Airlines and airports across the former Yugoslavia are heading to Rimini in Italy next week for the Routes Europe development forum. Over 300 airlines, airports and tourist organisations will be in attendance to negotiate the launch of new routes or the expansion of existing services. Air Serbia, Air Montenegro, ETF Airways, as well as the airports in Belgrade, Dubrovnik, Kraljevo, Ljubljana, Niš, Ohrid, Podgorica, Pristina, Pula, Sarajevo, Split, Skopje, Tivat, Tuzla, Zadar, and Zagreb are among the aviation stakeholders from the former Yugoslavia taking part. A number of the airports will be represented by their CEOs, among others.
TAV Macedonia, the operator of Skopje and Ohrid airports heads to the event seeking new services to Helsinki, Amsterdam, Doha and Dubai, as well as additional operations to London. “The Scandinavian market has significant growth potential. Our goal is to encourage the development of new nonstop scheduled year-round routes to key EU destinations such as Copenhagen and Helsinki and to provide a stable and predictable environment for the already established routes”, the General Manager of TAV Macedonia, Nejat Kurt, said.
Sarajevo Airport is seeking to further expand its portfolio of destinations as it works with authorities on a new programme and public call aimed at financially supporting the launch of new routes over the 2027 – 2029 period. Airlines are expected to be given the opportunity to apply for the tender and plan new services to Sarajevo from around September, with the airport already working to secure carrier participation.
Zagreb Airport is looking to fill existing gaps in its European network, as well as further develop its long-haul connectivity. “There are still markets in Europe that remain either unserved or underserved, and those are our priorities. When it comes to long-haul operations, the United States, China, India and Japan are the main unserved markets, and we are working on establishing direct connections with these”, the airport noted. Zagreb Airport is introducing a revised four-year Growth Incentive Model on June 1, with airlines eligible to apply until December 31. While the earlier model was designed exclusively to stimulate the launch of entirely new routes, the updated framework expands its scope to also support so-called “thin routes” – services operated by a single airline without competition.
Air Serbia is in the process of introducing ten new routes this year, however, it is looking to further expand in 2027, with up to six additional destinations on the cards. “We are very flexible and will introduce new routes wherever we identify a viable market opportunity. For next year, I am confident that our network planning team will propose an additional five to six new destinations. There may also be a number of specialised routes related to EXPO. We are already in contact with the EXPO team to assess any such requirements, including the potential for dedicated charters”, the carrier’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said in late March.
Croatia’s fourth busiest airport, in Zadar, is negotiating the potential introduction of year-round flights by Ryanair as it prepares to open its brand new terminal later this month. The low cost airline has a seasonal summer base in the city. “Our goal is for our largest partner, Ryanair, to launch winter flights. We are in discussions with the airline, and there is a genuine commitment among all stakeholders involved to make this happen. However, we must take into account the structure of accommodation capacity in Zadar and the wider region, which is still dominated by private accommodation that is not available to the same extent as during the peak summer season. Increasing hotel capacity is what generates visitor demand in the winter period, as this is where business travel, conference tourism and other off-season events come into play”, the airport’s CEO, Josip Klišmanić, said. In 2025, Ryanair accounted for a whopping 81.9% of the airport’s total scheduled annual capacity, despite maintaining services only during the summer months.
Pristina Airport is looking to expand beyond its traditional high-demand European markets. “The recent launch of flights to Saudi Arabia marks just the beginning of our expansion strategy beyond traditional European routes. We are proactively targeting leisure markets, specifically in Spain and France, as part of our growth agenda. These destinations are well-suited to serve both outbound Kosovar holidaymakers and inbound tourists drawn to the Mediterranean’s rich cultural and leisure offerings. We are currently in active discussions with both low cost and scheduled carriers regarding seasonal leisure routes to Spain and France, and we are optimistic that these efforts will result in new services”, the airport said.
Slovenia has intensified efforts to improve its international air connectivity, not only through airline subsidy tenders but also by engaging in direct talks with carriers. Ljubljana is targeting new services to the likes of Barcelona, Berlin, Prague, Stockholm and Vienna. On the other hand, Hermes, the operator of Larnaca and Paphos airports in Cyprus, has been seeking service to the Slovenian capital. “Ljubljana benefits from high-yield leisure demand and strong business traffic driven by Slovenia’s export oriented economy and key industries including automotive, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing. Despite the strong demand base, the market remains underserved, offering clear opportunities for new routes and expanded air services”, the airport recently noted.
EX-YU Aviation News will be at the Routes Europe event and bring you the latest.
