Strong growth of Tuzla Airport, Government of TK announces 3.8 million KM in new investments

(Patria) - 100,000 passengers achieved at Tuzla International Airport in the first quarter of this year, projects realized so far, and planned infrastructure investments were the topics of today's meeting held at the initiative of the Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton (TK) Irfan Halilagić.

The meeting concluded that significant projects have been realized in the past two years, since the appointment of the Supervisory Board chaired by Bahrija Umihanić, which have contributed to the arrival of new air carriers, as well as the return of the Wizz Air airline base to Tuzla Airport.

- While congratulating on achieving 100,000 passengers in the first quarter, we must emphasize that this success is the result of the successful implementation of infrastructure projects, which for years were just unfulfilled promises to airlines.

This success confirms that we have finally regained the trust of both the Airport Management and Tuzla Canton, i.e., the Government as the founder - said Prime Minister Halilagić.

It was highlighted that investments totaling around 2.2 million KM have been realized at the Airport in the past two years.

Among the most significant projects are the installation of central line lights, the procurement of new and improvement of existing equipment for aircraft reception and dispatch, and the resolution of the forest issue on the runway approach.

Continuing this development cycle, the Government of TK and Tuzla International Airport will enter 2026 even more intensively.

3.8 million KM is planned for new investments, and the funds will be directed towards installing lights in the touchdown zone on the runway, building red lights in the approach, and expanding the apron for aircraft parking and servicing.

It was particularly emphasized that the existing apron, as a key area for aircraft parking, maneuvering, and servicing, cannot fully meet future traffic loads with its current capacity. Its expansion will enable more parking positions and better spatial organization.

The improvement of the airport lighting system, with a focus on the landing zone and side rows of lights, was also assessed as equally important, as a significant safety and operational segment.

- All of the above confirms that Tuzla International Airport is a strategic infrastructure facility for TK and that the Government of TK will always have an active and responsible role in its development - agreed Prime Minister Halilagić and the Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Transport of TK Almir Žilić today.

During the meeting, attention was also drawn to the difficult period the Airport went through after the closure of the Wizz Air base in 2023, when only three destinations remained active from Tuzla Airport. Today, thanks to the realized investments and continuous work, the situation is significantly different.

- We have regained the trust of airlines, which is a real rarity in this industry. Currently, two Wizz Air aircraft are based at the Airport, and 49 regular weekly operations are carried out to 15 destinations, with a tendency for further growth - said the Director of Tuzla International Airport, Dževad Halilčević.

According to him and the words of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Bahrija Umihanić, there are currently 13 Wizz Air destinations active from Tuzla Airport, one destination each from Pegasus and AJet, while flights to Zurich, Switzerland, operated by Chair Airlines, are expected to start in July. In addition to all of the above, charter flights also represent a significant segment of the business.

It was concluded that the results achieved in the last year, as well as the optimistic expectations that accompany the development of Tuzla International Airport today, are the result of two years of dedicated work by all actors in this process - from the Airport Management to the Government of TK.

In this regard, the strategic commitment of the Government of TK to continue to be a strong support for the development of Tuzla International Airport has been confirmed once again.