Air Serbia is upgrading seasonal summer operations between
Belgrade and Split to a year-round service. Flights will continue to operate
past October 26 twice per week, on Mondays and Fridays. Tickets for the winter
Split flights are now available to purchase through the airline’s website. Services
to Bari and Naples will also continue throughout the winter.
Air Serbia has signed agreements to add five aircraft to its
fleet over the upcoming winter season. “These will be arriving in the next
couple of months and include two additional Embraer jets and three Airbus
A320s", Mr Marek noted. At the same time, EX-YU Aviation News has learned
that three Airbus A319s are expected to be retired during the same period. The
first, registered YU-APK, is expected to operate its final flight for the
airline at the end of next month, marking the beginning of Air Serbia’s strategy
to gradually phase out the A319 fleet.
Despite a slight dip in passenger numbers in July, Air Serbia remains confident it will surpass JAT Yugoslav Airlines’ 1987 passenger record. Mr Marek said, “We are quite certain we will exceed JAT’s former record from 1987, when it carried 4.5 million passengers. Last year we handled 4.4 million, and we now estimate around 4.7 million this year, representing 6% growth. At the moment we are trending at about 5%. So, we will definitely surpass JAT’s record, but we are aiming to reach 4.7 million”.
Mr. Marek added, “Passenger numbers are growing faster than seat capacity, which means our load factor is higher. With the launch of flights to Guangzhou and Shanghai, combined with the government’s signing of a Free Trade Agreement with China, we are also seeing a very positive impact on cargo performance. All of our KPIs are improving, and we are very satisfied with the season”.
On profitability, the CEO noted it was still too early to provide exact figures, as all airlines typically perform strongly during the peak summer months, but confirmed results so far are in line with last year’s record profitability.
Great news from the only viable carrier in the region; do we know the current registration of the new aircraft?
ReplyDeleteWell, two E195s should be registered YU-ATD and YU-ATE. Regarding A320s, they should be YU-APT, YU-APU and YU-APV.
Delete"As a result, by April next year we will have five more aircraft in the fleet”, Mr Marek noted.
DeleteAt the same time, EX-YU Aviation News has learned that three Airbus A319s are expected to be retired during the same period.
So are they getting more than 5 aircraft added to the fleet in order to replace those A319s that are leaving or Marek misspoke when he said that "by April next year we will have five more aircraft in the fleet”?
Was was my comment deleted?
Bravo JU 🇷🇸
DeleteThey should add A321s absolutely.
DeleteRight now A321 could actually be fully utilized during the summer. During the winter Zurich, Paris, Barcelona, Moscow.
DeleteBut when they decide they should go for two or more because if one goes technical the only thing that could replace it at full capacity is an 330.
A321 gives them no benefit. Frequencies is where JU is lacking and not capacity. JU needs more frequencies to all those destinations and more.
Delete^ Flying more flights with smaller aircraft than the competition means you have higher CASK.
DeleteAlso more flights require more pilots, they are expensive, hard to find and because they are in great demand globally they can leave your company easily.
Guessing the regional destination will be something in Croatia. Don't see OHD. Everything else is year-round.
ReplyDeleteSplit? Dubrovnik? Are those year-round?
DeleteIn Croatia only ZAG is year round at the moment.
Delete100% Split
DeleteYes, Split has most chances to be extended into winter season.
DeleteYes, Split seems like logical choice. What about new winter destination and plan to expand to Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia/
DeleteAnd it's Split! :)
DeleteNice, hope it works!
DeleteWhy are you guessing? The title of the article says it's going to be Split.
Delete^ The article was updated around 20 minutes after it was published when the tickets went on sale
DeleteHopefully some new winter route will appear on sale in next few days
DeleteWe are getting closer to a factory order of aircraft I think...yet to figure out if it will be 339 or regional jets
ReplyDeleteProbably A320s. My guess is order will happen in 2027.
