Sarajevo Airport hopes to attract one of the world’s largest airlines, Emirates, to launch flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina in response to strong travel demand from the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Middle East. The airport believes that existing operations from Dubai, maintained by hybrid carrier Flydubai, could be further expanded by Emirates’ arrival. “We sincerely hope that a respectable airline such as Emirates will consider and accept our offer in order for us to commence negotiations. There is strong demand and potential between the UAE and our country. Flydubai has been our partner for many years and we have excellent cooperation with them. In the coming period, we will work to further enhance our partnership”, the General Manager of Sarajevo Airport, Alan Bajić, said recently.
Flydubai has operated up to three daily flights between its hub and Sarajevo during the summer months. This year, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital was linked to three cities in the UAE, the other two being Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, while it also boasted a notable network to other Gulf states over the summer including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Emirates is believed to be weighing up options for a seasonal service to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. Further improving its prospects on the potential Sarajevo route is Qatar Airways’ absence. The airline discontinued flights to the city at the start of the pandemic and has so far made no indication when and if it plans to restore operations.
Flydubai’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, Jeyhun Efendi, previously told EX-YU Aviation News, "Sarajevo is one of our more popular routes but it is quite seasonal. Over the years we have witnessed almost 50% year-on-year passenger growth on this route. Travellers on this service predominantly come from Dubai, as well as our connecting flights from the Gulf. This is obviously inbound tourism". Emirates has grown its presence in the former Yugoslavia in recent years, directly entering the market by launching operations between Dubai and Zagreb in 2017. However, flights were later downgraded to seasonal and are currently suspended as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The airline also codeshares on Flydubai’s services to Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb and Ljubljana.
wow this would be amazing
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense. If FZ has 3 daily flights then an EK B777 could work and it does not even have to be daily. They could fly 3 or 4 weekly and FZ can keep flying on the other days.
ReplyDeleteIf they are prepared to fly seasonally then this could work for Emirates in peak season.
ReplyDeleteA 777 can land in Sarajevo?
ReplyDeleteYes, without issue.
DeleteOnce again : Landing weight is not an issue, generally, it's take off weight, when wide body aircraft has over 100.000 kg weight plus in fuel needed for long flight. However, as DXB and SJJ are relatively close, and "full tanks" are not needed, I believe EK 777 is OK to take off from SJJ as well, with no restrictions
DeleteYes i do agree but weball know what happend with america flights idea. Yes america is way more away but I think they still could have a problem during foggy days.
DeleteWell, if a Turkish airlines A330 300 can land in Sarajevo then I don't see why a 777 couldn't.
DeleteFoggy days could be a problem over the fall and winter month, but as it is said in the article, this would be a seasonal route and in the summer, fog is pretty rare in Sarajevo.
I would love to se a 777 at SJJ.
It would make sense. The inbound tourism from the middle East to Bosnia is huge!
ReplyDeleteHopefully they start next summer and hopefully by then the new terminal is finished.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy with the new airport management in Sarajevo. They have been so proactive in bringing airlines and recognizing opportunities. They got Wizz Air to start flight after all and there are so many legacy airlines flying to SJJ from the Middle East. Emirates would be the cherry on the cake.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. SJJ has suddenly woke up. The good thing is that it has a healthy mix of LCC and legacy carriers. It has managed to secure many new destinations as well.
DeleteGreat results and developments for Sarajevo so far this year.
DeleteNow that would be a nice sight in Sarajevo!
ReplyDeleteWhen did EK start ticket sales for Zagreb and how long was that before flights started?
ReplyDeleteThey announced the route and started sales in early January, while they launched flights in June.
DeleteThank you
DeleteThis would be epic
ReplyDeleteLet's just hope EK is just as equally interetested.
ReplyDeleteFlydubai is already flying to Sarajevo and its quite succesful. EK is definitly not going to canibalise this Flydubai's route.
DeleteWhy would anyone cannibalize anyone else? There are three daily flights in peak summer. Both airlines could keep flying but instead of having 21 weekly flights Flydubai could have 18 and Emirates could fly 3x per week.
DeleteBecause thats not a practice of Emirates and Flydubai. Emirates doesnt fly anywhere 3pw and they do not force Flydubai to cut frequencies when Flydubai is successful.
DeleteThey fly for years to Tbilisi with 3 times daily, same to Kiev and still Emirates never canibalized their route. Its not their practice to do that.
