NEWS FLASH
Air Serbia will reduce frequencies on its service between Belgrade and Chicago during the first quarter of 2025. The carrier will operate one weekly rotation between the two cities, on Fridays departing Belgrade, and Saturdays, departing Chicago, from January 17 until March 31, instead of the initially planned two weekly rotations. Two weekly flights will be maintained up until January 17. Frequencies will be restored to three weekly for the 2025 summer season. The carrier had previously said the route has high seasonality, with significantly softer demand during the winter months.
Seasonality on that route hurts
ReplyDeleteThey should just fly in summer, no need for winter flights.
DeleteTheir prices on both JFK and ORD are very high compared to other airlines, especially when connecting from secondary cities in the US.
DeleteThe fact that they do not have codeshares with any US carrier from ORD makes things more difficult.
DeleteUnlike JFK B6 is non existent in ORD.
I tried to book a flight from ORD to BEG several times as I fly frequently to North America. The prices were always a minimum $500 more expensive per person imagine trying to book for a family of 4.
DeleteI often take tgat flight from BNA with AA and it is always the cheapest and best connection. Ones a week during that time it is ok . Before JU from ORD we use to Fly LOT with 2 connection and their flights were more money but half empty so I would often get a row to myself.
DeleteAnonymous14:26, what other airline was $500 cheaper for nonstop ORD-BEG flights you booked? You never heard of 1 or 2-stop always being more expensive than nonstop?
Delete^..being less expensive...
Delete@Anonymous 14:26
DeleteI'm buying tickets now.
Swiss 58.445 RSD,
LOT - 68.659 RSD,
AirSerbia RSD 102.289.
The difference is 43.844 RSD.
So Buying three tickets, 3 * 43.844 = 131.532 RSD.
Buying the same dates Saturday - Saturday the difference is not that big, around 24.000 per ticket. Still, big enough.
You get the picture.
I do not earn enough so to be able to ignore the difference.
To me it makes sense to take a flight that is about three hours longer, and save 131.532 RSD. Even when AirSerbia charges up to 200$ more per ticket I fly them. However, this is too much. Flying even during low months, LOT flight are full, while AirSerbia - not so much. You can understand why.
Air Serbia is nonstop, all others are connecting flights. There is always premium to be paid for direct service.
Deletezato ce na kraju i ugasiti liniju ne radi im IFE skuplji 400-500$ od konkurencije, oni misle mi ovde beremo pare na grani. ne bi bila sezonska linija kada bi bili konkurentniji sa cenama dosta ljudi koje znam nece sa njima bas zbog cene i van sezone ali to je njihova politika
Delete20:30 another analiticar's copycat expert
Deletenije expert nego neko ko je leteo pre mesec dana za chicago sa njima u biznis klasi gde ceo let u celoj biznis klasi IFE ne radi ne znam za ekonomiju da li je radio. neko ko za 20 dana ponovo dolazi za bg ali ovog puta sa KLM-om sto su od mene uzimali pare uzimali su
DeleteСтоле све најбоље, чувајте паре и без нервирања.
DeleteAs @Anon20:05 stated - and unlike the analiticar @20:30 - supply/demand plays a key factor here. Firstly they know that the VFR market would prefer direct flights. As fares sell out, they increase with fewer remaining seats. At the start they are generally much closer in price to competitors but the competitor is not chasing BEG, competitor is chasing all destinations. Secondly, why not use BEG as an extended stopover and take advantage of JU flying on to another destination? This can end up being cheaper when that destination is lower priced to begin with. Some people (aka analiticari maybe?) need to understand the aviation industry before making baseless comments of doom and gloom.
DeleteFrom March 31, does it jump from once weekly to three weekly, or will threre be a period whrere they go two weekly?
ReplyDeleteIt jumps from 1 to 3 weekly.
DeleteNo matter, it’s good to know JU try to sustain this route over winter at least once a week.
ReplyDeleteJU planning& research department is a real mess
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteDoes it make sense to run Cuba or Africa (Zanzibar) during the winter?
ReplyDeleteSo apparently they chose ORD instead of YYZ because of the seasonality issue, just to learn that ORD is struggling during winter as well.
ReplyDeleteI think the main issue here is not attracting many transfer passengers from the region, most of them still rather fly with LH or TK.
without IFE and with broken seats it's understandable
Delete13:47 Not true, during the time schedule goes down to 1pw YU-ARC wil be out for cabin refit.
DeleteWell I don't see what's not true. They have been using aircraft with broken seats and no entertainment at all (YU-ARC) and an aircraft with broken seats and entertainment not working at many seats (YU-ARB) on all of their flights to Chicago.
DeleteIt even took a while the JFK route with way better product on ARA to become successful.
DeleteORD is still fixable though, the real danger might come if JU downgrades it to the summer season.
The real danger is utilazing JU-ARC in this state cause people won't come back to that metal... And for many this will be the only long haul experience with JU so they'll reasonably think that Pupin is the company's standard and will skip the company whenever possible... Not one single person will percieve JU as an airline of choice for long haul with this product and in winter you see the results of not being the airline of choice.
