Air Serbia handled over 4.531.000 passengers within a single calendar year on Sunday, December 28, overtaking the annual passenger record set by its predecessor JAT Yugoslav Airlines in 1987. “This result is particularly significant considering that JAT at the time operated in a much larger market. After nearly four decades, Air Serbia, as the successor of this company, proudly writes a new chapter in the history of Serbian aviation, based on long-term vision and sustainable development", the company said.
JAT's 1987 passenger structure
In 1987, JAT carried 4.5 million passengers with a fleet of up to 33 aircraft, although no more than thirty were in active operation at any one time. This was due to the phased delivery of new Boeing 737-300s and ATR42s throughout the year, alongside the conclusion of short-term leases of two DC-10 aircraft from Finnair (eighteen months) and Martinair (three months). During the same period, JAT leased out one Boeing 727 to Turkish Airlines and retired its final Boeing 707. The airline recorded an average cabin load factor of 69.3% in 1987, a figure that should be viewed in the context of the era, when carriers commonly operated multiple-sector flights. Scheduled long-haul services achieved the highest cabin occupancy, with an average load of 74% over the twelve-month period. The airline uplifted 38.558 tons of cargo.
The year 1987 marked an important milestone for JAT. During this period, the airline introduced automated ticketing at its Belgrade head office, launched a second cargo-only service to Paris to complement its existing London operation, and banned smoking on domestic flights. It also expanded its new business class product, Adriatic Class, onto domestic services. Beyond its core passenger operations, JAT signed an agreement with Paris-based SNECMA (today known as Safran), one of the world’s leading civil aircraft engine manufacturers, for the joint construction of a jet-engine test stand in Belgrade. The airline also expanded its non-aviation and support infrastructure, opening the Sunny Peaks hotel complex on Kopaonik Mountain and a new 8.000-square-metre catering facility in Belgrade. At the same time, in 1987, JAT continued its fleet modernisation, taking delivery of new Boeing 737s, a DC-10 and ATR42 aircraft, while also placing an order for the acquisition of three ATR72s and a letter of intent for the purchase of new MD-11 jets, for which it would become the launch customer. During the year, JAT introduced new routes including Los Angeles and Calcutta, as well as wide-body operations between Ljubljana and London Heathrow.
Commenting on the record, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “During this year, Air Serbia recorded the highest traffic volume since its establishment, thanks to the continuous expansion of its destination network, increased flight frequencies and constant improvement of service quality. The record results achieved reflect strong passenger demand and growing trust in the Air Serbia brand”. He added, “The company will continue to optimise its capacity with the aim of providing passengers with even greater comfort and convenience during travel. We are working intensively on personalising the passenger experience and transforming traditional service into a modern, digitally supported, and customer-oriented offering. By combining tradition, innovation and technology, we are introducing our own loyalty programme for the first time, which will allow members to enjoy enhanced benefits and earn points even when they do not fly. Breaking the record in passenger numbers represents a strong confirmation of the correctness of Air Serbia’s strategic direction – investment in fleet, technology and people, with a constant commitment to service quality. The national airline will continue to actively shape the future of travel, where speed, simplicity and an excellent passenger experience are key indicators of success”.
Articles on December 31 will be published earlier, at 07:00 CET, to accommodate readers across different time zones on the last day of the year
Bravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteBravo JU 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
DeleteVery nice article and flashback to the 80s :)
ReplyDeleteI went back and read the article. Indeed very nice, thank you Ex Yu!
DeleteWhat are the projections for next year? Any guesses?
ReplyDeleteMaximum 3% increase in traffic. Probably flat on number of flights.
DeleteSo a bump in cabin loadfactor.
Projections by zama academy graduates are always the same. Inevitable doom and gloom, passengers dissatisfaction, poor LF, flight cuts, abandoning crews, plane shortages, etc. In reality, new records, new destinations, new planes.
DeleteReality shows that 2026 will see the airline grow as much as it did in 2025. ie very little.
DeleteIf you have different info please share!
^Seems you have a crystal ball
DeleteFor Mr Negative, the numbers and profit must make you sick to your stomach. AirSerbia is doing very well, and 6 new destinations in 2026 might make you even more frustrated.
