Jat Airways (Belgrade) is getting a new makeover with a new brand, new name and new aircraft. The airline will be renamed Air Serbia. Etihad Airways is taking a 49 percent share in the Serbian flag carrier. Etihad Airways will wet lease two Airbus A319s to the struggling carrier. A further eight A319s will join the fleet in order to retire the aging Boeing 737 fleet.
Etihad Airways has issued the following statement:
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates(UAE) has unveiled plans to acquire 49 percent of Jat Airways. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has also been awarded a five year management contract for the Serbian national airline.
โข Etihad Airways to acquire 49 per cent of Jat Airways
โข Jat Airways to be renamed and rebranded Air Serbia
โข Etihad Airways awarded five year management contract for new airline
โข Etihad Airways and Government of Serbia both to inject $40 million
โข Etihad Airways and Government of Serbia to each provide up to $60 million further funding
โข Air Serbia to launch fights to Abu Dhabi from October 2013
These are two of the key components of a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement, signed by Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia, which includes a fleet of new aircraft, and a new integrated network of international destinations enabling greater access for business and leisure travellers to Serbia.
The historic agreement follows the launch of Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade in June and will significantly enhance trade and investment relations between the United Arab Emirates and Serbia as well as boosting the tourism sector in both countries.
Economic ties between the two countries, valued at EUR 23.3 million in 2012, three times greater than in 2011, continue to expand with a number of key government agreements signed in recent months which will see investments in agriculture, defence, technology, and tourism.
The strategic partnership agreement was announced by James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways and Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ, Deputy Prime Minister of the Serbian Government, at a media conference in Belgrade today, Thursday August 1, 2013.
Within the agreement Etihad Airways will make available a $40 million loan facility which will be converted into equity on January 1, 2014, subject to regulatory approval. This will be matched by an equal funding injection by the Government of Serbia.
Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia will also each provide further funding through shareholder loans and other funding mechanisms of up to $60 million to meet working capital requirements and support network development for the newly created Air Serbia.
The rebranding and renaming of JatAirways to Air Serbia is a significant moment in the history of the Serbian carrier which is more than 80 years old. Tail fins on Air Serbia aircraft will feature the Serbian coat of arms and the country’s state colours on both sides.
The new livery was designed by a team in Serbia and the UAE and provides a new look and feel for the national airline. The aim was to make a break with past practice, but not with Serbian heritage and also offer an unmistakeable national identity.
Among other planned developments will be an enhanced flight network, codesharing with Etihad Airways and Airberlin, adding to Air Serbiaโs current network of 33 cities another 12 destinations in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The new destinations are Abu Dhabiย (complementing Etihad Airwaysโ daily service), as well as Banja Luka, Beirut, Bucharest, Budapest, Cairo, Kiev, Ljubljana, Prague, Sofia, Varna, and Warsaw.
Among the first new destinations to be launched by Air Serbia will be a four flights a week service between Belgrade and Abu Dhabi.
Complementing Etihad Airways’ current daily flights, the new Air Serbia service will start in October 2013 and will move to daily when the new fleet grows to facilitate an increased service.
The new A319 aircraft will be in Air Serbia livery, with a stylish cabin trim and product of a standard never seen before operating out of Belgrade.
The current Ja tAirways fleet of 10 Boeing 737-300 aircraft will be retired from scheduled operations, and in the short term will be replaced by leased narrow body aircraft. In the longer term, an Air Serbia order will be made for 10 new narrow body aircraft.
The strategic partnership agreement will also offer unprecedented career development opportunities for Air Serbia cabin and flight deck crew, who will have access to Etihad Airwaysโ world class Training Academy and facilities in Abu Dhabi.
Air Serbia will become Etihad Airwaysโ sixth equity partner following investments in Airberlin (29.21 percent), Air Seychelles (40 percent), Virgin Australia (10.5 percent), Aer Lingus (2.99 percent) and most recently Jet Airways (24 percent โ subject to regulatory approval).
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-3Q4 YU-AON (msn 24208) taxies past the camera at Zurich, displaying the current name and 2004 livery.
Jat Airways:ย 
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