Italy’s SkyAlps to open Mostar base in 2025


SkyAlps and Mostar inked an agreement yesterday which will see the Italian regional carrier base one of its Dash 8 turboprops at the city’s airport and launch several new routes. This partnership was established following a successful bid by SkyAlps in a tender designed to attract carriers by providing subsidies for basing aircraft in the city. The development was anticipated as Mostar Airport’s CEO had indicated as early as last year the airline would establish a base in 2025. Currently, SkyAlps operates seasonal summer flights to Mostar from Rome, Munich, and Verona​. Under the agreement it will maintain flights to eight destinations, including Stuttgart, Bari, Naples, Catania and Palermo, in addition to Rome and Munich, while Verona will be swapped for another route, which is yet to be selected. The emphasis on the Italian market comes as Italians make up the largest portion of Mostar’s visitors, primarily as religious pilgrims.

The establishment of the SkyAlps base was marked by a signing ceremony attended by local and regional officials. The Mayor of Mostar, Mario Kordić, said, “You have witnessed over the past three and a half years the tremendous effort, growth, and positive results achieved by Mostar Airport under this management and administration. From practically no passengers, we are now talking about 40.000 travellers this year across six routes connecting the City of Mostar with the rest of Europe and the world”. The government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton has set aside just over 176.000 euros for SkyAlps to open its base. Alex Spinato. SkyAlps' General Director for Aviation and Operations, said, “None of this would have been possible without the support of the local authorities and the management of Mostar Airport. Mostar and its surroundings are among the smallest regions, but it is a region with enormous potential. That is why we decided to make Mostar our second base, and I am confident that this cooperation will continue for a long time”.

Mostar Airport anticipates handling 65.000 passengers next year, up from the estimated 44.000 in 2024. In addition to SkyAlps, both Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines will continue to maintain their subsidised services from Belgrade and Zagreb respectively, while talks are ongoing with Pegasus Airlines over flights from Istanbul. SkyAlps started operations in June 2021 as a virtual airline and secured its Air Operator's Certificate in January 2023. It aims to expand its all-Dash 8 fleet to fourteen aircraft within the next year, positioning itself for further growth. With its hub in Bolzano, the carrier now links over twenty European cities with nonstop flights.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    So the subsidiaries worked, damn. Good for Mostar, though. We're probably gonna see a record year in 2025

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:02

      If they estimate 65,000 pax next year it will be a bit short of 2012 nunbers but close.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:04

      True. But if Pegasus launches flights twice per week, it would be close

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:14

      Record year was 1991 I believe with the airport handling 86K PAX.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:54

      ^ Thank you

      Delete
    5. Anonymous19:35

      9:54 No problem man :)

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:03

    Will it be a seasonal or year round base?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:55

      I think so. They might keep some routes in winter but I think it will only be the diaspora ones, not the flights for Italian pilgrims.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:50

      How can a person with at least one day od school believe in Medjugorje?

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    I can't believe it is only 176k.

    Is it only for base opening and each flight will be additionally subsidized or is it whole amount that SkyAlps is getting?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      That's for the base. So they're getting paid 170k for having an aircraft and then another idk 15k or so per destination

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:05

      It's most likely per route but the minister was on purpose not clear when she said it.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:07

      This is for snacks on flights.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:16

      The total amount will be much higher. Millions.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous13:18

      Lol, even Sarajevo doesn't pay millions

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:12

    Bravo 🇮🇱

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous09:34

    Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:54

    Excellent. Exciting times for Mostar

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:55

    Is there no longer any new route to Bosnia and Herzegovina that is not subsidized? What is the strategy? Endlessly paying airlines money to start new routes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:28

      That does seem to the new tactic.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:18

      Says random Anon

      Delete
    3. Anonymous23:02

      There are quite a few that aren't subsidized, plus the subsidies are much smaller than in Slovenia or N. Macedonia

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:57

    You realize! This is fantastic news! to think that three years ago and more ago I saw my airport empty... but thanks to a splandide direction we can achieve everything

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous10:27

    Hope it does not turn out like Lumiwings base in Tuzla.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:28

      Sky Alps and this whole arrangement is much more serious then what happened in Tuzla.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:35

      The Lumiwings project in Tuzla was based on totally different premises. They had a 149-seat Boeing 737 (they could also have chosen a 118-seat Embraer) based in Tuzla during the least popular part of the year for travelling, and flew to highly unattractive airports some of which hardly have any routes whatsoever. The SkyAlps Mostar project consists of a 76-seat Q400, starting to be based in Mostar in the beginning of the summer season and will fly to attractive airports in Europe. Very good business by OMO.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous10:30

    I visited Mostar this summer and had a great time but Mostar really needs more hotels and especially more upscale hotels. The offer is quite bad at the moment. At least that was the impression I got when I was searching for accommodation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:40

      Hilton is opening next year

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:59

      Excellent news

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:30

      Why I can not find any news at Hiltons website new openings?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:31

      Isn't it Marriott?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:51

      Maybe Mostar lacks some more Hotels, but you have so many private apartments that are among best hotels in the Europe.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:52

      Anon 13:30: google for “ Hilton Set for Bosnia & Herzegovina Entry with Dual Signing” its on stories.hilton.com they are opening two hotels in Bosnia, one in Sarajevo and one in Mostar

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:59

    Considering traffic between Italy and Mostar it is fitting that an Italian airline is opening a base.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous14:28

    Ryanair or Wizz Air would have been more valuable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:29

      The airport would become a hostage to either of them if they opened a base. Look at what happened in Tuzla.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:16

      But they're not hostage to SkyAlps?

      Delete
  13. Anonymous14:28

    They would be perfect for Ljubljana honestly. Congrats Mostar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:28

      Ljubljana or Trieste would work.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:32

      I guess Treviso or Venice can be also. People are so religious there...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous20:04

      Mostar Ljubljana could potentially work on account of diaspora and Medjugorje

      Delete
  14. Anonymous15:07

    Good luck to them

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous22:59

    Anyone flown with Sky Alps? What are they like? Do they have lcc service?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:23

      No, they actually offer drinks and snacks for free.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:25

      That's better than most legacy airlines in Europe

      Delete
  16. Anonymous23:00

    The Skyalps base in Mostar could be a real game changer for the airport.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:23

      That could have been Croatia Airlines. A base was offered to them for subsidies.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous23:25

    what would aviation in the region be without subventions...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:29

      It's the same story with all smaller airports across Europe.

      Delete

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