Sarajevo Airport is in discussions with Ryanair and several other carriers to replace Wizz Air, which has announced the closure of its base in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital from November. Talks are ongoing with Europe’s largest airline after the airport was made aware that Wizz Air may leave after it started suspending a number of routes for the upcoming winter back in August. Sarajevo Airport had previously described the opening of Wizz Air’s base as being of “strategic interest for Bosnia and Herzegovina”. It generated a significant portion of the airport’s traffic, while almost all of its routes were unserved by others from the city, significantly improving its connectivity.
Wizz Air’s departure will result in Sarajevo Airport losing all flights to Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Italy, as well as year-round operations to Sweden, Denmark and Norway. All destinations operated by Wizz Air from Sarajevo were driven primarily by VFR (Visiting Friends and Family) traffic. Prior to the budget carrier inaugurating its base from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital last year, Austrian Airlines was the main transfer airline for passengers heading to and from other European markets. It held a 26% share of Sarajevo’s European transfer traffic, followed by Turkish Airlines with 18% and Lufthansa with a 13% share.
Ryanair is in the process of expanding its operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It entered the market in 2018 with services to Banja Luka from which it now serves seven cities, which will grow to eight with the introduction of flights to Berlin at the end of the month. Furthermore, the carrier will launch operations to Tuzla in November, with services from Vienna, Stockholm and Memmingen. Ryanair’s Director of Route Development, Ray Kelliher, said, “We look forward to growing in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the coming years and being able to announce more new and exciting routes for next summer”.
.gif)
The only solution for SJJ.
ReplyDeleteBoth companies are in a race to the bottom.... The fight is who will collapse the last
DeleteYes please!
ReplyDeleteThe question is would Ryanair have more success. LCC don't usually pack and leave after such a short time without a valid reason.
ReplyDeleteI fear that the yields are simply too low. There is a reason why so few European airlines fly to SJJ. But I hope I'm wrong..
DeleteGospodo, kako je onda broj putnika tako porastao, u odnosu na 2019. ?
DeleteYields and passenger numbers are two different things. Flights were likely full but the question is at what price.
DeleteTacno. Ali, ista situacija je u Tuzli, a i u drugim bazama u ExYu. Jednostavno, oni trenutno trebaju avione u drugim bazama koje su im strateski bitnije.
DeleteThe reason Wizz air closing Sarajevo base is because the Bosnian petition are extremely corrupted this was same happened before with Turkish Airlines when they shared 49% with Bosnian Airline then Turkish Airlines left after a few years when the CEO stole the money from the company and Turkish airlines didn’t want to tell the reason why left Bosnia airline and also the airport Director he’s really corrupted guy and the wizard cannot handle it anymore because of Corrupted politician and I think the Rayair know why the WizzAir close their base in Sarajevo so I don’t think they will do the same mistakes.
DeleteWizz Air are in deep financial trouble, that's why they are closing less profitable bases!
DeleteHaha, so Sarajevo Airport is corrupt, but Zagreb, Belgrade, Podgorica, Skopje, Nis, Tuzla, Banja Luka, Mostar are not? Good one, what happened when you woke up? :)))
DeleteMeanwhile JU to SJJ seems to be filling up. I am looking at their fares from October 31st and lowest fares are almost gone.
ReplyDeleteOn Wednesday 02.11 SJJ-BEG is selling for 9.488 Dinars. Lowest fare from what I can see is 7.491 meaning on that day they sold two fare classes already.
Interesting to see that neither OU nor JU are among the top carriers for transfers.
ReplyDeleteAnd what do you expect with one daily ATR flight in the middle of the day
DeleteAnd where can OU transfer them? To MUC and FRA?
DeleteMany people used to transfer to London Heathrow when OU had daily flights. Now it's mainly via Zagreb and then Frankfurt to London if you are an OU passenger.
DeleteDoubt FR are going to open a base in Sarajevo.
ReplyDeleteMe too. But they could introduce a few routes.
DeleteThe type of network they have to/from Podgorica would be good.
DeleteGood luck SJJ! I hope a replacement can be found.
ReplyDeleteI would be careful if I were SJJ management. Ryanair are hardly reliable partners.
ReplyDeleteBut hasn't Ryanair also chosen Tuzla and Banja Luka?