DeleteWith just 2 flights a week its hard to be the first choice for many passengers, both local and transfers when LH group, AFKL, TK and others offer daily flights to ORD, alliance membership and better hard and soft product.
Delete14:01 entertainment not working at many seats (YU-ARB)
DeleteAny proof? If not, it's lies all over again.
Pointing finger at IFE issues at one out of three aircraft as a cause of frequency reduction to 1pw during January 17 until March 31 (when ARC will be out of service) is beyond nuts.
"All lìes over again"
DeleteWhat has exactly been a lie regarding YU-ARC falling apart?
My proof is actually flying on YU-ARB. On my seat I was getting audio from 2 rows ahead, while other passengers had to be moved because screen was not working.
LOL your actual flying with one audio issue (even if true) is NOT an evidence for this statement: entertainment not working at MANY SEATS (YU-ARB) .
DeleteThank you for confirming it's a lie.
I told you people were moved because their seatback tv was not working. I don't know if you are an Air Serbia employee or a die hard fan but I would suggest you actually use your money, pay for a ticket and see what a great experience it is flying YU-ARB. I guess for YU-ARC you accepted it is falling apart.
Delete"regarding YU-ARC falling apart"
DeleteNot falling appart, it would not be flying if not safe. Inop IFE and 5 seats that can't fully recline is NOT equal to falling apart. Stop lying
And still waiting to get evidence inop IFE and 5 functional seats without lie-flay are "understandably" reasons for ORD going down to 1 weekly LOL
DeleteDzaba se natezes. Kabina jeste u uzasnom stanju i bila je na sva tri aviona takva (ARA, ARB, ARC). ARD jos nisam video ali se nadam da su se konacno dozvali pameti sa stanjem u kojem su im kabine pa su izabrali bolji avion.
DeleteARA was older style but can completely refurbished and looked like new. ARB is fine. Minor issues with ARC cabin that was repetedly mentioned as undergoing complete cabing refurb is not the same as "falling apart" or cetrainly not the reason for frequency reduction. Those types of "facts" might be acceptable on some amateur blog devoted to going after Air Serbia.
DeleteSeems reports of low LF on these flights was true. I wonder if they will actually restore 3 weekly in the summer or go for less. Cant win them all, maybe better focus on China with a lot of European airlines dropping flights? Or Toronto.
ReplyDeleteSomehow you expect Toronto can be wining, based on what?
DeleteGoing summer seasonal for example
DeleteEven BA from PDX to LHR i not going to fly 2 weeks in February and they do it 4 times a week. It's a lot of lost seats, but its very low demand, so many airlines are reducing february at least/
ReplyDeleteANALiticar cant wait to post about this tonight. Huge news.
ReplyDeleteNije dobro...
As can be deducted from recent comments, some people can't stand the fact Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport now has 7 operating/announced year-round long-haul services while some other airports have 0:
DeleteHainan: PEK
China Southern: CAN
Air Serbia: JFK, ORD, TSN, CAN, PVG
I feel sorry for people that are self proclaimed "Analysts". 7 long haul routes hurts!
DeleteThis will probably last while ARC is on cabin reburbishment
ReplyDeleteSo desperately needed, it was awful this summer.
DeleteHalf of tv screens didn't work seats won't recline for if they will just recline by itself.It was just terrible
So practically they will have 3 A330 during winter flying what, 7-8 long haul return flights per week?
ReplyDeleteThey will fly from January:
DeleteJFK 3pw
ORD 1pw
TSN 1pw
CAN 2pw
PVG 2pw
So, thats 9pw in total. However, it needs to be noted that TSN, ORD and PVG will have aircraft on destination for more than 24 hours. When that comes into calculation three aircraft will have solid utilisation.
^^^
DeleteA330s sitting around at airports because of suboptimal planning of flights and frequencies is pretty far from "solid utilization".
Air Serbia direct flight from Chicago or NY is great flight,great service,no need to wait and change airports.I loved.
ReplyDeleteThey should use that time to fix. The plane seats are not reclining. Screens don't work on half of them. It's just not acceptable. I flew this summer a couple of years ago, same issues.
ReplyDeleteThey can add nearby St. Louis, with population of 100.000 once they came from war torn Bosnia.
ReplyDeleteFamily of four here, 3 of us making six digit salaries. Each of us flies to Belgrade at least once a year from Detroit for last 20 years. Planes are run down, entertainment is 20 years old, which I could ignore with iPad, but what broke camels back was service from air Serbia. 5 out of 6 last flights luggage was late even with close to 6 hours wait in NY. Bought ticket this spring for summer flight for my son, 3 months later air Serbia send me email "sorry, we canceled this flight". Both wife and me flew last month with Turkish through Istanbul, and have nothing but praise for them. Do not see me going back to Air Serbia...
ReplyDelete