Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines have taken divergent approaches to global alliance membership. Air Serbia has indicated it is exploring potential interest and has not ruled out joining one of the three major alliances - Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam - though it has no immediate plans to do so. Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “We're not in a rush. For now, we're informally gauging interest during various meetings. Our strategy remains consistent: if there's a proposal based on equal partnership, we're open to exploring it, but at this stage, we don't see anything on the table”. Air Serbia has previously noted that due to its size, membership within and alliance would hinder its independence, noting, “We don't want anyone else to tell us who we can and can't cooperate with”.
Croatia Airlines has been a member of Star Alliance for over two decades, with CEO Jasmin Bajić emphasising that the partnership remains highly significant to the carrier’s operations. “All the work is done within the framework of Star Alliance. We joined twenty years ago and are the smallest airline member. But we have to reach and maintain certain standards to be part of the alliance, and I am proud that Croatia Airlines has done that for two decades. Compliance with these standards and the associated technology is really important to us and gives us a platform for success. It allows us to be competitive. And, of course, there are innovations at an alliance level which we can access and there is added value for our passengers in terms of connectivity and rewards”.
EX-YU Aviation News has approached Air Montenegro to comment on whether it sees benefits in joining an alliance in the long-term. However, the carrier declined to respond. The airline has yet to finalise its first codeshare or any other form of partnership with another carrier, although it has previously stated that such agreements are in the works.
I think JU has past the point where they would be used as a feeder by another airline within an alliance due to its network size. So I don't see why they don't consider an alliance.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate. I would love to see them in one of the less represented alliances in our region. Particularly Oneworld.
DeleteOneworld for Air Serbia would be great I think! Star Alliance - thank goodness they're not joining.
DeleteHonestly, I prefer Air Serbia staying independent. Their route network is growing fast and they’ve managed to attract big partners anyway.
DeleteSkyteam would be great!
Delete"Neutralni".
DeleteThe only partnership that would work for them realistically is One World - links with the US via EU or their US flights, and China Eastern/Qatar on the other side. The flip side to this is the partnership they have with TK that would potentially be impacted, as well as their other codeshare flights and services around Europe. Their current strategy means there’s no limitation to cooperation, no one telling them where they can or can’t fly, so really they don’t need it. In the future though that could all change and some there’s no Malev and S7 is virtually non existent, there’s quite a bit of 1 stop coverage (without Russia) that they could offer through the One World alliance.
DeleteAlliance membership could help JU with the US in particular.
ReplyDeleteYou mean as it helps OU on their multiple daily flights to JFK, EWR, ORD and LAX?
DeleteWell, JU actually flies there, so it`s pointless, the comment of your`s.
Delete09.28
DeleteIt's not pointless. It was constructive criticism on OU, with dose of sarcasm. On the serious side, of course JU would benefit from alliance membership and codeshares on the US side, as long as that potential membership would be based on principles of equality and cooperation and not subordination and servility, which is the case with OU.
On an issue that has nothing to do with OU but with JU your only reply is "constructive criticism" and irony toward OU.
DeleteSeems you are unable to respond to the original comment so you are trying to deflect.
Criticism of OU might be an "issue" only for you. Today's TOPIC is about ALLIANCES. I was comparing situation of flag carriers of Croatia and Serbia related to alliances and possibilities within alliances. Even the first sentence of the article compares approaches of OU and JU to alliances. But I understand it might be difficult to read criticism on your "work" results 🙂
DeleteJU would absolutely benefit from codeshares on USA flights (with the biggest carriers such as AA), but it doesn't seem able to enter into such agreements, let alone join an alliance
DeleteI just used my Air Canada Aeroplan points to fly with JU to AMS. It was half the number of points to fly similar distances in Canada. I don't know how JU has a deal with AC, but I like it.
Delete"The airline has yet to finalise its first codeshare or any other form of partnership with another carrier"
ReplyDeleteI still don't get it. They have been flying already for 4 years! Compare that to what Starlux has done in 4 years.
Are you really comparing Montenegro and Taiwan??? :))
DeleteA start up is a start up, no matter where they are located. Not to mention that one of them got their planes bought by the government and are getting assistance. In any case I am talking about airline partnerships and I really don't see why 4 years later the airline still doesn't have any form of partnership with any single carrier.
DeleteTruth be told Starlux only has codeshares with Etihad and Alaska Airlines.
Delete^ that's two more than Air Montenegro.
DeleteHas it ever occurred to you that no one wants a codeahre with Air Montenegro? What does any airline have to gain from it?
DeleteJU has said several times it wants a codeshare with 4O.
DeleteI am not sure Air Serbia does not want it.
DeleteThey had a code share with Montenegro Airlines.
^ they have publicly said they want one with Air Montenegro.
DeleteIf not code share, they could at least have an interline agreement.
DeletePeople should keep in mind that being part of an alliance requires a hefty fee.
ReplyDeleteHow much is the fee on average?
DeleteIt varies depending on the size of the airline, the alliance and the depth of integration.
