Wizz Air confident in new Tuzla deal


Tuzla Airport will commence talks with low cost carrier Wizz Air over a new four-year agreement which would see the airline serve Bosnia and Herzegovina's third largest city until at least 2023. The existing four-year contract will expire in November of next year. Wizz Air's CEO, Jozsef Varadi, told EX-YU Aviation News he is confident a new agreement would be reached. "I would guess so. I think it is in the interest of Tuzla and the region to see our continuous operations and them improving their infrastructure. I'm pretty sure Tuzla Airport will be business-minded in that regard". Previously, Tuzla Airport's General Manager, Rifet Karasalihović, noted, "We will start talks this year over the stationing of a third aircraft in Tuzla. As a result, I believe that we will have some new routes next year, in addition to the four that have been discontinued (Baden Baden, Stockholm Skavsta, Billund and Vaxjo), which are to be resumed".

Wizz Air, as Tuzla Airport's only customer, has reduced its operations to the city this winter, which has directly impacted the airport's passenger figures. The airport saw its numbers decline for a second consecutive month in November as it handled 30.763 travellers, representing a decrease of 17.8%. However, overall, Tuzla has registered its busiest year on record, following strong results throughout most of 2018. It handled 545.118 passengers during the January - November period, up 10%. The airport estimates it will welcome a total of 570.000 travellers by year's end.

Wizz Air launched new flights from Tuzla to Vienna and Baden Baden this year, with the latter discontinued over the winter season. As Tuzla's only scheduled operator, the airline helped kick-start the airport's passenger development five years ago. The carrier has put on sale some 700.000 seats from Bosnia and Herzegovina this year, up 10% on 2017. It remains the country's busiest low cost airline with a market share of 48%, ahead of Pegasus Airlines and Flydubai. Its busiest routes from the city continue to be Malmo, Gothenburg and Dortmund. Tuzla Airport previously said it was aiming to attract new airline operators in 2018 in a bid to ease its reliance on Wizz Air, however, this has not materialised.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:05

    Before Tuzla reaches a new agreement with Wizz Air they should fire whoever runs their official Facebook page. Their communication with passengers is just revolting. I don't know whether to laugh or cry with their comments to passengers like: they should build a new airport if they are unhappy with the current one and telling people they have too many complexes.

    https://imgur.com/a/tcooF7i

    https://imgur.com/a/V0vKxtH

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:06

      LOL is this for real?!?!?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:09

      Haha epic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:11

      I bet it's some fan running the page pretending to be the real thing.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:57

      This gave me a good laugh this morning :D

      Delete
    5. haha omg whatban idiots if its real

      Delete
    6. Anonymous20:25

      This is not oficialy web page of Tuzla International Airport :)

      Delete
    7. Anonymous14:50

      Typical Turkish mentality.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:06

    "I'm pretty sure Tuzla Airport will be business-minded"

    And I'm pretty sure W6 will expect subsidies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:10

      Well, its not like airlines are lining up for slots at tuzla airport, so theres no way around subsidies.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:12

      Of course, TZL will give it to them because they are probably afraid of what will happen in BNX now. OSI is no longer a threat as Eurowings failed there but Ryanair is no joke.

      Also I fear that for the moment TZL has reached its limits, some routes were dropped, growth has stagnated... I don't see what else can Wizz Air add besides a freqency here and a frequency there.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:18

      Does Wizz Air get exemption from handling and landing or they get actual money from airport/canton?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:19

      I think Paris Beauvais could work for them, especially since there are no nonstop flights from Bosnia to France.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:29

      @9.18
      Wizz Air doesn't pay anything to the airport - all costs are covered by Tuzla Canton.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:36

      I have a feeling FR might introduce those next summer , BNX-BVA. Unfortunately Wizz Air is not responding to competition all too fast in ex-YU.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:04

      I just don't understand that there is no demand from SJJ to Paris.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous13:02

      Sarajevo is sleeping and only opening lines to the Gulf.

