The Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) is reportedly stalling the provision of necessary documentation to a foreign carrier for the launch of seventh freedom flights from Tuzla to several cities in Europe. “The interested airline submitted the necessary documentation for approval to the BHDCA over fifteen days ago, based on which it will request permits from countries it plans to fly to from Tuzla”, a source close to the Tuzla Canton government told the “Politicki.ba” portal. The source added, “There is no valid reason for the approval not to be issued, which has raised suspicions of an ulterior motive, since this document can be processed within a day or two”.
According to local media, the airline in question plans to operate up to ten destinations from Tuzla, which is looking for an alternative following the closure of Wizz Air’s base in the city last month. The interested carrier is widely tipped to be Air Montenegro, with Tuzla Airport previously noting the airline in question is from the region. However, reports suggest the carrier will officially announce its operations once all necessary permits have been obtained. Tuzla Airport previously said it expects for the unnamed airline to launch operations in time for the 2023/24 winter season, which begins on October 29. However, with ongoing bureaucratic issues, this may be pushed back.
Wizz Air closed its base at Tuzla Airport in mid-September, discontinuing most of its routes. The impact has already been felt, with the airport handling 28.118 passengers during the month, representing a decrease of 34.1% on last year and down 50.2% on the pre-pandemic 2019. Wizz Air is Tuzla Airport’s only scheduled carrier. During October, the budget airline has a total of 20.676 seats on sale on its Tuzla operations, down 58.7% on last year and a decrease of 65.2% on 2019. During the first three quarters of this year, Tuzla Airport welcomed 531.762 travellers, representing an improvement of 101% on last year and up 15.1% on 2019.
10 routes is a lot. Which ones could they be, other than Cologne which we already know?
ReplyDeleteI assume similar destinations as Wizz used to operate.
DeleteStockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Vienna, Frankfurt, Zurich, Basel..
DeleteIt will be gastarbeiter destinations for sure.
DeleteAnd we should all believe what say cantonal politician. We have heard so far many things that didn't happened
DeleteFrom TZL only Gasto routes
DeleteGetting approval for seventh freedom flights isn't easy anywhere. It takes time.
ReplyDeleteI am beyond surprised that the Tuzla Airport official thinks this can be done in a day or two. Especially in Bosnia.
DeleteI am just surprised.
DeleteGod, just let TZL die already. Seems like they are desperately trying to keep it alive. Just have everyone use SJJ and ZAG and get it over with.
ReplyDeleteUse ZAG?!? BEG is much better alternative.
DeleteYes but road infrastructure to ZAG is better, from the border there is a very good highway to the airport.
DeleteYes, but
DeleteTZL-BEG by car 2h55min
TZL-ZAG by car 3h50min
120 km is the way shorter to BEG and let's not forget how better is the offer of the flights from Serbian capital.
It should be noted that the majority of people using Tuzla Airport were not actually from Tuzla.
DeleteTrue dat. I know many peope from Loznica who flew from TZL. They will surely now fly from BEG.
DeleteAnyone know when the Ruma-Sabac highway is supposed to open? That will considerably reduce the travel time to BEG.
Deletedont forget flying from zagreb is flying inside schengen ... so 120 km more is better than getting checked at the borders all the time ...
DeleteAs far as I know, there is a border between Bosnia and Croatia.
DeleteOf course there is a border between Bosnia and Croatia and this one is much harder than Bosnian border to Serbia as it is a Schengen border.
DeleteSo, we have longer way that needs 1 hour more, harder border and much poorer flights offer from ZAG.
I think tha only a masochist would choose to fly here from ZAG.
Ruma-Sabac highway will be opened in this month. Driving on this highway would significantly improve drive time from eastern part of Bosnia to Belgrade.
DeleteI'm always surprised how dumb some people are.
DeleteLets say u are from Tuzla and you wanna travel to Amsterdam. Flying from Belgrade means you need to cross border between BIH and Serbia + border control at Belgrade airport + border control in Amsterdam.
If you fly from Zagreb you only cross BIH-CRO border and thats it!
In addition to that when flying from Belgrade you are flying from a "third country" which means separate terminals, longer waiting times, you need to be there earlier since check in closes sooner than for schengen flights etc.
So yes, 120km is nothing compered to all above.
Yes, I am astonished by that stupidity as well.
DeleteYou need to drive 1 hour longer (2 hours both ways with 240 km more), you need to pay higher fuel costs, you need to go through hard Schengen border (where you will wait much longer than on BOS-SRB border) and you get to the airport that has something like 38 foreign OU destinations this winter.
