Belgrade - Pristina flights likely in 2016

Serbian government eyes Belgrade - Pristina service in 2016

Serbia is hoping to re-establish direct flights between Belgrade and Pristina for the first time in over seventeen years in 2016. Following talks with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Frederica Mogerini, yesterday, the Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vučić, said, "We will discuss this issue [Pristina flights] in Brussels but, hopefully, at lower level talks as well. We are particularly interested in the greater freedom of movement. We want our national airline to land at Pristina Airport. It would be wise that aircraft of one of the most successful companies in the region fly there". It is the second time in two weeks that the PM has called for swifter action in re-establishing services between the two cities, although the issue has been discussed throughout the year during EU-moderated reconciliation talks known as the Brussels Dialogue.

Last October, the Serbian government reached an agreement with its Kosovan counterpart to extend a free movement agreement, allowing Kosovan passport holders to transit through Belgrade Airport. During 2014, NATO reopened Kosovo's upper airspace for commercial jets. Airliners travelling between northern Europe and southeastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia no longer have to skirt Kosovo but fly straight over it. In addition, last week, NATO lifted restrictions for commercial aircraft to fly over a 25 kilometre zone, known as the Air Safety Zone, separating Serbia and Kosovo. Officials at Pristina Airport have said that, "Direct flights will give a good signal that our two nations are leaving the past behind, and looking for a better future”.

Kosovan media have stated it is “a matter of months” before Air Serbia launches services between Belgrade and Pristina. The Chairman of the Air Serbia Supervisory Board, Siniša Mali, noted late last year that the carrier aims to fly to all capital cities of the former Yugoslavia twice daily, including Pristina. It has previously been suggested that flights could initially be run by a foreign carrier, which would be granted rights to operate the route. Currently, the quickest way to fly between Belgrade and Pristina is via Vienna, with journey time of over three and a half hours. JAT Yugoslav Airlines was the last to operate commercial services between the two cities. Scheduled year-long flights between the two Belgrade and Pristina were first launched in mid-1965.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:10

    In my opinion these flights are a foregone conclusion. Not because I think it will be filled up with people but because it would be an important message and signal of reconciliation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:12

    If they want these flights to happen the best option (so all sides are comfortable) would be Etihad Regional Saab Geneva-Belgrade-Pristina-Belgrade-Geneva.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:21

      Incomparably better option would be AB DUS-BEG-PRN-BEG-DUS.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:28

      Yes, you are right, but I assume they would use an A319/A320, which might be too big for BEG-PRN leg.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:26

      Aviolet 737? Just a joke. I think every bird other than JU will be disapointment. It's right time and right place to do the job with PRN.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:17

    Good. I'm sure there would be some passengers who would connect through BEG (despite what people say, like they were saying when ZAG was launched)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Veoma vazna karika u mrezi Er Srbije. Tirana, Pristina i Skoplje su znacajni centri u buducem razvoju srednjih i prekomorskih destinacija Er Srbije. Svakako da Pristina po potencijalu je bar 30% veca od Skoplja i omogucava obostrano veoma solidan biznis. Nadajmo se da ce u ovo doba iduce godine, uveliko biti jutarnjih i posle podnevnih letova. U dubokoj sam very da bi bilo korisno da Er Srbija oformi malu cerku kompaniju sa avionima do 50 sedista. Na taj nacin bi se omogucio izbor u nacinu putovanja u ovom delu jugoistocne Evrope. Sigurno da svaki dan ima dovoljno putnika za punjene aviona do cetrdeset - pedeset mesta. Dali oni leteli izmedju Tirane i Skoplja, Beograda i Pristine, i povezuju se sa ostalim aerodromima sekundarnog nivoa, kao sto su Mostar, Nis, Banja Luka, Kraljevo, Vrsac, Podgorica, Tuzla, Osjek, Zadar... Tesko da bar jedan let dnevno nemoze da se puni iz ovih, ali i drugih aerodrome u okolnim drzavama. Politicka volja je presudna. Ako je ona pozitivna, onda je mogucnost i izbor putovanja izvestan. Zaista zapadni Balkan ima dovoljno aerodroma. Do sada nije imao nimalo dobre volje. Sada se radja nova sansa. Da bi se aktivirali mnogi aerodrome a ljudi imali izbor, potrebno je otvoriti mogucnosti. Kako u Pristini, tako i u svim pomenutim centrima. Mogucnosti postoje. Volja? Vreme ce uskoro pokazati. Rodney, Son & Co. LYKV✈SYD.
      U nadi za skore letove za Pristinu. Aviation for ever! ✈✈✈

