Flag carriers of the former Yugoslavia urged to unite

National carriers in countries of the former Yugoslavia are struggling to survive in the current economic environment as operating costs rise and they face competition from large network carriers and expanding low-cost carriers. The former Yugoslavian nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia all have national airlines but are struggling to become profitable, while the national carriers of Kosovo and Macedonia have already failed and have not been revived.

Association of European Airlines (AEA) secretary general Ulrich Schulte Strathaus recently told Slovenian newspaper Dnevnik that national carriers in the former Yugoslavia need to unite into a single carrier in order to survive. Mr Strathaus stated, "the once single Yugoslav market is now fragmented and a regional solution is necessary. The region needs an airline that would cover local needs and connect with global hubs."

The main airlines in the region are Bosnia and Herzegovina's B&H Airlines, Croatia's Croatia Airlines, Montenegro's Montenegro Airlines, Serbia's Jat Airways and Slovenia's Adria Airways.