Search Bosnia and Herzegovina aviation news

Monday, October 3, 2016

✈ Sarajevo Airport winter timetable 2016-2017

Map of destinations
Flight reductions
In upcoming winter timetable starting on the 30th of October, Sarajevo International Airport will see reduction of flights on the most popular routes from the city; Sarajevo-Istanbul and Sarajevo-Vienna. Turkish Airlines will reduce its twice daily service between Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Sarajevo to 10 weekly flights. Due to weather conditions in winter months and well known Sarajevo fog and very low visibility, Turkish Airlines has moved its morning arrival flight from 08:00 am to 11:00 am, which will allow airline to avoid early morning Sarajevo fog, causing almost daily flight delays and diversions to other airports in the region. Austrian Airlines will reduce its flights from 13 weekly from last year to 12 weekly this year. During winter, Sarajevo will lose direct connection to Zurich as well, since Swiss Air has decided to convert its three weekly flights from year round to summer seasonal. Air Arabia, also converted, its earlier announced year round, twice weekly service, from Sharjah in United Arab Emirates to Sarajevo to summer seasonal. 

More flights to Dubai, Lubljana and Istanbul (SAW)
Three airlines flying to Sarajevo will increase number of weekly flights, comparing to last winter schedule; 
Flydubai will increase its service from Dubai from 2 to 4 weekly, Adria Airways will increase its service from Ljubljana from 4 to 6 weekly and Pegasus Airlines will increase its service from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Sarajevo from 4 weekly to 6. 

Very limited connectivity 
Sarajevo Airport has very limited number of connections to major hubs in Europe: Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Brussels...etc, and with Swiss Air dropping Sarajevo during winter months, Sarajevo is losing yet another important connection to Europe, putting Sarajevo on the list of the worst connected capital cities in Europe, when comes to air transport. Major problem for the airport is that it does not have "home" air carrier and is lacking presence of low cost carriers, due to high airport taxes and expensive landing and handling fees, making the airport unattractive and unpopular with the airlines. The airport administration is lacking in the departments of route development, promotion, marketing and in incentives to bring air carriers to open new routes and base aircraft at the airport. Only 11 destinations will be served from Sarajevo in upcoming winter (9 in Europe and 2 in Asia)!  

New in 2017!?
Possibility of Croatia Airlines to open base at Sarajevo Airport in 2017 has been surfaced, but no official confirmation did come from the airline. Only one new air carrier with one new destination has been confirmed for the next year; Qatar Airways with three weekly flights from Doha (Hamad International Airport), Qatar to Sarajevo.  

Number of weekly flights
Airline
Destination
Winter 15/16
Winter 16/17
Change
Adria Airways
Ljubljana
4
6
+2
Air Arabia
Sharjah
0
0
0
Air Serbia
Belgrade
7
7
0
Austrian Airlines
Vienna
13
12
-1
Croatia Airlines
Zagreb
13
13
0
Eurowings
Cologne
2
2
0
Eurowings
Stuttgart
1
1
0
Flydubai
Dubai
2
4
+2
Lufthansa
Munich
7
7
0
Norwegian Air
Stockholm
1
1
0
Norwegian Air
Oslo
0
0
0
Pegasus Airlines
Istanbul (SAW)
4
6
+2
Swiss Air
Zurich
3
0
-3
Turkish Airlines
Istanbul (IST)
14
10
-4


Source: FlyingBosnian

No comments: