Category Archives: Air Serbia

Air Serbia to launch direct Niš-Zurich flights this winter

Air Serbia, the national airline of the Republic of Serbia, has announced the launch of direct flights between Niš and Zurich.

Flights from Constantine the Great Airport will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, during the holiday part of the upcoming winter season. The first flight, JU1374, is planned for December 17 of the current year, while the last flight on that seasonal line will operate on 14 January 2023. Tickets are already on sale.

Aside from the abovementioned direct seasonal flights, passengers will still be able to travel between Niš and Zurich during winter season the same as before – via Belgrade.

Niš- Zurich winter flight schedule:

Flight number	Origin	Departure	Destination	Arrival	Frequency	Launch date
JU 1374	Niš (INI)	17:45	Zürich (ZRH)	19:55	SAT	December 17, 2022
JU 1374	Niš (INI)	07:10	Zürich (ZRH)	09:20	WED	December 21, 2022
JU 1375	Zürich (ZRH)	15:05	Niš (INI)	17:05	SAT	December 17, 2022
JU 1375	Zürich (ZRH)	10:05	Niš (INI)	12:05	WED	December 21, 2022

Air Serbia breaks record for monthly passenger numbers in July

Air Serbia issued this report:

During July, Air Serbia has carried over 400,000 passengers on regular and charter flights through its base airport in Belgrade and airports in Niš and Kraljevo. This is the most passengers the airline has carried in one month since October 2013, since it operates under current name. The number of passengers carried in July is up 47% compared to July 2021, when the Serbian national airline carried a total of 276,191 passengers. Passenger numbers are also up 9% compared to record-setting pre-pandemic 2019, when Air Serbia carried 372,839 passengers.

Air Serbia expects that the number of its passengers in July this year will make up over 55 percent of the total number of passengers who travelled via Airport Nikola Tesla Belgrade.

“The results we achieved in July are a good indicator that we made correct and timely business decisions when it comes to scheduling for this summer season. Here I primarily mean the strategic launching of new routes to tourist destinations, including those in Italy and Spain, which were most popular among passengers in the summer season. This result is also a consequence of additional growth of charter traffic by approximately 37% this season, compared to 2019. We will continue to keep a close eye on market demands, and boost our capacities on most popular routes in our network and we are certain that the stable growth trend will continue in the coming months”, said Boško Rupić, General Manager Commercial and Strategy.

Attractive summer destinations are seeing a big uptick in passenger numbers compared to July last year, and traffic has grown by 172% to Barcelona, 133% to Larnaca, 128% to Dubrovnik and 62% to Athens.

Belgrade-Madrid route, which was suspended last year because of the pandemic, immediately upon renewal reached the 2019 levels.

There is big demand year-round for destinations like London, which has seen a 151% growth in passenger numbers, Zurich with 87% growth, Istanbul with 43%, Berlin with 40% and New York with 27%. Increased mobility of diaspora from European cities towards the region is followed by growth on regional routes, as Sarajevo has seen growth of 67%, Skopje 71%, Ljubljana 35% and Zagreb 52%, compared to last year.

Air Serbia aircraft photo gallery:

Air Serbia increases the number of flights to the United States, wants more cabin crew members

Air Serbia made this announcement:

Due to increased demand for flights between Belgrade and New York, starting from the upcoming winter season, Air Serbia will increase the number of flights on this route from the usual two flights a week to three flights a week. The Serbian national airline will be operating flights between these two cities every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. In addition to that, Air Serbia continues to expand its operations in the United States market, and starting in April 2023, it will commence direct flights between Belgrade and Chicago (O’Hare Airport – ORD). Chicago will be the second U.S. destination in Air Serbia’s network, and the Serbian national airline plans to operate flights on this route two times a week.

With the introduction of Belgrade – Chicago flights, for the first time after 32 years, the capital of Serbia will be directly connected to the American city where approximately 350 thousand residents of Serbian origin reside, as well as a large number of residents hailing from other countries of former Yugoslavia, as well as neighbouring Balkan countries, which are well-connected with Belgrade via the regional Air Serbia network.

Chicago, with 2.75 million inhabitants in the city and 9.62 million in the wider metropolitan area, is the most populated city in the state of Illinois and the third most populated city in the USA, after New York and Los Angeles. It is located on the coast of Lake Michigan and represents an important international centre of finance, culture, trade, industry, education, communication and transport, which was visited by 60 million tourists in 2019.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is one of the six highest-traffic airports in the world, and in 2019, more than 90 million passengers have used its services.

