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Sarajevo Airport is expected to register its busiest summer season, outstripping its pre-pandemic performance with a number of new carriers set to launch flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. So far this summer season, the airport has already seen new flights to London Luton and Treviso launched by Wizz Air, with the low cost carrier driving much of Sarajevo’s passenger growth over the past year. This summer, the airport will also welcome Air Cairo with scheduled flights from Hurghada, LOT Polish Airlines with services from Warsaw and Royal Jordanian Airlines, which will inaugurate seasonal operations from Amman.
Several carriers will be increasing their frequencies to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital this summer. Notably, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will double its operations from two to four weekly flights starting next month. Furthermore, Qatar Airways has announced its return to the Bosnian market with three weekly flights to be restored this June following a two-year hiatus. “We are excited about the resumption of flights to Sarajevo. As the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city is the favourite gateway to the country for business and leisure travellers. With three weekly services, passengers from Sarajevo will be connected with over 140 destinations via our hub in Doha”, Qatar Airways’ Regional Manager for Southern Europe, Matte Hoffmann, said.
During the first quarter of the year, Sarajevo Airport welcomed 177.288 passengers through its doors, representing an increase of 1.6% on the record-breaking pre-pandemic 2019. It registered its best March on record, handling 70.292 travellers, up 3.5% on 2019. “We have launched several initiatives with the authorities to subsidise airlines, in order to increase our passenger numbers, aircraft movements and destination count”, the airport said. It added it was exploring opportunities to boost connectivity with Italy and Spain. Based on OAG data, some of the busiest unserved routes from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital include Ankara, Amsterdam, Izmir, Tel Aviv and Prague.
Nice to hear, however jetbridges are also needed.
ReplyDeleteI agree. At least with the expansion they have added one.
DeleteThat's just three in total.
DeleteIf they continue with swift traffic growth they will need more soon.
DeleteYou have airports with much more traffic than Sarajevo that have no airbridges.
DeleteRemember that LCCs usually don't use airbridges because of the price.
DeleteReally happy Sarajevo has woken up finally
ReplyDeleteIt took a while but it is finally happening!
DeleteI think they will have way above pre Covid numbers this year
ReplyDeleteDefinitely
DeleteYes summer will be much better than 3 years ago.
DeleteSo FlyBosnia won't happen?
ReplyDeleteThey have started and stopped flights so many times , no one should take then seriously.
DeleteIt was a money laundering scheme from the very beginning.
DeleteGreat but I still can't believe that the small terminal expansion is taking over 2.5 years to complete.
ReplyDeleteThere is one investigative site that covered this expansion. It is marred in corruption on every single level. Primarily involving former management, but current one isn't innocent either.
DeleteInteresting. Is there a link to the article?
DeleteSo when will this terminal expansion finally be finished?
DeleteOpportunity for Anadolujet to start Ankara flights.
ReplyDeleteAnd it would be nice to finally see Transavia begin Amaterdam-Sarajevo!
DeleteOr even KLM
DeleteEncouraging figures and announcements for SJJ!
ReplyDeleteShould be a good summer.
ReplyDeleteWho could operate the Spain flights?
ReplyDeleteWizz would be the most obvious choice.
DeleteVueling could give it a go too.
DeleteSpanish airlines can't see anything East past Croatia.
DeleteIt's great to see Sarajevo Airport finally with a proactive management.
ReplyDeleteThose European markets mentioned seem ideal for Wizz - Italy, Spain, Poland, Netherlands and Czechia.
ReplyDeletePoland isn't mentioned since it is going to be served from this summer by LOT :)
DeleteIs LOT's Sarajevo route year round?
DeleteI wonder how the new Treviso flights are performing. Is there really demand from Sarajevo to that region?
ReplyDeleteWell I doubt Wizz just randomly launched the route. There must be demand.
DeleteProbably it is related to Međugorje.
DeleteGood luck Sarajevo! Wish them all the best
ReplyDeleteLet's hope Aegean comes back
ReplyDeleteConsidering they are pushing back ZAG flights, I doubt SJJ are a priority for them.
DeleteSoon or later they will return as ATH-SJJ was pretty successful for Aegean. If not in 2022 i believe in 2023 they will return to both SJJ and SPU.
DeleteHow many planes does Wizz have based in Sarajevo now?
ReplyDeleteIn December last year they had 2 planet based in Sarajevo. I don't thing this has changed.
DeleteHow many passengers could SJJ have by the end of the year?
ReplyDeleteWhat about long haul. I'm sure some seaspnal flights to US could work.
ReplyDeleteThe management said last year they were working on it.
DeleteI was there thursday, SRJ-EHV, 70% full wizzair flight and no one at the airpot, 1 flight then a while nothing then another, not even 2 at the same time. For a 'capital' it's realy poor and the airport was empty 2, 1 plane
ReplyDeleteTrue. Bih govt should attract somehow more tourist from eu
DeleteGood for SJJ, can OU and JU do more there?
ReplyDeleteJU could definitely do more. Great opportunity for them to introduce a second daily on a split schedule:
DeleteJU110 0700 0750
JU112 0820 0910
JU114 1800 1850
JU115 1920 2010
Perfect schedule for them to connect SJJ onto LHR, LCA, JFK, AMM, ZRH, ATH, OTP, SOF, SKG, SKP, TIA and setting the route for a 3rd daily.
I am glad to see how SJJ performing well.
ReplyDeleteThey could really increase their numbers by having flights to Moscow to capitalize on the transfer traffic. Bosnia hasn't imposed sanctions.
ReplyDeleteTransfer onto what? SJJ isn't designed for transit, which means all pax clear BiH customs and passport control. No airline based in SJJ offers transfers.
DeleteThanks, but no thanks
DeleteMaybe wizz could Start flights to TLV ?????
ReplyDelete