BUDAPEST, HUNGARY — Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced that it will close its Sarajevo base on November 1, 2022. All 17 routes operated by the carrier from the Bosnian capital will also be ceased.
The airline will focus on its operations and increase its presence at the country's Tuzla International Airport. The company justified its decision with the low performance of the Sarajevo base.
"After reviewing current performance, it is important for us to quickly adapt our network to changes in the market and the needs of our customers in order to remain resilient and competitive in the market. Accordingly, for the time being, we are focusing on increasing the presence of our Bosnia and Herzegovina base in Tuzla International," the budget carrier said in a press statement.
The airline will continue its flights to Sarajevo from London Luton and Abu Dhabi International. Wizz Air currently keeps 19.7% of the weekly flight capacity from Sarajevo as the leading operator of the airport.
The budget specialist will expand its operations at Tuzla International with a new route to Eindhoven, which was previously operated from Sarajevo), including additional frequencies to Memmingen and Dortmund in Germany and Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg in Switzerland.
Tuzla is located less than 80 kilometers north of Bosnia's capital. Wizz Air is currently the only operator at the airport. Wizz Air's European competitor Ryanair will also begin operations from Tuzla as of November 1.
The news portal Ex-Yu Aviation wrote that the Bosnian authorities are reportedly in talks with Ryanair to fill the gap at Sarajevo in the absence of Wizz Air. Ryanair is only active at Banja Luka and operates seven routes from there.
