Air Serbia welcomed the seventh ATR72-600 aircraft over the weekend (pictured below), with plans to introduce a further three units, as the carrier maintains its strategy to further grow its fleet with mid-age aircraft, including the Airbus A321 jet. “We based our fleet strategy on options available on the market, which allowed us to capitalise on several good deals. We decided not to order new generation aircraft. New technology aircraft are immature, many airlines are struggling with grounded planes for various reasons. I don't think Air Serbia is a carrier that should experiment with new types of aircraft. As the technology matures, then we will evaluate the available options”, the carrier’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said.
Earlier this year, Air Serbia noted it was looking to potentially add two A321 aircraft to its fleet. Mr Marek, said at the time “We are currently looking to add two A321 aircraft, which could potentially join our fleet this summer”. Although the jets have not joined the fleet so far, the airline still has plans to introduce them. “The way forward for Air Serbia is to increase its fleet of ATR72-600 turboprops. We have Airbus A320-family aircraft and we intend to acquire more jets of this type. These will be several-year-old A320s and A321s. The smallest Airbuses in our fleet (A319) will be gradually phased out. We will also receive another wide-body A330-200”, Mr Marek noted.
The CEO reaffirmed the airline has no plans to order new aircraft for the time being. “We are very pleased with the approach we have adopted. Recently, wet-leased narrow-body Embraers have joined our fleet. We'll see how these planes perform. If it turns out that they perfectly fill the gap between ATRs and Airbuses, we will keep them. We have no appetite to order new planes. We see no benefits from this, fixed costs are too high, and if we look at long delivery times, it turns out that the profitability of such an investment is low”, Mr Marek said. He added, “The decision to choose an aircraft that forms the backbone of the fleet is a complex one. Therefore, we will continue our development based on aircraft from the French manufacturer. The development of technology means a transition from CEO aircraft to NEO. This is a natural step. If we look at the scale of the operation, we see that the range of the Airbus A220 is too long for Air Serbia. Operations with such an aircraft would not be profitable for us”.
Bravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteNice like Air Moldova- they also have 321s :)
DeleteAir Serbia should be called rent a plane company. They could buy at least a few ATRs
DeleteWe see no benefits from this, fixed costs are too high, and if we look at long delivery times, it turns out that the profitability of such an investment is low
ReplyDeleteOU should learn a thing or two about this
Cim Jasmin popije kafu.
DeleteKahvu*
Delete@Anon 09:02
DeleteSounds like all airlines in Europe who are getting NEOs and MAXs should learn from JU's strategy. Not! 😄
There is obviously a big difference between major European airlines with hundreds of aircraft and small airlines with 12-20 aircraft.
DeleteAll the companies of JU size - yes.
DeleteIt just makes financial sense for small airlines to have 15-20% higher fuel costs compared to their larger competitors. At an era of 90$ a barrel of oil. Not! 😄
Delete20% fuel saving vs 150% lease increase
DeleteYou are talking absolute nonsense, especially in a world where OU is transporting 20-40 pax on average on some routes
Fuel is 40% of an airline's expenses. So much ignorance from some here!
DeleteAnd what does OU have to do with any of that? 😄
OU has absolutely nothing to do with this. Flying reliable, recent build ATR72-600 on regional routes is far superior in terms of fuel consumption and resulting CASK to A220, but OU has no clue about it. As a dyed-in-the-wool Air Serbia fanatic, I prefer it stays this way.
DeleteFuel being 40% of an airlines expense is on the higher end. The gains from fuel efficiency go down the drain if you have higher acquisition costs and higher operating expenses. As mentioned above, smaller airlines such as JU will not be getting the same deal from Airbus as does its competitors which puts JU at a disadvantage with acquiring new aircraft.
DeleteAll of your fuel savings can go out of window once PW 1000 goes out of action. Plus 10% savings doesn’t mean 0% of fuel costs overall . Don’t mention extremely expensive lease rates for new shiny “unreliable” aircraft.
DeleteThe A321s would be useful even in winter on flights to Russia. I notice they have scheduled the A330 to Moscow this winter on some days.
ReplyDeleteI think 1 A321 could be easily utilized year round. In winter to Russia, you can also make used to it around the holidays, especially to destinations like Zurich.
