Ryanair to Tuzla

Soon in Tuzla?

Tuzla Airport is finalising talks with the no frills airline Ryanair, which could see it offer direct flights from Germany to Tuzla, according to the airport’s management. Tuzla Airport CEO, Enver Jukanović, says that Ryanair could commence flights from Frankfurt and Dusseldorf to Tuzla at the start of the 2012 summer season, next March. “We have been in talks with Ryanair since 2006. We have to secure sufficient funds from the local government to subsidise the flights. After this is achieved, Ryanair will begin a six month marketing campaign”, Jukanović explains. He adds that it is extremely difficult to attract low cost airlines as they request financial support. “We negotiated with Wizz Air for years but in the end they chose to fly to Belgrade. Unfortunately, our country is still not affordable for tourists”. Jukanović explains that the local authorities are willing to provide the funds so Europe’s largest low cost airline could begin flights to the city.



Tuzla Airport was recently dealt a blow when local tour operators, in cooperation with Air Arabia, decided to terminate the short lived Dubai service. On the other hand, charter flights from Antalya in Turkey are ongoing this summer. Tuzla has seen its best passenger figures over the summer since it opened its doors for commercial flights more than a decade ago.



The airport’s CEO believes that the future Ryanair services will attract Bosnians living in Germany. Ryanair is in talks with the Montenegrin Government to commence flights to Podgorica this winter. It currently only flies to the Croatian coast, out of all the former Yugoslav republics.