CEO: Start of a new chapter for Air Serbia

Air Serbia to enhance network and services as US permit process advances

Air Serbia's CEO, Dane Kondić, has said 2016 will bring new developments to the airline, labelling the excitement around its planned flights to New York as "incredible". In his monthly address, published in the "Elevate" magazine, Mr Kondić said, "January is the start of a new chapter for Air Serbia and we have big plans for the next twelve months. Our goal in 2016 is to improve the Air Serbia travel experience for our guests by enhancing our network, products and services". He adds, "First off, in June, a short five months away, we are going to launch our first long haul service between Belgrade and New York, reconnecting the Balkan region with the United States and its sizable diaspora after a break of 24 years. The excitement surrounding this is incredible and continues to grow. In addition, we are widening our network with new codeshare services. As a leading regional airline, we believe that staying at the forefront of aviation technology is crucial if we are to offer a best-in-class experience".

Regarding its service to New York, the United States Department of Transportation (DoT) has tentatively concluded that it is in the public interest for Air Serbia to be issued a foreign air carrier permit to engage in: "scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail from points behind the Republic of Serbia, via Serbia and intermediate points to a point or points in the United States and beyond", as well as scheduled all-cargo and passenger charter flights to and beyond the United States. This latest conclusion, issued late last month and the second on the matter in December, is provisional and any interested party has until this Friday to show cause why the tentative decision should not be made final. The DoT's ruling will give way for the implementation of a codeshare agreement between Air Berlin and Air Serbia, allowing the latter to place its flight numbers and designator code onto Air Berlin's services from Germany to New York, Chicago and Miami. Furthermore, it builds upon the Serbian airline's request to operate flights to New York with its own metal. Air Serbia must still complete the FAA 129 certification in order to operate services to the States with its own aircraft. The process, which is underway and concerns Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as well, is expected to be completed in February.

In its findings, the DoT says, "In particular, we tentatively find that grant of this authority is in the public interest; that the applicant demonstrated, based on the record, that it is financially and operationally qualified to perform the services authorised, and that the applicant is effectively controlled by citizens of its claimed homeland". It adds, "To the extent that a question may exist as to the ownership of the applicant, we find that a waiver is warranted in the circumstances presented. The carrier is properly licensed by the Government of Serbia to perform the proposed services, and there is no evidence on the record which would suggest that the ownership of Air Serbia would be inimical to US aviation policy or interests". If timely and properly supported objections are filed, the regulator will give further consideration to the matters and issues raised by the objections before it takes further action. In the event no objections are filed, all further procedural steps shall be deemed waived, and the Department will enter an order which will make final its tentative findings and conclusions.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:08

    I'm hoping for more new routes.

    Great to read about US decision.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:20

      Great indeed, but we will now read some 100 comments saying how this guy will be replaced any day, how ASL is a doomed project run by idiots, how the fleet is too small, how there are no new frequencies, how LF is low, how prices are high, how BUD and WAW routes underperform, how the best and most capable employees have resigned, how any aviation news is bad news for ASL, and of course how Aegean is such a perfect example of how any airline in the world should operate.

      Even better, tomorrow admin will post some news on JP, YM, OU... and we will again read 100 posts on how ASL is such a terrible airline with terrible connections, terrible prices, terrible fleet, terrible network and terrible management. In fact, we will be reading these 100 comments every day and regardless of what is the topic.

      If another airline in the region purchased 30 A380s and established a global hub with limitless budget, that news would again be commented with 100 reminders on how terrible and hopeless ASL is.

      Balkan mentality at its best.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:25

      Down with reality!
      If it doesn't fit our fairy tale it must be a lie.
      You either praise everything a company does or you are a hater.

      Balkan mentality at its best indeed.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:26

      Couldn't agree more

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:27

      Except you people praise nothing

      Delete
    5. Yu say all. Just to aid. Love to fly on A332. AIR SERBIA is big hope of Serbian citizens and to people of good will. Head up. New spring is on the way! Er Srbijo, volimte. Prosto, jednostavno. ✈😊☀✴+🎂😊

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:35

      Not exactly, Anon 9:25.

      The difference between you and me is that I observe ASL. I follow the news, check what is going on, take all available information and simply let this thing be. Maybe it succeeds, maybe it fails, I have no reason to be emotional about it. Except that I generally wish it to succeed just as I wish it to all other carriers in this region. Because it is good for the region and all of us who live there.