DeleteWhat the airline has publicly presented for 2026 is similar to that of 2025 - a few new destinations with some frequency increases. However for 2026 the new destinations will be spread over a 12 month period which is something JU hasn't done previously. A few routes going from summer seasonal to year round has been fairly successful so I think there will be a couple more routes to follow next winter (DBV comes to mind).
DeleteWithout major changes at BEG or with JU's departure banks I don't think we will see anything drastically happening. BEG in the summer lacks gates during JU's waves while JU hasn't done much to expand outside of their current waves.
For JU to have larger growth I think the next step will be to do something more meaningful such as have 2-3 aircraft centered around creating new or extended waves - 10-11am, 2-3pm and 8-9pm. This will allow for further frequency increases as well as expanding into routes that don't fit the current waves.
Firstly, they have to change planned charter capacity towards frequency growth in scheduled traffic. Obviously that travel agancies cannot sell enough to fill current planning seat capacity, so it’s better to redirect assets to better connectivity, especially to leisure destinations during summer
Delete@Anonymous 10:14
DeleteI seriously doubt JTR (Santorini) will be flown year round by JU.
@10:44
DeleteI never suggested JTR to go year round.
A3 will be increasing ATH-BEG to 9 weekly from daily.
ReplyDeleteWith JU's also significant frequency increase on the route seems that the market is booming.
You must have got something wrong. A3 is not increasing BEG. There are 6 weekly flights next summer Monday-Saturday.
DeleteActually they will be 9, they are not loaded on GDS just yet.
DeleteThat would be amazing, more domestic connection options with A3. They haven't grown much in BEG which is a shame.
DeleteI would rather see Sky Express or Wizz launching flights. That would bring prices down.
DeleteIt is probably their response to JU going 3 daily on some days starting April 16th.
DeleteOh no, amazing news for Air Serbia means another day of meltdown for amateur analyst! Congrats Air Serbia, absolutely fantastic! All-time record after decades!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAmazing? This was expected in 2023, then in 2024, and now they waited 30th December to confirm as they nearly missed it again. Unfortunately, JU is now in prolonged stagnation. Hopefully they will find a way to induce new growth - my personal opinion is that new growth can be achieved only by improving services, state of their aircraft and strategic investment in new fleet, as a precondition for upgrading and unifying the product in the mid term.
DeleteIt wasn't expected in 2023 or 2024. They first mentioned they would overtake it this year. If you bothered to read the first sentence of the article, you would see they achieved it on 28 December not the 30th.
DeleteBreaking JAT’s record is symbolic, but the real success is building a sustainable airline after decades of instability and failed attempts.
DeleteGermany was the first country to ban JU flights in 1991 and then a decade of wars and sanctions made deep impact and almost killed the airline. It wasn't easy bringing an airline back from the brink, and then rebranding in 2013 to finally ensure sustainable future for JU.
Delete^To 09:17
DeleteBreaking record was mentioning for 2024 definitely, maybe even for 2023 I'm not sure.
So it is already a delay.
Anyhow, it is good thing to happen finally but we need to be realistic, it is nothing spectacular. It will be 3-4% growth.
Yes, company had a rough time, lot of circumstances and so on but...we are 40 years late. Other countries and companies have been developing in the mean time and they did big things. We were doing some other things and lost precious time.
Now, it is not just to walk, we need to run in order to catch them up or just to come closer. If possible because they will not stop, they will also run!
Air Serbia did a good job but let's be realistic, it is just a ordinary company, nothing fantastic or superb.
We need to look what others are doing and do competitive analysis and not just to brag ourselves and lose momentum again.
So, good job but 2026 is not looking promising to any industry including air industry (no need Cristal ball like someone mentioned, just need numbers and economic knowledge). Only facts. No personal or subject feelings.
Cheers to all and Happy Holidays!
No, it was not mentioned in 2023. Stop making things up. The "circumstances" are wars, international isolation, bombing, sanctions, hyperinflation, international pariah, bad image etc. just a couple of small 'circumstances'.
DeleteBreaking the JAT record was the target for this year. If it was mentioned in 2024 it was likely something that was intended going forward into 2025 (ie future plan for the upcoming year).
