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Air Serbia ready for takeoff

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22.05



21.30: Air Serbia's CEO Dane Kondić has confirmed that the second A319, which will arrive in Belgrade next week will be named Milica Mandić. Milica Mandić is the first person to bring an independent Serbia a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games. She did so in London in 2012, winning gold in taekwondo. Milica will be inducted in the taekwondo hall of fame later this year in Las Vegas.


19.55: It has been officially confirmed that Air Serbia's first A319 will be named after tennis player Novak Djoković. Novak Djoković is currently the world's second ranked tennis player and a former world number one. He is a six time grand slam winner. In addition, he is the first Serbian player, male or female, to rank number one for more than 100 weeks and win multiple grand slams. Through the Novak Djoković foundation, millions of dollars have been donated to underpreivleged children in Serbia. All Air Serbia aircraft will bare the name of famous living Serbs.

Jat Airways staff pose in front of Air Serbia's first A319


18.15: Emotional scenes on many Jat Airways flights today as many cabin crew members put on their uniforms for the last time and perform their last flights for the carrier, following careers spanning several decades. Over 120 crew members are leaving the airline.


Economy class product

Business class seats


15.25: The media event has now finished. Asked whether the first A319 will be named after tennis player Novak Djoković, Mr. Kondić said that while Djoković is deserving of such an honour, there are many other famous Serbs as well.

14.10: All Air Serbia aircraft will be named. The name of the first A319 will be known tonight. It will be after a famous living Serb.

14.05: Air Serbia's A319 is presented. The media will now tour the aircraft.

13.55: Serbian Deputy PM is about to speak. "Air Serbia shows that Serbia can be a modern country. We expect the company will become profitable in less than a year", Mr. Vučić says.

13.50: Archive footage of Jat shown. Air Serbia CEO is now speaking. "Jat Airways will always have a special place in our heart", Kondić says. He adds, "Air Serbia will be the pride of Serbia. Look at what we have achieved in only three months. We hope Air Serbia will meet all expectations. The new Air Serbia is the evolution of Jat Airways. We will become a world airline".

13.35: The media event is about to begin.

13.10: Long lines reported in front of Air Serbia sales office in Belgrade. Special thanks to reader Miroslav Mešanović for this photo.


11.25: The media presentation will begin soon. You can follow the live stream here which will be available at 13.30.

11.15: By 2016 Air Serbia plans to have 5.000 employees. The head of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Željko Sertić, says, “Air Serbia’s plan to have between 3.500 and 5.000 employees in the next two years is realistic. A new management, new style, design and how you are greeted when boarding your flight. All this is important for building up the image of your country”.

10.40

 


10.10: In another perk for business class passengers, Air Serbia will become the first airline in the former Yugoslavia to provide amenity kits. They will be offered to all guests in business class.

10.00: As mentioned, Air Serbia’s media presentation begins at 13.30, attended by the airline’s CEO Dane Kondić, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan. Mr. Kondić and Mr Vučić will be the first to address the media. The unveiling of the aircraft is set to take place at 13.50, followed by a Q&A session for the media. A live stream will be available.

09.45: A qucik reminder of the new look cabins




09.30: In an important development, EX-YU Aviation News can reveal reconstruction work on Belgrade Airport’s terminal one will begin by the end of this yesr. The terminal will be used exclusively by Air Serbia and Etihad Airways. Meanwhile, the tender for the second phase of the airport’s expansion and overhaul of both terminal one and two gates and departure lounges has come to a close. Work is expected to begin next month.

09.20: Yesterday’s promotional ticket sale, allowing passengers to book two tickets for the price of one, has produced a lot of buzz among the public, forcing the airline to send extra staff to its newly opened sales office in Belgrade to deal with the crowd. The promo sale, which will last until Saturday, is available for passengers booking their tickets at the sales office or over the phone.

09.10: As described below, Air Serbia will significantly improve its onboard catering. The dining experience will be inspired entirely by Serbian delicacies. These are some of the meals that will be on offer to passengers this winter. For ultra short haul and short haul flights snacks will include: proja, djevrek, perece, pogačice, mekike, pita and burek. Lunch and dinner options will include ćevapčići, sarma, punjene paprike, punjene tikvice, leskovački roštilj, karadjordjeva šnicla, prebranac, podvarak, djuveč and mućkalica. For breakfast, a traditional Serbian and continental breakfast will be offered. The Serbian version includes burek, kačamak and proja. Among the alcoholic beverages on offer, the Serbian plum brandy Slivovitz will also be served.


09.00: Air Serbia employees are now taking a tour of the new aircraft and are being presented with the new product.




Fresh start for Serbia's national carrier

Air Serbia will today officially unveil its product to the world with just a day left until it launches operations. Several special events are planned throughout the day and EX-YU Aviation News will be providing live coverage starting at 09.00 CEST. The successor to Jat Airways yesterday revealed its brand new sales office and crew uniforms, while EX-YU Aviation News has given you an exclusive glimpse of the new business and economy class cabins that will be available on its Airbus and ATR fleet.

The day begins at 09.00 as Jat Airways/Air Serbia staff will be bussed to the Jat Tehnika VIP hanger where the carrier’s first Airbus A319 will be on show. At 13.30, the airline will present itself to the media and public. The event will be attended by Air Serbia’s CEO Dane Kondić, the CEO of Etihad Airways James Hogan and the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić. The day will continue with a glitzy VIPs only event at 18.30 to be attended by government officials, members of the diplomatic corps to Serbia and celebrities from various spheres of public life.

