Sarajevo Airport has announced an enhanced long-term commercial partnership with Ryanair, which will result in a number of new routes starting during the 2027 summer season, however, the carrier will not operate to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital this winter. Starting late March next year, Ryanair plans to offer up to 425.000 seats across a record number of route. At Ryanair's request, full details of the summer 2027 schedule will be officially unveiled in the coming months.
In a statement, Sarajevo Airport said, "This partnership marks a new and highly significant chapter for Sarajevo International Airport and for positioning Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European tourism map. Since Ryanair launched operations in Sarajevo in March 2024, we have witnessed sustained growth in international arrivals, and today's announcement of plans to introduce the airport's largest-ever summer schedule is a clear testament to the strength of our partnership and the attractiveness of our country”. It added, “This is not only an important milestone for aviation, but also a major economic opportunity and a significant boost for the tourism sector. More routes mean more visitors, new jobs, and additional investment in tourism and local communities”.
Sarajevo Airport noted that both parties consider this seasonal operating model to be the most appropriate given current operational conditions and market demand. By concentrating maximum capacity during the summer period, the partnership will further stimulate inbound tourism while providing passengers from Bosnia and Herzegovina with greater access to destinations across Europe. The new routes and full details of the Summer 2027 schedule will be announced and opened for booking over the coming months.
The 2026/27 winter season will run from October 25 until March 27. During the 2025/26 winter season, Ryanair maintained 1.002 Sarajevo flights, offering 190.962 seats. As a result, Ryanair's services from Sarajevo to Stockholm, Bergamo, Charleroi, Baden Baden, Memmingen, Girona, Gothenburg, Weeze and London Stansted will become seasonal, while operations to Beauvais and Thessaloniki were already maintained on a summer-only basis.
it seems no LCC can maintain a normal base in Sarajevo.
ReplyDeleteBecause there is no sustainable year round market.
DeleteIf the airport reaches 425,000 Ryanair seats next summer, it will be a remarkable achievement regardless of the winter suspension.
DeleteAirport really needs to work on deterring smog and improving their CAT by all means. Not easy but has to be done in order to maintain a proper winter schedule.
Delete09.46
DeleteI believe as well it's technical and meteo question about winter in SJJ, rather than lack of demand and week market
Weak market, fu.kin autocorrect
DeleteFR likes late night arrivals which are a huge problem for Bosnasaray in winter, fog and pollution are a nightmare
DeleteYea I am sure, fog is the problem, not weak market. So actually they will not adjust timetable to fog, they will just dissapear for 5 months. Someone really belive in this?
DeleteWhy would Ryanair adjust to their whole timetable (they would have to move around a lot of things) just to be able to land at one small airport. They don't care about SJJ, they only care about profit, and adjusting their timeable because of SJJ goes against that principle
Delete20:46 this is actuallt what people trying to convience us that it is normal and ok. They stopped selling tickets 3 to 4 weeks ago , imagine airline stop selling a tickets for entire routes they have. Thats not a good sign at all. And what they do now is getting money from government jusr for seasonal routes which is tradegy
DeleteBut guys, 1002 flights and 190k pax means 190 pax per flight, more or less. Ryanair's configuration is either 189 or 198 seats, so this means that the flights were full.
DeleteThis will hurt
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that Ryanair can sustain winter flights from Banja Luka and Nis but can't from Sarajevo. What's going on?!
ReplyDeleteAir quality and terrain are better in BNX and INI
DeleteI'm disappointed. Winter flights to Germany and Sweden were very useful for the diaspora.
ReplyDeleteIt’s about the magla…
DeleteIts not about magla, its about weak performance and yields. Sarajevo airport is operating at the winter for airlines who can make money.
Delete1002 flights and 190k pax. You don't have to he mathematician for counting the load factor. So, after all, it's about the fog!
Deletehow many new routes that actually means?
ReplyDelete425,000 seats could mean around 13-15 routes depending on frequencies.
DeleteSo Sarajevo celebrates a "record partnership" while losing all winter Ryanair flights. That's quite an achievement.
ReplyDeleteThe airport is trying to spin bad news into good news. Eleven winter routes disappearing is hardly something to celebrate.
