Air Serbia issued this traffic report:

• 1,586,665 passengers were carried – 83 percent more compared to 2020
• 39 percent more traffic compared to 2020
• Average load factor was 64 percent
• Load factor on flights to New York reached up to 80 percent
• The share of direct sales channels was increased from 35 percent in 2019 to 52 percent
• Air Serbia Cargo saw its performance increase as much as 55 percent compared to the pre-pandemic period

After 2020, which was marked by the biggest crisis in the history of global aviation, Air Serbia carried 1,586,665 passengers in 2021, which represents an increase of as much as 83 percent. Although 2021 was also marked by the coronavirus pandemic, the average load factor on Air Serbia flights was 64 percent.

For the best part of 2021, the Serbian national airline has continuously recorded a market share at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport of close to or even more than 50 percent, exceeding the pre-pandemic result from 2019 and further solidifying its leading position at the Belgrade airport.

In 2021, Air Serbia’s volume of traffic increased 39 percent compared to 2020. The accomplished result is 35% lower than in pre-pandemic, record-breaking 2019, but it is significantly above the European average in 2021, which was -44 percent compared to 2019.

“Being flexible, adapting quickly to the market changes, using sound resource management and constantly embracing innovations, we managed to accomplish satisfactory results during the biggest global crisis in our industry. We are glad that the previous year was better than 2020 and we are prepared for a strong expansion in the coming period. The challenges we successfully overcame represent a firm foundation for further development and continuing to implement the strategy planned before the pandemic. We are looking forward to a further expansion in European and Middle Eastern markets, which awaits us from April and June, when we will be launching flights to as many as 12 destinations from the Serbian capital. We began a stage of continued growth as a regional leader, and we are on track to meeting the goals set already now for 2023 – reaching the pre-pandemic levels from record-breaking year 2019,” said Jiri Marek, CEO of Air Serbia.

Ten of Serbian national airline’s most popular routes, which posted the best performance in 2021, were between Belgrade and the following destinations – New York, Moscow, Tivat, Paris, Podgorica, Zurich, Istanbul, Amsterdam, London and Athens.

During the summer season, from mid-April to the end of October of 2021, Air Serbia operated a total of 1,100 round trip charter flights, carrying approximately 140,000 tourists to popular resorts in Turkey, Egypt and Greece, as well as other tourist destinations around the world. The most popular charter destinations among Serbian travellers last year were Antalya in Turkey and Hurghada in Egypt.

Air Serbia’s direct sales channels grew by 17 percentage points – from 35 percent in 2019 to 52 percent in 2021.

On flights to New York, in 2021, Air Serbia reported an average load factor of 71 percent, reaching as much as 80 percent during the summer months. Performance from the transatlantic route almost reached the pre-pandemic levels. Since the launch of flights in June 2016 until today, Air Serbia carried more than 360,000 passengers between Belgrade and its destination in North America.

Air Serbia Premium Lounge at the Belgrade Airport was visited by 29,090 guests during 2021, marking the second-best result since it was founded in 2015. Last year, Air Serbia signed cooperation agreements with Luxair, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Fly Dubai, as well as with the Collinson Group, which owns world-famous travel programs at airports around the world – “Priority Pass”, “LoungeKey” and “Lounge Pass”.

In 2021, Air Serbia Cargo had record results with performance surpassing the pre-pandemic period by as much as 55 percent.

Air Serbia, the national airline of the Republic of Serbia, will commence scheduled flights between Belgrade and Trieste on June 2, 2022, as well as a scheduled Belgrade-Bologna service on June 6, 2022. Flights to both destinations in Italy will operate three times a week – to Trieste on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and to Bologna on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

With the introduction of flights to Trieste and Bologna, and existing flights to Rome and Milan, as well as announced flights to Venice and Bari, Italy becomes the market with the currently largest number of destinations to which Air Serbia operates from Belgrade – six in total.

Air Serbia has made this announcement:

Starting on April 21, 2022, Air Serbia will launch new scheduled direct flights between Belgrade and Valencia, as well as seasonal flights to three new destinations in Europe – Bari, Palma de Mallorca and Rijeka, starting from June 5, 2022.

Flights between Belgrade and Valencia will operate twice a week – on Wednesdays and Saturdays, during April and May, and then on Thursdays and Sundays from early June. The national airline will deploy an Airbus A319 aircraft on its third route to Spain, which had no direct service from the Serbian capital so far.

As the Kingdom of Spain’s third-largest city, and the largest port in western Mediterranean, Valencia is known by its beautiful beaches, City of Arts and Sciences, football club, traditional festival of fire – the Falles, and renowned dish – paella. By launching this route, Air Serbia will provide good connections between Valencia and other cities in its network via Belgrade, such as Athens, Bucharest, Dubrovnik, Larnaca, Moscow, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Split, Tirana, Tivat, etc.

From June 5 to October 27, 2022, Serbia’s national airline will deploy its ATR 72 aircraft on the Belgrade-Bari route three times a week – on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays. As a cultural crossroads since the ancient times, Bari is located on the south end of the Adriatic Sea, and is the second-biggest city in southern Italy. Combining the old city, surrounded by an impressive wall and interspersed with narrow streets, and the modern city, built in the early 19^th century, it offers an authentic insight into its rich heritage to visitors.