Thanks to the recommencement of trans-Atlantic flights six years ago, Air Serbia again enabled connections between the region and the United States of America, after a pause of almost two and a half decades. Since the re-establishment of the air connection to the U.S. to May of this year, the national airline has carried a total of 383,324 passengers on the Belgrade – New York route.

The flights between Belgrade and New York are operated by the biggest aircraft in Air Serbia’s fleet, an Airbus A330, named after famous Serbian scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla.

In other news,

Due to the planned expansion of the network of destinations and higher traffic in the upcoming period, Air Serbia has announced a call for new cabin crew members. Interested candidates, who are at least 18, have a high school diploma and are fluent in English, can apply by filling out an applicationon the official website of the company no later than August 10, 2022. Candidates who wish to join the Serbian national airline also need to be citizens of the Republic of Serbia and to have a valid passport, to be communicative and to have a positive approach to completing everyday tasks.

During the selection process, the candidates will undergo specially designed tests and exercises in order to meet the highest work standards cultivated at the company. The necessary criteria which will be used to rank candidates include a high level of fluency in English, readiness to help passengers, and demonstrated motivation and desire to become a member of the national airline’s team.

Short-listed candidates will have the opportunity to learn about work dynamic, career opportunities and internal training offered by our company to employees from Air Serbia hiring experts.

After a pause of two years, the hiring of new cabin crew members will be organized for the second time this year. After the previous drive and assessment held in April, 28 selected candidates have continued their career in Air Serbia.

Top Copyright Photo: Air Serbia Airbus A330-202 YU-ARA (msn 885) JFK (Jay Selman). Image: 403140.

Air Serbia aircraft slide show:

Air Serbia aircraft photo gallery:

Air Serbia celebrates Serbian aviation anniversary with a photo exhibition

Air Serbia and Belgrade Airport officially opened the exhibition titled “Year of great anniversaries of Serbian aviation: 95 years of the national airline and 60 years of the Belgrade Airport” at the head office of Air Serbia.

As a proud successor of the tradition of the first domestic airline, Air Serbia is celebrating 95 years since the incorporation of Aeroput, while Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The photo exhibition which displays the past, present and future of the two pillars of Serbian aviation will be held at the head office of Air Serbia. On July 1, it will be moved to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, whose visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the history of aviation in Serbia over the coming three months.

The official opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia, Air Serbia and Belgrade Airport, as well as business partners and media.

“In this year of great anniversaries, we particularly honour the visionaries who founded the first domestic airline – Aeroput all the way back in 1927. We are glad that, by joining forces with our partners from the Belgrade Airport, we celebrate this important year for Serbian aviation, and we are convinced that all visitors, as well as our passengers, will enjoy the exhibition of photographs documenting all key periods in the operations of the national airline and the Belgrade Airport. The exhibition is a symbolic testimony to the development of Aeroput, from Yugoslav Airlines (JAT) and JAT Airways, to Air Serbia, which continues to write chapters of history, confirming its role of regional leader in the aviation industry,” stated Jiří Marek, CEO of Air Serbia.

In addition to the photo exhibit and the implementation of a special emblem to its planes, Air Serbia will also be celebrating its 95th anniversary by creating a special postage stamp, in cooperation with the Post of Serbia.

“These two remarkable milestones for Serbian aviation industry are a proof how tradition and expertise can work successfully with modernization, expansion, and innovation event through very challenging times. Together, national airline and the airport will continue to strengthen Belgrade’s position as a well-connected regional hub and to reaffirm this part of Europe as a desirable destination“, stated Francois Berisot, CEO, Belgrade Airport.

As the successor to Aeroput, Air Serbia is in the eight place on the list of the oldest airlines in the world which are still operating. The first CEO of Aeroput, as well as the person who is the most responsible for its establishment despite numerous challenges, was Tadija Sondermajer, an elite Serbian military aviator and aeronautical engineer.

Video:

JAT Airways aircraft photo gallery:

Air Serbia inaugurates services to Bari, Bologna and Trieste

Air Serbia has inaugurated services to Bari, Bologna and Trieste in Italy.

Trieste took off on June 2 , 2022. The schedule is flown three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Bari started yesterday and operates every Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

Bologna took off this morning and operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

All three routes will be operated with ATR 72-600s with 72 seats.

