Flydubai is considering launching services from its hub to Tuzla and is exploring opportunities for the set-up of a joint venture with local authorities to develop the country's aviation sector, the cantonal government said in a statement. It comes following talks between the CEO of Flydubai, Ghaith Al Ghaith, and the General Manager of Tuzla Airport, Rifat Karasalihović, in Dubai earlier this week. The meeting came as a follow-up on talks held between the two in Tuzla the week before. "Flydubai is in the process of linking Tuzla Airport with its network in the Middle East. This time around, talks were focused on Tuzla Airport's potential, especially in the cargo sector and the export of foodstuff to the United Arab Emirates. The establishment of flights was discussed, among other things, as well as the potential launch of a joint venture which would result in a wider investment in our canton", local authorities said in a statement.
Air Arabia previously maintained flights between Dubai and Tuzla. In 2011, the carrier operated a two weekly seasonal summer service with its Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline sold tickets through local tour operators with fares ranging between 460 and 700 euros at the time. The route was short-lived due to extremely poor loads and was cancelled after just a month. At the time, Tuzla Airport said the average cabin load factor on the route stood at some 25% with one flight having a single passenger on board. However, it should be noted that tickets were not sold directly through Air Arabia's website. The airline has since introduced flights to Sarajevo, while Flydubai is also present on the Bosnian market through its services to the country's capital, which will be expanded this winter with the introduction of non-stop flights between Sarajevo and Podgorica.
Over the past few years, Flydubai has expanded in the region by boosting frequencies on its flights to Belgrade and Skopje, in addition to Sarajevo, and has introduced seasonal services to Tivat as well, which will be replaced with Podgorica this winter. Earlier this week, Emirates announced it would begin codesharing on Flydubai's operations to the former Yugoslavia, providing passengers with better transfer options. For its part, Tuzla Airport has seen significant growth after initially struggling to attract airlines and passengers when it opened its doors for commercial use in 1998. Its fortunes turned in 2013 when Wizz Air launched its first service to city. The airline has since based two aircraft in Tuzla. Over the past two years, the airport has unsuccessfully tried to lure other airlines with Montenegro Airlines operating a short-lived service from Vienna.
Very interesting. Could this joint venture be a new national airline? After all they are flying between Sarajevo and Podgorica now.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice.
DeleteA national airline based in Tuzla?
DeleteMaybe based in Sarajevo and Tuzla :)
DeleteIf TK didn't manage then I don't see how flydubai can. I think these companies tend to forget other governments can't afford to spare billions for vanity projects.
DeleteHope it performs better than those Air Arabia flights.
ReplyDeleteThat was completely different. Like it says in the article Air Arabia didn't sell tickets through its website but through airport tour operator in Tuzla meaning these flights were only available for locals. Also that was 6 yrs ago when there was no UAE investment in Bosnia, few Gulf tourists and I think they still needed a visa to enter Bosnia.
Deleteagree with last anon. There are a different set of circumstances now.
DeleteThere is still one circumstance that has not changed: Bosnians are still relatively poor. BNX could work as it could attract pax from ZAG but who will TZL attract that's flying to DXB?
DeleteArabs
DeleteYes, they are just mad about visiting Tuzla. lol
DeleteHave you ever been to the canton?
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1048361/travel
DeleteLook at where Tuzla is and then look where Sarajevo is. There is also a reason why there are no flights from Mostar to the Arab world.
DeleteWhy was Tuzla the first city to have flights to Dubai, much before Sarajevo?
DeleteI guess because someone made a huge mistake? Otherwise those flights would still be around. LOL
DeleteSJJ is for now the only airport that can handle serious traffic. That's a fact.
DeletePeople were saying FZ's Tivat flights would fail and it turned out great, they even extended the season. So if they are looking at Tuzla I assume they have some numbers to back up their interest.
DeleteYou can't compare TIV a seaside resort to Tuzla which is in the middle of nowhere with literally no tourist offer.
DeleteSeems like they will start flying everywhere except Ljubljana -.-
ReplyDeleteAnd Maribor.
DeleteYes... such a shame Ljubljana doesn't have a direct flight to Middle East. The airport management was sleeping and now it's too late to attract any airline since directs flights from Zagreb and Venice...
DeleteThis would be amazing. Considering they fly daily to SJJ during the summer I'm sure 2 weekly seasonal could work at least.
ReplyDeleteSo they met twice week after week. I'm hoping for a positive outcome.
ReplyDeleteThings are really looking up for Tuzla. Fantastic passenger growth of 70%+ this year, expansion of the terminal in progress and now possible cooperation with Fly Dubai.