DeleteOr E2s
DeleteIf it's going to be A32 family it will be a mix of A320 and A321 i think with a few XLRs they can serve Indian market quite well, which will be in factor in 2030 when those frames will be delivered
DeleteI believe that, if Airbus launches A 220-500, the type will certainly be ordered, replacing both Embraer and Airbus fleet.
DeleteMakes no sense for Air Serbia to order A220.
DeleteWith the A320neo series backlog being that long an order in 2027 would probably mean first delivery occurring in the 2030s.
DeleteProbably is best to go for an A220 or an E2 or be bold and go for the COMAC or Irkutsk single isle offerings. Provided of course they get certified by EASA.
What do you guys think?
That would be very stupid. Those planes require whole new crews with whole new type ratings.
Delete7-10 A32N and 5 A321LR would be ideal. No need for XLR
DeleteFor reasons like cost and long waiting times for delivery I don't see JU ordering new aircraft from Airbus.
DeleteThey will probably go for used NEOs once the airlines that got them first start returning them to their lessors after the 10-12 year lease is up.
JU would lease those too instead of buying them.
So, they will never buy new aircraft?
DeleteI could see them go for new ATRs.
DeleteI believe they currently have more ATR than they need.
DeleteNo, they are not. They have less ATR destinations then they need. Long haul needs more transfer routes
DeleteWhich new ATR destinations can be added? Ones that also add feed to the long haul routes?
DeleteThe biggest seems to be PRN but politics won't allow to be launched, certainly not in the current political situation.
New ATR destinations? Iasi, Cisinau, Tirgu Mures, Craiova, Debrecen, Tuzla, Osijek, Timisoara.
DeleteBEG-OSI didn't even exsist during yugo times. It's a 20 minute flight.
DeleteMaribor (Graz), Bratislava, Košice, Wroclaw, Debrecen, Cluj, Iasi, Brasow, Timisoara, Oradea, Constanta, Plovdiv, Volos, Vlora... then also increasing frequencies (Niš and Banjaluka notably).
Delete^ And you think this villages will feed flights to China and the US?
DeleteVolos is a must have, I agree! 😃
DeleteOradea seems like a valuable addition as well!
Delete@10:21 I believe they did actually exist. But it`s questionable whereather they should. The argument that ther is actually no organized transport from Osijek to Belgrade airport actually stands and there certainly would be more pax from Slavonia had there been the flight, but it doesn`t mean that it would pay. But still, BEG-DUB flights for instance could be launched more easily.
DeleteJU doesn't even want to offer a 2nd daily to SJJ that would actually bring connecting traffic to the rest of its network but you expect them to launch a bunch of Romanian and Bulgarian small cities. 🙄
Delete@10:22 Dude, if you think Wroclaw or Plovdiv (and also Cluj, Brasov, or Iasi) are "villages", and also that there is no demand from Albania to the US, then you are not well educated.
Delete@10:28 "Small cities"? Wow. They should definitely add second daily to Sarajevo. Speaking of Bosnia, they should add as many of 9 weekly flights to Banjaluka, start Bihać after it will have been built and even consider Tuzla. And that calls for more ATRs, which was the original point of debate here.
DeleteFor OSI, TZL, INI, KVO, TSR ATR42 is proper
DeleteYes, but there really can be no flights to Kraljevo (perheaps to Užice). Maybe base one ATR 42 at KVO, as it is all PSO.
DeleteThe comments here are truly something else
DeleteTrue, people comment with a sole purpose to offend.
DeleteI apologize. I would like to hear more about ATR 42 flights to Osijek and Bihac.
DeleteThey should also launch ATR flights to Maribor and Portoroz!
Delete@13:34 Hopefully B&H grants fifth freedom rights, so JU flies BEG-SJJ-Bihać daily.
DeleteWell, Bihac is not operational. But passengers from Osijek are using MUC, ZAG or STN for a hub, rather than drive to BEG 2,5 hours plus border. And that drive takes more time and money than ticket to BEG. Maybe those flights would not be fully profitable, but that loss would be redeemed through final destination ticket. And surely it would generate some p2p demand, once established. Same goes to INI, TSR, TZL
DeleteJU should order more ATR and develop regional routes. Also, they should fly BEG-KVO and BEG-INI at least once a day. The current INI schedules are ridiculous : no flight on five days out of seven but you have two flights each on Wednesday and Sunday.
