Air Serbia, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines handled a combined total of 90.142 passengers on flights between Belgrade and China during the first half of the year. Notable is the strong performance of the Serbian carrier’s Shanghai service, which has been in operation since January 11 of this year.
Naturally, Guangzhou had the most passengers, with four weekly flights operated by two carriers – Air Serbia and China Southern Airlines. Together they handled 44.694 travellers between the two cities. Over the six-month period, China Southern had 30.784 seats on the market, deploying its Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the route, while Air Serbia offered 26.680 seats, utilising its Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Last month, the Head of the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia met with Qianhong Zhu, Vice President of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Management, during which both sides emphasised the potential for growing frequencies between the two cities.
Belgrade - Guangzhou - Belgrade
Hainan Airlines welcomed 23.722 travellers on its flights between Beijing and Belgrade. The carrier, which maintains the route with its A330-300 aircraft, saw its passenger numbers dip slightly, by 2.7% or 666 fewer travellers. Its average cabin load factor stood at 80% over the six months. Air Serbia was this year granted permits to launch operations to Beijing but has so far not exercised those rights.
Belgrade - Beijing - Belgrade
Air Serbia’s two weekly service to Shanghai saw 21.726 passengers during the first half of the year. It represents an average cabin load factor of 84.7%, considered strong for a new long-haul route. “Flights between the Serbian capital and China’s business hub have maintained a high load factor, with growing interest that has further intensified during the summer season”, the airline recently said.
Belgrade - Shanghai - Belgrade
Serbia welcomed a total of 88.068 Chinese tourists during the first half of the year, representing an increase of 27.4% on the same period in 2024. Air Serbia is one of only eight European carriers currently operating flights between Europe and China.
Not bad at all. Still room to grow.
ReplyDeleteFinally first numbers from China routes. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI know it won't happen but what would be the likely next destination in China?
ReplyDeleteHong Kong, very good transfer to Australia and New Zealand
DeleteGuangzhou is already good for Australia and New Zealand. China Southern alone now has 4 daily flights to Sydney.
DeleteWith Guangzhou already served I don't think there is a lot of chance for Hong Kong. The train between the two cities is just over an hour.
DeleteChongqing is a must. Futuristic city with many tourists, very popular in western Europe and America. JU could collect many transfers from all over the world
DeleteChengdu is a must. Sichuan airlines already flies to ATH I think BEG could be the next move in Balkans
DeleteBeijing
DeleteSichuan Airlines does fly to Athens but via Istanbul.
DeleteDo they have fifth freedom rights between Istanbul and Athens?
DeleteYes they do!
Deletewow was not aware of that.
DeleteThey use A330 on this route right?
DeleteYes
DeleteAs someone wrote above Chongqing or Chengdu. Great places to be.
DeleteGood results for such a new market! Air Serbia’s Shanghai route clearly has strong potential.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteShanghai numbers are excellent for just two weekly flights. Hopefully, they’ll increase to three or four per week soon. The demand seems to be there, especially with the growing number of Chinese tourists.
ReplyDeleteCan they add more flights just like that or they need some additional procedure in China, papers, approvals etc?
DeleteI'm afraid the Chinese would rather allow a local airline enter that route first before allowing JU to add frequencies.
DeleteSeems like competition from Air Serbia’s new routes is having an effect on Hainan.
ReplyDeleteAnd China Southern's too.
DeleteYes, I assume there were domestic transfers on Hainan's flights too.
DeleteHope they consider Chengdu (TFU) as their next Chinese destination. 55 million pax, over a 100 on two airports, hubs for Air China and only they and Sichuan have some limited European destinations from there. No European airline flies, including also no Turkish, with just Qatar present.
ReplyDeleteI remember there was an article here with a list of busiest unserved destinations in China and I believe Chengdu was among the top. But obviously these were small numbers compared to the three destinations launched.
Delete@Admin, do you have montly capacity data so when can see LF per month?
ReplyDeleteCan happily say I flew all three airlines to China. China Southern and Hainan are both very good in terms of service. I would say China Southern has the advantage due to it being a 787 which is passenger friendly.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia can not compete service wise with either of those two. I'm guessing they are hoping no one starts Shanghai.
