Banja Luka Airport is in the process of negotiating four new routes for the upcoming 2025/26 winter season, which begins in late October. It comes as the airport registered strong growth during the first quarter of the year. “We are currently negotiating four new routes for the winter season. For now, I can’t reveal which destinations are being discussed, as the agreements have yet to be finalised. However, Banja Luka has strong potential to expand its route network by adding destinations that are not only appealing to the diaspora but also important and attractive to local residents”, the acting CEO of Banja Luka Airport, Valentina Kecman, said. The four destinations are believed to be Istanbul, Copenhagen, Malmo and Hamburg.
The airport has seen strong passenger growth during the first quarter on the back of an increase in frequencies on existing services by both Ryanair and Wizz Air. It handled 88.653 passengers during the January – March period, up 47.1% on the first quarter in 2024. However, the figure is still down 5% on Q1 2023. During the ongoing summer season, Banja Luka Airport’s scheduled seat capacity is set to grow 18.2% to 357.060 seats. Ryanair will remain the airport’s largest carrier with 78.1% of the airport’s entire scheduled summer capacity. In addition, Banja Luka will boast regular charters to Athens, Antalya and Hurghada this summer.
Commenting on the airport’s goals for this year, Ms Kecman said, “We’re expecting a busy summer season with up to ten daily flights, and all current indicators suggest we’re on track to surpass the 2023 annual record of around 460.000 passengers”. The airport plans the first major overhaul of its runway this winter, which will have no impact on traffic. “Emergency repairs are scheduled for May, while the full runway reconstruction is set to begin in October. The project is expected to be completed by March next year”, Ms Kecman concluded.