DeleteJust nice to see how JU develops well. 😃
ReplyDeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteWould be nice to get rid of some GetJet's when the new A320's came. If not all 4 of them.
ReplyDeleteHardly. Because if they get 3 A320s and retire 3 A319s, in total it is the same number of A320 family fleet. Two additional E195s will be used for further expansion.
DeleteI hope the time they will get those planes , they will get rid of those awful Getjet wet leases !
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen. Both GetJet and Bulgaria Air will stay with 4 aircraft each.
DeleteHopefully they also hire 5 pilots as well.
ReplyDeleteActually, 5 planes ammount to 40 pilots.
DeleteCorrect. At least.
DeleteNot bad overall. I'm glad they will be able to imeddietly cover the outgoing planes and that all three have more capacity. And the E195s are always welcome.
ReplyDeleteSo by sumemr 2026 they will have another 2 additional aircraft. That means we will see more new routes. Wondering which ones they will be.
ReplyDeleteWell they have already been clear about another destination in the Caucausus and Ibiza as well.
DeleteCan the E195 operate Tel Aviv?
DeleteYes it can
DeleteAlso, it can operate HEL. It's about a time to get it back to destination list. CAI too
Delete@09:41
DeleteAgree completely!
The E195 is the ideal aircraft for CAI and HEL. I would add AMM and BEY too.
Do we know that such a small aircraft actually makes money on such long flights?
DeleteSo many other airlines seems to think so.
DeleteWhich ones?
DeleteFor CAI A319/320 is not a problem to fill
Delete@10:04
DeleteThere's 80 airlines operating the E-jet and on routes longer than BEG-CAI.
Is there any airline that flies to Belgrade, on a route as long, with an E195? Because Porter Airlines and likes are niche airlines - they are certainly high yielding, flying from downtown Toronto. So was Belavia - a niche airline. I don`t see it as a rule, and I also don`t see Belgrade as a special (niche) market at all.
DeleteArkia flew TLV-BEG with E195.
DeleteYes, but but that`s 100% O&D pax. It is a special case compared to JU`s model, as it alters the flight economics. Still doubt that would work for JU.
DeleteJU will operate TBS with E190/195 in the winter
DeleteA question...why dont they buy the 319 they want to retire, like the three previous ones?
ReplyDeleteThey made it clear that the A319's will be replaced with A320's and EJets. The 3 A319's they bought is likely staying as additional summer capacity just as we saw with the B737's.
DeleteFew A319 should stay in the fleet. Gap between E195’s 118 seats and A320’s 180 seats is too large. A319 with 144 seats fills that gap perfectly
DeleteThe gap isn't too drastic. The A320 has similar operational economics to the A319 so a full A319 would be a decent enough load for an A320. Routes where the A319 isn't full is where the EJets work better.
DeleteYes, it’s 50% larger gap. A319 is smaller and lighter than A320, so it has to consume considerable more fuel
DeleteNot really, the fuel burn between the two is very small. That is why A320s have much better efficiency and airlines have completely abandoned the A319ceo or neo.
DeleteOf course it is not true. A319 wouldn't even exist, if that would be true. Actually, A320 would not exist also, everybody would use A321. But, still many airlines use A319. I have no doubt that price per passenger is lower at A320 than A319, but carrying 130 passengers is surely considerable cheaper on A319 than A320/321
DeleteGreat to see Split finally being connected year-round.
ReplyDeleteFantastic news! Let’s hope the demand proves strong enough to keep the winter flights in 26/27 too.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how sustainable two flights per week to Split in the middle of January will be?
ReplyDeleteIt is highliy likely there are good incentives in place from Split Airport to keep these operating in winter.
DeleteIt`s two flights with ATR.
DeleteFrankly, mid-January is issue even for more mature destinations. Don't judge about any route based on mid-January performance.
