TRIP REPORT: Air Serbia, Belgrade - New York

TRIP REPORT

Submitted by Filip Danilović

I travel regularly on Air Serbia's New York - Belgrade route as I live in New York but visit Serbia often. The Air Serbia New York flights come in very handy and I'm happy to pay a bit extra on the ticket fare to get to Belgrade without transferring. The following report is of the Belgrade - New York sector since it's a day-time afternoon flight and I was able to take photos. There are positive and negatives to Air Serbia's long haul product and experience and I have listed them in the report below.

Before heading to the airport I checked the "Expert Flyer" app to see the load on the flight and sure enough it was showing that it was full in business and economy, which was evident at check in. Thankfully, Air Serbia has dedicated check in desks for its New York flights. After checking in I headed to the lounge, which I have seen people have already posted photos of, so I won't. All I can say is that for a small European airline the lounge is probably one of the better ones on the continent. Afterwards I had a walk around the terminals at the airport, which offer great views of the tarmac. I like that the airport has large viewing areas and lounges.

Our flight JU500 was at the last gate at the airport - C6. Security check is done at the gate. They were using the new security screening system where your entire body is basically scanned so there was no need for people to go through metal detectors and take off their shoes or valuables in order to pass security. Bags were also tested for explosives. There was a dedicated line for business class passengers. The C6 gate lounge is quite large and has its own toilet facilities too. Soon after clearing security, boarding commenced. Again, there is a dedicated business class lane. Since Air Serbia uses two jet bridges to board the A330 in Belgrade, business class passengers had one entire jet bridge dedicated only for them.

Upon entering the aircraft I was greeted by a friendly purser who addressed passengers by name after viewing their boarding card and a female cabin crew member took me to my middle seat. Air Serbia has odd seating which isn't ideal for couples as it is impossible to sit together. Even if you are seated in the two seats facing each other it is difficult to communicate. But, these seats are excellent for privacy. Once seated it is almost impossible to see anyone else. Even the people seated right in front of you can't be seen.

Waiting at each seat was a bottle of water, blanket, menu and headphones. Air Serbia used to give an amenity kit before, as well as pajamas and slippers (on the JFK - Belgrade night flight) but this isn't the case anymore and my guess is that this has been cut as part of cost cutting measures, which is a shame (especially about the amenity kits which were Air Serbia branded).

After settling in, the cabin crew came around with welcome drinks which consisted of champagne, water and juice. They also introduced themselves and brought a warm towel. Before takeoff the crew took meal orders and asked when each passenger planned to eat. It is very similar to Etiahd's style of service. The crew was extremely friendly and during the flight passed numerous times through the cabin asking passengers if they wanted a drink or snack. Also, each time a passenger went to use the lavatory the crew would quickly come to the seat to fix it up by folding the blanket and stuff like that.

After takeoff I had lunch. I chose the Serbian mezze as the first course and the fish for the main. Both were delicious. The Serbian mezze consisted of kajmak, cheese, gibanica and some cold cuts. I had some champagne along with it. The menu also has a dine anytime section, which you can order whenever you feel like it and the crew were actively asking passengers if they wanted anything from it through the duration of the flight but I didn't take up the offer.

Air Serbia has AVOD on its A330 but this is the biggest point of criticism for me. The movie selection has not been updated for a good year or so. Like I said, I fly this route regularly and the same movies are constantly playing. They only seem to update the main "headline" movie every six months while everything else is exactly the same. The number of movies and shows is limited. There is an option to purchase wi-fi on board, which worked well for me with ok speed.

The seat itself is comfortable, and as I said above offers a lot of privacy. It transforms into a flat bed and if you are able to sleep on a plane (unlike myself) you should probably be able to get some rest in these seats. There is a "do not disturb" button as well so the crew won't come around offering you drinks and meals.

Landing in NY was smooth and on time. Air Serbia uses one jet bridge at JFK although business class passengers are let off first.

Overall, Air Serbia has a good long haul product which in some areas exceeds the competition but in some areas there is a lot of room for improvement. As I said above, this flight was full in both cabins. I can't speak for economy but in business there seemed to be a mix of American and Serbian passengers on board. I have to mention that on my flight from New York to Belgrade there was one vacant seat in business.

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