ReplyDelete'authorities to develop the country's aviation sector'
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is there to develop? These Arabs need to stop with this condescending tone towards the region. It reminds me of Etihad when they came to ASL. It's as if we were still flying on Caravelles and they introduced Airbuses to us.
The main problem in Bosnia is rampant poverty which disables many from flying. After all, we've seen that W6 has kind of reached their ceiling there with some flights being cancelled.
Unless flydubai will come with billions that it wants to invest in the reform of local economy then they might as well stay home.
The last thing Bosnia needs is another consultant.
zaboravi na ekonomiju jedino ce odvesti malo pameti iz tuzlanskog regiona. To im treba. razvoj proizvodnje moze da bude samo za 200 jura mesecnom platom kao u Srbiji. A pricaju o fabrikama cipova.
DeleteТо мало памети што ће одвући је већ отишло и сигурно не чека директну линију за Арабију.
DeleteI said yesterday that it is a mistake that Tuzla depends on just one airline. It would be nice if FZ started flights but I doubt it.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder Air Arabia's flight failed. Those prices were ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWhat are thrir fares like ex Sarajevo?
DeleteAround 400 euros but they fly only during the summer.
DeleteTuzla is the official Low Cost and Cargo Hub of Bosnia. So a joint venture company with base in Tuzla would make sense and would boost Tuzla
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThis would be nice but does anyone know has Tuzla Airport turned a profit yet?
ReplyDeleteWhen they made the deal with Wizz, the plan was to turn a profit in 2018.
DeleteOk thanks
DeleteEmirates could start flights to Sarajevo and Flydubai to Tuzla.
ReplyDeleteLOL yeah right.
DeleteI don't think an Emirates B777 can land in Sarajevo.
DeleteIf Antonov can:
Deletehttps://www.klix.ba/fotka-dana/2017-10-07
Why should not a B777 be able to land?
Antonov is a military aircraft designed to take-off and land on short strips. Can't be compared to a 777.
DeleteWhy are they avoiding LJU?
ReplyDeleteBecause serving the market via ZAG is enough.
DeleteAnd there are also flights from Venice to the Gulf too.
DeleteFlydubai is starting its first fifth freedom route from Bosnia, the CEO of Fly dubai visited Bosnia just last week, met with Bosnian officials in Dubai this week. It all indicates they are very interested in this market.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope they are working on a deal behind the scenes.
DeleteTuzla is very well positioned to Sarajevo, Zagreb, Belgrade, Osijek and Banja Luka and those are all potential passengers for LCC.
ReplyDeleteAll those cities except Banja Luka have low cost flights. Why would anyone go to Tuzla?
DeleteWhy on earth would ANYONE from Belgrade go to Tuzla to catch a Wizz Air fligt which it can do from BEG.
DeleteYou'll be surprised but BEG has no routes Billund, Vaxjo, Bratislava, Hahn so why not?
Deletezato sto je brze autobanom do grada u nemackoj sa neke rupe gde leti wizz nego do Tuzle. prosto.
DeleteMaybe there is a reason why BEG doesn't have flights to those destinations.
DeleteIma veze sa 10-11 nemackih gradova. Prosto.
DeleteTuzla has been a star performer in ex-Yu these last couple years. Hope they get more flights with different airlines. FZ would be a good option.
ReplyDeleteLol... they got like one airline flying there.
DeleteYeah and that airline gets you all over Europe for no money at all. Jealous much?
DeleteApparently it didn't get that many passengers around since they are reducing flights.
DeleteAll over Europe? Really?
DeleteWould it not be better to try and link Tuzla with Istanbul through Pegasus?
ReplyDeleteThey can also offer a lot of links to the Middle East.
I agree. It would make much more sense.
DeleteThis is going to be biggest fail since Bosnian Wand Airlines.
ReplyDeleteHaha forgot about BWA. Was that Iraqi capital?
DeleteHow would this be the biggest fail since BWA? Last time I checked flydubai was a serious company. Man you guys are so pathetic, go 4 years back in time and you had Jat Airways at the bottom ready to file for bankruptcy, today Jat/Air Serbia is a decent company after Etihad takeover. Tone it down a notch haters.
DeleteFlydubai had routes in the past that failed, got cancelled and this is going to be another fail. Flydubai is a serious company, but DXB-TZL is not a serious route.
DeleteSays who? Aviation expert from his parents basement? This route like any other routes can work if everything is properly organised. 4 years ago Wizz Air started flight at TZL and everyone was saying that it's impossible TZL will work out for them, today almost half a million pax and 2 aircraft based there. Save me your expertise bro.
DeleteOrganize as long as you want, route will fail. And I am in the kitchen, not basement.
DeleteGreat news for Tuzla and Bosnia :)
ReplyDeleteBravo Bosna!
ReplyDelete