DeleteIt will free up a lot of subsidy funds (Which are also record) so we can expect more airlines in the future. Market gap opens for W6 who have been flirting with SJJ for a while after hearing RYR talks were stalled.
DeleteIf the airport is again flirting with Wizz Air after what they pulled last time, I really don't know what to say.
DeleteAnother airport celebrating while losing connectivity. Strange times.
Delete11:11 they are happy because FR will serve them only seasonally not whole year , and in the end FR will get subsidies for that🙄 and tragic things are they are convience all of us that this is good wooow
Deletewow
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of long-term partnership means the airline completely abandons you for five months every year?
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteSplit, Dubrovnik, and Tivat already have similar arrangements with most of their airlines, so why not Sarajevo? SJJ consistently records load factors above 80%, while winter fog, smog, and frequent diversions cost Ryanair money. The airport would reduce its subsidy burden, Bosnian travelers would gain long-awaited new destinations, and everyone would benefit.
DeleteBut Sarajevo is a capital city. Split, Dubrovnik and Tivat are coastal cities relying on tourists going to the beach.
DeleteAnd Sarajevo, despite being a very strong tourist destination for ex-yu standards and the capital (boosting outbound demand) still has the same issues with operability in the winter wasting money for both the airport and diverting planes for a LCC which ruins the core of their business model to maximize operations within a day.
Delete@09:45 but with the greatest of respect to many of the capitals of the EXYU region...they are very in of themselves rather small.
DeleteMeaning that Ryanair will serve Sarajevo only seasonally but not the whole year. Its clearly explained that they still cannot sustain year round routes. So even those "new" routes from 2027 will still run until late October
DeleteAircraft utilisation is much stronger elsewhere in winter. Ryanair follows the numbers.
ReplyDeleteSarajevo should now focus on attracting another airline for winter operations to fill the gap left by Ryanair.
ReplyDeleteI would be surprised if it doesn't happen, the very least that happens should be W6 taking over what they can to Germany, Sweden, Italy depending on their bases.
DeletePeople forget Ryanair only arrived in Sarajevo in 2024. The airport has grown very quickly since then.
ReplyDeleteYes and they finished their 2 years subsidies program and they left. All that telss there is no demand for whole year flights , only for seasonal
DeleteLF has been high, yield has been decent but FR can't afford to have their planes in Pescara or Dubrovnik because fog prevented them from landing in Sarajevo. It affects rotations and crew hours more than any subsidy can cover when it happens regularly.
Delete@17:04 Yeah I've seen some spectacular diversions, including flights circling for hours before fog lifts or being diverted to all over the place.
DeleteInteresting strategy: no winter flights but the biggest summer program ever. It's unconventional, but if the economics work both sides win.
ReplyDeleteDo you seriously think summer-seasonal operations are unconventional?
DeleteFor a European capital city for the entire network, yes.
DeleteYou dont read that this new strategy will be only seasonal flights? They will not fly to Sarajevo whole year because of no demand , they will fly rougly March to Octoer , it is described in the article
DeleteThey will recieve subsidies money for seasonal flights , I dont think so this is smart decision from airport authority
sumnjivo mi je ovo
ReplyDeletenapustaju SJJ na 5 mjesrci i onda da ocekujemo neki bum...
Oni su prestali prodavati karte js prije 3 nedelje od tada se osjecalo da nesto smrdi. A po ovome sada sto pise od Mart 2027 bice samo sezonske letove to Oktobru 2027 , znaci nece biti celu godinu, tako da ovo smrdi i te kako. Dobijaju drzavne pare a lete sezonski samo
DeleteDa,nedavno smo govorili kako Wizz u Tuzli radi sta hoce,da ne postuje ugovor a prima subvencije,ali evo ni Ryanair u Sarajevu nista bolje ne radi.To sto Sarajevo najavljuje rekordan kapacitet za ljeto 2027. je top,ali gube i zimski kapacitet i broj putnika će im opadati zimi.A ko garantuje da Ryanair neće nešto promijeniti opet i za ljeto?
DeleteBas tako, nema garancije da ce se i ovaj plan ostvariti. Kako i da je gubiti celu sezonu i raditi samo preko leto nije nimalo dobro. Nikada ne bi se slozio da se drzavne pare daju samo za letnu sezonu a ne za celu
DeleteInstead of issuing celebratory press releases, the airport should explain why it couldn't retain even a reduced winter programme.
