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Air Serbia has recorded its busiest September since rebranding in 2013 and has handled over two million passengers so far this year. The carrier welcomed 300.000 travellers in September, up 69.8% on the same month last year, and has outstripped its 2019 pre-pandemic performance as well. During the month it operated 3.400 flights of which 2.900 were scheduled and 500 charters. The carrier handled its two-millionth passenger of the year on October 5, which is up from 1.58 million travellers for the whole of 2021. A record 300.000 passengers were welcomed on charter flights. Similar to last year, the first quarter of 2022 was significantly affected by coronavirus-related restrictions and measures across most European markets, with the majority of Serbian citizens unable to travel to most of the continent as a result.
Commenting on its operational performance, Air Serbia’s General Manager for Commercial and Strategy, Boško Rupić, said, “Even though the holiday season has practically ended, the summer season is still ongoing in the airline industry. As usual, demand for flights during September is somewhat lower than in July and August, which were record-setting months in terms of the number of passengers carried, but is still very high for this time of the year. Thanks to the trust shown by our passengers, during 2022, we have achieved excellent results”. He added, “In September, we carried our twenty-millionth passenger since we started operating under the Air Serbia brand, and now also our two-millionth passenger since the start of 2022. We are heading towards new records, constantly striving to expand our offer with new and even more attractive destinations”.
Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, recently said the airline would be close to overtaking its pre-pandemic traffic levels by the end of the year. “In 2022 we will be slightly below the numbers from 2019, likely ending up at 91% of pre-pandemic levels. Of course, only if nothing negative happens. In 2023 Air Serbia will definitely surpass 2019 levels and from then on, we aim to grow between 10% and 15% every year”, Mr Marek said. Yesterday, the carrier launched rescue fares for passengers flying out of Sarajevo to select European destinations in light of Wizz Air's base closure from November 1. "Air Serbia has decided to deploy adequate capacities and provide special fares to help all passengers with partially of completely disrupted itineraries reach their final destination with seamless connections via Belgrade", the company said. Special fares are available for flights to and from Venice, Zurich, Salzburg, Nuremberg, Dusseldorf,. Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
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Good result
ReplyDelete300,000 pax on charters! Impressive
ReplyDeletehuge demand for holiday flights
DeleteThat's an encouraging trend in itself. They should definitely start thinking of some long haul leisure flights. At least charters.
DeleteThey will
DeleteThey tried with Havana and that failed miserably.
DeleteThey tried it? Tickets were on sale? Stop talking nonsense.
DeleteTried? When did the flights start? They just talked about possible HAV charters.
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2022/10/havana-confirms-air-serbia-interest.html?m=1
DeleteLooks like Havana is happening. Go Air Serbia!
Not necessarily. The text says it's unclear if they will go ahead of it but let's see. If not Cuba it might be some other destination.
DeleteIt might be some other destination as long as it's not Toronto. Air Serbia killed any chance of any airline ever starting Toronto.
DeleteI don't think HAV will go ahead either. Nordwind has restarted flights to Cuba a few days ago and will be growing both destinations and frequencies. This was one of the main markets supposedly being targeted by JU. Honestly I think ZNZ or MLE might be a better choice as they are more popular with the locals, while excess capacity on the flights could be marketed for transfer pax.
DeleteBesides, the aircraft supposedly to be YU-ARC hasn't flown since its test flight above Arizona a couple of weeks ago. It still needs to come to somewhere in Europe for painting (ARB was done in Ireland). I don't think it'll be ready for service before November at the earliest, that is if it comes this winter. YU-ARB should be able to hold out maintenance until February/March 2023 and honestly I think this is when we will see YU-ARC, to replace YU-ARB while it undergoes maintenance, with a return to service in time for launching ORD.
YU-ARB is going on maintenance in November.
Delete@12,57
DeleteIt's planned to be, but that can also be pushed back if needed. I believe that the last major maintenance was done in March this year so it can hold on another couple of months. I'm not 100% sure on this. I guess we will have to wait and see.
People do not care about Toronto, Canada in general is going down the hill in every possible way. Even lufthansa is giving up on YYZ and transfered operation to Eurowings after YUL is being there for a while . Austrian gave up on YYZ to. JU is going to start HAV just not sure if this or next winter season .
Delete50M+ passengers in 2019, people don't care about #32 airport in the world? YYZ is global #1 unserved destination from BEG excluding PVG. AC and LH have a JV: shared revenue regardless of which brand is flying. OS YYZ-VIE was replaced by AC due to antique OS aircraft and subpar service, OS was shifted to YUL. Grow up.