DeleteBut there is a one time joining fee which is something between 18-50 million USD. Then there is an annual fee.
wow
DeleteBut membership also saves you cost in some areas.
DeleteI think alliances are overrated in 2025. With so many joint ventures, codeshares and interline deals an airline can replicate most alliance benefits without paying huge membership fees.
DeleteAnd yet every significant airline is a member of one.
DeleteAna I am sure that IF ASL joins one it won't be characterized as overrated at all.
oneworld is really missing an airline in East Europe.
ReplyDeleteIn Central Europe in general since the demise of Malev and Air Berlin.
DeleteCompletely forgot Malev used to be part of oneworld. I always wonder how different aviation in this region would have been if they were still around.
DeleteAlso having both Malev and ČSA (as it was) would make a huge difference.
DeleteJU in Oneworld makes little sense if Serbians even need transit visas to go through the UK.
DeletePlus, the majority of people wouldnt want to bother with the UK visas anymore with other opportunities tp fly
Serbians do not in fact need transit visas for the UK in most cases, since most transfer traffic at LHR would be towards the US and Canada, whose visas grant an automatic exemption from transit visas in the UK. In fact, you can even transfer to any third destination through the UK as long as you hold a valid US or Canadian visa.
DeleteUsually, no one get demise of company with membership in alliance which destroys them. All companies under the Star Aliance and LH were bankrupt at list once or heavily subsided by state, Swiss, ITA aka Alitalia, ExSaben, OS, OU, LOT even Turkish and United. Malev and CSA are thrown under the wheel.
DeleteTbh I think OU's relationship with one Star Alliance member has had more of a negative impact on the company than positive.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteYeah, but they are competitive 😂 And he is proud they are the smallest member😂 Very good 😂
Delete+100
DeleteThe statement where he proudly says they are the smallest member really struck me too :D
DeleteThese problems with OU are not due to their alliance membership, but to their poor decision making.
DeleteThey don't make decisions. They obey orders from Central Comitee/Središnjica
DeleteAn alliance isn’t a magic solution. You still need a solid business model. Something OU does not have.
DeleteBig problem OU now has with Star is their frequent fliers. Who really owns them, OU or Star?
DeleteWhich alliance should JU join, if it were to join one?
ReplyDeleteOneworld. They have no otter member nearby and they don't un the risk of becoming a feeder as it would be unfeasible to become one for Iberia or British Airways,
Delete*run the risk
DeleteSkyteam
DeleteAre these alliances interested in having us as a member?
DeleteOU is used as a cheap feeder to the STARAL hubs and for this they require even a certain level of aircraft. JP was no different, only exception JP had even no direct competition to main markets such as Germany
ReplyDeleteIMO, they would be in an even worse situation if they weren't feeders. It is like Air Baltic not doing any wet leases for Swiss
DeleteEvery airline joining Star Alliance basically becomes a Lufthansa feeder airline
ReplyDeleteIt does not help that Lufthansa now owns 3 other Star Alliance members.
DeleteThe way things are going they will own another couple.
DeleteNot exactly. TAP, THY, SAS till recently, Swiss, LOT and many more have decent networks and big hubs. Some of them have spectacular networks and huuuge hubs. Only those airlines controlled by corrupt politicians and run by incompetent aparatchiks become feeder airlines.
Delete@PIR
Delete+1
Aegean is part of Star alliance and it is far away from feeder from LH. But of course being a feeder is much easier then to develop your own network.
Delete@9:25. Yeah right. Turkish Airlines has become a feeder for Lufthansa!
DeleteNo alliance would allow JU to join important JV such as A++ transatlantic JV. Therefore JU won't join any alliance.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know that no one would allow it?
DeleteWhy should they? Alliance Leaders are interested u join an alliance and feed hubs, rather than grow on yr own and be competition to the alliance partners
DeleteAlliances are less of a problem for markets with a homecarrier with a strong set-up/market/good yield environment.
Eastern Europeans basically all failed except for LO which is a larger country, due to these reasons.
Air Baltic is not member of any alliance and benefits from wet leases for LH Group. If JU ever joins, better in maybe 5-10 years from now. For the time being they should build up their long haul network and develop their product.
Alliances give you a quota on how many codeshares or closer cooperation you can have so that is a deterrent.
ReplyDeleteThe most logical step forward would be for Air Serbia to join the oneworld alliance.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, there is no strong alliance presence in Central Europe, which makes Belgrade a perfect connection point. Oneworld is also more liberal with codesharing compared to some other alliances, offering flexibility and broader connectivity.
For US passengers, this would mean not all flights would need to funnel through London Heathrow. Instead, Air Serbia could serve as a key transfer hub in the region, with options to route travelers through Belgrade and even via the UK without requiring a UK visa for transits.
Strategically, JU’s central location and existing transatlantic ambitions could also attract American Airlines flights from PHL, CLT, or DFW, strengthening both sides.
In short, oneworld would be the ideal fit—a win for Air Serbia, the alliance, and passengers alike.
+1
Delete+2
Delete"oneworld would be the ideal fit [for Air Serbia]"
DeleteBut is vice-versa also true? JU is hardly on par with other oneworld members in terms of reliability, frequencies, brand etc.