Practices are changing quite a bit after Covid. EK is very interested in starting several destinations on seasonal basis. And yes even Tbilisi is in the run. Not just them but a few destinations in are very own region too.
Delete*our
DeleteWhich is your source for them being interested in Tbilisi and Sarajevo?
DeleteEmirates and Flydubai fly on the same routes in several European countries. It is not revolutionary.
DeleteThey fly to only 2 which both have massive potential. Budapest and Prague.
Delete"Practices are changing quite a bit after Covid."
DeleteAnd? Did Emirates start to take over Flydubais succesful markets? No. Did they showed any interest in taking over routes like Sarajevo, Bucharest, Tbilisi, Kiev, Sofia? No.
Well, wait and see.
DeleteI see. Emirates is never canibalizing succesful Flydubais routes.
DeleteWhich is your source that they are going to fly to Tbilis? You made it up?
I didn't make it up at all but it's obviously not on an internet forum to which I can provide you a link. And I didn't say they they will fly to Tbilisi I said they are interested in it and have been since last year when the route performed well during height of covid. But you will have to read more carefully in the future.
DeleteIt is interesting to see that you are so upset that the airport is trying to negotiate this route with EK.
Ok then provide me a link where they are saying they want to fly to Sarajevo, Tbilis and other Flydubais succesful destinations.
DeleteThis is a discusion. Its is normal that people have different oppinions and are not agreeing with some thesis. This has nothing to do with being "upset".
I think once again you must reread what I wrote.
DeleteThere were similar comments when Gulf Air said they were interested in SJJ flights. Two years later they started them.
DeleteYou said you can give me a link. Where is it? I read your comment and there is no source for this.
DeleteThere is a difference between Gulf Air coming and Emirates doing something they are not doing.
Once again, you really have to read more carefully as I said this is NOT something i can provide you a link to as it does not come from armchair CEOs like yourself expressing their dreams and wishes online.
DeleteI read it carefuly.
DeleteWhats your source then?
You did not read carefully as you first claimed I wrote they are starting flights to Tbilisi, which I didn't, and then claimed I wrote I can give you a link, which I didn't.
DeleteThe source is from the airline. And yes, Sarajevo is one of the destinations they are looking into among several others in Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe and coincidently some of them are served by Flydubai. Also your example of them not substituting Flydubai on some routes is incorrect. Flydubai ended Bangkok, Dhaka and others to let Emirates increase frequencies while Emirates ended several routes and let Flydubai enter the market. Both airlines are cooperating on a much higher level than ever before, especially since the coronavirus and Sarajevo Airport's management is very much aware of that.
I asked you for a source how do you know they are interesred in flying to Tbilisi. I never asked you when they are going to start Tbilisi or Sarajevo. I asked you for a source how do you know that.
DeleteBangkok and Dhaka are both huge markets and totally not comparable with markets like Sarajevo. Emirates practice in markets like Sarajevo, Tbilisi, Kiev, Bucharest was not to canibalise Flydubais network.
So where are they also interested to fly? I hope you dont claim you have sources from the airline like Purger but actually dont.
I told you my source and I certainly won't give you a name and surname. But since you know what they will launch and not, as well as their strategy, then there is no need to be so angry and frusturated. Good day to you.
DeleteEmirates did fly to Kyiv at same time as FlyDubai but only for a short time. They stopped shortly after MH was shot down.
DeleteNice and it is good to see more and more of these Gulf flights are becoming year round rather than seasonal. This winter we have flights from Saudi Arabia, as well as Abu Dhabi.
ReplyDeleteAnd Flydubai has also increased winter frequencies to SJJ compared to previous years.
DeleteThey could attract a lot of transfers from the Gulf region.
ReplyDeleteNot just the Gulf but elsewhere too considering the size of their network.
DeleteWhich terminal does FZ operate from in Dubai for its Sarajevo flights. The EK terminal 3 or the low cost terminal 2?
ReplyDeleteT2
DeleteI also think there is potential. I mean 3 daily B737 MAX flights is more than a daily B777.
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand why you believe that those 3 daily flights are 100 %fully loaded??!!!
DeleteYou are right. One is loaded and the other two fly empty for the fun of it.
DeleteNice try anonymous 10:32 so clever! Anyway one Boeing 777 in a day is more than enough!
DeleteDouble daily A380 to SJJ :D
DeleteCompetition is definitely increasing.
