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Flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina: delays, cancellations and your rights

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Sarajevo is the busiest airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Banja Luka and Tuzla. Flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or the UK are covered by EU261 or UK261 whatever the airline; flights from Bosnia and Herzegovina are covered by EU261 only when they land in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland on an airline licensed in one of those countries, and by UK261 only when they land in the UK on a UK or EU airline (in both cases not if you received benefits or compensation and assistance under local rules). Its Civil Aviation Contract Law transposes Regulation 261/2004 into national law.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Flying to Bosnia and Herzegovina from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £220 under UK261. On the way home you are covered only on an EU airline (into the EU) or a UK or EU airline (into the UK). Local rules may help on airlines from there.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → Bosnia and HerzegovinaEU261any airline€250
Bosnia and Herzegovina → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261only an EU airline€250
UK → Bosnia and HerzegovinaUK261any airline£220
Bosnia and Herzegovina → UKUK261only a UK or EU airline£220
Outside Europe → Bosnia and Herzegovinanone––

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies.

Local rules: The Civil Aviation Contract Law (Official Gazette of BiH 51/15) transposes the Montreal Convention 1999, Regulation 261/2004 and Regulation 1107/2006, according to the BHDCA. Its passenger rights apply to departures from airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to flights into the country from a third country when the airline is from an ECAA signatory, unless the passenger already received benefits or compensation and assistance there. A rulebook (Official Gazette of BiH 54/24) governs how the BHDCA handles air passenger complaints.

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With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
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Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

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Airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Sarajevo (SJJ)1,041,0250.06 minATC staffing (100%)
Banja Luka (BNX)209,997––
Tuzla (TZL)167,875––

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Bosnia and Herzegovina’s airports by 0.06 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 1 airports). The worst month was Jun.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • ATC staffing100%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.

Strikes

No strikes affecting flights in Bosnia and Herzegovina are announced in our calendar at the moment.

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. Authority: Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) – The BHDCA is the competent authority for air passenger complaints (Article 40 of the Civil Aviation Contract Law). If a complaint is founded, it asks the airline to act on it and can use inspectors; where that is not possible, it may advise you to sue the airline. Passenger complaint form in the local language and English..
  3. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Tips for flying to Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • EU261 itself does not apply to a flight from Sarajevo on a non-EU airline, but Bosnian law gives you rights based on Regulation 261/2004 – if the airline does not respond, complain to the BHDCA.
  • The BHDCA’s passenger complaint form is bilingual (local language and English).
  • In EUROCONTROL’s 2024–2025 data Sarajevo had very little arrival flow-control delay, mostly attributed to air traffic control capacity or staffing.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£220). From outside Europe you are covered by neither rule.

Am I covered on the flight home from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Flights from Bosnia and Herzegovina into the EU are covered by EU261 only on an EU airline, and into the UK by UK261 only on a UK or EU airline. With a Bosnia and Herzegovina airline you are not covered by EU261 or UK261.

The Civil Aviation Contract Law (Official Gazette of BiH 51/15) transposes the Montreal Convention 1999, Regulation 261/2004 and Regulation 1107/2006, according to the BHDCA. Its passenger rights apply to departures from airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to flights into the country from a third country when the airline is from an ECAA signatory, unless the passenger already received benefits or compensation and assistance there. A rulebook (Official Gazette of BiH 54/24) governs how the BHDCA handles air passenger complaints.

Who enforces passenger rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) – The BHDCA is the competent authority for air passenger complaints (Article 40 of the Civil Aviation Contract Law). If a complaint is founded, it asks the airline to act on it and can use inspectors; where that is not possible, it may advise you to sue the airline. Passenger complaint form in the local language and English.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Passenger rights – BHDCA
  2. Civil Aviation Contract Law (Official Gazette of BiH 51/15) – BHDCA
  3. Rulebook on the handling of air passenger complaints (Official Gazette of BiH 54/24) – BHDCA
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  5. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  6. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  7. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  8. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  9. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  10. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  11. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.