      You, on the other hand, fight your private war against this airline and your enemies whom you see behind the airline. This is a 24/7/365 war that never ends and must be brought to all visitors of this blog - whether they want to be part of it or not.

      That is the mentality I was referring to. Bombing other innocent humans with your personal obsessions.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:40

      Still, at the end of the day the results speak for themselves. Air Serbia has been stagnating and it's not as if they've been aggressively expanding, especially when compared to other European airlines.
      JU is no longer Jat, it is no longer a local airline. It is an airline with a hub and as such it has to be compared with its competitors.

      It's not my problem you have an issue with it.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:46

      @Anon 9:35
      Oh get off your high horse kid.
      Stop fighting windmills thinking that they are giants. It is called "persecution complex" what you have.
      You are unable to see reality, leave in a fantasy world and try to invent outside enemies for your inside problems.!
      There is no conspiracy, just people freely expressing their opinions about management's bad decisions.
      Deal with it!

      Delete
    9. Anonymous09:46

      Even if they stagnated, so what? Will the universe implode? Will the air traffic over the Balkans disappear? What is so sensational in JU's numbers (positive or negative) that you and your friends wait so impatiently for any slightest sign of stagnation or slow growth so that you can celebrate it on this blog day after day? And I mean literally day after day. What makes ASL's monthly statistics or random daily LF numbers such a soulfood for you guys? I would really like to figure it out...

      Delete
    10. Anonymous09:51

      AnonymousJanuary 4, 2016 at 9:46 AM

      +1

      Delete
    11. Anonymous09:53

      Anon 09.46

      Because we are constantly reminded by JU top management that the airline is the best and most high tech in some region. So when they stop bragging and spreading lies we will stop pointing out the facts. :)

      It's a two way street bro.

      Or maybe you would prefer us to sit here and applaud Mr Kondic, Mali and Vucic for the exceptional work they have been doing. rofl

      Delete
    12. Tri kapitalna ostvarenja u razvoju komercijalne avijacije Srbije u 2016- oj godini. 1.Pocetak interkontinentalnog saobracaja Er Srbije
      2. Gradnja produzetka Terminala 2. Potpisivanje partnerstva sa buducim investitorom u Nikolu Teslu...
      3. Dogradnja i definitivno otvaranje Kraljevacke ✈MORAVE✈.
      Ko ima bolje pozitivne vesti za realnost neka se javi. Svima pozdrav i radosni dolazeci praznici. Putnicko vazduhoplovstvo jest ''crveno slovo'' u kalendaru onih koji ne mrze. Ostalim neka je Bog u pomoci. Naravno ukoliko ih ima.?.
      Rodney. Qantasville II Srbija. ✈😊😇🌏☀✴😊

      Delete
    13. Anonymous10:09

      Anon 9:53,

      No you are not supposed to applaud anything. Yet, your daily mission on exposing JU's management as liars is on the opposite extreme of applauding them.

      So an airline is branding itself the best and most advanced in a certain geography? And it is not 100% in line with what's happening on the ground? Wow, what a shock! What a sin! What immorality! Can you imagine any company doing this? We need to alert the whole world on this unprecedented scandal! And we have to do it every day so the world does not think about anything else except what a huge liar the CEO of ASL is.

      Scary stuff man...

      Delete
    14. Anonymous10:18

      Of course its scarry! Let them define first what their region is, then they can brag about this and that. But they know they can't say the Balkans because they would be then third or even fourth best airlines and thats big no no

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:47

    I would like to know once for ever what this "region" really meams? Once it is spoken about Balkan once about region...woud be nice to copare aplles 2 aplles. Balkan peninsula stratchec over ex yu to RO, BG,AL,GR, TR...so?
    As said befor US and Balkans will be connected after 24 years..Balkan is already connwcted by GR and TR...someone should take a course of geography

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:49

      Even PRN and TIA used to be connected through Skanderbeg Air.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:52

      Delta used to fly to Bucharest too.
      He probably meant Serbia but his delusions of grander makes him think that he is representing all the Balkan countries...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:59

      Don't you think it perhaps does not matter too much how different CEOs see Balkans? Sometimes it's exYU, sometimes with Turkey and Greece, sometimes without Turkey and Greece, he may mean a year-round service instead of a seasonal route, plus it's an empty phrase anyway. What matters is the walk, not the talk. Should we really spend the whole day here debating on what the Balkans means geographically? I mean event the geography graduates have problems defining it... So how about we switch to the substance of this news (ASL's plans for 2016) , not the form?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:03