DeleteIn summer you can easily deploy it on charter routes. Just yesterday they had three flights to Antalya leave one after the other.
A321 would be a great choice and much needed addition to their fleet.
DeleteBut minimum 2 of them as JU might be in a big problem if one A321 goes tech. In that case they would need to send their A330 or 2 X 320 to pick up the passengers.
Deleteyou should work at the airline and make these decisions
DeleteOf course.
DeleteBut the analiticar told me the A321 is not happening, that the CEO lied about it and that he said it will arrive this summer, even though he said they could potentially come in summer.
ReplyDeleteJatovanje, kajgot.
DeleteJatovanje is becoming a new meme
DeleteHow that guy is calling himself a professional is beyond me
He is simply not serious and I wonder how anyone can take hire him for anything related to aviation. He made a fool of himself min 100 times.
Deleteonly time will tell. what else are people supposed to think except that he lied. He first started talking about the A321 last winter and nothing happened and then started talking about the embraer and atr. he stopped talking about the A320/21.
DeleteIf he does get them I do hope it is as soon as possible.
^ no because you are simply mixing up things. He first mentioned A321 this June where he said Air Serbia could POTENTIALLY get them this summer. The only person who lied is your favourite analiticar.
DeleteHe also said that AirSerbia does not consider regional jets, jet here they are. This Marek lied us again, damnit! This is absolute proof that he is notorious lier.
Delete^ What are you on about. He said exactly the opposite
Delete"Air Serbia looking into bridging gap between ATR and Airbus fleet"
FEBRUARY 22, 2023
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2023/02/air-serbia-looking-into-bridging-gap.html
Before he was saying opposite... so he was lying, right. Or he is lying only when some here decide?!
Delete“ He is simply not serious and I wonder how anyone can take hire him for anything related to aviation. He made a fool of himself min 100 times.” Definitely can’t argue with that !!!
DeleteYeah, who need cutting edge "new" technology like sharklets and engines using 15-20% less fuel? The last airline on Earth to realize that they need 321s.
ReplyDeleteYesterday one of those cutting edge engines caught fire on an Air China A320neo. Many of those planes with cutting edge engines are currently grounded across the world.
DeleteairBaltic?
DeleteIf you put the cutting edge technology plane that saves 15-20% fuel with 130 seats on a route where you can hardly fill 30-40% of Q400 at best, how much costs will you save?
DeleteJU was the last airline in Europe to fly 737s Jurassics.
DeleteThat is very prestigious.
Well, prestige is in the number of routes and where it flies to. 13 is certainly more prestigious, NOT!
Delete@9.41 I flew from Tampa this weekend with 31 year old Delta A320 :)
DeleteYet Delta ordered and operates 130 new A220s, A321neos and A350s and did not take more 31 years old A320s. How can it be? Are they amateurs or they know that fuel costs will make you or break you in aviation business?
DeleteAre you suggesting Air Serbia leased a 31 year old plane? Stop spreading misinformation out of pure hate.
Delete@15,34
DeleteAre you seriously comparing the purchasing power of one of the largest airlines in the world with JU? Do you honestly believe that JU will be getting the same deal as DL when going for factory fresh aircraft?
Delta has one of the biggest fleets in the world, you cant compare such an airline with Air Serbia. Look at Austrian, still using the B767 and the old B772 plus their A321s and A320s are old. This year they started to replace them with A320neo little by little. Plus Austrian is also more powerful then JU.
DeleteDelta operates 70 B717s and has another 20 for spare parts yet they didn't get a single brand new B717 ever. Those planes entered the Delta fleet when they were already 10-15 years old.
DeleteSo yes, sometimes it makes more sense to take a less efficient and older plane if the capital costs are low.
Delat took those 717s in 2013-2014. We are not talking about 2013 here but 2023 (or even 2024-2025 for JU). Not quite the same time, not the same world and not the same fuel prices.
Delete@Anon 18:59 Yes, other operators are stuck in the past all well (like AUA) but is that a reason for JU to do so?
DeleteAnon 21:28,
DeleteFail. Crude oil and jet fuel were more expensive in 2013/2014 than today.
https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter5/air-transport/jet-fuel-prices/
https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil
Next time please try to do some research before attempting to appear intelligent.
