The development of Bihać Airport in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina is progressing with further construction work set to take place soon. So far, Bihać Airport has built a test runway, which is a 300-metre section of the planned 1.800-metre airstrip, as well as access roads to the airport complex. “In order to enable the continuation of the runway at the future airport, it is necessary to compensate the owners of 132 expropriated land plots at a price of nine to ten euros per square meter of land, depending on its quality”, the head of Bihać Airport, Anel Hadžić, said. The government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has so far secured 2.5 million euros out of the required 10.2 million euros to compensate the landowners.
According to Mr Hadžić, the development of the airport’s masterplan is currently underway, which should finally set the pace of future construction work, as well as deadlines. "Various state institutions and departments will be involved in these activities, in order to plan for the timely acquisition of necessary equipment. Under existing plans, and if there are no unforeseen difficulties, the airport could be in operation in three to four years", Mr Hadžić said. He added, “This project has great importance when it comes to linking the Una-Sana Canton with the rest of the country, but will also act as a catalyst for the economic development of Bihać and the entire Una-Sana Canton. The airport will significantly contribute to the development of tourism and increase the number of visitors to the Una National Park and other tourist attractions in the area”.
The entire Bihać Airport project involves the construction of a terminal building, runway and control tower. However, a lack of funding could prove an issue and a private investor might be required in the future. The government has so far invested several million euros into the project each year. Various permits, including an environmental one, have already been secured by the airport. Bihać is located near the Croatian border and is the country's eighth largest city. Bosnia and Herzegovina currently boasts four international commercial airports - Sarajevo, Tuzla, Banja Luka and Mostar. They handled a combined total of 1.907.895 passengers during the January - October period.
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Waste of time, money and resources.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's waisting money. Airports are not only for commercial use and flights. They are also for humanitarian and medical transport, for aircrafts that fight against fire etc. We should be happy to have more airports in the region
DeleteNaravno, Unsko-Sanski kanton pod hitno trebaju aerodrom. Maltretiranje koje cesto prolazimo na pogranicnim prelazima dok stignemo u bilo koje mjesto u US kantonu je presla sve granice. Zasto nebi bili neovisni o vazdusnom saobracaju u nasem kantonu. Nadam se da ce aerodrom zaista biti izgradjen i u sto skorije vrijeme.
DeleteBravo BH!
ReplyDeleteBH need Bihać and Trebinje airport. And also I would suggest to build East Sarajevo airport for LCC flights and for Srpska official flights
DeleteJest, vala, jab jos dodo po jedan u Fojnici, Zavidovicima, Tesnju, Kiseljaku i Kotor Varosi
Deletecan't believe this is going ahead
ReplyDeleteWhy is this needed?
ReplyDeleteIts canton is known for having huge diaspora
DeleteAn airport could also lead to the development of tourism in greater numbers. The area around there is beautiful.
DeleteIt's great news. It would be nice to have an airport in Bihac. I really don't understand all the negativity. Airport can be used in many circumstances, not just for commercial flights.
ReplyDeleteIma svrhe ali za neke buduce generacije
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why such a small country as BiH would want to have so many airports. That is completely uneconomical. Completely pointless and does nothing, except for a few totally subsidized jobs and high costs for the state. A country with 3.5m inhabitants wants to operate 4 airports and build 2 more (Bihać, Trebinje). Because Mostar or Maribor, Osijek, Rijeka, Morava, Ohrid ... are going so well?!
ReplyDeleteIt is 100% because of politics
DeleteHere's another example of pointless airports: the government decided to fund a study to build a new airport in the hinterland of Šibenik. It's just a 1:20 hour drive between ZAD and SPU and you want an new airport in between?
DeleteAnonymous 09:26
Delete+1000
Politik, just politik points!… I know!!
DeleteSo they started the project even though they have not secured the money for it...
ReplyDeleteWhat is a test runway. What can they do with a 300m test runway?
ReplyDeleteI think it's more testing in terms of land and terrain sustainability, not whether planes can take off or land.
DeleteBetter start planning funds for building a completely new airport in Sarajevo that could secure its longterm development. Much more useful than Bihać.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIn Ex-Yu, more attention should be paid to the expansion of the railway and road network. It is better to only have 1-2 strong airports per country, which also generate profits. (except Croatia because of the long coast)
Delete@9.23 And where do you expect them to build a new airport in Sarajevo?
Delete@ 9.42 I totally agree.
DeleteBosna keeps winning!
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me with coordinates on Google maps?
ReplyDelete44°47′49.6″N 15°54′15.8″E
DeleteThank you very much!
Delete" it is necessary to compensate the owners of 132 expropriateland plots"
ReplyDeletewith this administration and the corrupt judiciary, it's going to be a lot of fun
Haha very true
DeleteI'm all for airport and traffic development so good luck Bihac!
ReplyDeleteMe also. It would boost tourism, connectiong people and overall development of the region.
