Three EX-YU airports face summer decline as airlines firm up schedules

Three airports in the region are currently on course to register a reduction in both flights and seat capacity during the upcoming summer season compared to last year. Although airlines continue to fine-tune their schedules for the 2026 summer timetable, which runs from March 29 to October 24, current filings indicate that Banja Luka, Mostar and Zadar are all trending below 2025 levels. While additional frequencies or last-minute route additions in the coming weeks could still alter the outlook, a significant reversal of the present trend appears increasingly unlikely, particularly in the case of Banja Luka and Mostaar. At the same time, several of the region’s larger airports are poised for only marginal expansion. Sarajevo, Dubrovnik and Split are currently scheduled to see modest growth, with a slight increase in both flight frequencies and overall seat capacity planned for the summer months.

Banja Luka Airport is set to see a downturn in operations this summer season, with the number of scheduled flights declining by 18.7% compared to last year. Overall seat capacity is also down by 16.3%. The contraction is wholly driven by adjustments made by Ryanair. The low cost carrier will reduce its overall flight and seat offering to Banja Luka by more than 30%. While it will continue to serve all existing destinations, frequencies are being halved on routes to Stockholm and Baden Baden, alongside further reductions to Vienna and Memmingen.

Mostar Airport is also facing a contraction this summer season, with the number of scheduled flights down 10.6% compared to last year. Capacity is declining at a sharper rate, falling 17.8% year-on-year. The reduction is largely attributable to Sky Alps, which has trimmed its operations by 22% for the upcoming summer. Unlike in 2025, the regional carrier has not scheduled services from Mostar to Naples and Munich. In addition, Sky Alps will standardise its operations with the 76-seat Dash 8 aircraft across all Mostar routes this summer. This marks a shift from last year, when the airline deployed a mix of 118-seat Embraer E195 jets and Dash 8 turboprops, resulting in higher overall capacity.

Zadar is currently scheduled to see a modest 2.4% decline in flight numbers this summer season, translating into a 0.9% reduction in overall seat capacity. However, these figures remain fluid and could shift in the coming weeks as airlines, including the airport’s dominant carrier Ryanair, continue to finalise their schedules. Although Ryanair accounts for a commanding 84.8% of Zadar Airport’s total summer capacity, it is not the primary driver behind the downturn. Instead, the decline is largely the result of easyJet discontinuing several routes, leading to a reduction in both frequencies and overall capacity. However, Ryanair is expected to influence the final end-of-season figures, having scheduled fewer flights in September and October compared to last year. Additional downward pressure stems from Eurowings’ reduced programme, as well as Trade Air’s inability to schedule domestic services for the upcoming summer due to delays in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) state tender process.