Serbia and Canada seek air service

Serbia and Canada have expressed joint interest in re-establishing flights between their two countries after almost a decade, with the two finalising an Air Service Agreement which will regulate future operations. The Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dačić, said, "The agreement will pave way for negotiations to start between Air Serbia and Air Canada. Their representatives have to determine how many flights there should be and what would be the most profitable solution. However, there is no doubt that the introduction of nonstop flights to Canada would be extremely important for our citizens and country". The Foreign Minister added that he is pushing for Canada to lift visa requirements for Serbian nationals.

On the other hand, the Canadian Ambassador to Serbia, Philip Pinnington, said that while there is a common interest for flights to be resumed between the two countries, it is ultimately up to the respective carriers from each nation to determine whether such a service would be commercially viable. "We have been negotiating a new Air Service Agreement with Serbia for some time and we are very close to signing it. Of course, it will be up to Air Serbia, Air Canada and some other carriers who may or may not be interested in operating this route. With the signing of the agreement, which will hopefully occur very soon, there is potential for this service and the interest is already there". He noted, "We would really like for flights to commence and I am certain Canadian Serbs would want it too as they have fond memories of JAT's nonstop service".

Flights between Belgrade and Canada operated during the 1970s and 1980s with JAT Yugoslav Airlines maintaining operations to Toronto and Montreal. Its numbers on the route peaked in 1988 when it carried 56.043 travellers between Yugoslavia and Canada. Air Serbia’s predecessor, Jat Airways, conducted a study in late 2005 based on which it estimated it could carry up to 83.000 passengers to Toronto on an annual basis. The airline anticipated an average cabin load factor of 74% on a Boeing 767 and believed the flights would appeal primarily to diaspora travellers, as well as transfer passengers from the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, western Romania, southern Hungary and the Middle East. Last year, Air Serbia's former Vice Chairman, James Hogan, said, "We have already considered flights to Chicago and Toronto and these services could be introduced in two to three years".

In 2007, leisure carrier Skyservice commenced operations from Canada's largest city to the Serbian capital, but the airline suspended all operations and declared bankruptcy later on. Currently, travellers from Canada to Serbia are transferring through a number of European cities to reach Belgrade. Last year, Krystian Rolla, LOT's Sales Manager for Europe & Middle East, told EX-YU Aviation News that the largest number of passengers on its service from Belgrade to Warsaw are headed to Canada. "Of those transferring through Warsaw, the majority of passengers connect onto flights to Toronto and several points in western Europe", Mr Rola said. Presently, Zagreb is the only city in the former Yugoslavia linked with Canada through Air Transat's seasonal two weekly service from Toronto, while Macedonia has also expressed interest in flights to Canada.