B&H Airlines

Infobox_Airline
airline=B&H Airlines
logo=B&H Airlines.jpg
logo_size=250
IATA=JA
ICAO=BON
callsign=BH AIRLINES
parent=Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina
founded=1994 (as Air Bosna)
headquarters=Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
key_people=Nudžeim Rečica (Director), Beba Kasumagić (Sales)

hubs=Sarajevo International Airport
focus_cities=Banja Luka Airport
Mostar International Airport
frequent_flyer=
lounge=Business Class passengers can use the lounge at Sarajevo International Airport
alliance=| fleet_size=4
destinations=11
website= http://www.bhairlines.ba/

B&H Airlines is an airline based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina operating scheduled and charter passenger services. Flag carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its main base is Sarajevo International AirportFlight International 27 March 2007] .

History

The airline was founded on August 12, 1994 as Air Bosna.cite web|url=http://bhairlines.ba/invitation.pdf|title=Public invitation for expressions of interest in recapitalization of the Public Company „B&H Airlines“ d.o.o. Sarajevo|accessdate=2008-03-09] In the autumn of 2003, the airline ceased operations due to an increased debt that it could no longer repay. It remained defunct until May 2004, when the Council of Ministers promised to revive it. In June 2005, they restarted operations as B&H Airlines, operating a pair of ATR-72 aircraft. Fact|date=March 2007 The airline is jointly owned by the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (51%) and Energoinvest (49%).

There have been proposals presented that the airline might take on larger aircraft shortly so flights can commence to destinations currently not reachable with the ATR-72s such as in Scandinavia (where there is a large Bosnian diaspora due to the recent conflict). There are plans to fly to destinations including in Scandanavia and the USA [ [http://www.limun.hr/en/main.aspx?id=303639 Limun.hr - BH Airlines plans to fly to USA and Scandinavia ] ] . B&H Airlines is now looking for one medium-haul plane to expand their fleet [ [http://www.limun.hr/en/main.aspx?id=289046 Limun.hr - BH Airlines buying new airplane ] ] .

The airline intends to increase flights from their secondary hub, Banja Luka (Banja Luka Airport), but this can only happen with increases to the fleet, and flights being well patronized. Flights to and from Mostar (Mostar Airport) have been reduced in recent times due to disappointing numbers, and thrice-weekly services have been suspended on the Sarajevo-Mostar-Zagreb route until further notice (operated by B&H Airlines, codeshared with Croatia Airlines).

Flights to Zagreb increased from 14 to 18 per week commencing 9 May 2008 and flights to Belgrade from 7 to 8 per week commencing 30 June 2008.

Privatisation

The Bosnian government is currently seeking to sell shares in B&H Airlines. On 23 February 2008 it was reported that Turkish Airlines were in negotiations to buy the airline [cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/8297637.asp?gid=74&sz=99435|title=THY is in discussions with Air Bosna for possible acquisition|publisher="Hürriyet"|date=2008-02-23|accessdate=2008-03-09] , and on 30 March 2008 that Croatia Airlines was also interested in a stake. [ [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/airlinepage.php?code1=OU CH-Aviation - Airline News, Fleet Lists & More ] ] The government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has also invited Comintel and MyAir (in addition to Turkish Airlines and Croatia Airlines) to recapitalise the airline. [cite news|url=http://www.vjesnik.hr/html/2008/02/29/vijesti.asp|title=Partnerstvo Croatia i BH Airlinesa?|publisher="Vjesnik"|date=2008-02-29|accessdate=2008-04-10]
*Public invitation for the submission of bids for the recapitalization of the public enterprise „B&H AIRLINES“ d.o.o. SARAJEVO.The final deadline for submission of Bids is 29th August 2008 at 16:00 hrs CET. [http://www.apf.com.ba/aktuelna-prod/tenderi/0/?cid=1301,1,1]
*Jordanian, Malaysian, Turkish firms bid for Bosnian airlineCompanies from Jordan, Malaysia and Turkey have offered bids to buy a 49-percent stake in the Bosnian airline BH Airlines, officials said here Thursday.The government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina said the offers were made by a Jordanian consortium, Malaysia's IT and telecommunication company Comintel and Turkish Airlines.The Jordanian consortium is composed of Mango Group, a diversified investor, and two airlines Royal Wings and Royal Jordan.It said in a statement that a government commission would analyze and evaluate the offers for BH Airlines during the next 30 days. The tender was opened in July.Previously called Air Bosnia, the Bosnian carrier went bankrupt in 2003 but resumed operations in 2005 with government help.Last year, it transported 70,000 passengers and made a net profit of more than 24 million convertible marks (12.3 million euros, 17.8 million dollars).
*THY Offered Winning Bid At BH Airlines’ Tender According to the Turkish media, Turkey’s flag carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), offered the winning bid in a tender for the sell-off of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s flag carrier, BH Airlines. The airline said previously that it had decided to bid for the purchase of a 49 percent stake in BH Airlines.

Destinations

*Bosnia and Herzegovina
** Banja Luka (Banja Luka International Airport)
** Mostar (Mostar International Airport)
** Sarajevo (Sarajevo International Airport) HUB
* Germany
** Cologne (Cologne Bonn Airport)
** Frankfurt (Frankfurt International Airport)
** Stuttgart (Stuttgart Airport)
* Macedonia
** Skopje (Skopje Airport)
* Switzerland
** Zürich (Zürich International Airport)
* Turkey
** Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport)

Codeshare

The airline has been able to expand operations into key markets in the former Yugoslavia through codeshare agreements with other airlines flying into Sarajevo.
* Croatia
** Zagreb (Zagreb Airport) (Flights operated by Croatia Airlines)
* Serbia
**Belgrade (Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport) (Flights operated by Jat Airways)

(note: Codeshare agreements do not operate on Jat flights to Banja Luka)

Charter 2008

*Turkey
**Antalya (Antalya Airport)
**Bodrum (Milas-Bodrum Airport)
**Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport)

Previous destinations

Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Göteborg, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest, Madrid, Rome, Ljubljana, Munich, Berlin, London, Pristina, Djerba, Izmir, Zagreb, Belgrade

Fleet

As of March 2007 the B&H Airlines fleet includes :
*2 ATR 72-210 Reg. T9-AAD and T9-AAE
*1 Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II (charter use) Reg. T9-BSA
*1CASA 212-200 D (cargo use) Reg. T9-ABA

On order: 2 Airbus A319-100 (Order cancelled when Air Bosna was declared bankrupt in 2003.)

As of 3 June 2008, the average age of the B&H Airlines fleet is 12.8 years ( [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/BH%20Airlines.htm] ).

Passenger statistics and income

*Passengers
*Income

External links

* [http://www.airbosna.ba B&H Airlines]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=BUH&al_op=1 B&H Airlines Fleet]
* [http://www.balkantimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2006/02/13/feature-03 BiH airline successfully resurrected]
* [http://www.fortunecity.com/oasis/tropicana/533/BH-registerAIRBOSNA.html Fleet history for B&H Airlines (Air Bosna) by Zahid Krkic]

References