Air Serbia is exploring the opportunity of introducing a regional aircraft into its fleet to fill the void between the regional ATR turboprops and the jet-engine Airbus narrow-body aircraft but the carrier does not see it as an immediate priority. Its CEO, Jiri Marek, told the “Airways Magazine” recently. “We are looking into it but not for the near future, maybe as a mid-term strategy. The A220 aircraft is much in demand. Ownership costs are high, so I do not see that happening, and there are also engine maintenance issues”. He added, “The Embraer might be something to consider, especially the latest project of the turboprop ninety-seater with similar costs to an ATR’s operating costs. However, that idea exists only on paper at the moment”.
The CEO noted that the airline may bridge the gap between the ATRs and Airbuses through wet-leases in the short-term. “For any immediate bridging of the gap, we can always find some regional jet operators in the form of wet-leases”, Mr Marek explained. Air Serbia had previously wet-leased regional jets on occasion. In the summer of 2016, the airline took a CRJ900 from Adria Airways without any leasing costs as a means of settling historical debt owed to the Serbian carrier. The aircraft was deployed on flights to Hamburg and Kiev, which were launched that summer, as well as Sofia. The jet was returned after the high season. In 2019, the airline wet-leased a CRJ900 from Regional Jet over the summer and had planned to have the aircraft during the 2020 high season as well, although this did not materialise due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Plane manufacturer Embraer had previously said it believes it has the right aircraft for the Serbian national carrier. “Embraer has a very good relationship with Air Serbia, and we regularly exchange thoughts on industry matters and business development topics. Air Serbia took an impressive development since its launch, and we also took notice of their efforts in navigating through and out of the pandemic. With our E2 family, as well as the development of a future next-gen turboprop aircraft, we believe to have a striking fit for Air Serbia and will support their team for any future fleet evaluations”. Air Serbia has ruled out the introduction of brand new aircraft to its fleet for the time being and has said it will instead opt for mid-age planes.
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Bravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteFor what?
DeleteFor growth and development over very short period of time, for good business decisions, for reducing losses and getting closer to profitability, for synergy with its home base, for positioning itself as number one in ex-yu and wider region, for contribution to overall economy of its country, for successful competition with both LCC and legacies at its home base, for everything OU didn't do or did completely opposite during last thirty years
Delete@Pozdrav
Delete+100!
OU really is a disappointment considering the growth of tourism in the country.
DeleteGetting closer is success?
DeleteIt makes sense in my opinion. I think it would be a very useful plane to have, especially in winter.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI know they are not looking for brand new planes but what is the list price for the new E jets?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on which version of the e-jet.
DeleteApproximately
DeleteE175-E2 - US$56,4 million
E190-E2 - US$64,6 million
E192-E2 - US$72,8 million
E175 E2 niko nije narucio niti ce, cak ni Svajcarci kojima treba za par aerodroma.
DeleteThis is a nice wish but more or less currently not affordable.
ReplyDeleteWell the ceo says they would go for wet leases of this plane.
DeleteFlew on KLM's e-jet a few days ago (AMS-SPU). The plane has a beautiful interior and is VERY quiet. Very nice experience.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a good plane. I like it. Don't know the economics of it but as far as passenger comfort it is good.
DeleteI bet it was. Its a nice airplane for sure.
DeleteIt is a sensible solution for the future in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAirSerbia should go on with fleet as now, even a bit simplify it to only:
ReplyDeletea332 because of range and cargo
a319 because of disponsability
atr76 because of cost for short flights
It makes no sense whatsoever.
Delete^ it is pretty much the fleet they have now.
DeleteThey don't need A332 range.
Deletethe actual fleet is OK, no change in types needed, only the number should grow.
DeleteUnfortunately A319 is going to start to age in near future and that requires more maintenance and increasing operating cost for Air Serbia. Placing the large order for new jets can get them big discount and also major saving in fuel and maintenance costs.
DeleteThat E2 would look nice in Air Serbia's livery
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIdeal would be to replace ATRs with E175s and the A319/A320s with E195s.
ReplyDeleteE175 is too big from ATR replacement
DeletePlus, they just renewed their ATR fleet. Why would they replace them all again.
DeleteAlso E195 is too small for their needs to replace A319/A320s. They said they are transitioning onto A320 fleet. They need the seats, especially in summer. Plus their winter is improving too.
DeleteE175 would be perfect for them for their Nis routes.
DeleteE175 is too big to replace ATR!!? Some of JUs 600s are configured to 72 pax and E175 does two classes around 78 pax or 86 all economy. So that is a marginal difference in my opinion.
DeleteLast week I flu on ATR72-600 for the first time. Unlike ATR72-200 that JU had (still has), this is a much better experience, noise level is acceptable and it is quite comfortable for a turboprop. Therefore, ATR72-600, is not an airplane I will be avoiding, unlike -200. The argument that ATR is bad and uncomfortable airplane does not stand anymore, as far as I am concerned.