DeleteGrow up? You seem to be mad at some realistic factors regarding your country and their airport infrastructure. Even Canadian airlines are moving wide-body operation out of YYZ like westjet. Swiss has never returned, Austrian gave up years ago and Lufthansa can not justify flying 747 anymore to most expensive airport in the Worls . Plus infrastructure is bad there, terminal 3 is total trash and terminal 1 is transfered to kiosk service as Canada can not afford customs officers to process people . You should read passenger reviews and feedback how bad it is and there is no reason for JU to operate in such a conditions.
DeleteLH is also launching its first 787 flight ever from MUC to YYZ - doesn't seem like they're giving up on Toronto as you profess @LaneHotLane. @Anon 18:10 is absolutely correct, LH and OS's services to Toronto were replaced with a better hard product from AC.
DeleteIt is public knowledge Air Serbia asked for restrictive bilateral with Canada to deter competition while itself focusing on expanding US and China network. Claims that suggest Pearson airport is a cause for Air Serbia decision to not serve Toronto are unsubstantiated.
DeleteAC has a better service ? Their flight crew is one of the worse as they are all in their 50s or older and their service on the flight is just horrible. Regardless, they stopped flying to YYZ as AC is enjoying huge discoints at Canadian airports as well multiple subsidies by the government. Very much corruption and airlines are getting tired of it.
Delete@ LaneHotLane "there is no reason for JU to operate in such a conditions"
DeleteThen let Air Canada or Transat operate 3x week or more.
Lane hot Lane
Delete> Even lufthansa is giving up on YYZ and transfered operation to Eurowings
LOL LH from FRA is doing exactly the same with Orlando, PHL and ATL this winter. It has nothing to do with Toronto Pearson. Growing up is hard.
Great to see them react so quickly in Sarajevo. Wonder if they will be able to pick up some Wizz passengers.
ReplyDeleteTickets seem to be going on sale my good friend. Lowest fares are almost gone.
DeleteI guess the majority will just switch to Tuzla.
DeleteThey published some really cheap fares. People will use them for sure
DeleteWhy would you travel over two hours to Tuzla when you can fly with JU via BEG?
DeleteThis is the second time in a month that they has reacted swiftly to changes to the market. They might send A319 to SJJ too.
DeleteI sure hope so. Though with this discount they might affect OU there.
DeleteI had enough of Wizz cutting routes. I would rather have Air Serbia fly direct from Sarajevo to the major EU hubs. It would improve connectivity and make life easier.
DeleteYou can buy ticket from Sarajevo to Copenhagen with Air Serbia for 70 euros.
DeleteI think the A319 will start becoming a regular this winter to SJJ as well. I believe that SJJ in the new stimulus package offers discounts to airlines that upgrade aircraft on regular routes to SJJ.
DeleteSo three million this year?
ReplyDeleteDon't think so
DeleteDefenitely not 3 million
DeleteThey had 2.8 million in 2019 and it says they expect 91% of pre-Covid traffic this year.
DeleteWell I'm confident they are going to be over 2.5 million.
Delete^ i think so too
Delete2.5 million seems most realistic, which is a great result all things conisdered.
DeleteWell done Air Serbia
ReplyDeleteThese are some really encouraging results
ReplyDeleteespecially considering what the first quartet was like with restrictions
DeleteI hate covid restrictions
DeleteWell during Q1 people from Serbia could not travel and many cities in Western Europe had curfews.
DeleteGood work
ReplyDeleteNow all we need is financial results.
ReplyDeleteThey will publish them next summer for this year.
DeleteYes, God forbid they do it quarterly.
DeleteIt's not an obligation to do it quarterly for any company that is not on the stock exchange.
DeleteWhat was their passenger share at BEG in September?
ReplyDeleteAlmost 60%
DeleteLol yeah sure. They called you and told you?
DeleteNicely done JU.
ReplyDeleteObviously they are doing something right, despite all the negativity from some commentators here.
ReplyDeleteThey are doing right in implementing requirements of their business model (hub&spoke), hence make people fly via Belgrade, boosting the total no. of passengers, and making it easier to launch new routes due to the existing network's feeding characteristics. Additionally, GoS assists them by relaxing the country's visa regime as much as possible.
DeleteExact opposite of what their western neighbor does.
