No go for Banja Luka and Zagreb
According to exclusive insider information, EX-YU Aviation News has received word that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national carrier will not commence services to either Banja Luka or Zagreb. The airline had plans to commence services to Banja Luka with 11 weekly flights from Sarajevo, starting May 01. Flights JA002 and JA006 bound from Sarajevo to Banja Luka were to have various departure times, including 12.00, 12.30, 18.45 and 21.45. The flights have been cancelled without explanation although it is believed the airline has failed to secure rights. Despite the setback, B&H is still negotiating with authorities in the hope that flights could soon begin.Meanwhile, even more puzzlingly, the carrier will not commence its planned 6 weekly service to the Croatian capital Zagreb. The flights were to depart Sarajevo at 18.45 from May 01. According to our sources there is a possibility that the airline will resume services to Macedonia’s capital Skopje. These flights were cancelled last summer and at one point some services were operated via Podgorica.
The only new service for the summer, which seems to be confirmed, is to Belgrade. Flight details can soon be found in the new route launches section.
Puzzling that Zagreb route is not going to start. To me this is just one in a row of many strange occurrences with B&H Airlines. First they are getting new planes in January. Then they are getting them in May. Then they are getting only one. Then they are starting this route. Then the other one. Possibly only one that is more confused then us here is management of B&H Airlines which seems to be highly incompetent. I see many negative comments on JAT management (which I generally agree on) but they seem to be geniuses compared to the people running B&H Airlines.
ReplyDeleteOn BNX route I am not surprised at all. All ex-Yugoslav countries have their fair share of corruption but without going too much into politics here there is probably no worse place when it comes to nepotism, corruption and blatant stealing than smaller Bosnian entity. I guess that Mr. Dodik has already reserved BNX airport for some relative or business partner of his. Airport authorities seem to be too afraid to protest and now they don't have any traffic left at the airport.
Dear God! What an awful news for B$H Airlines!
ReplyDeleteBEG news:
According to BEG timetable B$H Airlines should commence 6 weekly SJJ-BEG-SJJ flights:
JA376 11.30SJJ 12.15BEG 1,2,3,4,5,7
JA377 13.00BEG 13.45SJJ 1,3,4,5
JA377 14.00BEG 14.45SJJ 2,7
Tarom will increase it's afternoon flight RO213/214 from 2 to 3 times per week (Days - 1,3,5), making it total of 5 weekly flights, starting from 16th of April.
And please can someone tell me what is going on with OK9034 flight? What is that? Regular flight? Or...? :)
Cheers!
Perhaps BNX is still being reserved for Air Srpska
ReplyDeleteWhy I am not surprised! Everything in the Balkans is about, TRESLA SE PLANINA, RODIO SE MIS!!!! sTUPID PROMISES AND NOTHING IS HAPPENING!
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that airports like BNX and OMO have been left without regular flights! I flew from worse airports in Europe and they seem to be packed as tickets are cheap and LCC fly from there!!!!
Two weeks ago I flew from Katowice airport to London with FR, God almighty, what they have done in just couple of years! That airport used to be a military one, and now looks better than any in ex YU countries! And Katowice as city is not big at all + is not one of major airports in Poland! I just do not get what people in the Balkans are doing?????!!!! All republics have so much to offer and nothing is happening!
Zrak wrote: "There is probably no worse place when it comes to nepotism, corruption and blatant stealing than smaller Bosnian entity."
ReplyDeleteDo you have any facts to support this assertion? Based on the level of economic growth indicators in the RS in recent years, and the multitude of bureacratic levels and Croat/Bosniak internal feuding that hinder development in the Federation, it seems to me that the RS is actually the entity with a much stronger case to make when it comes to the rule of law and good governance. Incidentally, where exactly does Kosovo figure in the sweeping and completely unsubstantiated generalization you just made about the RS?
Zrak wrote: "I guess that Mr. Dodik has already reserved BNX airport for some relative or business partner of his."
Facts please - where exactly did you get this information?
I agree on the last one, I think there is so much going on, but to blame just one side for everything! Tango takes TWO and always will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteZrak has made some good points here. It's obviously been hard to keep afloat a small airline in a country facing enormous political and financial problems, but with the new owners and direction surely these should have been overcome. Could it be that it's still the same staff at the helm, and leopards don't change their spots?
ReplyDeletePersonally, if this airline is unable to operate simple daily flights to their two biggest business partners (which are less than one hour away), they can't do the simple things right, indicative of the problem. There is NO excuse.
Re BNX: pure politics. They'll never open the flights (neither will SkySrpska), leaving the city isolated from a business perspective.
@ EX-YU
JA was to start 6 (not 5) weekly flights - the 6th one had a different flight number and departed an hour earlier, so you may wish to change the article.
Interestingly, the Zagreb Airport website is showing now *different* flights with an AT7 overnighting at the airport and departing JA711 at 0610 (daily except Sat). Very odd...
@frequentflyer
ReplyDeletePerfect descriptions. Leopards don't change their spots. These people need to be kicked sooner than later.
@Anonymous2
I bet that Katowice airport is not charging near the amounts of what the airports in Balkans are charging. Hence lower tickets that people actually can afford.
@Anonymous3
It was not my intention to delve into politics nor do I have any interest in discussing it here. For anybody not blinded by simple national bickering it is clear that this is political decision. There is no other reason that an empty airport would deny paying airline. BNX is not LHR so they can pick and choose.
But let's wait and see, maybe BNX reaches 500k passengers like Trebinje Airport in 2012 :)
@Anonymous4
My comment is completely related to an airport being reserved for a specific airline. Nothing else. Airlines being owned by governmental bodies or airports being reserved for specific companies will never be in a long run profitable nor will they benefit people. Only benefit being reaped is by the employees (who can continue to behave rudely to their customers, offer crappy food) or owners of the company that is granted monopoly.