Air Serbia used to operate charter flights to Apulia’s capital city before the pandemic. By launching flights on this route, good connections between Bari and other cities in Air Serbia’s network will be provided via Belgrade, such as Athens, Bucharest, Zurich, Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Larnaca, New York, Sarajevo, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Sofia, Split, Tirana, Tivat, etc.

From June 11 to October 29, 2022, Serbia’s national airline will operate direct flights between Belgrade and Palma de Mallorca twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Air Serbia will deploy an Airbus A319 aircraft on its fourth destination in Spain, after Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Palma de Mallorca is the biggest city and port on the island of Mallorca, with 300 sunny days a year and is renowned for warm summers and mild winters, turquoise sea and coves with golden sand. As a place with rich history, lively cultural scene and culinary excellence, it offers tourists numerous museums, galleries and palaces, masterpieces of Gothic architecture and over 200 beaches to enjoy.

So far, Air Serbia operated only charter flights to Palma de Mallorca. During the 2019 summer season, a total of 20 charter flights were operated on this route, carrying more than 5,000 passengers. By launching the route, Air Serbia will offer passengers seamless connections between Palma de Mallorca and other cities in its network via Belgrade, such as Moscow, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Tivat, Zadar, etc.

Belgrade and Rijeka will be connected twice weekly, each Wednesday and Saturday, from June 15 to September 17, 2022. Air Serbia launched flights to Croatia’s biggest port in June 2019, and the last flights were operated in December of that year, after which they were suspended until further notice, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The route will be served by an ATR 72 aircraft.

Rijeka is the third-largest city in Croatia, known for its urban life, numerous historical buildings in the city centre and a plethora of important cultural events. With the mild Mediterranean climate and traditional hospitality, it attracts numerous tourists. Air Serbia will offer good connections from Rijeka, via Belgrade, to Amsterdam, Vienna, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Podgorica, Rome, Stockholm and Tivat, as well as to Rijeka, via Belgrade, from Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Brussels, Zurich, Frankfurt, Milan, Podgorica, Rome, Stuttgart and Tivat.

Belgrade-Valencia flight schedule in April and May::

Belgrade-Valencia flight schedule from June: :

Belgrade-Bari flight schedule: :

Belgrade-Palma de Mallorca flight schedule::

Belgrade-Rijeka flight schedule: :

Air Serbia will restore two routes next summer season from its Belgrade hub.

Venice will be restored on April 10, 2022.

Madrid will be restored on April 30, 2022.

Air Serbia issued this traffic report:

This past weekend, Serbia’s national flag carrier Air Serbia exceeded 1,500,000 passengers carried in 2021. This result represents an increase of no less than 76% compared to the number of passengers carried throughout the entire 2020, which was marked by the biggest crisis in the history of global air transport. Since the start of the year, Air Serbia has had a load factor of 66 percent.

“We are proud of the results we have achieved, despite the changing travel restrictions. This year was more successful than the last, and let’s hope this trend continues in the future as well. Our goal is to fully recover and get back to the 2019 level, and we are on a good path in this regard. Still, we are aware that the situation with the coronavirus pandemic is getting worse, and we are cautiously planning for the upcoming period, relying primarily on our flexibility and ability to quickly adapt to circumstances on the market”, said Jiri Marek, General Manager Commercial and Strategy at Air Serbia.

Serbia’s national airline carried 2.8 million passengers in record-setting 2019. During that year, the company introduced as many as 23 new routes, launching operations at another two airports in Serbia, after which its expansion was halted by the global pandemic. Air Serbia’s passenger numbers currently stand at 57% of the numbers from 2019. In the first three quarters of the year, Serbia’s flag carrier had a 51% market share at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, up 6% compared to the same period in 2019.

Air Serbia, the national airline of the Republic of Serbia, carried more than 300,000 passengers in August 2021 via scheduled and charter flights, from its hub in Belgrade, as well as the airports in Niš and Kraljevo. The result achieved represents the highest number of passengers carried in a month in 2021, and is the continuation of the constant growth during summer months.

The last time Air Serbia carried more than 300,000 passengers in just one month was in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, which was a record year for the national airline by all parameters.

“We are extremely satisfied that the trend of stable growth during the past few months continued in August as well. The results achieved show that a very good and successful summer is now behind us. On the other hand, we are aware that the situation with the coronavirus pandemic is deteriorating in certain countries, as well as that travel restrictions are being reactivated more frequently. For that reason, we will make plans for the coming period with a dose of caution, focusing on carefully observing the development of the situation, and reacting quickly in accordance with the current measures and demand in the market,” said Jiri Marek, General Manager Commercial and Strategy, Air Serbia.

Since the beginning of the summer season, the Serbian national airline had a constant growth of passenger numbers. In July, 63 percent more passengers have been carried than in June, while the result in June was 68 percent better than the one in May. Thanks to the record results during May and June of this year, in the second quarter of 2021, Air Serbia reported a market share of 52 percent at the Belgrade airport, which represents a growth of as many as 9 percentage points compared to the second quarter of the record-breaking 2019.