DeleteThe ATR's are definitely needed and should stay. ERJ's or any regional jet would help with their problems with seasonality.
DeleteATR on a number of routes are too small on quite a few regional routes in the summer however A319 is too much capacity, while in the winter the ATR works the best. A319 in the summer is generally ideal on most of their routes, while too big in the winter. Regional jets would allow them to shuffle that capacity around their network.
For example, I think TIA would work fully on a regional jet as a minimum in the summer, in the winter not so much. HAJ seems like a route that works in the summer on the A319, while in the winter not so much, and the ERJ would be better.
JU had a couple of issues with routes due to capacity. WAW, HEL, GVA and KBP come to mind - routes where the A319 was too much capacity however cannot be served or reached with the ATR.
I also think that quite a few routes are performing quite well on the ATR however boosting the capacity onto the A319 might be overkill (LJU, PRG, BLQ, OTP).
That EMB turboprop is an interesting concept. Any idea when this plane might get off the ground?
ReplyDeleteNot any time soon.
DeleteThe concept with the turboprop engines at the back is a bit weird.
DeleteIt is questionable if the plane will happen at all
Deletehttps://simpleflying.com/embraer-turboprop-project-paused/
Embraers are great plans and Jat Airways did consider them at one point. I remember they even operated a promo flight between Belgrade and Podgorica.
ReplyDelete*planes
DeleteWould have looked nice even in Jat Airways' livery.
DeleteIn my opinion they need more aircraft with 80 seat capacity. Would be useful for many routes.
ReplyDeleteA lot of wet leasing in their startegy and plans, not sure that this is a viable option.
ReplyDeleteThere was an article recently where they explained why the wet leases.
DeleteWhat about plane between A320 and A330. Is there a possibility that they may take A321 at some point?
ReplyDeleteIt is too big to use on anything other than maybe some Russia routes and charters.
DeleteAnd what would you do with the A321 in winter?
DeleteHow does Wizz Air make the A321 work on all its Belgrade routes?
DeleteThey have a completely different cost structure.
Delete...and frequency of operations.
Delete@09,39
DeleteWizz and JU are 2 completely different business models. Wizz's model doesn't require frequencies, JU's does. JU mainly targets main hubs/airports, Wizz doesn't. JU codeshares and interlines with different airlines, Wizz doesn't. Wizz doesn't have a single transfer hub, JU does. Wizz has hubs all over Europe where they can shuffle capacity maximising utilisation, JU doesn't.
Wizz can pull off A321's, JU is currently extremely limited at best with it, especially in the winter.
"The A220 aircraft is much in demand. Ownership costs are high, so I do not see that happening, and there are also engine maintenance issues."
ReplyDeleteThis is how an actual airline CEO thinks, unlike certain other party apparatchiks.
Regional jets are a waste of money. Their exploitation is almost same as A320 or 737, with 20-40% less capacity. They need more turboprops which are cash cow thanks to low consumption and profitability even with low LF + higher frequencies.
ReplyDeleteThe gap between ATR and A320 fleet is the 100 seater market, not regional planes. There's plenty of economic advantages to A220 and E Jets compared to bigger aircraft, hence they're so popular
Deleteits still better to use turboprops and double the current frequencies.
DeleteIf regional jets were waste of money, no company or very few companies would have been interested into them. But it's completely opposite - there are very few airlines globally that don't operate or are not interested into operating them. Their costs are less than costs of bigger aircraft because their initial price, whether for lease or ownership, is lower, they consume less fuel, they pay less airport landing and take off fees as their weight is less, they can operate with shorter turnarounds which make them further more competitive, and so on and so on. But in one part, I agree they can be waste of money. That's the case when they are used to feed others, "partner" airlines, instead of feeding their own developed network. Judging upon the way JU is growing, that will definitely not be the case
DeleteI think both regional and long haul fleet expansion is needed. Balanced growth goes hand in hand.
ReplyDeleteThey are expanding long haul fleet. Second A330 joined last November, third A330 coming this summer.
DeleteThe 4th A330 is also in preparations :)
DeleteThat's a interesting statement, any info on the matter?
Delete@maxi4492
DeleteI can't say more at the moment :)
Introducing E190 would make sense with retirement of the 737 and atr fleets.
ReplyDeleteWell they are wet leasing an Air Montenegro E195 at the moment :)
ReplyDeleteIs the entire crew theirs on the plane or do they have one JU "crew ambassador" like they had in 2016 with the Adria plane.
DeleteNo, entire crew is from Air Montenegro.
DeleteI highly doubt they have enough crew just to sit around as crew ambassador. This was done when they were trying to be some 5 star airline and it was good for image that on a plane operated for them by another airline they have their own crew member.