Air Serbia says, “Through strategic changes, we are committed to continuing to play an integral role in the development of Serbia’s aviation, travel and tourism industry”.

Catering


The Serbian carrier will be offering a significantly more advanced onboard product than its predecessor. The airline says, “Our emphasis on quality and freshness is reflected in our onboard dining experience, and the local produce we use in our meals. We are also proud to offer a uniquely Serbian cuisine and beverages in both business and economy class cabins. Our hospitality and service standards are a testament to the best that Serbia has to offer”.

BUSINESS CLASS - Passengers flying business class will be able to enjoy an aperitif with warm nuts on all flights. Passengers flying on routes up to an hour will be offered a choice of canapés. On services between one and two hours passengers will be offered an a la carte menu accompanied by a range of beverages. Those travelling on flights between two and three hours will also see an a la carte menu while those on flights lasting longer than three hours will be offered a menu of three main courses.


ECONOMY CLASS - On ultra short haul and short haul flights (up to two hours) the airline will offer a café service and a range of Serbian snacks. Flights ranging between two and three hours will see a choice of cold snacks or a main hot meal service and a complimentary bar service. Passengers travelling on flights longer than three hours will be offered a complete meal with a choice of several main courses, hot beverages and refreshments as well as a complimentary bar service.

Inflight entertainment


The latest movies, TV shows, music and various entertainment selections will be offered exclusively to business class passengers. Guests will enjoy access to a personal iPad and noise cancelling headsets. Air Serbia will offer a choice of four films and Hollywood movies with Serbian (Latin) subtitles and a selection of European language dubbing options. A choice of twenty TV programmes, of which eight will be Serbian TV shows, will be on offer. Fifty CD library channels including twelve Serbian artists along with Italian, German, Russian and French albums will also be available for passengers. For those young at heart, twelve different games will be on offer as well.

Fleet


By April 2014 Air Serbia will operate a fleet of eight Airbus A319s, two A320s and four ATR72s. The airline’s second A319 will arrive in Belgrade by the end of next week and another four will join the fleet by the end of the year. In early 2014 a further two will come into service while the A320s will join the fleet at the end of March. All four ATR72s will be painted in the airline’s livery and receive the new interior. Several Boeing aircraft are expected to stay in the fleet in order to operate charter flights over the 2014 summer season. They too will receive new cabins with an all economy class layout from March 2014.

Comments

  1. Anonymous08:42

    IFE only in business class? :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous08:51

    Thanks EX-YU Aviation for all the hard work. Without a doubt the best aviation site in our region.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JU520 BEGLAX09:03

    Hmmh what to say. Business Class over average for Europe. But Coach Class will be nore or less average as many destinations out of BEG are below 2 hours flighttime and I was hoping that at least flights plus 100 min will get a meal. Also I hoped for IFE in both classes. This wld have made the real difference between JU and the brands like LH LX AF BA etc

    anyone know when the new real website starts?
    Tried also to purchase 1 ticket for 2 travellers but id did not work.

    i think the reputation will all depend on the consistency and attitude of the service provided. Crew attitude indidually will also play an important role. For example will I really get everytime I fly to MXP the iPad in Business or do I depend on the F/A mude?

    i m wondering which wines they serve in Business. If someone cld find out winery and name of the wine, pls go ahead.

    but all in all defintely a product u can build on. Hopefully they will keep their commitments and standards

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:04

      The 1+1 ticket sale is only valid up until tomorrow and if you buy it in Air Serbia's office. It does not apply for online purchases.

      As for the wines, I am sure they will offer local ones. When they write snacks, they don't mean crisps or Grisine (lol), it's the same thing as Qatar's snacks- a sandwich.

      Delete
    2. BA88811:11

      Airline had to send extra staff to new office due to promotional ticket sales!

      What about other ticket sales offices? Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac??????

      Or did just the lucky ones who live in Belgrade get a chance for the discount?
      Disgrace!

      (Oh, btw, phone lines are not being answer at present)

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:09

    And where are haters right now? Air Serbia became reality!!!! :) Etihad takeover became reality!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JU520 BEGLAX09:09

    Depend on their mood not mude, seems that I m still bit müde in the morning :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:13

    Hahah love the meal options :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nikola09:14

    au, što će se nuditi dobra klopa :-) samo se plašim da se putnici mnogo ne našljokaju zbok šljive :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:41

    Wow at the food options. :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:42

    ... e bas su mi Ćevapi njihovo nacionalno jelo ...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:15

    EXYU: SORRY BUT HOW MUCH U GET PAID FOR THIS PROPAGANDA

    smeary smeary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry to hear you dislike the reporting. The live updates were promised to readers, seeing as Air Serbia articles have been the most popular ever published since the blog went online five and a half years ago. A relaunch of an airline is big news. Seeing as foreign airline magazines and even the New York Time are reporting on it, it is only natural that a site dedicated to aviation specifically in the former Yugoslavia will have a much more comprehensive coverage. And no, I’m not getting paid for any of the news which is published here 365 days every year for the past five years.

      Delete
    2. In addition, I would like to remind you that live updates were also included for the arrival of Croatia Airlines’ first Dash 8 aircraft, the arrival of Montenegro Airlines’ first Embraer aircraft, the opening of Skopje Airport’s new terminal, the announcement of Etihad’s takeover of Jat, the ten day Croatia Airlines strike, the official announcement of the takeover of B&H Airlines on behalf of Turkish Airlines.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:20

    What will be the leg room in Economy?

