Balkans aviation: FlyBosnia to grow Bosnia-Herzegovina's direct links

FlyBosnia's new service between London Luton Airport and Sarajevo is the only direct route between the UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Launched on 19-Sep-2019, London is its first destination in Europe, but the airline plans to add new European cities, such as Rome and Paris.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's aviation market is one of the smallest among the seven former Yugoslav Balkan states and ranks last by seats per capita. There are very few links with major Western European cities (or hubs).

However, Bosnia and Herzegovina's annual seat count has enjoyed the second highest growth rate between 2012 and 2019 (after North Macedonia).

The birth of FlyBosnia coincides with the late Sep-2019 bankruptcy of another Balkan operator - Slovenia's national airline Adria Airways. Without a national airline, Bosnia and Herzegovina has achieved strong growth in aviation in recent years, led by Wizz Air's 2013 entry and that of Pegasus Airlines in 2013, and with a further boost from Ryanair's entry in Oct-2018.

FlyBosnia, which received its AOC only in Jan-2019, may also prompt growth in direct links to major Western European airports by competitors serving Bosnia and Herzegovina.