Dear aleksandar. Thank you very much confirming that it's not the same time, not the same world and not the same fuel prices. Did I say anywhere that it was cheaper back then? Please try to read carefully before you attempt to appear intelligent.
Delete"If we look at the scale of the operation, we see that the range of the Airbus A220 is too long for Air Serbia. Operations with such an aircraft would not be profitable for us”.
ReplyDeleteWhy? We have routes as Sharm El Sheikh, Kazan, Hurghada, plans for Caucasus and Central Asia. A220 is perfect for JU. Also and E2. One day this plane will be in the fleet.
+1000
DeleteYes we do have these routes, but the anwser to your question is implied from Mareks statment. The A220 is good on long and thin routes only when you can sell tickets for a nice premium, and obviously, since Marek says these flights would be unprofitable, it means he knows he can fill the plane, but not by selling expensive enough tickets to be profitable
DeleteThose longer flights are only a drop in JU's operations. The majority is within the 1,5 - 3 hours of flying time of BEG.
DeletePlan is good
ReplyDeleteExecution is 80% there too. I'm not Serbian but I'm proud of AirSerbia and the turnaround the had over the past 3 years
DeleteTwo A321 for Moscow, Istanbul, Zurich, London, Paris, Rome and leisure destinations. And in winter period the planes will be on flights.
ReplyDeleteTo where?
DeleteThis routes;) Also have potential for leisure charters to Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Thailand....
DeleteAnonymous 09:38
DeleteFully agree. You can't tell me that JU has no use for an A321 sized aircraft in winter for flights to Moscow, Istanbul, Zurich, Athens, London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam.
London, Rome and Athens definitely not.
DeleteWith FCO they seem to be going after frequency, especially now with Wizz competing with them. They've even starting sending the Embraer's over the A319/A320.
LHR isn't even seeing the A320. A321 would be too much capacity.
ATH loads doesn't suggest for an increase to the A321. It might even be worth chasing for a 3rd daily to better connect to the long haul network rather than to increase capacity with smaller frequencies.
AMS could do with the A320, A321 might be too much capacity.
IST yes, SVO yes, CDG yes, ZRH sometimes. BCN and TIV is missing from the list.
By my calculations, they will be operating a fleet of 29 aircraft this winter season.
ReplyDeleteWith wet leases?
DeleteYes, with wet leases
DeleteThey're adding new planes, that's good. Without them the number of ACMI aircraft would be at least 6-7 in winter. But they are adding new planes. So next summer they will have at least 5-6 new planes. Along with expansion, they will likely turn to ACMI services again.
ReplyDeleteDodati jos po jedan suhoj i onaj novi kineski pa da imamo sve
ReplyDeleteSto da ne?
DeleteMožda dogovorimo posao veka: proizvodnju COMAC-a 919 za evropsko tržište u Pančevu. Air Serbia launch customer sa 20 aviona (još 30 kao opcija). Što da ne, Čaušesku je probao sa BAC-om...
DeleteTakvi kao ti su se nadali da ce u JU flotu doci SSJ100 i to predstavljali kao gotovu stvar jer je drug Putin na tome insistirao.
DeleteSad kad ovog aviona nema vise krenuli ste sa COMAC-om.
Komedija bez kraja, ne znam samo kako sebi vise niste dosadni.
Smart move
ReplyDeleteIdeally A321s should have joined the fleet this summer.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThat was the plan but they probably couldn't get a good enough deal for them from lessors.
They are in very high demand right now.
Alaska is withdrawing all their A321 neos by October 31st. Any chance Air Serbia is getting a couple of those birds?
DeleteNEOs are not good enough for JU according to many here...
DeleteThis winter it will operate two 737-800s and one A319 on wet lease. If my calculations are correct next summer they will need ACMI turboprops (as you will certainly increase capacity on regional destinations until three new ATR72s arrive) They will need at least 5-6 ACMI A320s or 737s anyway , because here we will also have many new frequencies. The three new E190/195 will be of great help. Together with them and two new A321s, we have 5 additional aircraft (almost filling the capacity of this summer). That is, the new expansion will again need 5-6 ACMI aircraft.
ReplyDeleteit seems in addition to 2 737-800s and 1 A319 they are also wet leasing the Leave Aviation A320 this winter too.
DeleteI wonder if they will continue to charter A320s from Dan Air on weekends. They recently announced over 10 new destinations from Bucharest and Brasov.
