeleteOMO needs to negotiate with RYR or WZZ to open Rome,Milano,Warsaw,Malmo and Cologne as soon as possible
ReplyDeleteafter the mega success of SJJ or TZL?
DeleteSpend millions on tenders instead of opening an airline; modus operandi that doesn't make any long term sense.
ReplyDeleteThey might finally reach their 2019 figures this year.
ReplyDeleteNot bad, not bad at all!! Bravo BiH!
ReplyDeleteMostar has a tremendous potential but I guess strong influence of HDZ prevents its growth in order not to compete with quite close Split and Dubrovnik airports
ReplyDeletewhy don't ex-yu countries just privatize these smaller airports? Wouldn't it be easier?
DeleteWent well with Maribor, Ljubljana....
Deletetremendous potential? Come down pls
DeleteThese foreign takeovers are meant to improve, but, also, exploit for the majority benefit of outside interests.
DeleteHas there ever been a route at this airport which is not subsidized?
ReplyDeleteNot since Yu times.
DeleteThe charter flights are not subsidized.
DeleteFlori-Mostar wasn't
DeleteHope it works out
ReplyDeleteespecially Bari will for sure
DeleteCan someone please tell me did Austrian use to fly to Mostar?
ReplyDeleteYes they did
DeleteAustrian used to fly to Vienna-Mostar 1998-2003 using Tyrolean Dash8-100 with 37 seats. After that no flights.
DeleteThanks for the info! I had no idea. Would be nice if they came back.
DeleteI think Austrian even had a plane name Mostar.
DeleteThey flew to Banja Luka as well. Suspended around the same time as Mostar. Austrian probably benefited the most as an airline from the collapse of ex-Yu.
DeleteCrossing my fingers this happens so Mostar can finally have some decent traffic.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAll seasonal I assume?
ReplyDeleteMost likely. Very little tourist demand for Mostar in winter (excluding from Croatia)
Deletethese are for Medjugorje
DeleteThe Munich route is for diaspora, not Medjugorje.
DeleteBavaria is the catholic capital of Germany
DeleteI think those flights would be mostly for diaspora. There were never any charters from Germany to Mostar because of Medjugorje.
DeleteSeems like every single new route in Bosnia and Herzegovina is being subsidized. This isn't good. I agree with the notion of subsidizing some routes to gain connections but literally every single one? Not a good idea. Don't expect any airline to start flying due to organic demand any more.
ReplyDeleteI agree, unfortunately, but there was no interest from European carriers to start flights from main European cities to Sarajevo for years. What else was left to do.
DeleteLet's hope it doesn't turn out like with their Maribor flights.
ReplyDeleteFor Maribor Sky Alps was just the operating carrier contracted by tour operators. They didn't have anything to do with the sales.
Deletethese will be some religious group tours flights otherwise i see no point of them tbh
ReplyDeleteOf course they are for pilgrims.
DeleteA few years ago several Italian airports, in cooperation with the Italian government, wanted to take over Mostar Airport and invest in it. The Italian government wanted to expand Mostar Airport, improve airport safety, introduce scheduled traffic and assist with staff training. I don't know what happened with all of that.
ReplyDeleteKradeze prevented it, the same as they are preventing OU to have private owner and professional management, because with those they would lose Uhljeb heavens and fat incomes from multiple corruptive deals
DeleteI think a flight from Rome to Mostar could work year round.
ReplyDeleteWhere do they find these airlines? Lumiwings, Sky Alps...
ReplyDeleteSkyAlps is actually not a no name carrier.
DeleteIt will last for a year while the subsidies are being provided.
ReplyDeleteRene Benko is one of the partner behind Skyalps. Let’s see, how this will affect the company.
ReplyDelete