    ReplyDelete
  12. JU520 BEGLAX10:21

    He ll fly C class tmrw evening to AUH :-)
    But he def deserved it...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, this site has never been nor will ever be sponsored by any airline.

      Delete
  13. Bosnian10:28

    Congrats, and good luck with your new airline neighbors!

    Greets from Sarajevo :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nikola10:37

    Ex-YU, pusti sitne duše, samo nastavi ovim tempom

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous11:16

    Is it possible to book in Jat's office in Novi Sad new promotion Air Serbia has, 2 for 1 ticket? or is it just in new Air Serbia's office.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:22

      Give them a call and ask. I don't see why you couldn't ....

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:34

      I just called Air Serbia call center and it is not possible to book or buy tickets anywhere else but in new office of Air Serbia. Not even over call center.

      Delete
    3. BA88811:35

      I just spoke to Novi Sad ticket office.

      Only Abu Dabi can be booked 2-4-1.
      Calling call centre would not give any result too.

      ONLY IN PERSON IN BELGRADE OFFICE.

      ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:45

      Not really a disgrace, they probably want to bring in as many people as possible to their new office so that a lot of people can see their new image and product.

      They even have people standing at the door greeting you when you come in and assisting you with whatever you might need.

      Delete
    5. BA88811:52

      Really dont care about people greeting you in their flagship store.

      I care about national airline allowing equal chance for everyone else since the rest of the 51% belongs to...erm...tax payer

      NOT JUST BELGRADE!

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:07

      Well why don't you write them an e-mail and complain how your human rights have been hurt. lol

      Delete
    7. BA88812:35

      Very good idea mate, just...Human rights and Arab world dont go together...

      Delete
    8. Anonymous12:47

      Hope dies last buddy.

      Delete
  16. My sister is trying...without success over the phone...

    (Who cares about UNTRASNJOST?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:42

      This is something that should be posted on their Facebook page. Absolute cr*p!!! That promo should be available to everyone who's willing to take an advantage of it.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:16

      It was possible yesterday on their website. I bought tickets from zurich

      Delete
  17. Purger11:41

    5.000 employees in 2 years? And that is real?

    OK, Air Serbia is huge! The best thing in ExYU air traffic ever (even better than ex Jat in best time). Everything looks great.

    And yes, the most important thing is to make employees "winners" from "losers", to make them feel as winners. Winning atmosphere and other measures (control, sack troublemakers, financial motivations, working environments, education...) will make them from postcommunist nonworkers to good workers.

    But to run with information of long haul in 2016 (it can be done, but why to make it Jatovanje if that will happen in 2017, 2018, or not even than), to say there will be 5.000 workers in 2 years. Come on!!!! Unrealistic, fairy tale even for biggest optimists. Expansion with 500% in 2 years kills Kingfisher and some other companies. And politicians really must do it every and each time. It is huge without those stupid premature announcement of plans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dragi Purgeru, upravo sam gledao na televiziji integralni intervju sa predsednikom Privredne Komore Srbije.Receno je da ce osnivanje Air Serbia i njen napredak i razvoj omoguciti indirektno zapposljavanje oko 5.000 radnika u turizmu, hotelijerstvu i ostalim usluznim delatnostima, premao tome nije rec da ce Air Serbia imati 5.000 zaposlenih.
      Pozdrav iz Beograda

      Delete
    2. Izvini za slovne greske jer moj Sijamski macor voli da se seta po tastaturi mog laptopa tako da mi pola slova ne rade....

      Delete
    3. Purger14:03

      Qote:
      "Air Serbia plans to have 5.000 employees. The head of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Željko Sertić, says, “Air Serbia’s plan to have between 3.500 and 5.000 employees in the next two years is realistic."

      Delete
    4. JU520 BEGLAX17:35

      Swiss employs 7700 and moves 16 mio Pax annually.
      5000 is a lit bit unrealistic if they wanna fly profitable

      Delete
  18. Anonymous11:41

    The new uniforms are better looking than the likes of Etihad AND Emirates !!!
    Applauze...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JU520 BEGLAX00:59

      Who designed them? They are beautiful

      Delete
  19. Anonymous11:47

    And what is even better :
    The colour scheme of White Letters against a Dark Blue Background !!!
    And only a small Stripe of Red...

    It looks so good that i wish their planes would also be
    only Blue with White Letters !!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous12:18

    Interesting how Etihad is sending its A320 to Belgrade tomorrow. I wonder why, maybe some passengers had to be shifted onto their flight to make room for the VIP delegation onboard Air Serbia's flight?

    ReplyDelete
  21. SQ2612:49

    Is it me or Air Serbia won't have a IFE in economy class?

    So for example as a passenger who wanna travel from BEG to SYD via AUH why would I fly with Air Serbia to AUH when I could book a ticket from Etihad and enjoy in Etihad's IFE in economy class to AUH while Air Serbia does not have IFE in Y class...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous13:30

    I wonder if Severina with her new single "Hurem" is in charge of the entertainment :))?

    I'm joking ppl.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:48

      Maybe Hurem will be played while boarding and after landing. :D

      Delete
  23. Contrails13:43

    I managed to buy the ticket online last night... Copenhagen - two for one. Not bad :) Thanks!

    BR from Novi Sad

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous13:49

    What is going on with the live stream? Will there be one?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous13:50

    Does anyone know how to watch this event using the link provided above. All I see are the past events

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:51

      Same problem here

      Delete
  26. Anonymous13:55

    Me too

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous13:56

    ex yu where is the live stream?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:04

      well this sucks ....

