Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings have joined calls made by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s four international airports for the reintroduction of a moratorium on the passenger fee paid by airlines to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA). Under the current system, airlines pay a fee of 1.5 euros for every departing passenger on flights from the country's commercial airports, as well as a charge for every tonne of cargo. The charge serves as a source of funding for the aviation regulator.

In its letter to the government, the Group said, “Airlines operate in an extremely challenging international environment, characterised by rising jet fuel prices, inflationary pressures, higher operating costs, disruptions to global supply chains, restrictions across European airspace and intense competition among airports and countries seeking to attract new air services. In such circumstances, overall operating costs are one of the key factors considered when deciding whether to launch new routes, increase flight frequencies or maintain existing operations. Even relatively modest regulatory and operational charges can significantly affect a market’s competitiveness compared with alternative destinations in the region”. They added, “Airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina have considerable potential for the further development of air connectivity, tourism, investment and business mobility. Measures should now be introduced to improve the market’s competitiveness and enable airlines to plan the long-term development of their operations. Experience from the previous temporary suspension of the fee showed that such measures positively affected passenger growth, capacity increases, network development and the retention of existing air services”.