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    2. Anonymous10:15

      I agree with Rodney. Tirana turned out to be quite successful. Pristina could too.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:17

      +1 Radovane hvala vam na jutarnjoj dozi optimizma!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:49

      Samo problem je sto ne postoje avioni u proizvodnji koji zadovoljavaju Radovanovu mastu. Znaci samo ATR ili Q400 a oni imaju po 70 putnika sto je skoro duplo vise od prevoza po malim aerodromima po Balkanu ostaje znaci WIZZ par puta nedeljno do evropskih centara.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:43

      Roki, ovo vam je jedan od boljih poruka. Jasno i to the point. Bravo.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:20

      Rodney bravo! Problem je sto je ASL pocela da se razvija u pogresnom smeru, najavila je prekookenske letove koji zaista nisu potrebni u ovom trenutku. Razvoj regionalnih linija bile bi daleko isplativije.. Mostar, Nis, Banja Luka, Kraljevo, Vrsac, Podgorica, Tuzla, Osjek, Zadar...sve si lepo rekao.. Tesko je za poverovati da linije poput BNX-VIE, NIE-VIE, OMO-ZRH, TGD-MUC isl. ne bi bile isplative.. Medjutim politika je cudo, a komercijalna ispativost nesto sasvim 7.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous15:16

      @12:20 Podgorica, Banja Luka?! Sta sa njima?! Osjek, Vršac?! Jel se šališ?! Kažeš, politika je čudo a isplatljivost nesto 7.. jel znas u koliko navrata je JAT, Montengro to pokusavao i sta se desavalo?! Jel stvarno mislis da se neko vec ne bi javio da je komercijalna isplatljivost tolika?!

      Delete
    8. Anonymous15:23

      Ama jedini posteni pridev za njih je "budaletine", a exYu samo neka brise. Vojni aerodromi se na silu pretvaraju u civilne. To moze da prodje u Nemackoj gde ih recimo FR ih vodi po gradovima i ostrvima Mediterana, u siromasnoj exYU nikako.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous15:34

      Kakvo bre Kraljevo, Vrsac, Mostar, Osijek... Imate primer Banja Luke u mrezi ASL pa se jasno vidi da takve linije ne mogu da zive bez dobrih dotacija.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous16:19

      @ AnonymousDecember 4, 2015 at 3:23 PM
      Slazem se.. medjutim se takodje slazem da nasim siromasnim ex-yu zmeljama netreba letovi za njujork!

      Delete
  4. Would that mean that the airplanes flying to PRN would now be able to use Serbian airspace, instead of avoiding Serbia and wasting so much fuel?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:27

      I think they can do that since last year. Or is it just for planes flying over Kosovo?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:52

      overflights only, arr/dep PRN via macedonia

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:01

      Last week the Serbian negotiator in those Brussels talks said they were prepared to talk about lower levels of airspace, which I assume is planes arriving into PRN. He also said how these flights should happen. So I think they will try and resolve that too soon.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:30

    Glavni ce biti transfer Albanaca na liniju za Njujork barem 10.000 ce ih putovati preko Beograda. Ostalo manje bitno.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:33