Marco Finelli reporting from Italy.

Air Serbia aircraft photo gallery:

Air Serbia starts flights to Valencia

Air Serbia issued this statement:

Today, April 21, with flight JU594 operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, Air Serbia will establish direct flights between Belgrade and Valencia for the first time. The Serbian national airline will be operating flights to its third destination in Spain twice a week – on Wednesdays and Saturdays during April and May, and as of early June, on Thursdays and Sundays.

The Serbian airline’s inaugural flight will be officially sent off from Nikola Tesla Belgrade Airport and welcomed at Valencia Airport, the tenth busiest airport in Spain, located eight kilometers from the city and contributing significantly to the economic development of the entire area. On that occasion, a ceremony will be held, with the attendance of Ambassador of Spain to Serbia, H.E. Raúl Bartolomé Molina, Ambassador of Serbia to Spain Katarina Lalić-Smajević, and representatives of Air Serbia and the airport.

After Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, Air Serbia will soon launch flights to its fourth destination in Spain – Palma de Mallorca.

Seasonal flights on this route will be operated from June 11 to October 29, twice a week – on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Air Serbia adds an Airbus A319, redeploys its A330 on flights to Zurich and Barcelona

Air Serbia has made this announcement:

The latest addition to Air Serbia’s jet fleet, an Airbus A319, with the registration of YU-APN, was given the visual identity of the Serbian national airline at Montpellier, France. The arrival of the aircraft to Belgrade is expected in late April or early May, and is planned to start flying at the beginning of the main part of the summer season.

The new Air Serbia jet will have a configuration with 144 seats. During the refurbishing of the cabin, which will be carried out at the Serbian capital, the new airplane will have Recaro 3520DE seats installed, designed to take up less room and offer greater comfort to passengers.

The plane is equipped with two IAE V2524-A5 engines, is 33.84 meters long, with a wingspan of 35.8 meters. It has a maximum cruising speed of about 871 km/h, while its maximum range at full capacity is 6,940 km.

The latest aircraft will be the tenth Airbus A319 in Air Serbia’s fleet, which also includes one Airbus A330 and A320 each, one ATR 72-600 and ATR 72-500 each, and three ATR 72-200 planes. The Serbian national airline started a major renewal of its regional fleet in January, which will be finalized by the end of the year.

In other news, the company is redeploying its Airbus A330 on its Zurich and Barcelona routes during peak travel days.

Air Serbia aircraft slide show:

Air Serbia aircraft photo gallery:

Air Serbia to scale back its Moscow operations after criticism

Air Serbia will scale back its flights to Moscow to once a week again according to Bloomberg.

As previously reported, the carrier recently increased the number of flights to three flights a week and also with use of its larger Airbus A330-200 aircraft due to increased demand. Air Serbia became a European way out of Russia in the age of sanctions.

The flag carrier is scaling back its flights to Russia due to criticism that is was profiteering.

Air Serbia continues to fly to Moscow

Air Serbia, despite western sanctions, continues to fly to Russia.

Air Serbia is one of the diminishing number of foreign airlines still flying to Russia.

Due to rising demand, the carrier is now assigning its Airbus A330-200 to the Belgrade – Moscow route.

Air Serbia is making a large profit on the route now while Ukrainians fight to survive.

Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia further expand their codeshare cooperation

Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia announced the further enhancement of their commercial cooperation with a codeshare agreement expanding to destinations both from Turkish Airlines’ and Air Serbia’s networks. The codeshare expansion agreement was officially signed in Istanbul in the presence of the two airlines’ CEOs – Bilal Ekşi and Jiří Marek.

The two carriers, who already codeshare on both airlines’ routes between Belgrade and Istanbul, further enhanced their cooperation with Air Serbia adding its JU marketing code on Turkish Airlines’ brand AnadoluJet’s flights between Turkish capital Ankara and Serbian capital Belgrade. At the same time, Turkish Airlines has added its TK marketing code to Air Serbia’s routes between Niš and Istanbul, as well as Kraljevo and Istanbul, thus providing passengers on mentioned routes access to Turkish Airlines’ global network.

Both airlines already codeshare on below flights:

From Belgrade: Banja Luka, Tivat, Ankara

From Istanbul: Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Antalya, Dalaman, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Konya, Trabzon, Gazipaşa, Bodrum, Odessa, Kiev, Amman, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Nis, Kraljevo