      So we are just supposed to disregard their nonsense? He is supposed to know better.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:11

      Actually yes, just try disregarding it and focusing on what really matters.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:47

    Why so silent about the US permit? People here were claiming they would never get it because the rift between gulf airlunes and the US.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:54

      Don't worry. He will move onto something else.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:55

      The US permit was supposed to be given (according to Vucic at least) in early November.
      Now it is hopefully February!!!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:56

      lol see he never gets tired :D

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:56

      The boss said "June, a short five months away" is when flights begin.
      When will he start selling tickets?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:58

      Take a break man. It's not even 10am. You have the entire day ahead of you.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:04

      What if he is writing from Australia or the US of A?

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:08

      If you are you are you are equally as sad.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous10:12

    Happy New Year all you people who make the comments on this excellent site impossible to read. Get a life folks. Get your kicks from trolling one of the thousands of sites and blogs that are rubbish anyway. I know this comment will make no difference and you will go on with your negative agressive pathetic comments anyway. But it makes me feel better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10:12

    I have some bad news for trolls on sourcing out those 300-400 euro tickets to Us from Serbia. The fixed price is 950 euros during June-Sep. I hope you will rest your case and stop recycling the propaganda.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:19

      Brilliant news! When are going to be able to book a ticket?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:20

      28 January.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:24

      The permission from the US is coming sometime in February, that is what Dane said.
      How are you gonna sell tickets from January?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:26

      Where did Dane say that?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:27

      I don't think so, I think they will be around €600

      Delete
    6. 950 euros on JFK-BEG is actually quite reasonable for the summer season. Most airlines including Swiss, Lufty, Air France, Delta, etc are hovering around $1300-1400.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:28

      And why am I not surprised that you asked the question just to keep on arguing. No use even writing. Better leave you alone and your 50 daily comments on Air Serbia. Have a great day. This one is yours.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:32

      10:24,

      "Very easy" is your answer. You load the flights in the system, you sell the tickets. The system does not require that the final DoT permit is already there nor that Kondić passes the exam in the geographical boundaries of the Balkan peninsula.

      So as you can see - it is quite easy :)

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:36

      There is no exam to pass when it comes to geographical boundaries of the Balkans, it's called general knowledge. ;)

      Delete
    10. imaginary ticket prices13:41

      950 euro would be suicidal even in the summer, this is common knowledge not trolling. Right now I can find ickets in June and July for 540 euros. Anything above 700 is just a rip off for NYC which has generally cheap fares. The guy who said it will be fixed is a troll since tickets are never fixed, plus go to any site which sells tickets (not the actual airline site) and tell me the cheapest business class ticket in June. I found for 1100 euros, so lol at that 950 euro number.

      Delete
    11. imaginary ticket prices13:46

      I meant premium economy, not business class in the above post

      Delete
    12. Anonymous13:54

      You have to realise that not everyone is a cheapskate booking flights 6-7 months in advance - most people can't even confirm their vacation dates that far in advance. So come back in April and tell me if you can book Y tickets in June for 550 EUR.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous16:00

      if you keep an eye open you can find tickets cheaper than 950 euros even 2-3 weeks before the flight in July from any destination. By "keeping an eye open" I mean going to a number of booking websites and checking them at least 3 times daily! Regardless, I dont know anybody who would pay that much for cattle class, and the number of the ticket price just came from someones ...(you know what).

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10:26

    I was reffering the tickets sold via EU hubs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:30

      Huh? I just found on lh.com, BEG-JFK, 23.06 to 30.01 for 50,030 RSD which comes out to be €420. Pretty much the same price as BEG-BEY. lol

      Delete
  7. Anonymous10:55

    OS is coming to Belgrade with E195 today in the afteroon. Is this the first time ever ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nemjee11:12

      I think it is. If I remember correctly it was reported in the News Flash section that OS will be sending it from today a few times per week and that eventually it will become daily.

      I think it's a great replacement for the rather old Fokker 100s.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:01

      OS was already on the MBX with their E195 and nobody made a comment on this matter.

      Haplek

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:03

      OS does not operate scheduled flights to MBX so that's probably why no one made a comment.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13:04

      It seems INI had a chance to host a Superjet today. This is also a nice event.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous13:19

      Pardon, yesterday not today.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous14:35

      OS was training their pilots for ERJ195 on MBX for several hours. Thats something, isn't it?

