<center>No break for Niš</center>

GLOBAL AVIATION NEWS

Airbus terminates Qatar order

Airbus has raised the stakes in a dispute with major customer Qatar Airways over grounded and undelivered A350 jets by announcing it had revoked a separate contract for 50 smaller A321neo jets the airline plans to use for new routes. The move widens a dispute that moved closer towards a rare courtroom clash, with a procedural hearing over Qatar's claim for more than $600 million in compensation over A350 flaws pencilled in for the week of April 26 in London. Airbus revealed it was walking away from the contract for A321neos in skeletal arguments presented during a scheduling session over the A350 dispute at a division of Britain's High Court. "We confirm we did terminate the contract for 50 A321s with Qatar Airways in accordance with our rights", an Airbus spokesman said following a filing setting out provisional arguments. Qatar Airways is expected to fight the A321neo contract's termination, having said it plans to take delivery of the jets even though it is refusing to take more A350s until a dispute over surface erosion on the larger planes has been resolved. The airline said in a court filing that it was "working through the practical consequences" of the A321 decision, adding that Airbus was not entitled to declare a "cross-default" on the basis of Qatar's refusal to take more A350s in the main dispute. Qatar Airways had no immediate comment on the A321neo contract, which has its roots in an order 10 years ago worth $4.6 billion at list prices, originally for a smaller version. Qatar Airways has said the A321s will help it launch flights to new markets where there is currently not enough demand for larger aircraft, but which are out of reach of smaller A320s. Qatar's first A321neo is due to be delivered in February 2023, according to the airline filing. Industry experts say the hot-selling model can easily be resold, in contrast with a drop in demand for big jets like the A350, worsened by the pandemic.

No break for Niš

The good old days at Niš Airport

The fairy tale ended before it even started. A month ago the optimistic CEO of Niš Constantine the Great Airport in Serbia announced the arrival of many new airlines which would see the revival of the airport as Serbia began applying the European Union’s open sky policy. Montenegro Airlines announced flights from Niš to Zurich while the Swedish MCA Airlines announced flights from Stockholm.

However, nether of the two airlines are set to begin services from Niš. The Swiss authorities have refused to issue Montenegro Airlines an operating license for all flights from Niš. Although Montenegro Airlines still hopes there is a possibility for the flights to begin, it is highly unlikely. The Montenegrin carrier will, as a result, also ditch the planned Podgorica to Niš service. There is even more bad news. The Swedish based MCA Airlines declared bankruptcy on November 11 and has ceased all operations. Its planned 3 weekly service to Niš was supposed to commence in mid December.

The management of the airport has not commented about these losses. Last month the airport’s CEO announced that the Italian based Windjet would commence services from Bologna some time in the near future although no firm dates were given and the airline has not released any information regarding possible flights to Niš.

Until further notice, Niš will be left without any flights and passengers. Serbia’s Jat Airways cancelled its only service from Niš (to Zurich) at the start of the winter season sighting low profitability.

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Anonymous07:36
I da li je neko mislio nesto drugacije....
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