      Delete
  3. Instead of subsidising wizz, it would be better to form a new Air Bosnia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:13

      They can't properly run a regional airport yet you think they can run an entire airline? No thanks.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:19

      Broj putnika govori dovoljno o organizaciji. Bravo Tuzla!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:59

      Број путника и не расте тако брзо, аеродром је мање више почео да стагнира. Уз све то Визер је почео да гаси линије, чак је и она из Беча смањена на самом почетку. Морамо схватити да аеродроми попут тузланског имају стаклени плафон. Активација Бања Луке га је додатно снизила што ће се тек видети у наредном периоду.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:14

    Well it will be interesting to see how Banja Luka and more precisely Ryanair will affect Tuzla and Wizz. Ryanair's 2 out of 3 routes from BNX double up with Wizz's Tuzla flights and from April it will be 3 routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      Plus I think BXN as a terminal is slightly more pleasant than TZL.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:50

      New Ryanair routes from BNX will have huge impact on passenger growth from TZL.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:22

    They need a second airline. Relying on one airline is never a good idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:28

      That is always an issue with small regional airports.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:37

      They can barely keep Wizz Air there, who else would launch flights? Look at INI, they brought three airlines at the same time and all seem to struggle.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:53

      Swiss seems to be doing well from INI. They increased winter ops. and might increase frequencies next summer.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:57

      lol lies

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:59

      What are lies?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:00

      Lies is that they increased flights in winter, they fly twice a week. They had a third flight in summer ONLY.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:17

      Usually, INI is the only city that has LX compared to the other airports its size.
      LX still doesn't even fly even to SKP.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous12:27

      Didn't LX cancel LJU, BNX and TGD as well while ZAG was turned into a sesonal service?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous16:51

      Very often its edelweiss and not lx at ini and its just 2 x weekly so dont get carried away

      Delete
    10. Anonymous17:14

      Edelweiss has never flown into INI, Helvetic has visited the city a few times but the route is mostly operated by the state of the art C series.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous18:14

      State of flying plastic, which falls in pieces, only troubles with this A/C

      Delete
    12. Anonymous19:41

      Right, that's why so many airlines are ordering it.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous23:02

      skp tried to attract the real brand lx but ended up with the lcc division edelweiss because the airport itself is lcc.
      anyway, ini in summer enjoys lx a320 and hefty load factors to zrh.

      ini will reach half a million next year, great stuff.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous11:20

      haha

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:34

    you have to wonder how great it is for the airport and whether they make any money out of it. They need to attract another airlines and hopefully not under the same terms as Wizz.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      They had 0 passengers 5 years ago, today they have over 500,000. So I would say it's good for the airport.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:37

      These deals are pushed by politicians to help them get elected. That's their main purpose.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:11

      It is great for the airport. Wizz Air has done wonders for Tuzla. Just a couple of years ago there was no traffic there and no prospects for the future.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:45

    When will they open the terminal extension?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:52

      I think soon. It's been delayed by so long but work is almost complete.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:19

      Jeez it has been more than a year since they started work.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:52

    I'm really surprised Stockholm didn't work on a year round basis considering the volume of traffic between Tuzla and Sweden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:01

      Probably because there are enough routes in Sweden already.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:01

      Maybe most of those passengers were originating in Banja Luka? Now that they have a direct flight there is no need to fly from TZL.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:54

    Are all those routes that have been turned seasonal on sale for next summer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:01

      Yes, all are bookable on the Wizz site.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous10:20

    If Wizz does introduce new routes it will be more gasterbaiter lines for sure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:45

      What else do you expect? Wizz just replaces bus routes - almost everywhere in ex-Yu.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:03

      From ex-Yu Wizz caters almost exclussively for gasterbaiters. So any future expansion will be in that direction.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous11:16

    Shame about the decline in passenger numbers. It will get worse in December and January.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous11:26