      Delete
  28. Anonymous14:07

    Yea what about live stream?

    ReplyDelete
  29. What impressed me the most so far is the picture from the yesterday’s opening where they showed that you can buy AirSerbia baseball hat in their new store. Call it attention to detail tr whatever you’d like but such small details I hope are indication of how they intend to run the business. I guess most of us are not used to this kind of behavior when it comes to JU or any other Balkan airline for that matter. I for one keep reading news about the merger and I just wait for things to go wrong. I’m looking hard but can’t seem to find it. Did you guys notice that not even politicians go off on a rant saying stupid things to earn cheap point.

    Good job so far and thank you Etihad for showing us how it’s done. Now fill those planes because without that it’ll all be in vain.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous14:14

    Ex yu please first check before posting something on the blog. It is so unprofesional. Now everybody is expecting live stream and are pissed off on you although you are not guilty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Buddy, cut Ex-Yu some slack. The guy is doing best he can. He was probably told or overheard that there will be webcast and he put it here. I'm sorry that he was wrong but life is not all perfect.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:34

      Why don't you maybe follow the updates on some other portals? Oh wait, neither Aviokarta nor TangoSix are reporting on this. Don't complain, be happy we know this much,

      Delete
  31. Anonymous14:15

    Live stream please!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous14:16

    As a protest, i will stop following etihad on livestram.com.

    :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:20

      Anonymous likes this

      Delete
  33. Anonymous14:22

    First aircraft - YU-APC - Aleksandar Vucic

    ReplyDelete
  34. Perhaps take into account that theu had a technical problem.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous14:37

    So Hogan is not speaking?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous14:40

    It will be named after a famous living Serb? Oh no... I just hope they don't name him Novak Djokovic. lol
    They should just name it Lepa Brena. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:56

      Maybe Svetlana Ceca Raznjatovic.

      Delete
    2. SQ2615:14

      If that so then no way I would ever travel with Air Serbia if they name aircraft after Ceca, Brena or any other lame singer... They should name it after Pupin, Tesla etc...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:22

      I actually wouldn't mind if it was named after Lepa Brena! :D She is cool and her music is not that bad, especially the older tunes. If they do it then they better make sure the plane flies on the inaugural to Sofia. :D

      SQ26, the thing is that it will be (supposedly) named after a living Serb. Both Pupin ad Tesla are long dead.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:09

      Her music is not bad? Congretulation

      The best of the best of the best muzician in exyu is Djordje Balasevic

      Delete
    5. Anonymous01:52

      To call Ceca or Lepa Brena lame is the same as Americans would say RnB is bad music because its sung by Blacks!!!
      Turbofolk is the only thing that still is of importance to many Serbs abroad!
      At least we have still music of our own...

      Can not say this of many countries.
      c

      Delete
  37. Anonymous14:41

    Well, that's good really. The sole thing is for Air Serbia not to appear as a low-cost division of ETIHAD...

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous14:45

    Posle velikog dana danas, za AIR SERBIA, sutra je prvi operativni, "D day". Prvi srecan i Blagoslovljen da je na ruti Belgrade-Abu Dhabi! Predlazem zaljubljenicima vazduhoplovstva, prijateljima AIR SERBIA, svima koji nisu
    u mogucnosti da isprate prvi zvanicni let sa Aerodroma Nikola Tesla u 17.15, moze moga pratiti preko FRADAR24 i na taj nacin ucestvovati u radosti dogadjaja
    koji obecava promene u avio biznisu Otadzbine Srbije...
    Ovde u istocnom delu Australije u vreme uzletanja A319
    bice 2.15 nedelja ujutro pa nadam se da ce se pridruziti
    mnogi koji dobrom voljom zele, a procitaju ovaj tekst da nasvojim PC pratimo "prenos", kretanje aviona kroz vazdusne koridore Srbije, Rumunije, Bugarske, Turske,Iraka, Saudijske Arabije do sletanja u Abi Dhabi.
    Bice to nedeja oko oko 07.15, naravno po Sidnejskom vremenu. Vredi, premnogo vredi i ina ovaj virtuelan nacin
    podrzati ljude koji podizu "Beli Krin" iz pepela, figurativno
    govoreci. Ovo jeste neprimetan nacin, jer posle direktnog
    truda,je i jedini na koji se moze izraziti podrska, lojalnost
    dobra volja i zelja da svojim bliznjim i svima kojima vazduhoplovsvo i veliki rad lezi na srcu da se uspe.
    Ako nekom je nepozeljna ova poruka, mogu reci taff luck.
    Svakom i svima mir I dobrota. Za AIR SERBIA od GOSPODA Blagoslov molim za mirno nebo I pune kabine i kargo. SRECNO!!!
    Radovan Marinkovic, Aircraft Mechanical Engineer(ret.) Griffith Australia // Kraljevo Srbija

    ReplyDelete
  39. Contrails14:45

    I just hope the famous living Serb the first airplane will be named after will not be Novak Đoković. It would be too much, and they would have problems naming the second plane in the same manner.

    Dear EXYU, you are doing an excellent job. Keep up the good work. Apart from the minuscule number of traditional neysayers, the rest of us are aware you are doing the best you possibly can.

    BR from NS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about Tesla, Pupin, Vuk Karadzic etc etc.

      I would name one Vlade Divac.