ReplyDeleteWinter season numbers are going to be bad this year. Not that summer is doing great either.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Podgorica will overtake Skopje by passenger numbers
DeleteYes it seems unavoidable after a relatively weak summer as well.
DeleteRead your comment again... Podgorica and Skopje are not even in the same ballpark...
DeleteSummer in Sarajevo is good , but there is no demand for winter, that is why they leaving. They will serve Sarajevo only in summer months not the whole year, it is written in the article , read.
DeleteBtw Podgorica will be active only on summer with their seasonal routes, after that winter sleeping. SKOPJE is booming whole year✈️
Sarajevo is, however, by far the nicer city to visit in the winter as a tourist. Skopje in January is fairly grim.
DeleteIts not about visitig a city , we talk about aviation numbers ;) dont mix city with this articles. Btw Sarajevo and Skopje had the same winter fog so dont just bloom yourself its funny
DeleteIm not interested in numbers. Rather places that are nice to visit in winter
DeleteA very pragmatic decision. Better to have 425,000 seats in summer than empty aircraft flying around in winter.
ReplyDeleteThis.
DeleteIt's difficult to celebrate when all Ryanair flights disappear for almost five months.
DeleteThis clearly telling that they will fly only seasonally out of Sarajevo which is okay decision. Winter demand is bad and they will not operate empty flights.
Delete16:30 Flights aren't empty in the winter at all, it's merely weather
DeleteIf the flights arent empty , why they completely close all routes , and coming back only for seasonal next year??
DeleteWell that ends any hope of a Ryanair base in Sarajevo.
ReplyDeleteSummer bases exist and if they upgrade to 15 destinations from 11 they might as well open it. This decision that blackmails the airport can only help them get more money and assurances.
DeleteDid anyone serious believe a base was coming?
DeleteI'd love to know what the incentive package looks like.
DeleteBase is not coming,how they will open a base with only summer flights? They will operate only in summer like seasonal airport with no winter flights in future, it is explained in the article above. Be happy they really to come back for this seasonal flights not a base
Delete^ same way they have a seasonal only base in Zadar.
DeleteServing airport only for couple month in the year is funny but ok
DeleteI'm surprised no one is seeing this as a blackmailing tactic by Ryanair. They pull out for one winter, Sarajevo sees big impact, next winter they fly to Sarajevo for free.
ReplyDeleteI think it's more of the airline looking at the numbers. If winter wasn't profitable or barely profitable, why force it? Especially in these sort of economic conditions.
Delete@09:57 they are not a charity you realise? What on earth do you mean. Sarajevo needs them. Not the other way around.
DeleteBelieving FR that they will do anything next summer this early is brave.
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember when Ryanair said they will drive out Wizz Air from the Balkans?
ReplyDeleteI think Wizz Air will drive itself out and will go belly up in a few years. While Ryanair will still be there.
DeleteDisappointing to say the least.
ReplyDeleteA capital city should have year round low-cost connectivity.
DeleteWhy?
DeleteBecause a capital that cannot hold year round LLC flights telling it is very bad market thats all , it is simple. They cannnot sustain year round flights, so FR giving them option only for summer
DeleteHas the city made any moves to improve its air quality in winter? Whilst I love Sarajevo all year around, visiting the city winter one can taste the air. Its a Similar situation in Belgrade, Pristina and Skopje which should really be causing far greater alarm than it does.
ReplyDelete"hey ChatGpt this news sucks but could you please write a positive PR message from it"
ReplyDeleteLiterally hahah
DeleteCan they build a new airport that isn't surrounded by mountains?
ReplyDeleteHave you been to BiH? not to be rude, but it takes time to decide the location of signs for bus stops.
Delete@10:43 almost no new airports have been constructed in post-communist countries in Europe. The most significant in recent years has been Brasov which cost over 150million Euros and handles about 1/3 of a million passengers - so basically not a lot.
DeleteThere is no possibility that BiH could fund the construction of a new airport for the city even if there was suitable land nearby for such a project. The policy of improving road transportation and hopefully one-day, improved railways is the future for mobilities. Tackling the air pollution that grips the city is the only way forward for the airport.