    Tuzla Airport could have 1 million passengers in 2021 if Wizz bases an third aircraft there then.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:01

      What would they do with the third one when they struggle with two?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:23

      W6 is currently expanding in OTP and VAR.
      I think it's either TZL or KIV next to receive a new aircraft and have more routes.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous13:12

    With so many aircraft on order Wizz will have to keep expanding, ex-Yu market included. I'm sure TZL will get a third aircraft sooner or later.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous13:15

    Official statement of WizzAir when it comes from downgrading routes from TZL is that, due to poor airport equipment, they can't realize 3 rotations with one aircraft in one day as they count on delays due to poor weather conditions. They based two aircrafts, but with 6 departures per day and airport closing at midnight, they would have to take spare aircraft to TZL almost every day. What they did? They took the best routes to be year round and others, that are not performing the best, sieze only during summer time. All this makes lots of sense.

    When it comes to continous comparing to BNX - terminal in BNX is, believe or not, much more shitty! And people there too. I was called to come behind check in desk (as they realized I put my laptop in checked in bag) to show them that laptop is shut off. After that, they put sticker on it "Checked by airport security." (WOW!!!). And they still use this old red YU tractors to transfer the luggage.

    And it may affect TZL numbers but not more than 5-10% as they have completely different catch areas. TZL cacth area is still more than 1 million people. BNX will catch North-West, and only once that will have decline pax number will be bus companies operating from Bihac, Sanski Most, Prijedor and people from central Bosnia will finally get an LCC airport close by.

    However, WizzAir in Bosnia directly employees more than 50 local people (cabin crew and few local pilots). Beside that, there is catering company, crew car company and transfer companies, directly cooperating with WizzAir with some 30+ employees. There is a beautique hotel in city center also fully booked by WizzAir's staff from abroad.

    RyanAir DOES NOT have anyone on local contract! THAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE! And all of you, very happy in all WizzAir's fails have to know that all those people rely on this "biggest shit that flies our holly sky" (as most of you think).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:35

      Well, I found that laptop issue as a plus for airport stuff. However, they should work more on procedure to be more polite

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:37

      Sandwiches and catering Wizz loads in Tuzla is not local, they don't have the proper catering facilities to handle such things. All is loaded in cargo holds and transferred there. For example their ham sandwiches that are served on flights from BEG are made in Hungary, not Serbia. So Wizz Air doesn't really contribute to the local community's economy.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:28

      Well, Wizz Air has a base in TZL and Ryanair doesn't in BNX. Makes a bit of difference, no?

      Local contracts for pilots in Bosnia? Most of them stay in the hotel because they have a share roster with BUD base as they couldn't find anybody to live in lovely Tuzla, so they offered this deal to Hungarian pilots.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous20:56

      Sandwiches and catering loaded in TZL comes from Budapest (except wine and spirits), but there is someone loading this 2 aircrafts. It is done by local contracted catering company "Sky Concord" that has 3 employees, dealing with counting, loading the aircrafts, devices on board and crew meal. So, there is even company that deals ONLY with that. This company is official and pay taxes to this country, including 3 employees.

      All the sandwiches you can eat in Wizz aircrafts are made in Vecses (HU). Does not matter if you fly with plane based in BUD, TZL, KUT, RIX, SOF, SKP, BEG or any other base. So, it is not about facilities in Tuzla, it is about business model. In the same time, Wizz Air in BEG sells Zajecarsko beer, Zdrepceva krv wine and so on. It is not contributing local economy a bit? And than, aircrafts swap in DTM with another base, and you fly BUD - TFS later this day having only Zajecarsko and local wines. You don't see anything positive there? In SKP base, all the products available locally, are made in Macedonia (Pepsi, Pepsi Max, 7UP, peanuts, oatmeal, Skopsko beer, STOBI wines, local water ...). When will you drink STOBI wine or Zajecarsko beer in Ryan Air? Never. You might not want to see the difference, but the difference SIMPLY EXISTS.

