Montenegrin Airlines has been granted permission to launch seven-free flights from Tuzla to Maastricht in the Netherlands and Istanbul, but has been denied the rights by the relevant authorities in Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Germany. According to the Klix portal, Luxembourg regulators have not yet responded to the permit request. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has also given the green light to Montenegro Airlines, which means that the airline can operate flights to the two destinations mentioned above if it wishes. Securing seventh freedom rights for foreign airlines seeking to fly between two countries that are not their own is usually a complex process.
If all goes according to plan, Montenegrin Airlines plans to launch flights from Tuzla in late November. The carrier originally planned to station aircraft in the city, but that now seems unlikely as only two destinations have approval. The Montenegrin airline aims to reduce the sharp seasonality of its network by focusing on Tuzla during the winter season. Meanwhile, Tuzla Airport is keen to replace Wizz Air transport after the low-cost airline’s base in the city closed and most routes were scrapped.
The Tuzla regional government recently announced that it will launch an open call for subsidies to airlines that introduce flights from the city. Approximately 1.27 million euros in grants have been allocated. “By subsidizing airlines, we would like to revive routes that were discontinued due to Wizz Air’s withdrawal. We have been in discussions with several airlines and have concluded agreements. We do not intend to use it all, but we want to share the risk. The public offer for the airline will take place in the next few days and all details will be decided,” said Tuzla Prime Minister Irfan Halilagić. .
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