      Delete
    2. This is in response ow you saying that they wouldn't be able to name second plane by anyone

      Delete
    3. Contrails15:17

      I was thinking in line, if you place the best tennis player we have on the first plane, which "the best, yet alive" we can place on the second one.

      There are many famous Serbs who could find their names on planes... fortunatelly some of them stil alive :) Tesla, Pupin, Andrić, Desanka Maksimović, Dragiša Brašovan, Milena Pavlović-Barili, Rade Šerbedžija, Roksanda Ilinčić... to name just the few.

      Delete
    4. Contrails15:29

      I would name planes after those dead and undisputed... like Tesla and Pupin. If we mix in alive people, any politicians (dead or alive) or anyone recently deceased, we could have a nightmare on our hands "Why Pera and not Mika?")

      The easy solution would be Cities, Rivers and Mountains. Better to be safe than sorry.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous01:57

      Which cities,rivers and mountains?
      they all are now in new countries that got cut out from Serbia.
      And those that are still not, will eventually be in
      Crovenia,Volvodania and Sundzuk,Kosovania.

      Delete
  40. Nikola15:09

    mislim da prvi avion treba da nosi ime Tadije Sondermajera. ipak je on prvi direktor Aeroputa i pionir civilnog avio saobraćaja

    ReplyDelete
  41. So far, I like everything. However, when it comes to dining options I am not sure what to say. It sounds like very heavy meaty meals and not something vegetarians and health conscious people would be looking forwarding to eating. I love burek but can't imagine myself having one for breakfast lol. Also, I would hesitate sitting next to someone eating cevapi or prebranac for lunch/dinner. There will be a lot of to smell on those flights for sure lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:19

      I think you did not read carefully enough, most of the meals in business class will be a la carte. Which means that they will be able to chose from a few dishes among which I am sure there will be some which are for vegetarians. Also, you mostly eat burek for breakfast.

      Delete
    2. Are those snicle and other meaty meals made of pork? I thought Etihad would not allow pork on any of the flights?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:40

      Most people in Ex Yu skip don't eat breakfast anyways :) I can't imagine having burek for breakfast either

      Delete
    4. BA88815:44

      @Sam

      LOL! Ever tried cevapcici with half lamb/half beef?

      (Much better than pork ones and...keeps Allah happy)

      Delete
    5. @ BA 888 Lol...that's funny. With all those meat options I am surprised they didn't include pig roast as well :) Regardless, I think Burek stays my favorite as long they dont serve it to me for breakfast :)

      Delete
  42. Anonymous15:19

    I am very enthusiastic about Air Serbia. But naming an aircraft after some LIVING Serb is too much for me. Let's not get pathetic.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous15:29

    Lord Jesus bless us all, I was afraid it would be Novak Djokovic. It would be too much, though I fear that would have killed his father...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:35

      lol +1

      Delete
    2. BA88815:51

      +1

      There is sooo many other importanit "georaphical" things in Serbia...

      Morava, Djerdap...Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac...Kopaonik....

      Heavens!

      Delete
    3. Actually it would be interesting to see how the superstitious passengers would react if they had to fly on a plane called: Djavolja varos. :)

      Delete
    4. BA88816:14

      LOL! OK...not all suitable but...isnt it more neutral?
      And as someone mentioned, what happens after (supposed) Djokovic. Which othe living Serb?

      (PS- What happened to cushions? They were pretty yesterday, now they are red and in C class only)

      Delete
    5. BA88816:17

      OK- more cushions on FB.

      Pheww!

      Delete
    6. I agree. Personally I think that it is a disaster to have it named after a living person.
      Actually, it might be Vesna Vulovic. They did say that they want to respect JAT/Jat's legacy.
      On the other hand, she did become famous thanks to a plane crash so I don't know. lol

      Delete
  44. Anonymous15:35

    I love the fact that they are going to name the aircraft. i think it gives a bit of a cashe. Most of talk in terms of tail signs but for a general population it's not something to remember.

    Now, living or not, I'm not sure. I don't see anything wrong either way. It would be cool to have Novak flight in the plane named after him. It would be good marketing, why not.

    This new mgmt. seem to thinking outside of the box on a lot of things so i wouldn't be surprised if something like that is done.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Anonymous15:38

    Wait! This is a joke, right? : http://www.airserbia.com/
    They've just changed the logo. No real redesign. This website looks cheap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:56

      Yup so cheap... They anounced it on their FB page as new web site. Unfortunately thats it. Just banner is changed.

      Delete
    2. Nikola20:46

      in fact, i don't find it big problem at all. original web site is very user friendly, with easy navigation, so i don't see why to change that

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:37

      Where's the online check-in feature? I think they would be the only airline in Europe not to offer it.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous22:32

      It should be introduced during November, not later than December. The same goes for the smartphone application. That's an official statement I got from AirSERBIA.

      Delete
  46. Regarding the aircraft name, don't celebrate too soon. While Kondic said that many other Serbs deserve such an honour, he did not say it won't be Novak Djokovic either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:58

      Kitsch...

      Delete
    2. Anonymous02:02

      Why everyone seems to have a problem with Djokovic?
      Stupid people...
      Better for sure than Mladic,Karadzic or Seselj.