      "Local contracts for pilots in Bosnia" - first of all, I sad "few of them". If you are that courious, it is exactly 3 as well. All of them worked in BH Airlines before and now staied in Bosnia to work for Wizz Air, living there. It is a fact. All the others are doing month-month or 15days-15days rosters working in BUD base as well. BUD is most wanted base within the network. If you join as direct entry captain you will most probably be offered Iasi, Craiova, Kutaisi ... and after that you can apply to have TZL - BUD rosters, but there is huge waiting list for that. However, it is easily to have pilots in Iasi and BUD-TZL, than to have pilots in Tuzla and than BUD-Iasi, as between TZL and BUD they comumute with crew car and it is not expansive. I said that all of them stay in hotel in Tuzla city center, that is fully booked by WizzAir that is doing trainings for the cabin crew in conference room there, as well as some other crew gatherings. So, there are local contracted pilots and the rest is from BUD. Of course that those ex Malev experienced guys with their families won't move to TZL and I do not see any problem with that. It does not offened me :D

      That's why there is crew car company as well, with drivers employeed. Also, 3 of them. + all those people providing parking around the airport, all the rent-a-car companies (20+) around the airport, exchange office, small grocery store near airport, two companies providing official shuttle transfer to the airport, restaurant at the airport (going to be re-opened soon), bnb's around the airport, all the taxi drivers offering transfers (Tuzla, all the other places in Tuzla Canton, Zvornik, Brcko, Bijeljina, Doboj...). They all live out of that because Wizz Air is there. And it is clear to everyone!

      For example, take Georiga's policy. Half of the country lives out of tourism, and all the tourists (ofc, in Bosnia we can't talk about tourists when it comes to Wizz Air, even if there are some especially on BTS/VIE flights) are brought with subsidies by government. What is wrong with it? Country invest, people live out of that.

      Wizz Air came to Bosnia with plans to open a base. I have not seen reliable articles where Ryan Air said so, except all the lies told by RS prime minister. Why would they even open a base to fly from Banja Luka to other bases that they already have? And where are all those bases that Ryan Air has out of EU+ countries, except those in Morroco. Don't seem to be big number. Why did not they develop in INI for a period from when they started to fly?

      But, haters gonna hate. That's simple as that.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous22:34

      By your logic we should all fly on JU in stead of W6 because their contribution to the Serbian economy is much, much greater.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous23:34

      Again, I am comparing LCC. But, anyway, if your wallet allows to fly with your national carrier, why would you ever fly another one? It is like buying Carnex ham, instead of PIK ham. I would say it is an individual thing :)

      I pointed out what is the difference between Wizz Air and the others, mostly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and answered some questions from before, that are obviously not clear to anyone. I thought it is going to be very clear in my comment above.

      And again, haters gonna hate! Your thing. How can you fly WizzAir (as one of those who commented before) and see that ham sandwich is from Hungary, but did not see Serbian beer and wine? xD

      Delete
  15. Anonymous20:54

    Sandwiches and catering loaded in TZL comes from Budapest (except wine and spirits), but there is someone loading this 2 aircrafts. It is done by local contracted catering company "Sky Concord" that has 3 employees, dealing with counting, loading the aircrafts, devices on board and crew meal, while crew meal is made in local restaurant. So, there is even company that deals ONLY with that. This company is official and pay taxes to this country, including 3 employees.

    All the sandwiches you can eat in Wizz aircrafts are made in Vecses (HU). Does not matter if you fly with plane based in BUD, TZL, KUT, RIX, SOF, SKP, BEG or any other base. So, it is not about facilities in Tuzla, it is about business model. In the same time, Wizz Air in BEG sells Zajecarsko beer, Zdrepceva krv wine and so on. It is not contributing local economy a bit? And than, aircrafts swap in DTM with another base, and you fly BUD - TFS later this day having only Zajecarsko and local wines. You don't see anything positive there? In SKP base, all the products available locally, are made in Macedonia (Pepsi, Pepsi Max, 7UP, peanuts, oatmeal, Skopsko beer, STOBI wines). When will you dring STOBI wine or Zajecarsko beer in Ryan Air? Never. You might not want to see the difference, but the difference SIMPLY EXISTS.