Honestly who cares about OU, they are insignificant overall.
DeleteGood job JU... regardless of anything people say on here it is turning out to be a relatively good year for them despite all the challenges.
DeleteSorry we need no visa for the vast majority of countries. OU don't matter? Sure, nothing matters as long as you are in the right.
Delete^ what does visa policy have to do with the fact that OU is a struggling loss making airline that has been unable to capitalise on its home country being a major tourist destination?
Delete@09,37
DeleteVisa policy of Serbia has had very little effect on JU, if at all. Armenia and Azerbaijan were the last countries for ordinary passports to get visa free travel and not a single route was launched between these countries. Before that, it was with the UAE, making it easier for Serbs to visit the country, while JU had pulled out of AUH a year or 2 earlier. If anything, FZ benefited from it. Visa free regime with Iran benefited Iranian carriers, not JU. Same with India, where it was Indigo running the regular Covid quarantine charters to BEG not JU to India. With China, we have Hainan on their second attempt to BEG, JU is yet to launch flights. We also have Burundi on that list, 30 days visa feee, which is where I guess the latest round of African migrants in Belgrade is coming from. And Serbian passport holders need a visa (sold on arrival) for Burundi tragically enough. We definitely will not see Bujumbura on the list of JU destinations anytime soon. I'm curious to hear how our governments visa free policies are helping JU.
What was the all time record for September? I'm guessing it was set during JAT.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely during JAT times.
DeleteWhat was JAT's record year in terms of pax and how many did they have?
Delete4.5 million in 1987.
Delete1987 was quite a year for JU
Delete- February 12th, automatic ticketing became operational at the JAT office in
down-town Belgrade.
- February 20th, the third DC-10 leased (until the end of May) from the Dutch
Martin-Air company arrived from Amsterdam.
- March 6th, the seventh B-737-300 (YU-ANK) purchased by JAT, landed at Belgrade
Airport.
- March 20th, Yugoslav Airlines and the Paris-based SNECMA - one of the largest
makers of civil aviation engines in the world signed a contract to jointly build
a test bench for jet engines.
- April 2nd, the second cargo line to Paris became operational.
- April 16th, the fourth DC-10-30 (YU-LHA) arrived in Belgrade from Helsinki. It
was leased from the Finnish airline FinnAir for a period of 18 months expiring
on in October 1988.
- JAT joined the general anti-smoking campaign in public areas banning smoking
on domestic flights.
- April 23rd, On April 23rd, the decision to lease two ATR-42 planes and
purchase two more B-737-300 was given the green light.
- May 22nd, in accordance with a decision passed by the Belgrade City Council,
the JAT bus terminal in front of St. Mark Church was moved to a new location in
front of the Slavija Hotel.
- June 13th, a new DC-10 (OO SLA) leased from SABENA arrived. The lease
agreement was to expire on October 31, 1989.
- June 17th, the first ATR-42 (YU-ALK) joined the fleet.
- JAT finally decided to sell the last B-707 (YU-AGI) it owned.
- July 4th, the second ATR-42 landed at Belgrade Airport.
- End of October, JAT introduced Adriatic Class service on domestic flights.
- October 26th, JAT reopened scheduled flights to Mostar from Belgrade and
Zagreb.
- October 31st, last commercial flight of the JAT Boeing-707.
- December 20th, JAT introduced a DC-10 on the Belgrade-Ljubljana-London route.
- November 19th, the first guests were accommodated in the apartments of the
Sunny Peaks (Sun~ani Vrhovi) mountain resort.
- November 29th, a formal opening of the new Catering building was organized,
although the facility was not fully fitted yet.
- December, the decision was made to purchase the third DC-10, the fifth one in
the fleet.
- December 16th, the purchase agreement for three ATR 72 planes was signed.
Now that was something to get excited about. Nice piece of history. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteIndeed! Thank you for this.
DeleteMarket seems to be recovering fast.
ReplyDeleteIt is also growing.
DeleteIf they are thinking of starting those flights to China at the end of the month they should really be putting them on sale by this point.
ReplyDeleteChina was delayed to spring since they don't have enough staff to process everything regarding permits
DeleteIt has not been delayed. Stop talking nonsense.
DeleteWell wait and see. They were late with getting A332 and now they can't secure all permits due to Chinese bureaucracy which is slow.
DeleteA330 is coming very soon. Permit to operate flights to Tianjin has been received in late August. They are waiting for some permits regarding airport. Things will go as planned.