From the other side driving to BEG is 1 hour shorter (total 2 hours less for return ticket) , your fuel costs are much lower, you have something like 78 foreign destinations in offer (more than double more than from ZAG) and you land in the most cases on the same terminals like from Schengen countries. In Frankfurt even the people from third countries can go on automatic passport control as long as they have residence permit in Germany, same like EU passport holders. So, no waiting at all.
Many people who travel with cabin luggage only also make online check in and do not need to go to check counters at all.
Spreading lies that you need to be on check in for non Schengen countries earlier really won't anyhow change the picture one tries to paint here.
Some people have really lost the connection with reality.
***38 in total destinations, not 38 OU destinations***.
DeleteI think the fact that Wizz boosted BEG after TZL closure says it all. FR did not rush to boost flights from ZAG in winter so that tell us where this traffic will go guys.
DeleteAlso don't forget that BEG is on the western end of Belgrade meaning that if you are coming from the Sremska Mitrovica direction you are much closer than Romanians coming to fly from BEG. This is another major advantage.
I won't even mention the fact that BEG has a much better offer and Bosnians seem to be hooked on it.
Are you seriously arguing about who will use which airport? The numbers are small to make any impact on either one.
DeleteWell for BEG they are good because some destinations like FMM managed to get more than daily departures. They increased it from 7 to 9 weekly in winter.
DeleteThis will make BEG-FMM even more competitive not only in Bosnia but in continental Croatia, western Romania, northern Serbia etc.
No one in Serbia will go to BUD to catch this flight like they did before... or take the bus.
@ 10:48
Delete“Spreading lies” - typical Balkan exaggeration. You’ve made your point without the need for such extreme accusations.
"Spreading missinformation" is more appropriate for your sensitive European ear?
DeleteI call the things by its real name.
@ 10:29
DeleteSchengen won't help you at all if you fly from Zagreb to Toronto, London, Mostar, Sarajevo, Manchester, Belgrade, Skopje, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha, Paphos, Podgorica or Istanbul.
One third of all ZAG destinations.
Real "advantage"!
I like the guy who wrote that for Bosnians BEG is closer than for Romanians. Hahaahga who cares...
DeleteMaybe he has cousins in Romanian.
DeleteRomanians from Banat care since they use BEG quite a lot.
DeleteAnd what has that to do with Bosnians?
DeleteIt has a lot to do with Bosnians. Romanians fill flights out of Belgrade so there are more of them. With more flights out of BEG Bosnians have more flexibility.
DeleteBeg seems better option unless certain destinations not served while zagreb does. I saw no difference in border crossing of croatia and serbia
DeleteYou guys realize that JU carries more passengers than all of ZAG? That alone tells you which destination passengers prefer when flying. Please, let's not lose focus, ok?
DeleteNo chance these will launch at the end of the month. After they get approval from BHDCA they need to get approval from all the individual countries they fly to. Best case scenario they launch at the end of December.
ReplyDeleteTrue unfortunately
DeleteThose numbers have really been affected. It will be even worse in October.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised the decline was only 34%. Were Wizz's planes that empty?
DeleteThey had full schedule until middle of September.
DeleteI still hope it's not Air Montenegro.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteBecause it will ruin their finances..
DeleteIf it is Air Montenegro, how would they fly these routes? W rotation from Podgorica or would they base a plane in Tuzla? Then again, if they base a plane in Tuzla how will they manage to operate their TGD and TIV network? They have just 2 planes, unless they keep wet leasing another.
ReplyDeleteApparently they will base a plane. I assume they will keep the Ukranian wet lease if they manage to get approvals for Tuzla.
DeleteThis will end badly and much sooner than Wizz Air's bad ending.
ReplyDeleteMost likely
DeleteAt least they are trying.
DeleteThe at least part, doesn't matter if they don't succeed.
Delete2-3 routes to Scandinavia, 3-4 routes to Germany and 2-3 HUGE surprises to close the f.... mouth to all haters here 😃. TZL will rise like a Phoenix!!!
ReplyDeleteexcept it wont ... but u can always dream, yes.
DeleteTuzla has no chance if it has to rely on Bosnian officials, seventh freedom admin issues, a Balkan national airline that didn't have IATA membership for a full year and an airport which has a new director every year.
DeleteAn 10:10 - remember this day and this comment of yours which will come back at you soooon 😂
DeleteWizz Air failed, Ryanair failed ... but you think a mismanaged, loss-making Air Montenegro will find success?