DeleteJU still do brand ambassadors on wet leases, however not always. Brand ambassadors were on the Wamos A330 back in November.
DeleteDa li bi uzeli suhoje da nema rata?
ReplyDeleteNo. CEO said in some interview a few months ago that they never even considered it.
Deletenisu hteli ni pre rata a kamoli sada
DeleteI don't think BEG has the ramp space to park soo many SSJ's to be able to keep a handful flying. Interjet had 30 SSJ's while in the end only 7 were airworthy. SN were extremely fast to get rid of the SSJ as they couldn't get parts to keep their SSJ aircraft flying. It's super cheap to acquire, super expensive to keep in the fleet.
DeleteEmbraers are a very reliable and efficient aircraft and already used by so many European airlines. Would be a good option somewhere down the line.
ReplyDeleteI take E195s on United Airlines fligjts quite often and they are so much better than Boeings. Comfort difference is huge.
Delete+1
ReplyDeleteSmart. Better than ordering planes that no one knows how they are going to pay for.
ReplyDeleteObviously a good option for JU. How many ATRs are in operation?
ReplyDeleteIn operation at the moment (based on flightradar) are 5 ATR72-600s and 1 ATR72-200. They have 1 ATR72-500 which last flew at the end of January. I don't know if they have taken it out of service or it is just undergoing maintenance.
DeleteAnd they also have 1 ATR72-600 on wet-lease from Air Connect.
DeleteI believe that by the start of summer timetable the Air Connect ATR will leave to Bucharest as the company have their own summer schedule.
Delete@14,01
DeleteYU-ALU is in preparations for being returned to leasor.
Turbo props are efficient aircraft, but they are also high maintenance aircraft. And people want jet engines and that's the case everywhere.
ReplyDeleteTrue. I noticed that certain fare serac sites have filters to disqualify turboprops.
DeleteThat was supposed to say *search
DeleteFrom a pax perspective, JU's new ATR's are fantastic. Cabin is in a much much better condition compared to the -200's, seats are alot better, plus they also have mood lighting on their new ATR's which is a nice feature. There have been quite a number of comments on social media from their pax that have shared their compliments to the new ATR's.
DeleteI agree. Flew the new ATR72-600 recently on Air Serbia. and it is a really nice change compared to the -200 and even -500 series in every respect.
DeletePeople *want* jet engines but people in JU's regional catchment area (who also want jet engines) will not pay for the difference in operational costs. This is precisely why JU's strategy of sticking to ATR's has worked so well for them -- for better or worse, it matches the market demand
DeleteTalking A220 and Embraer relationship as if JU is looking at factory new planes and not younger used ones. As much as it would be nice to see it, E2 is way too expensive for JU unless they can arrange a good discount as the program is falling behind A220.
ReplyDeleteThough at least Sukhoi is nowhere near this conversation so that's good
Thats not the point; its part of the courtship to pick their brand because their image goes up if they pick used ones. Which still leads to higher profits, as if JU bought a few.
DeleteThey should stick with what they already have : keep leasing newish ATRs
ReplyDeleteThey are doing that for now. Potential 100-seater is a long term plan.
DeleteTheir strategy shod be to grow networks and fleet. With about 35-40 planes make sense to place big order and get discounts on the new jets.
DeleteThey said that once they reach 35-40 planes that is when they will make an order.
DeleteThey need a regional jet plane. Something with the capacity to seat 100 passengers. Jat and now Air Serbia never filled the void of getting rid of the DC9/B727s which were actually the backbone of their fleet. They retired all those planes over night and had no alternative planned. 100-seaters would be perfect for many routes.
ReplyDeleteIn short terms nothing or wet lease. In mid terms turboprop Embraer which is not in production yet. A220 is expensive and not reliable. To much words, in the end, wet lease. Correct?
ReplyDeleteIn short term, continue with the current pace, more ATR's, transition to 320's from 319's that had less favorable leases and one or maybe two more 330.
DeleteMid term, probably renting or purchase of 100 seaters.
Yes, A220 being hugely popular plane isn't cheap at all.
And yes, they said many times that wet-lease is a good option at the moment to bridge the capacity gap during the summer high.
Embraer's are comfortable, modern planes and an excellent choice for Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteThe current fleet JU aircraft are ok with acquisitions of more and younger existing types. The ATR72 is really a cash cow and the A320Series have capacity with low consumption. Looking on A3 (Aegean) furthermore just a swich between A319/320/321 and ATR42/72 makes sense. Even for bigger A3 is reluctant in terms of a long range jet. They said in the past from the moment the A3group surpasses the 100aircraft barrier they will think about it. Even in that case most probably the A321XLR will be the candidate and only as feeder on ATH. Keep it stupid simple.(KISS).
ReplyDeleteYes,,better to fly 30 years old equipment than brand new. It gives pax that special feeling of comfort and safety!
ReplyDelete