      Delete
  47. BA88816:26

    For us mortals:

    Row 8- Extra leg room.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Anonymous16:31

    Let's summarize my impressions and thoughts as follows. Liked the idea of flying the aircraft around and promoting it together with MIGs. Like the promotion in the hangar. Great show! Like the new town office, however I don't get the point why EY is pushing this ( EY opened large office in BER recently too), since town office model is outlived. Uniforms OK, elegant, timeless, just missing the colour red somewhere. C/CL seats and colours just great. Well ahead competitors. Y seats seem OK, but colour is no-go. Concerning the meals, the choice is for me too "rural-oriental". Serbia is not just some strange village in the south. What about strudle, ruske salate, dobos tortice etc?.....So mixed feelings right now, however 7/10 for the time being.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:35

      The pursers will have a red scarf.

      Delete
    2. ° Well said!
      I agree on the light blue seat colour in economy...disgusting ugly!
      But in 2016 they get new planes.
      I hope for dark blue colour.
      Dark blue colour and white is the perfect combination.
      With only a slice of red.

      Delete
  49. To all participants. A confirmation that the there were technical difficulties and therefore the streaming link did not work. Large screens were put up at Air Serbia’s head office for employees to watch the conference live via the stream, however, they too were unable to see it. Therefore it was the fault of the organisers.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Anonymous17:38

    I'm confused. Here on mondo.rs it says:

    "U ekonomskoj klasi će, na primer, na letovima na srednjim linijama, koji su duži od tri sata, putnici moći da izaberu jedno od tri glavna jela i iPad sa zabavnim sadržajima"

    So do economy passengers have an iPad or not?

    ReplyDelete
  51. Ex-YU I hope you don't mind but I proposed to a Hungarian friend of mine to use you as a source (well, one of) for his article in a Hungarian travel magazine. A bit of free publicity in the north. :)

    http://www.turizmusonline.hu/kozlekedes/cikk/ma_startol_az_air_serbia

    ReplyDelete
  52. Anonymous17:52

    Management has created a new airline offering new products to new destinations. This is a thrill and something every Serbian citizen should be proud of. It's a step in the right direction for the country as a whole. Looking at the BIG picture, Air Serbia has the potential to be a very strong regional player through Etihad. Personally, I wish that the Serbian Government was not involved but I realise there was no way around this (at least for now). The first flight of a new era in Serbian aviation begins tomorrow. Best of luck to Air Serbia!

    ReplyDelete
  53. JetA118:15

    Flights to America won't be happening any time soon. The A4A lobby group is urging the US government to deny the code share application. Delta Airlines call the the idea "bizarre", "irrational" and not in US public interest.

    http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/10/23/codeshare-request-from-serbias-new-airline-met-with-us-eu-pushback/

    http://centreforaviation.com/news/delta-air-lines-asks-dot-to-reject-etihadair-serbia-codeshare-application-270929

    So now we will see who has the more powerful lobby group in the US. Air Serbia or Delta Airlines?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:14

      This is regards JU codesharing on EY's AUH-JFK flight. BEG-JFK, however far-fetched at this point, would not meet this kind of resistance.

      Delete
    2. Sale01:47

      JetA1, the real question is who has more dough (money) to persuade the DOT brass to accept their argument.... I think that EY will prevail in this case....

      Delete
    3. JetA102:44

      It is not always money, it looks like ALPA is going to be working with the Airlines to keep them out especially if it means American jobs.

      In case you haven't noticed Americans especially those in the aviation community don't really like Arabs and if they think that Air Serbia is a back door to the US market they will fight it and try to keep them out as long as possible.

      Delete
    4. Sale19:06

      Obviously you do not live in the US and do not know the power that money has on politicians.... No one listens to the will of the people....

      Delete
    5. JetA102:00

      Yes I agree with the power of money in politics but it is just as important who gives the money.

      Ask any Tea Partier if they would want to vote against Delta, American, United and support an Arab Airline? No way would they want to been seen taking money from Etihad and working against American interests. Remember racism among Republicans is just as important as lobby money.

      Delete
  54. Spale19:20

    Hold on, I thought everyone insisted that AirSERBIA's A319 will be offering mirrored Etihad products (just different colour scheme)?!?!
    As far as I know Etihad has screens in Economy class on their small Airbuses.
    Why AirSERBIA doesn't???
    Best product in Europe?
    What the hell happened?

    ReplyDelete
  55. Anonymous19:32

    NOVAK!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BA88820:17

      Can't wait for Nole to give me a ride. For hours...

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:01

      This is so trashy...

      Delete
    3. BA88821:21

      Pa...HAHAHAHAHA!

      B92: Među prisutnima prilikom otkrivanja imena aviona po jednoj od najvećih današnjih zvezda Srbije, trenutno drugog na međunarodnoj ATP listi i čoveka koji se smatra nacionalnom znamenitošću, bio je ujak poznatog tenisera Goran Đoković, koji je pružao svoju punu podršku svom bratancu u toku njegovog rasta i razvoja, od prvih teniskih koraka do samog vrha svetskog sporta.

      Delete
    4. Well, if you think about it, sports were always more appreciated than any form of intellectual work in this country. Sad but true.

      I still think they should have named Terminal 1: Novak Djokovic Sky Court. A plane is not enough.

      Delete
    5. BA88822:01

      Ah! Now you are talking!


      Delete
  56. Anonymous20:04

    EX-YU, are there maybe screens in economy? Something like this: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/zoomzoom/zoomzoom0906/zoomzoom090600044/5025800-interior-of-airplane-with-informational-screens-economy-class.jpg

    ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:33

      This is a standard on all Airbus A32x series so I assume that it will be on AirSerbia's A319 as well.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:37

      Not at all. That is an extra which we won't see.

      Example: W6 uses A320s without screens.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:34

      Neither does Lufthansa use them, so it's not standard (whereas Swiss and Austrian do have them)

      Delete
    4. As far as I know neither does Aeroflot.

