Montenegro granted final approval for US codeshare

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Montenegro Airlines has been issued final approval to begin codesharing on Air Serbia's flights between Belgrade and New York, following a tentative decision by the United States Department of Transportation (DoT) in April. At the time, the DoT called on parties to submit any objections to the codeshare. None were filed. In a statement, the regulator noted, "We make final our findings and conclusions as stated in the Order and award to Montenegro Airlines the foreign air carrier permit". The decision came into effect on July 3. The DoT added, "Montenegro Airlines may only operate through a codeshare and/or wet-lease arrangement with a duly authorised and properly supervised US or foreign air carrier, where Montenegro Airlines is not physically operating the flight to and from the United States". Montenegro Airlines will become the third codeshare partner on Air Serbia's service to New York. Both Etihad Airways and Air Berlin have their designator code and flight numbers on the route. In addition, Turkey's Atlasglobal announced that it plans to file an application with the US DoT to be granted codeshare rights on Air Serbia's flights to New York.