Mostar in talks with Air Dolomiti and Wizz Air
Local authorities in Mostar have held talks with Air Dolomiti and Wizz Air over the potential introduction of flights this summer. An agreement in principle is believed to have been reached with the two carriers, which would result in their arrival if the city provides subsidies. The Herzegovina - Neretva Canton, of which Mostar is a part of, has granted just over four million euros for the development of Mostar Airport, with an initial half a million euro payment made this week. The funds will enable the city to incentivise the two carriers. The Canton will make a further half a million euro payment later this year, with another million euros to be provided in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Air Dolomiti is an Italian regional carrier and a Lufthansa subsidiary with its main hubs being Frankfurt and Munich. The airline had previously expressed interest in serving the region through Ljubljana and boasts a fleet of fifteen Embraer jets. On the other hand, Wizz Air has bases in Sarajevo and Tuzla, and also maintains operations from Banja Luka. Local authorities in Mostar have already concluded an agreement with Eurowings to restore seasonal operations from Dusseldorf on June 30, which will run until the end of August. The carrier will be compensated for the flights as well.
Mostar Airport has struggled to attract customers over the past years and has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Its main source of traffic - European charters serving religious pilgrims - have been all but wiped out. In 2021 the airport handled just 1.940 passengers. “A fully operational airport is of strategic interest. Over the past six months, we have been working hard negotiating new routes that are needed to link Mostar to European destinations. A functional airport will enable us to fully utilise the benefits of our geographic location”, the Mayor of Mostar, Mario Kordić, said recently.
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