Delete09:27
DeleteSo they will have four aircraft on wet lease.
Must say Leav Aviation left a lot to be desired. Flew with them on Friday BCN-BEG. Plane was late an hour coming in from Belgrade. We boarded, started taxiing, plane returned to the platform to get something "checked out". We spent 5 hours in the plane before we could take off. German crew extremely rude, pilot uncommunicative. We were handed sandwiches and water while on the plane which. During the flight there was no service whatsoever (no buy on board), crew didn't leave the galley the entire flight. Don't know where they find these no name airlines to wet lease planes from.
DeleteAnonymous 09:39
DeleteThey got the best deal from them. Dan Air is also very bad.
Can't wait to see the A321 in JU livery.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAlso with sharklets;))
Adding A321s is a logical step for JU.
ReplyDeleteDo they plan to take A321 as wet lease or dry lease?
ReplyDeleteDry lease
DeleteThe airline should seriously consider A320/321neos. The price of oil is rising (it is around 90$ now) and flying aircraft that burn 15-20% more than competing airlines is a big disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteJust my2cents
+1
Deletenot every county pays the same fuel price.. nor are the taxes the same... serbia has one of the best deals for fuel prices in europe..
DeleteIt is expected new destinations to be announced on 10 years anniversary.
ReplyDeleteSuper 👌
ReplyDeleteCan a 321 reach North America?
ReplyDeleteonly the A321 LR/XLR can reach JFK from BEG. the normal A321 they would get only cover same distance at the A319
DeleteA321neo LR could also reach BOS and PHL from BEG.
DeleteSummer should be no problem reaching northeast coast with 321lr/xlr, winter is different story, with strong headwinds, it will require restrictions.
DeleteIt's makes zero sense to get the A321 XLR for JU. Way too high costs per seat compared to A330 plus no cargo space.
DeleteThey will just continue getting A330s until they run out of longhaul destinations that they can serve profitably.
Good to see the whole A319 fleet will be retired and instead keep A320+A321
ReplyDeleteWhen exacly is the anneversary?
ReplyDeleteI believe 26 October.
ReplyDeleteIsnt it a bit too late to announce new routes on at the end of October?
ReplyDeleteLast year they announced Malaga in late October for December launch.
ReplyDeleteLots of experts here. What Marek is saying is that they're being opportunistic and cautious.
ReplyDeleteFurther, he seems to be implying that third 330 is being firmed up.
Well said.
DeleteIt seems other people can't read and blindly follow evil minded analyst's statements.
Already boring to listen about criticism of Analyst ..if you don't like what he has to offer just ignore his web page and stop spreading hate.
Delete@Anon 11:19 Where does it say third A330 is being firmed up? Air Serbia will receive third A330 and we knew that for a long time, but it does not say if that will happen this or next year. More importantly, 4th A330 is no longer mentioned, not even as remotely possible.
Delete^where is being implied 3rd A330 is being firmed up?
DeleteNeo is one of the best aircraft for JU
DeleteOh Gosh he even writes analyst with capital letter!
DeleteThe condition is serious...
This year Tenerife😁
ReplyDeleteI hope for Gran Canaria more than Tenerife.
ReplyDeleteAlso good 👍 😁
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should buy OU A320 fleet and then not lease it back :)
ReplyDeleteThat kahva would not go easily down we-know-whose throat :)
They are so old
DeleteWhen is your birthday? I will get you a sarcasm detector
DeleteFor those interested as it relates to this topic
ReplyDeleteP&W geared turbofan issue will ground hundreds of A320neos through 2026
https://www.flightglobal.com/engines/pandw-geared-turbofan-issue-will-ground-hundreds-of-a320neos-through-2026/154885.article?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=Sendible&utm_campaign=RSS
Fleet salad is a Problem when a plane is broke down. So a unity of aircraft types is advantageous.
ReplyDeleteAegean will be phasing well maintained A321ceo - maybe they are an option. A3 has got rid of its last A319 this year - to have only A321 A320 and Atr-72-600.
As some guys have mentioned maybe they were right that slowly A3 will get intercont through A3 will do everything to maintain cost structure and flexibility.
So as far to Air Serbia I would suggest to have Atr72 ownership for every case as a backbone. Ideally at least 6 planes.