DeleteAlso training for cabin crew for A330 began last week. It's just 3 day training but all crew will be available to work on A330.
DeleteDo they do the training in BEG?
DeleteYes, it is being done in Belgrade.
DeleteThanks
DeleteAre they doing training in a real plane?
DeleteNo. Airlines don't use real aircraft for training purposes.
DeleteHope this upward trajectory continues into 2023.
ReplyDeleteIt will unless we have WW3.
DeleteWith the prices they are charging they better be profitable. They also need to increase our salaries
ReplyDeleteHaving a permanent job in this day and age is no longer an expectation but a privilege. Can you see what’s happening around the world at the moment? Be glad that you have a job and are working for a company that’s got reasonable growth prospects and where potential for future salary increased exists. People in the west work for years in companies and don’t ever get even an inflation increase.
DeleteI wasn't expecting their recovery to be this quick. Looks like the new routes they chose to launch this year were the right ones.
ReplyDeleteAll but Trieste are being kept during winter (excluding Bari and Palma which were seasonal from the start) so I would say they are satisfied with the,.
DeleteI'm guessing we won't see Trieste next summer? Or maybe we do. Maybe it will be seasonal.
DeleteWe will see I guess. They have too many routes in that region. Especially if they launch Portoroz.
DeleteNice. So for next year we already know they will restart Cairo and start Chicago. From what we read they are in talks about Ohrid and Portoroz. Can we expect something more?
ReplyDeleteThey said they will add 10 new routes next summer so yes there will be more additions.
DeleteI think the Middle East will be on the cards next summer.
DeleteI think more routes in Spain are an option. Malaga comes to mind.
DeleteSpain has performed extraordinarily well for them this year so I think they will definitely look into it next summer.
DeleteI think the main thing they need to do in 2023 is expand their fleet. With all the new routes they will definitely need more capacity.
DeleteUnfortunately I think we will just see more wet leases.
DeleteMost likely
DeleteSpeaking of planes, when is YU-APO coming to BEG?
DeleteTomorrow or Sunday. It is already scheduled to fly on Monday.
Delete@09,57
DeleteMarek talked about reducing seasonality. There was talk of charter destinations becoming regular scheduled routes. I think CTA, PMO and CFU will become scheduled routes. AMM is apparently again in the rumours. TLV is yet to restart and I think there is a high possibility they will finally relaunch it next summer, with focus on the Middle East also mentioned.
I'm surprised they haven't gone for TBS and especially EVN as alot of Russians are using EVN as a hub for international travel.
@10,20
I agree. They really messed up with fleet and staffing this summer. Something along the lines of 3-4 A320's and 2 ATR's should be sufficient to maintain this summers capacity and allow for growth next summer, along with 2 wet leases.
They will have more passengers this year than airBaltic!
ReplyDeleteNot bad considering air Baltic is double the size.
Deletemany airlines are in a worse off position than Air Serbia.
DeleteGreat job operationally, let's see how they did financially.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the fares are high, they should do well.
DeleteFares might be high but so is oil and all other supplies which have become more expensive.
DeleteThat's true. The operating environment is becoming more expensive. And they said they don't hedge fuel so..
DeleteThere are some really positive developments coming out of JU lately.
ReplyDeleteSomebody is doing something right.
DeleteSo we can conclude that BEG also had good results last month?
ReplyDeleteBEG will be at around 90%-92% of 2019 traffic in September.
DeleteBoth BEG and JU are having a good year.
DeleteKeep up the good work
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how they perform this time next year with 3 A330's and more than 100 destinations
ReplyDeleteImpressive. This is more passengers than some capital city airports in ex-yu have.
ReplyDeleteMore than most ex-Yu airports
DeleteHow many passengers did they have for the whole of 2019?
ReplyDelete2.8 million in 2019.
DeleteThank you
DeleteCharter flights rule. They did really well there. An important segment that I think OU should be doing much more in.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
ReplyDeleteThis is good news for Air Serbia but also for Vinci and Belgrade airport. It is in their interest to have as many passengers as possible. If Air Serbia can deliver it - great; if not - other airlines will be invited by the Airport to start services.
ReplyDeleteIf that was the case BEG would offer a lucrative deal to Air Transat now that JU and AC are not interested in BEG-YYZ. Concession agreement was never published but it's extremely unlikely BEG airport is at liberty to make that offer even though it would be in their best interest.
Delete