Another A319 delay

History repeats itself

B&H Airlines’ new Airbus A319, scheduled to arrive today, will not be doing so, although its arrival is expected soon. The Turkish Airlines A319, which is already sporting B&H’s livery, is located at the Turkish Airlines hanger at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport and is expected to make its first revenue flight between Istanbul and the Bosnian capital. The Airbus had previously been leased to Greece’s Olympic Air.

The new arrival will be wearing a Turkish registration. According to recent reports, the Bosnian Civil Aviation Directorate is unhappy with such a decision and is requesting for the aircraft to be registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This could further delay the aircraft’s arrival.

Once the aircraft does touch down in Sarajevo, the B&H Airlines fleet will consist of two regional ATR72s, one Boeing B737-400 and one Airbus A319. The Boeing B737-400 will be relegated to charter services until it is returned to its original owner at the end of the year. Several weeks ago, Turkish Airlines sent a Boeing B737-800 as a replacement for the delayed Airbus jet and it too will be returned immediately upon the Airbus’ arrival.

According to Global Distribution System (GDS), the B&H Airbus is to enter service this fall.