    Just realized that if they do start flying to PRN that would be all ex-Yu capitals covered. I wonder what's happening with those Zadar flights? They scolded Zadar Airport's CEO for even revealing they were talking with them.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:34

    Pfffffff... Svemirdon Airlines! - Brainless!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous12:11

    Meh... I will believe it when I see it. I am a bit disappointed with the whole JU project.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:19

      Me too. Just look at Aegean and how beautiful they are. It is an utter disgrace that JU did not copy their business model, their strategy, their fleet, their catering, their livery, their everything. Such a big opportunity has been missed there. Very frustrating.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:23

      Sarcasm?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:27

      Including their market, their islands, their tourism, .... shall I go on?

      Delete
    4. Nemjee16:03

      Just because an airline is based in a market with great potential doesn't mean it will be successful. Olympic (in all of its forms and shapes) was the best proof of that.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous12:40

    What about BEG-MBX?
    Is JU even considering that route? I think they should.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:55

      Naravno zele da se samoubiju.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous12:45

    what about WIZZ (WZZ4294)? turning rounds above Tuzla but very high

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:45

      Wizz plane has just landed at Banja Luka Airport. The miracle has finally happened.

      Delete
    2. No plane landed or took of yesterday from SJJ. It's probably the same in TZL

      Delete
  11. Anonymous14:23

    Bravo, tako treba.
    p.s. Najnovija fotka Zagreba. Breathtaking!

    www.imgur.com/Jxf37DX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:08

      Super ;) Samo da ne prokišnjava.

      Delete
    2. Nemjee15:21

      You mean like the freshly reconstructed C gates did at BEG? :P

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:51

      @Nemjee Ne, nego onaj u Dohi ;)

      Delete
    4. Anonymous19:11

      Prokisnjavao je i T3 u Dubaiju.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous23:59

      Na DXB je kisa stvarno veliki problem.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:33

      Mozda nama izgleda da nije ali kada neko ulozi toliki novac sigurno nije srecan kada vidi da konstrukcija prokisnjava i pri takvim padavinama. Drugo, klima se ubrazno menja a pljuskovi su sve češći i obilniji i u tom delu sveta.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous15:01

    Ja bi uz ovu liniju napravio jednu malu ekspanziju .
    AMM, IKA ,HEL,ODS i INN uz JFK naravno i to bi bio odlican uspeh.
    INN-NS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:21

      A cek a sta bi sa onim odredistima koje si svojevremeno predlagao? Ako se dobro secam bilo je nesto u Mongoliji i neka mesta sirom Afrike. Mislim da je realno da se to sprovede? :)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:17

      valjda vam je svima jasno da od USA nema nista ufn. to je dobro jer se otvara prostor za resavanje bitnijih problema koji ce ojacati ASL i doprineti njenom uspehu.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:09

      Ko je spominjao mongoliju niko ?
      Spominjao sam PVG-PEK-ICN-BKK a u Africi samo JNB i ADD.
      INN-NS

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:43

      sve pobrojano ukljucujuci JFK se nece ostvariti u 2016. godini !

      Delete
    5. Anonymous20:06

      Austrian Airlines launches Vienna-Havana services in 2016. Is JU going to respond?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous20:11

      They are also increasing Miami in summer!

      Delete
    7. Дечко Тзар23:31

      Anon @ 3:21

      USA flights are likely to happen in 2016. US DoT may use some technicality or additional delay or issue outside of Air Serbia influence to postpone it, but sooner or later approval seems to be inevitable. Time is actually on Air Serbia's side, as transparency of the process shows urgency on Air Serbia side. When DoT issued NOAT on Nov 17, Air Serbia responded very next day. It can't be argued that Air Serbia is holding back the process. From that point of view, announcement of New York flights was a step in the right direction. Air Serbia is now officially committed to their moonshot project, Etihad was there to support it, so the only way it won't happen in 2016 is if US does not allow it (yet).