DeleteWhat is the distance between Sarajevo and Bihać?
ReplyDeleteOver 300km.
DeleteInvest this money into existing airports
ReplyDeleteThis airport is not as silly as some people think. It could serve the diaspora and tourists as well as a part of Croatia.
ReplyDeleteBihac is right next to Plitvicka Jezera. It could be used as a charter airport for the lakes. Una is also amazing. A city worth visiting.
DeleteJust like Osijek? ;-)
DeleteWith runaway of 1800m?! It cannot serve any mass tourism that is being developed in Croatia, it cannot serve diaspora as they are not rich sheikhs to fly with private air taxi jets.
DeleteThis can serve local traffic within BA, some cargo and as I said rich guest with private Airetaxis.
Bihac-Dortmund by Wizz Air coming up
ReplyDeleteYes please!
DeleteBy bus maybe.
DeleteWhich plane from Wizz fleet would be able to land there?!
DeleteJust look at JSI Skiathos Airport. 1628m Runway and during summer all sorts of 738 and A321 land there.
DeleteNevertheless- is it safe especially with mountainous terrain around? No! I remember AirBerlin deciding that they will no longer fly to SCN (2000m runway) as there is no margin for errors with their B738s during landing though commercially ops were viable.
2036 is more realistic for the opening.
ReplyDeleteEven that's optimistic.
DeleteToo many airports for such as small country. Sarajevo, Tuzla and Banja Luka are more than enough. A total waste of money and resources
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteA complete waste of money. Bosnia’s population is a bit more than 2 million, having 3 airports is more than enough. They should invest more into infrastructure, like highways.
ReplyDeleteSarajevo,Mostar, Banja Luka, Tuzla
is more than enough.
Bosnian population is over 3 milion. Thanks for acknowledging. Bosnian diaspora is over 1 milion people, thanks to the agression from 90s.
DeleteActually after reading this, the idea for Trebinje airport makes more sense lol
ReplyDeleteThey could instead, hmm -- build a highway to Bihac? Or a proper railway? That would be FAR more utilized AND would let people get to a real airport with lots and lots of connections in not so much time. But it would require actual work...
ReplyDeleteThere are actually a number of train tracks (since 100 years), many not in use, others very comfortable. They'd need modernisation and maintenance, and then the 'wrangling' between the entities need to be solved when trains pass between them.
DeleteJetBlue plane on the render haha
ReplyDeleteOmg. Don't waste money on useless ideas.
Haha I didn't see it until now. Priceless.
DeleteAnd on the landscapes render, it looks as if Bihac is situated right at the Adriatic sea!
DeleteLMFAO
Hilarious. Balkans is dying out like nowhere else, and yet there are more and more airports. Unless they hope immigrants will use it lol
ReplyDeleteThey hope all those people that moved out will come for a holiday once a year and use the airports.
DeleteLike someone wrote, more money should be invested in road a rail infrastructure. Then we really wouldn't need such projects.
ReplyDeleteEven without investment in road and infrastructure, we really do not need such projects.
DeleteWhat a waste of money and resources. Today Sarajevo Airport serves less flights per day than any middle size European airport serves per hour on a typical day.
DeleteB&H shall invest that money to develop a highway and/or high speed train. It will be much better investment as will be used by many more to travel than another tiny airport which will have to be subsidized and require budget money to bring charter airlines or LCCs. Total nonsense.
I truly hope this is not serious. Whoever is pursuing this project does not have a clue about airport business, airline business, traffic flows, economic feasibility, and so on. I sincerely hope this is a joke. The last two things that this region needs are the war and the "white elephant" projects like this one.
ReplyDeleteCould be making money on the real estate side of things since they have to buy land.
DeleteNot sure why so many random folks are concerned about an airport being built in the western part of Bosnia. To many, like myself, this will not only easy travel, build being tourism into the country. I’ve been flying into Zagreb for 15+ years, then driving 3 hours on top of that to get home. It’s insanity. This airport would be 30 mins from my home. Too many know it alls spewing nonsense in these comments. This is a great expansion in the western region.
ReplyDeleteI’m all for this. As someone who travels from the US & flies multiple connecting flights, plus a 3 hour drive from Zagreb just to get home, this will be amazing. Too many smart asses in this comment section. I love the “know-it-alls” in this comment section. Hilarious. Are they taking money out of your pockets for this project? Hahaha unbelievable
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%
DeleteThese know it all ppl should mind their own business. You are not in any way affected by this project or development so keep your comments to yourself. Only ppl that travel from USA know the pain of travel and driving from Zagreb or Split to USK. Sarajevo airport is no use to us since it’s 5hr drive to get to Bihac. Sometimes we have to stay in Croatia over night to continue the travel. With airport in Bihac we would avoid all this headache. As I am sure many ppl from European Counties will also fly in instead of drive 15 or 17 hr to get to Bihac. We need this airport! I hope this project is successful