DeleteIt`s small numbers, folks. I mean, some Jadranska liga team plays KK Split away, and that`s half of the aircraft engaged.
DeleteThat's true too...
DeleteThe list of the biggest European legacies not flying to Split during the winter:
DeleteLufthansa
Austrian
British
Swiss
Iberia
Air France
SAS
LOT
Aegean
Turkish
Finnair
So, al these legacies that have wider network than JU did not find SPU being profitable during the winter for transdsfer flights and JU will find it only because of few people who still have real estate there and live in Belgrade? Even their children do not see that part of Croatia as their mother land but Serbia and do not have interest to go there except maybe during few summer days.
Let's not forget that there is also no interest among local population for the flights to Belgrade.
So, wrong decision. They could have used the plane to fly to CLJ. It would be much better.
Will you come back here in a few months and eat your words if this route proves to be successful?
DeleteJust curious.
@13:59 "There is also no interest among local population for the flights to Belgrade." What are you talking about? Belgrade is a popular tourist destination for the region. I mean, there was even a tragedy with a young tourist from Split recently, not to mention his name here but everybody knows it.
DeleteI would say (without any data, but that's OK today) that for Split Belgrade is one of the top tourist destination abroad.
DeleteTrue, Belgrade has become a major tourist attraction for people in the Balkans and beyond!
DeleteAnonymous13:59 what are you talking about? First we are talking about ATR's, second in Dalmatia are many people who has families in Serbia and vice-versa. I predict full flights in first two weeks of January for two reasons: Croatian tourists who are coming back from New Year celebrations; second reason are Croatian Serbs who will go to visit their femilies during Ortodox Christmas. Bonus: there are connecting flights to other destinations via BEG and KLM has downgraded their services, so you don't have much to choose.
DeleteHas KLM downgraded to less than two per week in winter?
Delete^
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/08/klm-to-reduce-split-winter-operations.html
They remove 3xA319 that they replace by 3xA320.....
ReplyDeleteThat's a non event, just an icrease in available seats.
At least it they were NEO's that would have been a real change.
The NEO is now reaching it 10th birthday of commercial operations next January, so it's completely mature product.
Getting 2 Embraer 195 that's the only "news".
I think Wizz, Ryanair, LH, AF, KL they don't even communicate on such fleet changes.
I would say upgrading Split to year round flights is also "news".
DeleteYet, they have 5-10% fleet grounded around the world. Very mature... Thanks, but no thanks
DeleteThere was a time when the 10 NEOs from Etihad order seemed way too much for little JU, now it feels they'd come in handy but are hard to get by. It's unlikely to get any next gen aircraft any time soon, which is not a big issues if they can stay competitive with the current gen aircraft really . And if they go for next gen it's likely they'd go with E2 if Embraer can give a decent deal
DeleteWhat they now need is to swap the 2pm flight from Ljubljana for a 5am one with arrival at 2am...would be much more convinient for business travelers and could make one-day business trips viable again
ReplyDeleteI hope JU will be successful, but SPU is dead airport in the winter. Almost no legacy except subsidized OU and KL flies there (decreased)
ReplyDeleteWith a good reason.
Because no tourist go to Split in winter. JU will carry mostly diaspora passengers and transfers.
DeleteATR is profitable just above 50% LF. Shouldn't be a problem achieve this
DeleteThere are Serbs who have ties with Dalmatia. People owning properties who will go there in the winter rather than by bus/car. We talk about having 100 pax a week. It's definitely not much!
DeleteI shared this article with several people from Belgrade that have ties to Dalmatia, three of them confirmed that they would buy tickets by the end of the day already ;) Not worried about the success of this route at all.
DeleteI am not sure transfer passengers will choose JU over PSO subsidized OU.
DeleteCroatian diaspora will surely not fly with JU.
For those optimistic people who want to visit Split in the middle of the winter there are JU flights to Mostar that is only 2 hours of driving from Split.
I am quite sure JU won't be successful here.
