Air Serbia is considering the possibility of introducing additional long haul flights and is analysing potential destinations. According to the carrier's Chairman, Siniša Mali, the airline is eyeing points in North America. "We are considering flights to Canada, Chicago and some other destinations. We are undertaking analysis but no decision has been made. However, it is certainly a logical continuation for Air Serbia's future development. When you have one wide body aircraft, then you open up the possibility to have another one", Mr Mali said. He added, "Of course we are thinking of moving forward with our partner Etihad Airways, but I do not want to make any presumptions. When we make a concrete decision and see how this route [New York] performs financially, we will announce our plans".
The Serbian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, said, "The government is working on and negotiating for the establishment of flights to Chicago, and, I hope, services to Canada as well". Earlier this year, the Vice Chairman of Air Serbia and the President and CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group, James Hogan, said the Serbian carrier could expand in North America in the future. "We have already considered flights to Chicago and Toronto and these services could be introduced in two to three years. First off, the New York route must become functional. We don't want to make a decision that would set Air Serbia back", Mr Hogan said at the time. Air Serbia's CEO, Dane Kondić, said the carrier chose New York over Chicago as its first long haul destination because it wanted to maximise profits and could attract more passengers, rather than predominantly ethnic traffic.
In order for the airline to add additional long haul flights, it will have to obtain more wide body jets. Mr Mali previously noted that a second Airbus A330 could join the fleet by the end of the year. Last week, he said, "If we managed to get an A330, there is no reason why we couldn't get hold of another two or three, but we will see when the time comes". Last November, during Air Serbia's press conference dedicated to its ambition to introduce flights to New York, Serbia's Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vučić, said that the Chinese capital, Beijing, would likely become the airline's next long haul destination.
Comments
BEG is closer to YYZ than to ORD, with less airport congestion in YYZ than ORD = easier to fit in a 24 hour window
Partner with Air Canada or Westjet for additional feed across Canada
Expand regional connectivity and frequency for better ethnic coverage, this will benefit JFK and ORD as well.
Start with 2x-3x weekly services if not confident about demand. Can be mixed with 2x-3x weekly ORD service so both YYZ and ORD can be flown by a second A330. Or add a 3rd A330, bump up JFK to daily if possible and serve both ORD and YYZ 4x-5x a week.
Air Transat is adding ZAG frequency for 2017, a sign that YYZ demand is healthy in the region
Ask majority owner to work with Canada as diligently as with China to boost investments, trade and tourism and increase business travel and cargo demand as a result
Ask Canada to allow EY BEG-YYZ codeshare for AUH-BEG-YYZ tickets similar to what was approved for JFK. However unlike JFK, EY is serving YYZ only 3 times per week as it shares rights with EK, so JU could get AUH feed on days EY does not serve YYZ.
Failing to seize the opportunity and start BEG-YYZ might invite competitors to start first.
If everything else fails, start seasonal service only.
Not to mention that if a ticket is bought online - and the server is located in the US - then it counts as a ticket purchased in the US although the customer may have been in Romania or anywhere else.
Sorry but your "750 tickets per country" allocation makes absolutely zero sense - even as an assumption.
Austrian is now on their third attempt to make Chicago work for them, with their significant Eastern European feed they have.
It is not true that server located in USA is counted as USA sold ticket. Don't speak total nonsense!
'Entire morning wave' includes TGD, LJU, ZAG, OTP, TIV and ATH. On days when JU501 lands at 10:30 comfortable connections are ATH, DBV, SOF, SKG, SKP, TGD, SPU and SJJ.
It could be better but it's not bad either.
JU wants to add a second daily service to SJJ during the midnight wave however SJJ refuses to remain open during the night. SJJ could go well in the morning wave, even as a split morning and afternoon, however the problem is the shortage of ATR's
I think ZAG and LJU are growing and its too early to put a 3rd daily. It would be too reliant on O&D.
2 A330 mogao bi da leti 3 pw ORD i 2 pw YYZ.
3 A330 mogao bi da leti 2 pw LAX i 3 pw PEK.
INN-NS
Can they work around it to comply with SJJ working hours. Could they make one afternoon rotation, and/or add one that would be the last inbound flight to SJJ of the day and the first one out in the morning? What are the opening hours of SJJ airport ground services anyway. VIP louges operate from 05:00-22:00, so the ATR flight departing at 05:30 would be theoretically possible.
Point is that every time i travel there is about 30-40 other passangers on my flight from YYZ that will connect to BEG.