@10:50, I have, but admittedly not in winter. I also did not realize how hard it was to build airports before Googling it...
DeleteThe airport says this is the "most appropriate model". It sounds more like it was Ryanair's decision, not Sarajevo's.
ReplyDeleteWell FR decide to fly there only seasonally not whole year round, it is their decision of course not the airport.
DeleteThis is good for tourism but not necessarily for the local population.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether Sarajevo would still call this a success if another airline announced it was suspending 9 routes for winter.
ReplyDeleteSad
ReplyDeleteSarajevo really can't catch a break
ReplyDeleteThe real question is whether someone will take advantage of this
ReplyDeleteThere is only Wizz that could.
DeleteHopefully this isn't just more flights to existing destinations next summer but genuinely new markets.
ReplyDeleteThey explicitly say it will be new destinations.
DeleteNew summer destination not whole year. They will serve Sarajevo only for couple of months in a year. It will be same like Podgorics with a seasonal routes not the whole year
DeleteThe airport should now focus on finding another low cost carrier to provide year-round competition.
ReplyDeleteEasier said then done.
DeleteWinter is fairly served through FRA, VIE and other hubs.
DeleteThe headline should really read: "Ryanair leaves Sarajevo for winter but promises to return in spring."
ReplyDeleteExactly
DeleteYes with seasonal flights only, not year round
DeleteTrying to find a silver lining here and hope BIH gets to focus on phasing out coal
ReplyDeleteAnd burning wood to heat houses. The air is horrid in winter
DeleteWood is passable. Coal is disaster
DeleteThis may be a stupid question, but can another airline like Austrian or Turkish add fifth freedom flights? Could that mitigate the loss of Ryanair?
ReplyDeleteDefinatly not Turkish. But it wouldnt be something an airline would be interested in.
DeleteI kazemo nesto za Wizz da ne postuje poticaje,evo i Ryanair isto radi
ReplyDeleteSo this is basicaly same as Podgorica, the FR will serve Sarajevo only seasonally, in winter the demand at both airports are bad and no airline wants to operate even LLC, wow this is bad news honestly. If an airport cannot sustain year round LLC service, it means the market is in really bad shape. And in all this FR will still get government money, great win for FR👏👏
ReplyDeleteTrue , they start March 2024 witn subsidies money , March 2026 they decide to leave airport
DeleteNow they will not fly winter obviously no demand , and they will come back March 2027 with just seasonal flights again subsided not even for whole year just the summer. This is great strategy. Obviously after Wizz air left this airport will never be the same
What are you talking about? There is a WizzAir base in Podgorica, with 14 destinations served year round, and even Ryanair maintains a flight to London during winter.
DeleteWizz air serves Podgorica with total 24 routes and 15 of them are seasonal
DeleteThis is excellent news for JU, OU and Lufthansa group!
ReplyDelete@18:25 It is. Although all combined OU344 and JU 652 over the winter months equal roughly 1,100 seats per week which is not exactly setting the industry on fire.
DeleteHahahahahahahahahahahahaha, especially for OU. They are famous for quick reactions to market changes 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteRyanair is an even more unreliable airport partner than Wizz Air. It was quite obvious to anyone watching that if nothing was available for booking by June for this winter, nothing would be operated.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe Sarajevo is an unreliable partner to FR?
DeleteWow thought I could rely on ryanair to get me between the UK and Sarajevo but looks like that's not going to happen during winter :(
ReplyDeleteAnd Wizzair is not flying over the winter. Making Sarajevo yet again unconnected by air to London. Which is really sad.
DeleteCrazy. Wizz should use this chance
DeleteTuzla like this.
ReplyDeleteHavoc worth B Hollywood movie.
DeleteWe hear about ULCCs investing hundreds of millions into local markets in Ex Yu. Investing is when you build a factory and equip it, or build a runway, a bridge or other immovable things that will stay behind.
ReplyDeleteInvesting in an airplane means you can take it away on a short notice for the winter season, or take it to another place altogether. You can also return to lessor or sell that plane and recoup most of your investment, unlike for example a bridge you invested in and built.