    "Local contracts for pilots in Bosnia" - first of all, I sad "few of them". If you are that courious, it is exactly 3 as well. All of them worked in BH Airlines before and now staied in Bosnia to work for Wizz Air, living there. It is a fact. All the others are doing month-month or 15days-15days rosters working in BUD base as well. BUD is most wanted base within the network. If you join as direct entry captain you will most probably be offered Iasi, Craiova, Kutaisi ... and after that you can apply to have TZL - BUD rosters, but there is huge waiting list for that. However, it is easily to have pilots in Iasi and BUD-TZL, than to have pilots in Tuzla and than BUD-Iasi, as between TZL and BUD they comumute with crew car and it is not expansive. I said that all of them stay in hotel in Tuzla city center, that is fully booked by WizzAir that is doing trainings for the cabin crew in conference room there, as well as some other crew gatherings. So, there are local contracted pilots and the rest is from BUD. Of course that those ex Malev experienced guys with their families won't move to TZL and I do not see any problem with that. It does not offened me :D

    That's why there is crew car company as well, with drivers employeed. Also, 3 of them. + all those people providing parking around the airport, all the rent-a-car companies (20+) around the airport, exchange office, small grocery store near airport, two companies providing official shuttle transfer to the airport, restaurant at the airport (going to be re-opened soon), bnb's around the airport, all the taxi drivers offering transfers (Tuzla, all the other places in Tuzla Canton, Zvornik, Brcko, Bijeljina, Doboj...). They all live out of that because Wizz Air is there. And it is clear to everyone!

    For example, take Georiga's policy. Half of the country lives out of tourism, and all the tourists (ofc, in Bosnia we can't talk about tourists when it comes to Wizz Air, even if there are some especially on BTS/VIE flights) are brought with subsidies by government. What is wrong with it? Country invest, people live out of that.

    Wizz Air came to Bosnia with plans to open a base. I have not seen reliable articles where Ryan Air said so, except all the lies told by RS prime minister. Why would they even open a base to fly from Banja Luka to other bases that they already have? And where are all those bases that Ryan Air has out of EU+ countries, except those in Morroco. Don't seem to be big number. Why did not they develop in INI for a period from when they started to fly?

    But, haters gonna hate. That's simple as that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:14

      Take it easy, mon ami and learn from the professional legacy:

      https://www.airserbia.com/en/catering#link1

      Most importantly:

      "We prepare healthy food using only TOP quality ingredients. Our suppliers are the leading manufacturers in the food industry."

      And more:

      https://www.airserbia.com/en/news/air-serbia-launches-new-elevate-deli-bar-catering-service

      And some more catering lessons:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPuu_xcRxjA

      Thanks.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:22

      Of course I exluded Air Serbia when I asked ''in which other airline you drink Serbian wine" or what, as it is national carrier. So, your comment is just funny. But, tell me, when do you think that it is real to expect RyanAir flying from Banja Luka with Serbian/BIH wine?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous23:56

      in bnx, asl is the superior product compared to ryr flying to cheap and boring airports.
      asl has a better product and will take you safely to the rest of europe and balkans for a good price and DECENT pilots.
      asl has been agood bnx partnerand will not be surprised to see daily beg flights next year,,,

      Delete
    4. Nemjee07:33

      I doubt BNX-BEG will be increased, not because there is no market but rather because JU doesn't have enough aircraft.

      Delete
    5. TheBosnian17:42

      "safely"???
      On a million-years-old A/c's, our grandgrandfathers used to pay taxes for?
      No thanks, Air Serbia.....

      Delete
    6. Anonymous17:43

      Yeah your grandafther paid taxes during communist Yugoslavia...

      Delete

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