Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) has commenced a series of charter flights to Sarajevo which will operate throughout May, August and September, becoming the latest carrier from the region to serve Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. The first flight was operated earlier this week, on May 6, with services to run on May 12, 18 and 24, August 9, 15, 22 and 29, as well as September 5, 12 and 19. In total, the carrier will operate eleven flights between the two cities this summer. It will deploy its Airbus A320 aircraft on the route. Although MEA’s A320s have reduced capacity due to a large business class section, the airline is operating the Sarajevo service in an all-economy configuration of 156 seats.
Tickets for this service are only available as part of tour packages marketed on the Lebanese market. Multiple Lebanese tour operators are collaborating with MEA on the Sarajevo service. One major driver of these charters is religious tourism, specifically Catholic pilgrimages heading to Medjugorje. Lebanese pilgrimage organisers have been advertising all-inclusive pilgrim tours that include nonstop charter flights to Sarajevo, onward ground transport to Medjugorje and guided spiritual programs. In previous years, tour operators usually partnered with Croatia Airlines, which maintained charters between Mostar and Beirut, however, this cooperation has not been renewed.
In addition to pilgrimages, leisure travel packages from Lebanon to Bosnia and Herzegovina have emerged on the back of these charter flights. Lebanese travel agencies have been promoting summer holiday tours to Bosnia, highlighting the country’s natural beauty, cultural sites and the convenience of nonstop flights. This summer, within the Middle East, Sarajevo will boast connectivity through scheduled or charter flights to Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Qassim (Buraidah), Jeddah, Kuwait City, Medina, Muscat, Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
Nice addition! Hope they start scheduled flights one day.
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DeleteToo bad these flights aren't bookable directly through MEA.
Can Mostar handle A321?
ReplyDeleteI think its runway is too small
Delete"In previous years, tour operators usually partnered with Croatia Airlines, which maintained charters between Mostar and Beirut, however, this cooperation has not been renewed."
ReplyDeleteSad
Any idea why yesterday the morning flight to Zagreb from Sarajevo was canceled?
ReplyDeleteSarajevo is on fire! Hope for Amsterdam flights soon. If Belgrade can have 21x flights a week to AMS. Then Sarajevo can also have at least 3x or more
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DeleteAmsterdam is number 1, but it is much more realistic that it will be Eindhoven, Yaranair or Zwizzair to start that line. Transavia was also mentioned.
DeleteComparing BEG with SJJ , are u serious ?
DeleteCompare 21 with 3, it means 7 times less, are you serious?
DeleteYou think if AMS works good for BEG then it will work for SJJ ? Why just dont stop with unreal comments , BEG is huge market and having numbers that SJJ cant reach them in dreams not reality.
DeleteAnother missed opportunity for OU
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Bosnia
SJJ tremendous growth shows that JU could do a whole lot more than one afternoon flight on an ATR a day.
DeleteSadly that is another missed oportunity for them in the region.
Does anyone know why that cooperation with OU ended?
DeleteOU has been asking crazy prices to operate charters to everyone this year. They lost a lot of business this way.
DeleteThat was smart of them...
DeleteWell done Sarajevo!
ReplyDeleteLove that these flights are helping people explore Bosnia. It's an underrated gem with so much natural beauty and history.
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DeleteWonder if they’ll consider opening up some seats for general sale in the future?
ReplyDeleteLimited access for locals in either country since the flights are only part of tour packages. MEA should consider offering standalone tickets too.
ReplyDelete"This summer, within the Middle East, Sarajevo will boast connectivity through scheduled or charter flights to Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Qassim (Buraidah), Jeddah, Kuwait City, Medina, Muscat, Riyadh and Tel Aviv."
ReplyDeleteThis is very impressive
A few years ago Gulf Air did charters from Bahrein. Any chance we see them back. I know visas have been temporarily removed for Bahrainis too.
DeleteGulf Air will also fly to Manama this summer. I don't know why they were omitted from the text.
DeleteI don't see it listed anywhere on SJJ website or booking system.
DeleteGulf air will not fly to Sarajevo
DeleteSarajevo is really becoming a hotspot for Middle Eastern tourists. Great for the local economy and tourism sector.
DeleteMEA is actually quite a good airline
ReplyDeleteLoss for OMO but gain for SJJ.
ReplyDeleteMostar will be fine. It is getting new European routes.
DeleteToo bad Croatia Airlines let go of the Beirut–Mostar charters. Looks like MEA and Sarajevo Airport took full advantage of that opportunity.
DeleteWhat other Middle East routes could potentially be launched from Sarajevo?
ReplyDeleteAmman, Cairo, Bahrain, Baghdad or Erbil, Sharjah, Dammam and Tehran down the line.
DeleteBtw Dan Air (some years ago they leased aircraft to Air Serbia) will start flights from Bucharest to Damascus in Syria this summer.
ReplyDeleteSix times a week!
Beside Sarajevo, what are the airports in the region with flights to Tel Aviv this summer? Belgrade, Tivat?!
ReplyDeleteZagreb has charters and Zadar is getting flights this summer too. Ljubljana also has TLV flights.
DeleteSarajevo definitely needs Emirates!
ReplyDeleteHope this leads to a full seasonal route in the future, not just charters.
ReplyDeleteEleven flights might not sound like much, but it’s a big deal for targeted niche travel like pilgrimages. Hopefully, it paves the way for more
DeleteInteresting how religious tourism continues to be such a strong driver for air travel. Medjugorje is still drawing global attention.
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