New direct flights from Sarajevo to Turkey

(Patria) - In Sarajevo today, the cooperation between Sarajevo International Airport and the airline SunExpress was officially confirmed, with the announcement of the launch of two new direct air routes to Turkey.

As previously announced, Sarajevo will have direct connections to Izmir and Antalya through this company, with flights operating twice a week.

The two new points on the world map connecting us to Sarajevo are Antalya and Izmir, stated the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk, today at the presentation of the airline SunExpress, which will soon start operating between the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and two Turkish cities, thanks to the support of the Government of Sarajevo Canton.

Prime Minister Uk emphasized that the new flights represent not only the opening of new routes and expansion of travel opportunities but also an opportunity to strengthen economic development and cultural exchange between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"The lines promoted today are a continuation of the Sarajevo Canton Government's commitment to strengthening air traffic from our airport and opening up opportunities for passengers from different parts of Europe to visit our country. Great credit for the progress in opening air routes goes to my colleague from the Government, Minister of Economy Zlatko Mijatović, and representative Vedrana Vikić, who is intensively working on connecting Sarajevo with new destinations in Europe," said Uk.

The Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton, Zlatko Mijatović, reminded that the Government of Sarajevo Canton, together with the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board and Sarajevo International Airport, conducted a series of public calls to which a significant number of airlines applied, with the aim of establishing direct flights to some of the strategic destinations for Sarajevo Canton.

So far, cooperation has been established with six airlines, one of which is SunExpress, and Sarajevo will be directly connected with them to 13 destinations, including Memmingen, Gothenburg, London, Brussels, Milan, Abu Dhabi, Rome, Warsaw, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Athens, as well as Izmir and Antalya. Some of these are completely new, while others have an increased number of departures.

"This program is not something that will last only one year; we firmly believe that the concept, when fully operational, will show that it is the right way to open Sarajevo to Europe and the world, and that the benefits of increased tourist inflow and investments will be many times greater than what we are investing. The commitment of the Government and the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton is to continue implementing the program, to increase the number of flights year after year, and to connect Sarajevo with as many destinations as possible through air routes, in cooperation and partnership with reputable companies like SunExpress," stated Mijatović.

According to him, the goal for 2024 is to connect Sarajevo with Scandinavian countries as well.

"We are working on that every day. The Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board and Sarajevo International Airport are partners who are truly making maximum efforts in this project. We are already in negotiations regarding the announcement of a public call for subsidizing flights in 2025 and 2026," said Mijatović.

The Director of Sarajevo International Airport, Alan Bajić, stated that, according to a conducted survey among 20 million air traffic users, SunExpress is the best European airline in its category.

"This cooperation not only enriches our flight offer but also marks the beginning of a new chapter in the transport and connection between BiH and Turkey," said Bajić, adding that Izmir and Antalya will be regularly connected with Sarajevo, twice a week.

The Director of SunExpress's regional representation, Veljko Marković, conveyed the company's satisfaction with starting flights to Sarajevo. He stated that it is a company owned by Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. He explained that the company's fleet, which has existed for almost 30 years, is good.

"We hope for success and that everything will go well. The interest so far is high. Reservations and bookings are going in an excellent direction," said Marković.