There is a demand and everyone ia hoping for YYZ-BEG
A sto se tice Minhena, on je sa razlogom izglasan kao najbolji aerodrom u Evropi. A interesantno je da se bunis sto nema nista sem skupih radnji kada na beogradskom aerodromu imas samo jedan duty free shop gde su prenaduvane cene (300% uvecane).
Last arrival at SJJ right now is from Zag at 1050. I guess 10pm departure from BEG is still too early to connect from the last wave?
Ima par onih dugackih, ali one su uglavnom zauzete i NEMA ih dovoljno. Znaci sedista sa naslonima za ruke ili prevelikim razmacima sedista nisu dobra.
Yes, unfortunately it would still be too early if it departed at 22.00. The earliest logical departurewould be at 23.40, that is at the same time as BEY.
Personally I find this curfew idiotic. I am sure JU is not the only airline that would introduce night flights.
According to the SJJ website, the airport opens from 0600 to 2300, with check in opening from 0500.
Departing at 0600 would mean a 0655 arrival, meaning that flight would lose most of the connections.
One way around this could be having:
JU110 BEG SJJ 0900 0955 4 p/w
JU111 SJJ BEG 1030 1125 4 p/w
This opens up JFK on Fridays and Saturdays, as well some regional connections such as IST, SOF, OTP, ATH, SKG, TIA, SKP.
JU114 BEG SJJ 1830 1925 3 p/w
JU115 SJJ BEG 2100 2155 3 p/w
This opens up more connections to AUH, SVO, BEY, LCA, SKG, SKP, ATH.
Problem is, there is no available ATR for this. SJJ could do with a second daily. JU has a chronic shortage for the past couple of years on regional aircraft. I'm hoping this experimentation of regional jets will help JU decide on a type and double the regional ac in the fleet.
CSA didn't launch SJJ due to the night curfew.
http://www.exyuaviation.com/2016/03/czech-airlines-cancels-planned-sarajevo.html
I remember when JA flew to BEG, they scheduled the flights as 45 minutes. If JU can do the same and then offer 25 minute connections (like MUC and WAW do) then SJJ could connect to MXP, HAM, TXL, ZRH, JFK and LJU.
These should be enough to fill an Atr.
By 2011 Canadian Census:
English 333,220 12.9
Chinese 308,690 12.0
Canadian 291,665 11.3
Irish 250,460 9.7
Scottish 245,545 9.5
East Indian 195,590 7.6
Italian 177,065 6.9
Filipino 140,420 5.5
German 119,030 4.6
French 115,300 4.5
Polish 98,315 3.8
Portuguese 93,050 3.6
Jamaican 81,380 3.2
Jewish 78,860 3.1
Ukrainian 64,875 2.5
Russian 62,850 2.4
So, even if 50% of Croats, Serbs, Montenegrin etc. would not declare themselves as member of those nations (for any reason), that should be seen in this table.
flying time is roughly 20-30 mins depending on the ac used. 45 min block time is doable but is tight.
I wonder what JU's quickest transfer is. I have seen ASGS staff wait for flights in BEG with boards for connecting pax.
Well, as far as the shortest connecting time goes, I think there are some exceptions (ARN onto BEY) but it's never under than 40 minutes.
Only CDG, ARN and FRA managed to take off while PUY ended up in BUD with OS from VIE. TK was circling over Romania and is now returning to IST.
But this is one occasion where someone from supervisory board is very visible in company's day to day operations, which is strange to say the least.
In real life its short a min of 1500 nm. This discussion is pointless.
2) Such route defeats the purpose of the EY alliance as it bypasses AUH.
3) An A330 doing such route needs to be fitted with crew rest compartments, which in the A330 eats into cargo space.
4) I don't think the A330 has the range for such a flight, especially back to BEG.
Flying via AUH could mean EY drops its frequencies to PER, using its limited slots for other cities. But I see this more happening with AZ. Such a route would also mean a change of crew in AUH and PER, requiring 4 sets of crew for the trip.
@ anonymous 10,29pm
AUH is struggling with current capacity, and pax missing flights is not uncommon as AUH struggles to process them in timely manner. That will only get worse until Mid Field Terminal is opened. AUH is a zoo at best in peak times.
However, EY goal is to streamline product all over the alliance, meaning ac can come an go between airlines when needed. EY still has a long way to go to sort out its issues in AUH to make what youre saying a reality, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it in the future. We already have 9W ac operating on behalf of EY.
taxi time in BEG can be as much as 10 mins, depending on stand and runway used. 40 mins block time is not doable.
Thanks for the info on connections.
Other than that, I highly doubt it!