      Delete
    8. Anonymous08:34

      No one said that JU was delaying the process as we all know that's not really possible once they submitted the paperwork to the Americans.

      Also, who are you kidding? This is not JU's project but one that was imposed on the airline by a certain politician in the country who desperately needs JU to make it through.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:22

      Management of Croatia Airlines also listed USA flights as long term goals. Your politician is someone who can impose those flights on both JU and OU if your theory is to be true. Another fact against your politician theory: previous government(s) also mentioned long haul as one of goals during multiple failed attempts to find investors for Jat. Politician might be using Air Serbia for his marketing but there is no evidence heimposed USA flights onto JU.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous16:26

      JU to respond to Austrian? Are you serious? Do you have an idea about the difference between the size of the 2 companies?

      Delete
  13. Anonymous15:33

    OT: maybe it has been written about it here

    MySky.ba starts flights from Tuzla to Vienna (oneways from 19€) using Montenegros Embraers. start is 21.12 ( which is in two weeks .... gosh)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous17:30

    Vucic Airlines. May be they have just to change the name :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous17:43

    OT AirSerbia has cancelled 5 flights this evening. All other flighs are going without disruption. Are their airplanes properly equipped for low visibility conditions ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:49

      ATRs and some Boeings do not have the equipment to use the CATIII system. There is dense fog in Belgrade since around 3pm

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:00

      Yeah, but OS Q400 has landed and it seems that YM F100 is going to land as well.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:27

      Correct Anon 6:00
      OS operates as normal with their Q400s.
      Are Aviolet's 737s realy that old that can not use safely the CATIII system?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:43

      Puno sletanja na INI: http://nis-airport.com/letovi/dolasci/

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:48

      OS je danas bio prebukiran sa A320 preko 140 pax

      Delete
    6. Anonymous19:05

      INN, jel znas sta znaci izraz prebukiran?!

      Delete
    7. Anonymous19:34

      Was it necessary for Air Serbia to cancel as many as six flights in the evening (Prague, Podgorica, Beirut, Zagreb, Ljubljana and Vienna) ? Don't they have spare Boeings to step in ?

      Delete
    8. Anonymous19:39

      they do not have so many planes equipped/licensed for flying in foggy conditions.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous21:18

      Seems like TIA and SKP were upgraded to an A319 so they won't have to be cancelled tonight.

      Delete
  16. Posle mojeg jutrosnjeg komentara o pozeljnosti razvoja intra saobracaja na zapadnom (a i celom) Balkanu, dodajem da postoji veci izbor turbopropa izmedju 20 i 40 sedista. naprimer ATR 42, Pilatus, Jetstream J31..., Sab 50, ... Sto se tice jednog od komentatora na ovom blogu sa primedbom da nije u Srbiji pogodno da vojni aerodromi budu konverzovani u civilno vojni, pa to je smesno... ''Veliki tata je skocio sa sprata'', vreme J B tita is over. U svetu na stotine civilno vojnih aerodroma su aktivni. Velikih i malih. Na mnoge sam sletao. A po nekima vezanih za proslost nemogu da shvate da potrebno prakticno svaku infrastrukturu je potrebno koristiti da bi se novac zaradjivao na njima. A ne samo da isisavaju novac poreskih obaveznika... To se u svetu praktikuje mnogo, mnogo godina. Srbija ce uskoro poceti. Bolje ikad, nego nikad. Nadam se da konverziju aerodroma nece spreciti neki od moje sabrace sa ovog bloga. Volja politicara, strategija, dozvola ovakve vrste saobracaja, najmanje zavisi od mene.
    Tople pozdrave u blagom decembru, sa zeljom da se za tri sedmice od strane Vlade Srbije sluzbeno objavi da je Aerodrom Morava Kraljevo postao civilno✈vojni. Sve za Civilnu Avijaciju. Civilnu Avijaciju ni zasta✈. Rodney ✈ Friend's. Kraljevo✈Sydney.

    ReplyDelete

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