DeleteJust wait and see. WZZ planes at TZL were full but WZZ has their own problems. They left TZL because they had to not because they wanted. Financial issues which push them toward India market. Poor middle management and problems with PW engines which affects 30 % of their fleet. TZL has market which is still warm and it will use it with the right partner/s. Stay tuned... 😉😃
DeleteRyanair is coming back to TZL in S24 since the freaking 3 KM CAA has been waived now. Plus WZZ is still at TZL with most profitable routes and couple of more in S24. Summer season is the time to just keep collecting the money on well developed markets in last 10 years. They are not stupid.
DeleteTax is not waived and is very much in force.
DeleteAnon 12:17 This what pure delusion sounds like
DeleteSo why is Wizz boosting SKP while they are fleeing from TZL? I mean if they have those problems you mentioned
DeleteChatting with you all next SUN.. stay tuned!
DeleteAirMontenegro will have to obtain additional E195 just to cover the expansion.
ReplyDeleteGonna bet the routes will be served with Carpatair F100 :)
ReplyDeleteI remember flying with them in 2019, when they were a replacement airline for Adria. For short hops (Munich, Vienna) they were the best - nothing comes close to flying with airplane that's almost gone
DeleteI remember a Bosnian low cost airline flying an Embraer 190 from YM? I think it was called My Jet or My Sky. Of course it didn't have its own AOC.
DeleteArticle from 2014.
DeleteMy Sky was a virtual carrier yes from Bosnia.
Montenegro Airlines introducing Vienna - Tuzla service from December 21
Montenegro Airlines will introduce flights from Tuzla to Vienna next month, in line with the carrier's plans to expand its operations within the region. The route, which will operate twice per week, will be officially presented at a press conference in Tuzla today, which will be attended by the CEO of Montenegro Airlines, Daliborka Pejović, representatives from Tuzla Airport, as well as the Prime Minister of the Tuzla Canton, Bego Gutić. The new service will commence on December 21 and operate twice per week, each Monday and Wednesday. Montenegro Airlines will not connect its hubs in Podgorica and Tivat with Bosnia and Herzegovina's third largest city as it plans to operate the flights with the following routeing: Podgorica - Vienna - Tuzla - Vienna - Podgorica.
Now I came across a Facebook ad from Wizz Air for pilots....I don't understand their business....
ReplyDeletePilots from Bosnia and Herzegovina *
DeleteFor Mostar 😁
DeleteIf this was in Kosovo, 2-3 mafia "airlines" would already be flying from there and skimming the money.
ReplyDeleteTZL just need to copy-paste "My Wings" model from PRN since it obviously works just fine despite WZZ and RYR operating on the same routes.
Delete+1
DeleteI think GP Aviation Services is the perfect choice like Pristina. Most routes from Pristina would also work from Tuzla. Also they are the swiss aviation operator but these aircraft use the Bulgarian AOC.
DeleteIs there a GP AOC in Switzerland? I think they can't fly Swiss AOC to Tuzla?
DeleteNO! They are a Swiss airline, but to avoid regulatory restrictions they decided to create an operator in Bulgaria. All activity in Pristina is in partnership with Kosovo tour operators and is under the brand "gp aviation services"( Switzerland), the Bulgarian company was created only for AOC.
DeleteAs easyJet, Wizz..
easyJet Group :
easyJet UK
easyJet Europe
easyjet Switzerland..
Is Prishtinaticket.net theirs? Can you just start a business from Bosnia and Herzegovina?
DeleteThey tried in Macedonia
DeleteBosnians do not use tour operators to book flights, they do it online. That Kosovo and Metohija model would never work in Tuzla.
DeleteHow does this story continue with these Kosovo tour operators? In the beginning I remember XL Germany, Kosova Airlines and Air Pristina, Air Kosova (some still exist today, they work with Eurowings, Chair). Then came Germania, Aviro Air, Small Planet, Cobrex Trans, ETF Airways - the list goes on lol. Now those Swiss and Croats from GP and Trade Air. Why are the Albanians caught on the hook of these?
DeleteCheap tickets...
DeleteTickets are not that cheap it's just that through tour operators they don't have to use online or card payments. They go to the office with cash and pay for flights.
DeleteAlso these shady carriers are flexible with luggage and that is what most Albanians care for. They can carry with them a lot of luggage.
Ok, how much will it cost to make a reservation system (brand for example TuzlaFly) and just organize the flights from Tuzla Airport? Trade Air gave them a plane? Not that this is the most brilliant idea but...
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what TZL need in cooperation with Trade Air or similar ACMI company.
DeleteKojim avionima misli Monte da leti na deset odredista kad nemaju ni pola aviona svoga?!
ReplyDelete