Sarajevo airport was open for civil aviation again on the 16th of August 1996, after it was closed for more than 4 years due to the war in the country.
Occupation of Sarajevo airport by the former JNA started on the night between the 4th and 5th of April 1992. The airport was robbed, devastated and completely destroyed, after which followed the complete suspension of traffic for civilian flights.
Four years later, the airport got some of the equipment from various humanitarian organizations and countries, the sorting unit was repaired and turned into improvised terminal. The employees, after a short training in Turkey, took their long-awaited jobs, and on the 16th of August, Sarajevo airport was finally opened for civilian traffic.
Airplane of Croatia Airlines first landed at renewed Sarajevo airport and it re-opened it for regular civilian traffic.
Croatia Airlines established the connection between Sarajevo and Zagreb, and the Turkish company, Top Air, connection between Sarajevo and Istanbul. By the end of that year, the Sarajevo Airport achieved a total of 26,000 passengers and was the only airport in B&H in the function for the Civil Aviation.
