Sarajevo Airport reaches deal with LCC over base opening
Sarajevo Airport has signed a contract with a low cost carrier over the opening of its base in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. According to the “Klix” portal, the airline, which is yet to be officially named, will station its aircraft in the city as early as next month or in May at the latest. Sarajevo Airport noted the carrier in question must now secure permits and the contract must be ratified based on local laws. The airline will be granted a range of incentives in line with a public call issued by the airport late last year. The development comes just five months after Wizz Air closed its base at Sarajevo Airport, citing inflation and commercial viability.
Although the airline has not been officially named, local media had previously reported that Ryanair was the only carrier to have applied in Sarajevo Airport’s public call for an airline to establish a base in the city in return for incentives. Sarajevo Airport is expected to extend its work hours this summer in order to be operational past midnight, a demand reportedly made by the European budget carrier. The airport undertook a similar tender in 2020, which was won by Wizz Air. It was the only one to have applied at the time. The renewed call was not limited to low cost carriers and neither did it require for the airline to base two aircraft in the city, as was previously the case.
Under the terms issued by Sarajevo Airport in its public call, the interested carrier must open its base in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital this year in order to qualify for the incentives. The subsidies are limited only to the number of passengers carried, however, the airline will qualify for the incentives regardless of how many travellers it handles. The more departing passengers it welcomes on board its aircraft from Sarajevo, the greater the financial support, however, the exact amount of funds have not been made public. Ryanair entered Bosnia and Herzegovina’s market in 2018. Based on existing capacity, it will hold a 17% market share in the country during the first month of the 2023 summer season (April) compared to 36% held by Wizz Air.
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