OU on the other hand fulfils all of those... lol
DeleteOU is not in oneworld
DeletePeople may not remember that in 2005, Swiss was about to join OneWorld and there was a lot of PR around it including have Swiss in Oneworld with its other partners. Swiss at the time had a JV with American. Anyway, BA demanded that Swiss transfer its Heathrow slots to it and merge their frequent flyer program with BA’s. LX saw it as an attempt by BA to strip value out of LX, promptly withdrew its intention to join within a short time just before joining and started talking to Lufthansa about joining LH. The rest is history with LX seen to have been treated more fairly than what BA proposed as part of its OneWorld alliance admission process.
DeleteIt more or less did the same just with mutti instead.
DeleteBut LH preserved Zurich as a hub which is what the Swiss government wanted. Whereas BA wanted LX to feed Heathrow as I understand it.
DeleteInteresting strategy, but I wonder if Air Serbia might struggle to compete with bigger alliance-backed carriers in the long run.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia is playing it smart. Joining an alliance would limit its freedom to cooperate with carriers like Turkish Airlines or Qatar Airways. For a small airline in a niche market, flexibility is worth more than logos on the ticket.
ReplyDeleteThe main benefit for passengers is through ticketing, mileage accrual and lounge access. Croatia Airlines customers get that, Air Serbia’s don’t. For frequent travellers, that’s a big difference.
ReplyDeleteI really do not see any passenger is avoiding JU because of above points especially as JU has all these points in its offer.
DeleteNot so attractive, but they have them.
And for sure these points are not "the main benefit". The main benefits are wide network, acceptable prices, short transfer and good flying times.
I already earn my AA Advantage miles on Air Serbia.
DeleteHow so? Air Serbia is not listed as an earning partner for AAdvantage.
DeleteAir Montenegro is missing from this picture completely. No codeshares, no partnerships, no alliances. They need to wake up if they want to be relevant regionally, not just survive on incoming PSO routes.
ReplyDeleteStar Alliance hasn’t exactly helped Croatia Airlines grow. They’ve shrunk their fleet, lost routes and are still financially weak. Alliance membership is no guarantee of success.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteIf Air Serbia joins an alliance, ticket prices will probably go up.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteCroatia Airlines always talks about being part of Star Alliance, but what’s the actual benefit for passengers in Zagreb? Most people still connect through Lufthansa hubs.
ReplyDeleteTrue dat.
DeleteAlliances make sense for legacy carriers with huge networks. For smaller airlines like Air Serbia, it’s better to cherry-pick partnerships that actually bring passengers to Belgrade.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia joining an alliance would only make sense if they start long-haul to more destinations. Otherwise, it’s too expensive for too little benefit.
DeleteIf Air Montenegro wants to grow, they’ll have to sign at least a basic codeshare with a major airline.
ReplyDeleteNe vidim da je OU imala bilo kakav benefit osim da sluzi kao feeder LH. Za razliku od JU koja ima profit u zadnjih 3-4 godine uz LF od blizu 80%, OU je u debelom minusu sa LF od samo 65% uz svu pomoc clanica STAR alijanse.
ReplyDeleteTacno tako. Potpisujem.
DeleteFrom a frequent flyer perspective, I’d love to see Air Serbia join SkyTeam. It would make sense with Air France/KLM, TAROM and Air Europa being partners.
ReplyDeleteTAROM is on its hind legs and Air Europa will soon leave SkyTeam.
DeleteCroatia Airlines talks a lot about standards and compliance, but their product hasn’t improved in years.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. Brigh t and shiny (with a bit of corrosion) will solve all problems - starting from heavy losses through the lowest european LF ending with product improvement
Delete🤣
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteOn what?
DeleteSvaka budala ima svoje veselje
Delete16.34
DeleteOn clever, intelligent and educated citizens hailing Bravo while being cheated, robbed and named small teeth cattle
For membership in an alliance you have to offer frequencies to your partners.
ReplyDeleteOU with its multiple daily flights to Frankfurt and Munich does exactly that.
Yes, it is a classic feeder with a subpar network, low load factor and high losses. But it serves FRA and MUC perfectly.
DeleteI have the feeling that if OU would cancel all its routes except Frankfurt and Munich where they codeshare with Lufty they would become profitable immediately.
DeleteRyanair could take care for the other routes ..
That would be the taxpayers dream come through!
DeleteWhile being too close to TK and having bunch of LH flights, only option seems like Star Alliance. In addition to US they can add Canadian partner to the equation for long-discussed Toronto flights.
ReplyDeleteIf the joining it will be SkyTeam for sure. Air France have always been closer to the Serbs than the Germans ( Lufthansa). And there is benefit of joining an alliance for example not having a own bonussystem and maybe joining blue.
ReplyDeleteSo we now base business decisions based on which side we fought on in WW1 and WW2? You can’t be serious!
DeleteI dont know of the other former republics but in Croatia the relationship with Germany is definitely based on this.
DeleteIn Croatia emotions are tantamount over reason.