Indirect passengers are just one measurement of unmet demand and potential opportunities. Yet it can be extremely helpful for future route development. Zurich- Sarajevo is the route with undoubted possibility, but due to high cost of airport taxes and aircraft handling fees at both Zurich and Sarajevo airports, this route is still served indirectly, mostly via Star Alliance and its hub airports in Munich and Vienna.
Indirect traffic between Sarajevo and Zurich in 2017 was
8.000 one-way passengers, in 2018 was 9.000 passengers and 10.000 in 2019. In
the past this route was operated by Cross Air, Air Bosna, BH Airlines and Swiss
Air. There is big opportunity for this route to be established again, with mix
of VFR, business, and transfer passengers this route should be operated at
least five times weekly (Monday-Friday) increasing to daily.
Swiss International Air Lines operated this route for short
period of time but due to low frequency (only two weekly flights), the schedule
that was not timed for connections onto Swiss network to North America and Asia
and not having proper marketing campaign, the flights were discontinued after only
one season. Even though Swiss International Air Lines in its fleet has a
perfect aircraft for this route, an Airbus 220, unfortunately the airline gave
up on this route for “more lucrative “ routes in wester Europe. With the pandemic
getting under control the airlines will be looking for new (old) markets with high
possibility of Swiss International Air Lines returning to Sarajevo again.
Source: Flying Bosnian
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