Turkish Airlines to call all the shots from now on
According to internal sources from B&H Airlines, EX-YU aviation news can reveal that the national carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina is planning on selling one out of its two turboprops ATR72 aircraft. The orders have apparently come from Turkish Airlines which owns 49% of the company and plans to buy out the airline by the end of the year. Besides the two turboprops, B&H also operates an Airbus A319, used on more popular routes to Scandinavia as well as Amsterdam. The ATR has come in handy for lower yielding services such as Vienna, however, with 3 aircraft in its fleet and a small destination network the aircraft is no longer needed. Some sources claim that B&H had to sell the aircraft due to mounting debt, although this cannot be verified.Furthermore, B&H Airlines will finally get a CEO. Buyuk Yilmaz from Turkish Airlines will run the company and is expected to be named as the new CEO within the next two weeks. According to Bosnian press, Turkish Airlines insisted that they name the new CEO rather than the government. In addition, Yilmaz will have to draft an action plan for B&H Airlines which is struggling with losses and debt as is the case with all other EX-YU airlines. He will have 30 days to deliver the plan to the government with his term expected to last 3 years.
B&H Airlines flies to 10 destinations. Although it was planned for the airline to receive another Airbus A319 this summer, this now seems unlikely and ultimately Turkish Airlines will call all the shots from now on. Although the airline is reporting financial losses and its passengers must now pay additional taxes at Sarajevo Airport rather than directly through the ticket price, B&H is reporting significant passenger growth this year.
Finally!
ReplyDeleteGreat work by TK in case they are able to oust out government players whose only merit is that they they joined some political party.
How old is the ATR, could JAT pick it up for a cheap price? JAT needs these sort of aircraft for the less popular, less yielding routes doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteWrong move. No business that sells its tools for income survives.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with JA is *how* they use their fleet. Frankly, it is unbelievably poor utilisation by exYU, European and even world standards. Which is how ageing AT7s have incredibly low cycles, and with no leasing costs etc has proven a boon.
The airline has failed to build up a strong network to key markets that should have been highly successful for the airline. Even replacing an AT7 with another 319 would be the wrong move as the airline just isn't carrying enough passengers on existing routes.
Let's get serious with putting those planes in the air for at least 3 cycles every day. Let's get flights operating at the times passengers *want* and *need* to travel. Let's have fares at competitive prices to increase yields and load factor. And let's get bureaucratic interference (and there's PLENTY of that in BiH) away from the airline's core realities: moving passengers and making money.
If TKs hidden agenda is to close down the airline, it seems they are definitely on the right path...
Smart move!
ReplyDelete3xA319 + 1xATR is much better option
This can make sense with additional A319..increase the frequency to AMS/FRA/ZUR and Scandinavian destinations add London eventually, keep ATR on Vienna and new destinations such as Rome and Milan via OMO
ReplyDeletePortoroz is waiting for prop. airliner ...
ReplyDeleteI would base one AT7 in BNX and establish OS and LX feeder flights to VIE and ZRH. This must work!
ReplyDeleteWhy would it work? BNX flight numbers are dismal, The local population are some of the poorest in Europe and just won't/can't afford to fly.
ReplyDeleteIm from BNX, the truth is that ticket prices are too high. For me is much cheaper to go by car/bus to Zagreb, than going directly from Banja Luka. That is the only truth, prices are ASTRONOMICAL!
ReplyDelete10 routes with 2 aircraft (if the sale goes through) cutting it a bit close right? No room for a tech problem or maintinence that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteThe ATR seems like a small aircraft for these operations although it is catering for a small market. Like to see what Turkish Airlines will make of the carrier now.
Really a great blog about aircraft for sale. Thanks for sharing a such a nice blog!!
ReplyDelete