ReplyDeleteIt's true EK is looking at SJJ. Another destination in ex-Yu too.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as covid scam is over, EK will be back to ZAG, and might start both SJJ and BEG even before, I firmly believe
DeleteIt's not impossible to see Emirates in Sarajevo soon.
ReplyDeleteInteresting development. I also find it interesting that QR doesn't seem to have any plans to come back to Sarajevo which is rather odd.
ReplyDeleteBiH just puts almost all ex-Yu countries way behind when it comes to demand from the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteIt's more from the Gulf than the entire Middle East to be precise.
DeleteIs there some stat somewhere how many of tourists from the middle east are coming to Bosnia and from which countries? Thank you in advance.
ReplyDeleteIn the structure of overnight stays of foreign tourists in July 2021, most overnight stays were realized by tourists from the United Arab Emirates (20.9%),
DeleteSaudi Arabia (11.7%), Serbia (9.6%), Germany (6.1%), Kuwait (6.0%), Croatia (5.3%) and Bahrain (3.6%), which is
a total of 63.2%. Tourists from other countries realized 36.8% of tourist nights
If Sarajevo Airport can build itself up as a Balkan hub for the Middle East, I say go for it.
ReplyDeleteI think it will happen. And why not? We have Kuwait Airways and Gulf Air. Emirates is a natural progression.
ReplyDeleteApril to end of September would be successful.
ReplyDeleteNice legacy carrier for Sarajevo Airport.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe UAE still requires visa to BiH passport holders. Demand would be greater if this was abolished.
ReplyDeleteWell if Flydubai can make it 3 times per day, then I don't see why Emirates couldn't.
ReplyDeleteI really do not what 3 daily flights yal are on about, there is ony 1 day flight as of now and flydubai ddnt give up dac for ek as i have dacca coming up in few days, bkk yes but that because it wasn't making economical sense, sjj flights are empty these days so i dont think ek will fly to sjj, the media might say its a busy sector but as of now kts really empty
DeleteIt is 3 daily in peak summer, when Emirates would fly, not now. No one mentioned winter. The FZ executive in the article himself says the route is very seasonal.
DeleteThe question is if this route can be profitable with them with 3 class configuration and a large business and first class cabin.
ReplyDeleteThey have 2 class configuration B777s as well.
DeleteEmirates will never fly this route.
ReplyDelete1. 3daily FZ gives much more flexibility to passengers
2. EK rarely flies seasonal routes, it was only ZAG actually
3. FZ and EK has much different markets and passenger structure. FZ is mostly oriented on p2p passengers, EK on transfer passengers from far east and Australia. And it is easy to see on many examples especially on Balkan routes. In that context, you can not expect EK to fly anywhere except ZAG.
Wrong. BEG will be their next, in near future, for sure in 2024.
DeleteI agree. I think EK is coming back to ZAG as soon as covid scam is over, and starting both BEG and SJJ, maybe even DBV, once Dreamliners start joining the fleet, maybe even before
DeleteThe demand is simply there.
ReplyDeleteThat is true.
DeleteIn the structure of overnight stays of foreign tourists in B&H in July 2021, most overnight stays were realized by tourists from the United Arab Emirates (20.9%),
Saudi Arabia (11.7%), Serbia (9.6%), Germany (6.1%), Kuwait (6.0%), Croatia (5.3%) and Bahrain (3.6%), which is
a total of 63.2%. Tourists from other countries realized 36.8% of tourist nights
Hope it materializes.
ReplyDeleteMore and more Gulf airlines are operating seasonal routes, especially since Covid started. Qatar Airways, Guld Air, Etihad, Kuwait Airways...
ReplyDeleteYes, particularly to Greek islands.
DeleteThis would be a nice addition.
ReplyDeleteI will be celebrating when I read the titles
ReplyDeleteSarajevo eyes British Airways flights
Sarajevo eyes SAS flights
Sarajevo eyes Air France flights
Sarajevo eyes KLM flights
Until then these flight are of no benefit to the local population.
How can you say that local population does not benefit? The airport benefits from taxes, the city benefits from tourists.
DeleteLike I said above, the demand for Middle East flights is simply there. That's why there are so many airline from the region flying to Sarajevo.
DeleteTrue, but a new administration has come to the airport doing extra work.
Delete9:56. I am working in Tourism. Any person who come in BiH spend around 300Euro. Such as claim is results of 0% knowledge how business work.