ReplyDeleteThey can easily add Sarajevo too.
DeleteWhy not easyjet?
ReplyDeleteProbably not interested.
DeleteWe are still waiting for easy to come to Bosnia. This is their chance.
DeleteRyanair are even more demanding in terms of discounts and incentives than Wizz. Good luck with that.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete+1
DeleteSarajevo needs to work more to advertise itself as city break destination for tourists. They would fill potential FR flights
ReplyDelete+1 it's a very underrated but beautiful city
Deletecould be bad for TZL?
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteWell Wizz launching Sarajevo did impact Tuzla. Their recovery has been slow compared to the rest of the region.
DeleteProbably won’t happen but I’d love to see them fly to STN. Would pay more to avoid W6 and LTN
ReplyDeleteHaving two London routes would be too much I think
DeleteWith current visa policy, yes
DeleteProbably they are counting for demand regarding Winter Christal Sky Holidays which will be organized by TUI on Bjelašnica and Jahorina.
Deletehttps://www.crystalski.co.uk/ski-resorts/bosnia-and-herzegovina-ski-holidays/
Deletehttps://www.biznisinfo.ba/jedna-od-vodecih-svjetskih-turistickih-grupacija-zapocinje-prvi-zimski-program-u-bih/
Amazed on the management's very quick reaction. Ryanair is a good and mature airline that has been in the market for almost 40 years. They've beaten Wizzair in many occasions.
ReplyDeleteThe battle between Ryanair and Wizz in Bosnia will be interesting to watch
ReplyDeleteIt will start at the end of the month in Tuzla
DeleteIt won't start in Tuzla. Ryanair and Wizz Air have been operating side by side in Banja Luka for some time already.
DeleteForgot about BNX.
DeleteThis shows how significant Wizz Air leaving Sarajevo is
ReplyDelete"Wizz Air’s departure will result in Sarajevo Airport losing all flights to Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Italy, as well as year-round operations to Sweden, Denmark and Norway."
There is no doubt the damage is big. Let's hope the management makes a deal with Ryanair some rather than later.
DeleteI doubt a quick fix is possible. Maybe Ryanair starts flights next summer but this winter is lost. I assume between 100,000-200,000 passengers less than originally planned.
ReplyDeleteSeems likely. But SJJ has already reached its best ever years so anything they have in the last quarter is extra.
DeleteYup, I was supposed to fly Sarajevo from the Netherlands with friends this winter. Now we will fly to Split, and drive up to Sarajevo.
DeleteWhy, if you have 69 eur flight via BEG? And Austrian has some good deals too.
Delete“ and several other carriers” who could the other ones be? This is where a ACTUAL flag carrier would be nice, none of that flybosnia bs
ReplyDeleteNe treba biti SJJ Wizzova baza da bi Wizz tamo letio. Pogledajte koliko SPU ima linija easyJeta pa nisu baza. Ako ima prometa letjet će ako nema neće. Tako jednostavno.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a great substitute
ReplyDeleteWhat are some potential Ryanair routes to Sarajevo?
ReplyDeleteSimilar ones that Wzz Air operated.
DeleteThis would be fantastic, well done SJJ Management for such a quick reaction! :)
ReplyDeleteThe reason Wizz air closing Sarajevo base is because the Bosnian petition are extremely corrupted this was same happened before with Turkish Airlines when they shared 49% with Bosnian Airline then Turkish Airlines left after a few years when the CEO stole the money from the company and Turkish airlines didn’t want to tell the reason why left Bosnia airline and also the airport Director he’s really corrupted guy and the wizard cannot handle it anymore because of Corrupted politician and I think the Rayair know why the WizzAir close their base in Sarajevo so I don’t think they will do the same mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThats not true haha.
DeleteThey should base Lauda, the lowest and the most miserable of every low cost companies ever created.
ReplyDeleteFully agreed
DeleteIt s very expensive airport and unfriendly about operational hours of airport meaning SJJ needs to be 24/7 and departure passenger tax ,landing and handling to be max 8EU per passenger,fuel price 800EU /tonne and Ryanair will be in the morning at your airport
ReplyDeleteMaybe little off topic, but do you know if there is any chance for low cost line between Vienna and Sarajevo?
ReplyDeleteHahhahaha
ReplyDelete