      Delete
  57. Anonymous20:21

    I'm deeply disappointed... I was so thrilled and so happy about this "opening" and now... Aircraft is named Novak Djokovic (??!?!?!???!), Croatia has named airplanes by cities and region (Zagreb, Dalmacija, Istra).

    Second of all, where is IFE in economy?!?!?!
    Third, meals on board? Burek? Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!? What is this, a local bus?!

    Damn, I thought we will get much much more here in Serbia...

    ReplyDelete
  58. Anonymous21:10

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blog administrator why did you erase his comment? It was not offensive at all and it was actually quite funny.

      I am really disappointed with the choice of Novak Djokovic. It's not like we are a country that has a lack of famous people. Why not go for rivers? Monasteries? Mountains? Famous DEAD people? Argh..

      Seriously, I really hope they came up with something better for their next aircraft.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous22:39

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    3. Sale01:50

      I actually like the concept of naming the planes after famous live people rather then dead ones.... Flying in a plane with a dead person's name is not very marketable....

      Delete
  59. Dreamliner22:13

    I don't know what was that fuss about JU new economy class , does not look any better that was announce before , to be different than any other EU airline . The way how was said , looks like the airline will have IFE in Y class . Nothing from that ... One more reason for me to fly with Turkish Airlines .
    Just to add about the inflight food , nothing special , TK gives burek too , I flew IST - KUL and we were served with burek and some other stuff ...
    Anyway good luck to JU but it's not that what was announce before , simple Y class , looks neat and tidy cos never been used before , give few more months and will be ripped and things broken like in old JU .
    Maybe the way how employe represent the company will change , but the way how Sebs flying and braking things will not change . I feel sorry for " Novak" .

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous22:17

    Đoković je na letu sa Tesle ka Majci Terezi morao vanredno da sleti na Konstantina Velikog iz medicinskih razloga, pošto je jednom od putnika pozlilo zbog previše pojedenog jeftinog rodoljublja koji mu je serviran u obroku nacionalnog avio prevoznika.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Anonymous22:35

    Though there is a lot of bitching going on I would like to say one massive THANK YOU to EX-YU AVIATION NEWS. Without your updates we wouldn’t have known 95% of the things that went on today. None of the major Serbian aviation portals reported this event and there is only so much info you can get from television. Well done. You have truly outdone yourself in every way. Fantastic photos, reporting, inside information. I read somewhere on facebook you are a one man show which makes it even more amazing. Well done. Pozdrav iz Madrida.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BA88823:11

      Indeed. Good work, not just today but last few months

      (And keep us, whingers under control)

      Delete
    2. SuisseOuest00:22

      +1 (and let's hope Madrid gets on the JU destination list soon)

      Delete
  62. Anonymous22:43

    I just hope that "burek" will be the real burek as we eat it in belgrade and other serbian towns. not some sarajevo meat pie or something in that direction.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Anonymous22:50

    I can only imagine all gas problems after people eat that prebranac on the airplane lol

    ReplyDelete
  64. Anonymous22:53

    Did someone notice the big Wizz Air ads on B92? Coincidence? :)

    ReplyDelete
  65. Anonymous23:59

    I am a Macedonian and I don't get why you Serbs are so mad about Nole. It's your tennis player and in the time being the most globally known Serbian. Why do you hate him so much?
    As for Air Serbia - compared to JAT Airways is like a milky way distance. But compared to other foreign carriers flying to BEG actually nothing really different. No USP - Unique Selling Proposition. It remains again to be cheaper than competitors to lure passengers. If I had been JU I would have made sth. really different with the onboard product and thus charge a bit more. But however I wish them lots of luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Anonymous00:21

    I don"t know how on earth could it be profitable only in one year in a country where many many people live below poverty line, no money to spend on uneccessary things, or there is the no frills alternatives.. Wake up, it is a nice PR investment but nothing more. Of course you can say, that many travellers from the Far East, Middle East connect here, but they won't..why? The same with as Jat, without subsidy (now from Ethiad or whatever) it will end up as Jat or Malev..Sorry for saying this, no offence.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Anonymous00:54

    hahha

    They didn't even write it properly haha! It's either Novak Djokovic or Novak Đoković.

    Not Novak DJoković.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-Rd1IYaFWg/UmrQW6CAoqI/AAAAAAAAKYA/WTlZCtUlB1U/s400/IMAG0065.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous01:04

      Actually, foreign administration often writes "ć", but never "Đ". It's quit a proper english spelling.

      Delete
    2. Aэrologic08:26

      Actually not, it should be either Новак Ђоковић (on one side of the plane) and Novak Dyokovich on the other. Serbian "latin" and English have nothing to do together and can't be interchanged.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:11

      That´s not true. This issue is not about philosophy, it is about language practice. And it is a practice in foreign newspapers, especially after the 90s, to write ć (Milošević). But Đ is always written like a DJ, because most of the people were not even checking that Đ/đ is not a D/d. So it must bi Djokovic or Djković

      http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/youngest-djokovic-is-adjusting-to-life-as-a-pro/?_r=0

      Delete
  68. Anonymous01:23

    "Air Serbia's CEO Dane Kondić has confirmed that the second A319, which will arrive in Belgrade next week will be named Milica Mandić."

    Oh, come on! This Kondić character, however knowledgeable in aviation, is a typical member of romantic nationalist diaspora - everything Serbian must be so great.