Delete@Anonymous flights are here not to benefit random people: those who benefit are local people in tourism sector, tourists who visit and finally the airport. And what does it mean "no benefit for local population" at the end? The point of airlines is to secure commercial success. If there is demand, there is benefit as well.
DeleteAny development in the field of aviation in B&H is excellent since the country has been isolated for too long. I really don't understand this resistance over influx of Middle East/Arab airlines in Bosnia: these people come, leave their money, enjoy beautiful nature and then go back. What is the problem?
I would love to see Air France and SAS as well: but the target group here is different. And also, Bosnian diaspora and European tourists can use Wizzair.
And yes, what would be the benefit of having Air France at SJJ? We will be more European, is that the point of your post? Everyone is welcome, but let's not underrate the financial impact Middle East airlines have on SJJ and Sarajevo in general.
01:19. Good point.
DeleteIn the structure of overnight stays of foreign tourists in B&H in July 2021, most overnight stays were realized by tourists from the United Arab Emirates (20.9%),
Saudi Arabia (11.7%), Serbia (9.6%), Germany (6.1%), Kuwait (6.0%), Croatia (5.3%) and Bahrain (3.6%), which is
a total of 63.2%. Tourists from other countries realized 36.8% of tourist nights.
It would be perfect if we have more tourists from any country in the world.
If EK ever launch SJJ, this will be a true success for SJJ. The reputation of the airport will increase.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThis would be great. SJJ could also try to replace Salam Air with Oman Air.
ReplyDeleteWill EK return to Zagreb?
ReplyDeleteTo me it looks more like a termination than a suspension. But we will see.
DeleteAs I work for EK, Zagreb flight is still in their route plans, it’s not terminated, it is currently suspended, same as Rio, Buenos Aires, Porto, Santiago and few more..
DeleteFor Zagreb still not served by EK, mainly the reason is that Australia, NZ and majority of Asian countries are still closed for tourists or have strict inbound restrictions, as the route was heavily pax loaded from those countries.
Seasonal DXB-SJJ make the most sense in ex-YU given how much demand there is to the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteAraps are not interested in stons and worm wetter. In BiH they are only on mountains, rivers and lakes. They come in Herzegovina to Kravice waterfalls or Blagaj and don't even stop to Mostar.
DeleteIf EK ever decide to upgrade SJJ-DXB from FZ to EK, this will really add to the prestige of the country.Why not operate both carriers just like they do in BUD or simply send 2 B773 instead of 3 B738? Simple.
ReplyDeleteEven if they don't upgrade to EK, FZ is doing amazing job, with great load factor and lots of frequencies.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the runway length in SJJ? Can 777 land and take-off with MTOW?
ReplyDeleteIt is long enough even a 124 has already landed at Sarajevo
DeleteThere's no need for MTOW takeoff, as SJJ-DXB is only about 5 hours or so, much less than the ultra long haul flights B777 is capable of. Landing isn't an issue either.
DeleteI dont want to be a grinch, but news flash across US financial portals indicate absolute disaster in the pre-market on the world indexes. All due to South African variant of COVID. If this turns out to be true ( I hope not, but when markets react like this it means they are concerned and see potential for negative effects on world economy especially oil, travel stocks) you will all need to tame expectations for 2022 across ex-YU. This could get ugly fast.
ReplyDeleteNot a south african variant but south africa was the first to detect it as south africa has one of the best medical facilities in the world, but anyway this is just a scam, after December everything will be back to normal
DeleteNot a south african variant but south africa was the first to detect it as south africa has one of the best medical facilities in the world, but anyway this is just a scam, after December everything will be back to normal
DeleteOMG, this is amazing news!!!! Go Sarajevo, go! :)
ReplyDeleteNije nemoguce ocekivati da SJJ bude jedna od njihovih destinacija, s obzirom na broj p2p putnika.
ReplyDeleteBravo hope all goes well😁
ReplyDeleteThe biggest icing on the cake would be the abolition of visas between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Arab Emirates and additional marketing. Conditions would be created for Emirates and FlyDubai to fly, and in the summer months, especially in July and August, 2-3 daily flights of both carriers. Good luck Sarajevo
ReplyDeleteWhatever is good for Sarajevo is also good for the rest of EX Yu because of the spillover effect.
ReplyDeleteWe already can see the impact on Belgrade airport.
That is true.
Delete