Security screener Ismail Islamoski inaugurates new route to Macedonia

Ismail works with security screening at Malmö Airport and at the same time studies sports management in Malmö. His family in Macedonia mean a great deal to him, but the long journey makes contacts with loved ones difficult. Ismail asked the question in mid-March last year, and many people wondered the same thing – would it be possible to fly non-stop from Malmö Airport to southern Macedonia?

The person who answered Ismail’s question was Swedavia’s route developer, Helena Mårtén, who works to provide convenient direct routes form Malmö Airport. Meanwhile, Ismail started to provide Helena with supporting documents, information, statistics and the names of cultural and sport associations that would benefit from a new direct route. He started a drive to collect names digitally which spread online and soon had more than 1,300 names.

Helena presented the documentation to Wizz Air, which liked the idea. In January 2019, just two months later, the carrier announced that it would start flying to the destination of Ohrid, on Lake Ohrid, which connects Albania and southern Macedonia. With two weekly departures, Macedonia and Malmö will now be even closer, and the air link will bring loved ones together.

“We at Swedavia Aviation work continuously to identify demand for new destinations and increase access to our airports. The work to develop new routes is based primarily on data and is carried out in close dialogue with the airlines. But we are pleased when people like Ismail, who have destination-specific knowledge, can supplement this work and provide us with site-specific information through a local contact network. The route with Wizz Air to Ohrid, Macedonia, is the result of a successful collaboration between Swedavia, Wizz Air and Macedonia, with Ismail being a strong factor in getting the route established as quickly as it actually has,” says Helena.

Ismail was overwhelmed when he got word that the direct route would be launched and is really pleased and hopeful about the maiden voyage on March 18, which of course he has already booked a ticket for.