BWA to launch four destinations from Sarajevo

BWA from Sarajevo to Amsterdam, Athens, Frankfurt and Stockholm

The newly established Bosnian Wand Airlines (BWA), which plans to launch flights early next year, has unveiled its destination network, fleet plans and livery. The airline will operate flights from Sarajevo to Amsterdam, Athens, Frankfurt and Stockholm, most of which are currently unserved from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. The start-up will run services with a leased Airbus A321 from Air Méditerranée. The jet has the capacity to seat 214 passengers, with BWA to offer twelve seats in business class and the remaining 202 in economy. “Our vision is for BWA to become a recognisable national brand on the aviation market. We believe it is possible. An analysis by some 100 experts, who determine which parts of the world are best to invest in, have pointed towards Bosnia and Herzegovina”, the airline says.

BWA cabin crew members recently completed their training at the Turkish Airlines Flight Centre in Istanbul. A total of 28 crew members have been recruited, along with a public relations manager, IT expert, certified accountant and secretary. “An important segment of our business will be to attract tourists from Asia to visit the cultural and historic sights of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, BWA says. Last month the Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) confirmed that BWA had requested an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) which is necessary in order to launch commercial operations. The BHDCA says it will take up to ninety days to review BWA’s application. An Iraqi company, the Al Wand group, is behind the newly established carrier.

BWA’s successful launch could come as a major blow to B&H Airlines, which maintains flights from Sarajevo to four destinations with two leased turboprop aircraft. B&H Airlines once operated services to Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Stockholm. While flights to Frankfurt were suspended due to poor loads, services to Amsterdam and the Swedish capital, considered diaspora hotspots, were terminated due to unsuitable equipment, as the airline no longer had jet-engine aircraft at its disposal. Start-up airlines in the former Yugoslavia have had a poor run, with almost all suspending services prior to their planned launch or several weeks later. They include Dalmatian from Zagreb, Golden Air from Maribor and Centavia from Belgrade.