✈ Tuzla Airport cargo operations in November

Tuzla International Airport has finished another month of successful cargo operation. Turkish Airlines operated total of 13 outbound cargo flights to Istanbul. Approximately 845 tons of cargo was processed. All flights were operated with wide-body Airbus 330 aircraft.

✈ Successful year for Tuzla International Airport

Tuzla International Airport is on the way to record another very successful year, with over 300.000 passengers passing through the airport. Cargo traffic has seen huge increase, thanks to Turkish Airlines cargo flights to Istanbul. So far this year airport has processed 4.300 tons of cargo on 66 outbound flights to Istanbul Ataturk Airport on board of Airbus 330 freighter aircraft. By the end of this year airport will process additional 13 Cargo flights in November and 11 Cargo flights in December, bringing it to total to 90 Cargo flights for this year. Trend of cargo flights to Turkey should continue in the next year. 

On November 2^nd Government of Tuzla County has presented plans for capital investment for Tuzla International Airport in coming months.Projects are worth about 7 million Bosnian marks (3,5 million Euros): 

(click on the project link to dowload project presentation)

• Reconstruction and extension of the passenger terminal
• The presentation of a customs warehouse for aviation fuel
• Presentation of improving airport infrastructure
• Construction of the buildings for State Border Police and  Bosnian taxation office for cargo export-import

Wizz air started flights from Tuzla in May of 2013. and from that day until the end of October 2016 the airline has transported 714.042 passengers to and from Tuzla. 

 Source: FlyingBosnian

✈ Air transport of meat to Turkey is getting competition

Bosnia and Herzegovina has received approval from the European Union for transport of fresh beef and beef products across territory of European Union to Turkey and Russia, which will significantly reduce transportation costs, and possibly increase the purchase price of beef in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Each country individually needs to approved the transport. In this case Bulgaria and Greece, either or both.

"We have been informed that we have received permission from Brussels and now we are at the stage of obtaining the consent of all the countries involved. It is a process that will take some time, but on the end, I believe that all countries will give the consent," said Mirko Šarovic, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressing that in the near future Ministry is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish representatives of the quota for export of the meat in the year 2017.

He also said that the provision of conditions for transport by road via Bulgaria significantly makes transport cheaper, which will put our products in more competitive place than is currently the case. Bosnia and Herzegovina is exporting meat to Turkey by air only because of the European Union law which does not allow land transport through its territory due to the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina still does not have permission to sell  this type of goods on European Union market. Air cargo transport to Turkey as of now is paid by the meat purchaser in Turkey, which is directly reflected in lower price of meat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Transport by land will benefit Bosnian farmers the most, but same time it will hurt the airports!

According to unofficial information from the one of Bosnian airports, the air transportation of meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Turkey costs about 5.000 euros per flight (60 tons). The price of truck transportation of 25 tons of meat would be around 1.500 to 1.800 euros, depending on the destination in Turkey.

This approval from EU, could have negative effect on airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially Tuzla International Airport, since all meat export from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Turkey goes from Tuzla Airport. In 2015 MNG Airlines Cargo transported meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Turkey from Banjaluka International Airport, while in 2016 Tuzla Airport scored the deal of organizing the transport of meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Turkey. Cargo flights are very profitable for airports, bringing around 1.000 euros per flight to the airport. Loosing these flights would mean big financial loos for Tuzla International Airport.

Tuzla International Airport Cargo flights in 2016.

MONTH	NO. OF FLIGHTS	FREIGHT (TONES)
JUNE	18	1.170
JULY	11	720
AUGUST	13	853
SEPTEMBER	11	715
OCTOBER	13	853
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
2016 TOTAL	66	4.311

Source: Oslobodjenje and FlyingBosnian

✈ Turkish Cargo flights: success story for Tuzla Airport

Turkish Airlines operated a total of 11 cargo flights from Tuzla International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport during the month of September. At the beginning of the last month, cargo flights from Tuzla Airport, were in jeopardy, due to official announcement from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Office of Veterinary Inspection, about closure of its office at the airport, which would stop export of the meat to Turkey. Since cargo transport, generates good amount of income to the airports, competitions between Bosnian airports is fierce. There has been huge amount of pressure from a number of officials in the administration, at the state level, responsible for issuance and handling of permits for exports, to stop export of fresh meat and meat products from Tuzla International Airport in favor of both; Banja Luka and Sarajevo Airports. Thanks for quick and very professional  reaction from Mr. Mirko Šarović, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, all administrative issues have been resolved in timely manner and flights have continued. Cargo flights from Tuzla to Istanbul started on June 2nd. Flights are operated by Turkish Airlines Cargo using Airbus 330-200 Freighter aircraft. Last year all transported meat from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Turkey was exported via airports in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, and generated survival income for Banja Luka airport. At the beginning of the year, management of Tuzla Int. Airport negotiated the deal with Turkish Airlines and companies selling meat products to its Turkish customers for flights to go exclusively from Tuzla International Airport. From the beginning of the year, the airport has invested in building necessary cooling facility for storage and transport of perishable goods. Taxation office and Veterinary inspection had to be set up a the airport as well. With the income from the cargo flights and increase number of the passengers using the airport, Tuzla International Airport will be self sustainable from the next year, without need for government subsidies for its operations.

Month	Number of flights	Freight (tonnes)
JUNE	18	1.170
JULY	11	720
AUGUST	13	853
SEPTEMBER	11	715

Source: FlyingBosnian