    This girl has won one big international competition, and that's a great personal success for her, but really, tens of thousands of olympic medals have been handed out so far and you don't really become a worldwide celebrity after winning one. Who can honestly say they remember Aleksandra Ivošev?

    People are a bit disgruntled with Djoković for two things - first, his family is sometimes acting arrogant, and more importantly, you can't escape him anywhere. But hey, he IS known worldwide and that's great for (positive) image of Serbia, especially in the US, where they know about tennis. However, Milica is a mystery, I can't really see a reason for naming an aircraft after her. If only reason is recognition for doing something great, I can name at least 20 people who did more good for the country, arts and science.

    Finally, Y product is a big disappointment. They promised a premium product in comparison to other European carriers, and they delivered - in business class only. No IFE in Y is a big, big downside for me - especially after promising identical product as EY's. It is not something you expect on intra-Europe flight, but that's the very reason why JU might have been very successful. I would love to know the seat pitch - doesn't really look too comfy. These are the new super thin Recaros?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sale01:58

      Dear friend, if you do not know, Milica Mandic has been very successful in Taekwondo winning a number of medals for her country. That's why she will be enshrined in the Taekwondo Hall of fame during the 2013 ceremony in LAS. Also she won the first Olympic gold medal for independent Serbia in Taekwondo at the 2012 Summer Olympics.... And that's one for the history books.... So if you ask me, I think that this is a great decision of Air Serbia's management team.....

      Delete
    2. Anonymous02:27

      I know exactly who she is and what she did, and hence, my comment. Sorry to say, but taekwondo is not really a well known sport for one, which makes her completely unknown to every non-Serb, except for maybe a few taekwondo lovers.

      I'm sure she'll be remembered in her sport, but history books, don't push it - again, who is Aleksandra Ivošev? She did exactly the same thing!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous06:45

      ^ Again those arrogant kind of Serbs who think
      they have a "better education" and thus look down on Serbian sporters and musicians!
      Djokovic,Mandic and all the singers have done a lot to give Serbia a good reputation.
      Im Romanian and have studied Biology and Chemistry in Germany.
      That makes me not something better!
      I still enjoy football with a glass of beer and i like to laugh about Djokovics humor.
      I also love Serbian music!
      People should go through life without pointy noses.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13:07

      ^^ Sorry dude, I have to disapoint you so much. People in developed countries have to think about their families, rights, jobs, privicy.. they plan big and expensive holidays, search for new accomodition, bust in the bars and museums all around the world. The sports in the way the nationalist have used it and are using it for propaganda purposes in croatia or serbia, its totally unknown for the most western cultures.

      Just don´t live in some illusions. If anybody registers the name "Novak" of the aircraft it would be a reason for laugh, not a reason for respect. Not to mantion that the aircraft doesn´t even belong to JU:

      Delete
  69. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Anonymous02:29

    Those seats in economy, look like the Recaro seats, which are made in Poland and Germany. Not the most comfortable seats, but they are economical for the airline. After all the talk about Air Serbia, I was surprised to see that the web-site is just very plain. It just replaces the JAT airways with Air Serbia. They could have done a better job.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Anonymous02:45

    Oh oh...
    Economy is not the hit.
    The seat colour is a biting blue....ewwhh!
    Compare it to Etihads economy and you will see there are big differences.No IFE.
    120 seats in JU against 90 seats in EY on Airbus 319.
    I will NEVER fly them to Abu Dhabi .
    Abu Dhabi is for me thus Etihad only!
    I can not see how their economy wants to compete with every other bigger airline like Norwegian,Turkish,Lufthansa or Swiss?
    At least the uniforms are a hit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous03:05

      EY does have 90 in Y, but 16 in C, so it should be similar pitch if not the same as in EY. IFE is a miss, but hopefully they will have at least one a/c with IFE in Y for medium haul, such as AUH, and perhaps SVO and LHR.

      Delete
  72. Anonymous06:31

    What is with the seat colour...
    In some pictures its light blue(vomit!) and on others as well as the presentation its a darker blue(better),the same colour as the scarfes .

    ReplyDelete
  73. Anonymous10:19

    Come on,what is an ottoman empire leftover?
    Burek belongs to Serbia.
    Whats next?
    Probably Serbian women must also have only blond hair and blue eyes?
    The Serbia some people have in their mind has nothing to do with reality it seems...

    ReplyDelete
  74. Dejan Milinković10:21

    Here are a few photos from the yesterdays event - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5BQ5KlupgSRUVdoSU5YMTVuNFk&usp=sharing

    ReplyDelete
  75. Anonymous13:02

    many serbs lived in the ottoman empire for centuries, and have developed the same customs, kitchen... as greeks, turks, armenians... the burek is as serbian dish as it is bosnian, bulgarian, turkis or tunesian. not to mantion that recipies are different, and that mostly just the same word reminds on the previous same cultural theritory.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Anonymous14:59

    I don't like the idea of naming a/c with names of living people at all. They could attach stickers for upcoming events to cheer them up.
    I prefer to either name after historical persons like Nikola Tesla, Ivo Andric etc. or using names of mountains/rivers for smaller planes like Zlatibor, Fruska Gora, Kopaonik, Dunav, Morava....and cities for the bigger planes like Beograd, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac.....

    ReplyDelete
  77. Anonymous10:46

    Anonymous said...

    In my humble opinion, "Novak" should have been written there on the plane, not "Novak Djoković"

    Also, "Tesla", "Andrić", "Ivo Lola", etc

    BL1

    ReplyDelete

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