      Haplek

      Delete
    7. Anonymous14:36

      OS was training their pilots for ERJ195 at MBX for hours some days ago... Thats something, right?

      Haplek

      Delete
  8. Nemjee12:13

    By the way, seems like Air Serbia is responding to Lot's return in the best possible way, by matching their fares.
    I am supposed to fly to Poland next week and both JU and LO are around 16.500 RSD or €135. Mind you, these are the two day trips which are usually more expensive.

    I don't recall the fares ever being so low!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:33

      Lets hope you dont end up flying on Aviolet :D

      Delete
  9. Anonymous12:19

    I still insist that neighbouring cities need more frequencies to/from BEG. The ideal would be 2 daily flights to cities such as TIA, SOF, SJJ in order to assure almost full network coverage. The sole problem is the lack of aircraft obviously. We will need to wait for the new A320s in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous13:31

    It's time to back to Budapest. There is no direct flight to US from there.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous13:45

    OT In December JU transported 147.500 PAX, LF slightly less than 61%.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:13

      Correct Anon 1:45.
      Also December 2015 JU passenger numbers were 14% down compared with December 2014.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:34

      Correct Anon 2:13.
      Also overall 2015 (12 months) JU passenger numbers were 14% up compared with 2014.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:09

      14% down
      LF poor 61%
      So reductions in routes and frequencies did not help to make LF better. In same time it was very bed idea for connection passengers and motivation for them to use some other airliner.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:31

      What should be reason?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:47

      Very expensive ticket prices to and from BEG.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:55

      Not true, you can see from Nemjee that he only paid €135 to WAW!

      Delete
    7. ^transfer tickets have went up in price actually. Before ASL was always the cheapest option to Western European destinations from Istanbul, Beirut, Tel Aviv, etc., but now Ukraine International and Aegean are in that position. What I have noticed is that LH and the gang have also reduced prices to a number of destinations in Middle East and Eastern Europe also.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous16:41

      Correct Anon 2:34 pm.
      Also overall 2015 (12 months) JU passenger numbers were 10,5% (and not 14%) up compared with 2014.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous17:19

      I stand corrected, thank you.

      Delete
    10. Aэrologic00:39

      Ukraine International currently offering Kiev-Athens for 50$.

      Delete
    11. Aэrologic01:10

      In other news, UIA announced Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as their top priority destinations in the future. Those who read my earlier post about 95% of pax from Prague to Kiev being transit understand what this means. How come Air Serbia ignores any market that is East of Istanbul? Also, Mahan Air just announced two weekly to Kiev from February and Turkish just recently opened Zaporozhie (1 million city in the East of Ukraine) making it their 7th destination in the country but Air Serbia can't make it with one ATR to Odessa or Lvov especially when opening North American flights?

      Delete
  12. OT: It seems that JU and AC interline agreement worked out well last year and is on for another year. I just received an email from a travel agent in which they are offering summer flights via ATH, AMS, COP, FRA, CDG etc. No word of the price but last year they were around 1100CAD for the summer season.

    It might also be the sign of a future relationship when and if JU starts flying to YYZ and or YUL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:17

      Air Serbia has some 100 interline agreements including Delta Air Lines. It doesn't mean taht they will be working in the future.

      Delete
    2. Yes, but that's the only one they have in Canada and if they ever decide to fly here and need a local feed partner it's much easier to cooperate with someone you already have a relationship with, knows you well etc.

      Also, I'm clearly speculating (hint: word MIGHT in the last sentence) so take it easy and stop putting words in my mouth

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:27

      Yeah and I am saying that if there is a need they can create an interline with Westjet or any other partner. Interline agreements are the most basic aviation deals. Now, if they were code-sharing then it might be a bit different.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous18:34

    OT: Split Airport

    December:
    2014. 32107
    2015. 28652

    Total:
    2014. 1752657
    2015. 1955400

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous00:06

      Why did SPU see a decline in December?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous00:15

      Because it sometimes happens in the industry. Luckily for our Croatian friends they don't have 'aviation portals' that will now rush do blame the evil OU for this decline. They live in a serious country, our prerogative is still to see someone's cow dying.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:27

      If you don't have anything smart to write, why write anything at all?

      Delete
  14. Anonymous22:47

    Air Serbia's safety rating is 6 stars. Which is the best result in Ex-Yu together with Croatian. But still worse than Tarom, Bulgaria Air.

    http://www.airlineratings.com/safety_rating_per_airline.php

    ReplyDelete

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