Banja Luka Airport to close

Strike to close Banja Luka Airport’s doors

Banja Luka Airport will be forced to close its doors from July 27 as its employees will begin a general strike, unhappy with unpaid wages. Employees of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s third largest airport (passenger wise) are demanding for government funds, currently being directed for the inexistent Trebinje Airport and the Sky Srpska airline, to go towards their salaries. A total of 63 people are employed at the airport. The head of the worker’s union said, “We are aware that the airport is having financial trouble but this is not our problem. The government and management are responsible for the fact that this international airport offers flights to only two destinations”.

Banja Luka Airport is currently served by Adria Airways from Ljubljana and B&H Airlines, which operates flights to Zurich. The 5 weekly flights operated by Adria Airways are heavily subsidised and on average have 6 passengers per flight. The strike, scheduled for next Wednesday, will disrupt both B&H’s and Adria’s operations to and from the airport. The strike will continue until the demands of the workers are met, which includes a 30% wage increase.

Banja Luka Airport has been in financial strife for some time. Its employees held a warning strike on July 4 but none of their terms have been met.