Are the fares on Guangzhou route similar on JU and CZ or are they different?
Delete^ mostly
DeleteWho would've thought that Guangzhou would carry that much passengers as Beijing and Shanghai combined.
ReplyDeleteThe key is in partnership with massive Chinese airlines, seems that JU is profiting really well.
Load factors around 80–85% for long-haul routes are very healthy.
ReplyDelete+1 especially if route launched less than a year ago.
DeleteIt would be great to see even more Chinese airlines.
ReplyDeleteIt would but I think the current bilateral agreement limits the number of airlines to China Southern, Hainan and Air China. But I am not 100% sure.
DeleteAir China would be a great addition too.
DeleteIf Serbia welcomed 88k tourists, but total pax on flights was 90k, looks like some tourists are still travelling via different hubs to reach Serbia. Which only means that there is more room for flights and better connectivity.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. I notice quite a few Chinese people travel to Turkey and then from Turkey come to Serbia. I'm guessing they don't need a visa to Turkey either.
DeleteAlso, a lot of Chinese citizens are living in Europe and coming to visit Serbia. UK and Germany especially
Deletethere’s a lot of untapped demand between Serbia and China.
DeleteYes, but also on a personal note - four times I took the PVG flight, and there hasn’t been more than 10 Caucasian travelers at any time.
DeleteWhy would people from the Caucasus travel to China via Serbia
Delete🤣🤣😅
DeleteThe best thing about Chinese airlines at the moment is they are dumping prices on many routes. You can find some great deals. Although when it comes to Chinese airlines better to go through an OTA for booking. It is much easier.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia has more an more transfers from China flights. Mostly to places like Dubrovnik, Sarajevo but even Vienna.
ReplyDeleteThese numbers are fantastic for a market that only opened recently.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia clearly did its homework with Shanghai
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting how Belgrade now has more direct routes to China than some EU capitals.
ReplyDeleteI know some EU capitals not having any direct route to China.
Delete"Air Serbia is one of only eight European carriers currently operating flights between Europe and China". Do we know which are seven others?
DeleteLufthansa, Turkish, KLM, Air France, Swiss, British, Finnair, Aeroflot.
Deleteit is not if you consider that for northern Europeans airlines cannot use "normal" routes but rather need to avoid Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian airspace.
DeleteThank you
DeleteAir Serbia is really among European aviation leaders, regarding China routes
DeleteThese air links are paying off in attracting more tourists from China.
ReplyDeleteNow start Chengdu or Xi’an please.
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen
DeleteThis is great but Air Serbia really needs to improve. The service and catering are fine but the upkeep of seats is really needed!
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteLoad factors over 80% are solid. If cargo loads are strong too, these routes could be some of Air Serbia’s most profitable long haul operations.
ReplyDeletea lot of capacity for a niche market like this one, yet it seems to be working well.
ReplyDeleteShanghai performing so well is no surprise. It is China's largest and richest city. It is also a great place to visit and most Chinese people living in Serbia are from the region Shanghai is located in. There are also many Serbian businesses sourcing from China. This route probably benefits cargo just as much as passengers.
ReplyDeleteAren't Hainan using A330/300 for Belgrade route?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are. Corrected.
DeleteIdemo dalje...
ReplyDeletePuno premalo, treba minimum 110% LF za break even
ReplyDeleteExpert for stupidity... 😉👍
DeleteGood LF's. Hopefully the high Guangzhou numbers are due to there being higher frequency, because then there's room for growth for other routes
ReplyDeleteWith this Bejing slight dip in pax number, I am not sure if JU should start PEK, even if the permit is here. Demand seems to be limited
ReplyDeleteWild take. I believe Belgrade had long haul to China in all Serbian state forms, during my lifetime. Could be the only long-haul market with that achievement?
ReplyDeleteThe only. Correct.
DeleteLast night i returned from Shanghai and Guangzou, both flights were full, maybe 10 seats were available. Air Serbia is doing wonders on this lines.
ReplyDelete