Croatia Airlines has a grand total of 13 international destinations in winter compared to over 70 operated by Air Serbia.
DeleteAnd what is a number of international destinations OS, AF, BA, LX, TK, LH have? And still not even one of them flies to SPU in winter.
DeleteLufthansa through Discover Airlines is offering Split in winter. Although I do see you think you are an expert, you simply don't know what kind of deal they got from SPU and the tourist board, which could mean they need just 10-15 passengers per flight on tge ATR to turn a profit.
Delete@"Croatian diaspora will surely not fly with JU". Sure, noone from Zagreb would fly through Belgrade... Oh, wait!
DeleteYes, surely no OS, no LH, no LX, no TK got deals from SPU, only JU!
DeleteCroatian diaspora lives in Zagreb?
Interesting.
Croatia Airlines extending Split-Istanbul to year-round this winter
DeleteDiscover Airlines extending Frankfurt-Split to year-round this winter
KLM operating third winter in Split
What a bitter moron you are
Let's clarify comment guidelines with three examples:
DeleteWhat a bitter moron you are - insults but ok
Croatian diaspora will surely not fly with JU - chauvinist remark but ok
Bringing up facts about failed TSN service and questioning if YYZ would have been superior choice - censorship meltdown
Thank you for your cooperation.
I see Split and Dubrovnik getting more winter flights from legacy carriers so it's about high time to give Split a try. Belgrade not generating that much regional tourism recently could be the challenge for the route this season...
ReplyDeleteGreat addition, regional expansion is the key for their network. Now they're only missing Cluj, Chisinau and upgrade Varna to year-round as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, most of passengers from/to Varna are transfers to Belgrade. Air Serbia is in competition with TK, OS, FB fot transfers.
DeleteSame like Ohrid good idea for year-round service.
DeleteIf they're not able to fly to OHD more than once weekly in October, then no, it's far from a good idea.
DeleteI have a feeling they will buy the bulgarian planes. I don't think it will be that expensive.
ReplyDeleteThey should start ordering their own planes. ATR and Embraer should be their priority, in my opinion. Ordering that planes they could also grow from INI and KVO. Also, they should think about launching sub airline Air Serbia Express that can cover ATR and Embraer routes and be good feeders for long haul routes. Also, would be nice to see them launch already served routes as HEL, CAI, TLV, etc. and get more frequencies to their European network and also to grow to Miami, Toronto, Havana, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Almaty, Tokyo! Wish them to achieve that in next five years!
ReplyDeleteAnd forgot to mention some Middle East destinations, such as Beirut, Amman, even Riyadh, and some African destinations as Tripoli, Casablanca, Marrakesh. Accra can be also nice addition as 100k people from Ghana will come to Belgrade for work...
Delete@13:02 100K people from Ghana wont came to Serbia. Dont spread lies here!!!
DeleteTrue, but in the very near future we should have a considerable number of expats in Belgrade, inducing new kind of diaspora travel...
DeleteAmazing that SPU is becoming all year around. I know many young people from SPU that love to come to Belgrade during winter to party, plus many families on both sides. For example, half of my family lives there and they would take two separate tickets to come to Belgrade during winter months. First Split-Zagreb and than Zag-Beg what is suepr expensive. This will hopefully give them opportunity to come more often to Beg
ReplyDeleteIdemo dalje...
ReplyDeleteDoes Split have already daily flights in summer?
ReplyDeleteOr at least six?
If you have so much requency in summer continuing flying into winter should be feasible.
.Especially if the route so short and served with an economic plane as the atr
I am less optimistic for routes like Naples that have already low frequencies in summer.
For these it would be better to increase them before going year round.
BEG-SPU is 6x weekly with A319/A320
Delete^ They already fly to Split six times weekly for many years. Is there a logical explanation for why they cannot go daily?
DeleteIt looks really odd ...
A good question.
DeleteSome years ago this blog mentioned possible intervention by local politicians that were not happy with too much presence of JU.
That would make sense.
DeleteThey were probably afraid that JU takes transit passengers away from OU.