Air Serbia is considering introducing its second long haul service after New York. The carrier's Head of Corporate Communications, Nikola Vukomanović, told Serbia's public broadcaster, "We are seriously considering expanding our destination network with another long haul service. Of course, a final decision concerning this matter will be made in the coming period. In any case, numerous benefits and possibilities are on their way for our passengers. We are in step with the competition". It marks the first time the airline has publicly confirmed it is considering its second long haul route, more than a year after it launched five weekly flights between Belgrade and New York with its sole wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Air Serbia stopped short of revealing which destination is being considered. In 2016, the now former President and CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group, James Hogan, said the Serbian carrier could expand its footprint in North America in two to three years. "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 noted at the time. More recently, Serbia's Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, said her government is currently negotiating the launch of nonstop flights between Belgrade and the Indian capital of New Delhi, although, she did not indicate which carrier could operate the route.
Air Serbia has previously considered introducing long haul winter charters to Thailand and the Caribbean. However, the airline has said that the economics required to make it breakeven on these routes were too large, adding that Serbia is a price sensitive market. In an interview to the German "Aero International" magazine last October, Air Serbia's CEO noted, "The Far East is also a potential market for us if you consider relations between Serbia and the People's Republic of China. We believe that Serbia has enormous potential and when we grow we aim to do it responsibly". The President of the Air Serbia Supervisory Board, Siniša Mali, previously noted there was room for another destination to be introduced from Belgrade to China, such as Shaghai, following the recent launch of Hainan Airlines' flights from Beijing to the Serbian capital.
Comments
Keep in mind that it's election season in Belgrade/Serbia.
Toronto would probably be the best route. Have the launch at the end of April or early May to have the route mature a bit in time for the peak season June to Sept.
It will lose money like JFK flights but the benefits are worth it.
Rodney,
Kraljevo.
And you know New York is loss making? I would love to see the numbers you have so you can show me this particular route is loss making for them.
JU actually reduced it's losses in 2017 by five million.They are recovering
Can it be Etihad AUH-BEG-YYZ 3pw?
I'm not saying they will launch anything. Quite the opposite.
@9:35
I thought they made a profit :)
what is your source?
Is this the guy?
http://opusteno.rs/vesti-f22/voditelj-tv-avala-nazvao-belu-kucu-beli-k-c-video-t7023.html
Hoping to follow up with another "podrška delfinima" video
"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", the Canadian Ambassador to Serbia, Philip Pinnington, said
Also there are no nonstop flights from Sofia or Bucharest to Toronto.
I think if they reduce New York by a flight or two and introduce a second North American route, it would be a good decision.
Serbian of diaspora could fly mostly on holiday time.
I honestly think that JU doesnt have a fleet that suits them the best. Problem I see is that the current ATR fleet loves its attention from the maintenance team, the fleet is aging while there isnt enough of them. The A319 was too large of an aircraft for these routes prior to the reconfiguration, let alone now. JU needs to fill in the gap between the ATR and the A319 if its going to expand in the region.
The money spent on an additional A330 for long haul expansion would be well spent on 2 regional jets or a couple ATR's. Regional jets would therefore replace the ATR's on PRG, VCE, SKG where they could be redeployed in increasing its shorter routes ie SJJ, TIA, SKP.
Perhaps for October 2018 to drop JFK to 3 p/w earlier and make room for a second destination would be better? A second aircraft to arrive in May 2019 could bring up JFK back up to its 5/pw while a third destination could be launched in winter 2019/2020? 2 aircraft on 3 destinations would ease the seasonality of the fleet (1 A330 is doing 5/pw, the 2nd could do 3 + 2 p/w in the summer, while in the winter keep JFK 4p/w and the other 2 destinations at the same 3 + 2 frequencies).
JAT, back a decade ago, intended to launch JFK and YYZ with 1 B762, with ORD to launch once the second B762 arrived.
for a320s they are paying lease
so it is questionable would it be profitable for them to pay leasing for 2 a320 for entire year to be used just in charter season?
probable answer: No way Pedro, you feeling is wrong
Iskreni pozdrav za Anon 10:27 AM.
Rodney,
Srbija.😀🇷🇸🌍🇦🇺😀
The B733's are not young and consume ALOT of fuel.
If word is true that the B733's are due for expensive overhaul (I think it was engines, and amounting a couple of million Euros), no point in investing more cash into an aircraft that will have to eventually be retired from the fleet.
http://www.exyuaviation.com/2017/03/serbia-seeks-more-long-haul-flights.html
Ali to što on provali, ajde de, ali to što ima nekih koji poveruju, pa ga još i pitaju... E te treba žaliti.
Ili ne ismišljaj ili hitno menjaju kolege i drugare.
Radovan, Kraljevo.
to expensive to overhaul current fleet
and certainly too expensive to lease the planes for charter season