Impressive numbers for Gryphon’s Sarajevo service
Seasonal flights from Kuwait City to Sarajevo have been extremely successful, passenger data shown to EX-YU aviation news indicates. Flights between the two cities have been operated by the US registered Gryphon Airlines. The airline has leased a Boeing 767-200 from Jet Asia Airways for the service. While the Kuwait City - Sarajevo sector was more popular during the summer months, the return service is now seeing more passengers. Flights from Sarajevo to Kuwait were sold out on September 1 and 4. Tomorrow’s flight out of the Bosnian capital has also been sold out. Gryphon offers 217 seats per flight with twelve seats in business and 205 in economy class.Gryphon’s flights rely not only on tourists and diaspora in the region, but also American servicemen from the Middle East heading to bases in Europe. Several weeks ago the airline operated daily flights to the Bosnian capital for a limited time in order to deal with the high demand. Sarajevo is the only EX-YU city to offer flights to Kuwait. The seasonal route will come to end later this month, although Gryphon has expressed interest to turn the service into year long flights, on the back of the positive results.
Furthermore, Gryphon Airlines has been seen as a likely candidate to launch flights to Banja Luka as well. The Kuwaiti ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina recently stated that plans were being made, in cooperation with the Kuwait Fund, for flights between the two cities to be launched. It has been proposed for flights between Kuwait and Sarajevo to make a stop in Banja Luka.
OMG, Sarajevo is seeing twin aisle jets on a regular basis, contrary to larger regional airports. Well done! Hopefully it will continue year-round...
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note: can 767 even land in Banja Luka?
If it is able to land on Sarajevo Airport, why it should not be able to land on Banja Luka Airport? The similiar TODA/TORA, similiar PCN, even better approach and OEI go-arround pata and lower MSL altitude within BNX!
DeleteB767 been landed at Banja Luka Airport in 3rd or 4th July (I do not know exactly date). Here you are a photo. http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/77278554.jpg
DeleteThis is fantastic news but I’m still baffled as to how this route is doing so well.
ReplyDeleteThis must be the upset of the year... Eventhough the B767 used can fit just a slightly more passengers than the A321.
ReplyDeleteI woder whether the flight offers connections to DXB etc. from Kuwait. That's what would really make it successful.
Someone knows how is the inflight service with Gryphon?
Only 12 seats in Business?!
ReplyDeleteOverwhelming majority of passengers are US- military personell and employees of subcontracting firms who only have a stop in SJJ before they continue to destinations where they have their home bases !
ReplyDeleteKuwait is full of US soldiers...there are also a lot of mixed civil/military transports via Prague to the US.
These Gryphon flights would make no sense if they had to rely on Bosnian only customers...
Normally the US Army and its subcontractors book
the flights (100 seats or more at once)
what is left over is sold to Bosnian customers.
SJJ is de facto an US airbase
like Ramstein in Germany for US mixed military/civilian transports !
Arent those flights also flying via AYT? Im guessing that there are pax bound for AYT rather than to KWI direct.
ReplyDeleteWhat connections does SJJ offer to the military personal? i would think that PRN would make a better transit point, at least they have flights.
@aerologic
even if there were good connections, there would still need to be seperate tickets to be issued as the KWI-SJJ flights are not bookable on reservation systems such as amadeus. This means leaving through the arrivals hall and again checking in in departures. BA, RS and HR passports all need visas to enter Kuwait. From SJJ, TK offer excellent connections to the ME region.
Isn't the B767 an ancient bird? SJJ must anticipate to boost more European flights to compete with SKP and why not LJU. The more the competition is, the better for the whole region!
ReplyDelete