DeleteJU surviving the past 30 years is spectacular on its own. Some companies have developed and some have gone bankrupt. Malev is gone, CSA is gone, TAROM is barely alive, Balkan is gone, Adria bankrupt, Olympic kept alive in name on a few props through A3, Alitalia bankrupt, Air Berlin bankrupt, Sabena bankrupt, Swiss Air bankrupt, SkyEurope bankrupt etc not to mention the plethora of other failed airlines such as Air Bosna, B&H Airlines, Belle Air, Albanian Airlines, recently Air Albania and the list goes on. How many of those in that list survived a bloody fall of their home country and years of sanctions? If we are to pull out an airline as a success story the only one I would highlight is LOT.
Going forward, JU has kind of hit the limits of what it can do under its present way of operating - focus on 4 major waves. Some adjustments can be done here and there but nothing major. I wouldn't say JU has lost momentum but growth of 10+% year on year every year is not realistic either.
Mising the days of JAT and their classic livery. Great article
ReplyDeleteBravo YU.
ReplyDeleteThis is a historic moment for the aviation in EX-YU.
Quite an achievement when you consider the size of today’s Serbian market compared to Yugoslavia in the late 1980s. Whatever one thinks of Air Serbia, this is objectively a historic milestone.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comparison with JAT 1987. Back then the network and ambitions were huge, but load factors were much lower. Different eras, different economics.
ReplyDeletePeople forget how advanced JAT actually was in the 1980s – long haul to LA, widebodies into Ljubljana, engine test facilities. It really was a different league.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia has truly developed into a very good airline over the past few years. Of course, not everything is perfect yet, but clear improvements in service can be seen from year to year. The fleet renewal, especially with the ATR 72, has contributed greatly to making these aircraft very pleasant to fly on. In addition, the new Embraer 195 aircraft complement the fleet very well and further enhance the overall travel experience. This is especially noticeable compared to the older ATR aircraft that have been retired. I wish Air Serbia all the best and many successful years ahead.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia has managed to grow steadily without reckless expansion. That alone explains why this record actually means something.
ReplyDeleteNot that impressive given how much aviation market grew since then. Impressive part is not collapsing like everyone else in a region.
DeleteAnd how many airlines are there today compared to the 1980s? Some of you really doing your best to shit over everything.
DeleteToday's aviation market is 10 times larger than it was in 1987.
DeleteI agree with 09:49, even though the growth is not so impressive, staying alive and even growing slowly in our poor region devoured by big fish from richer countries is a magnificent achievement by itself.
Delete"magnificent achievement" 😂
DeleteSome will downplay this, but overtaking a 1987 Yugoslav record with a Serbia-only and deregulated market is genuinely impressive.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteGrowth is fine, but let’s hope service quality improves.
ReplyDeleteLove that pic
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThe most fascinating part is how JAT was planning MD11s and new long haul routes just before everything collapsed. History took a very different turn.
ReplyDeletethis is a moment that deserves recognition. Aviation in Serbia has clearly entered a new phase.
ReplyDeleteLong haul charters to?
ReplyDeleteCleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Perth
DeleteFor example, JAT operated Toronto for 15 years as a charter destination before making it a regular service.
DeleteYes, it operated it as charter because of bilateral restrictions.
DeleteThank you guys
DeleteSeeing the airport needs a hotel wouldn’t it be great to use the ex aviation museum spot for it and the old JAT planes sat there and build something similar to the TWA hotel in New York.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia is building a hotel. It is next to the museum complex. It was reported here the other week that they have received a permit. Although it won't be cool as the TWA hotel. Just a generic building.
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/01/air-serbia-to-build-new-headquarters.html
I would much rather see JU standardize its cabins, especially on the long-haul fleet, greatly imp[rove cleanliness and maintenance and even offer seatback charging ports before getting into the hotel business.
DeleteI hope best is yet to come for Air Serbia. In the next two years I would like to see airline celebrate 100th anniversary, grow to over 35 aircraft and 100 destinations with at least 7 of them long haul destinations. Reaching 5 million passengers per year would be cherry on top. All the best, Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteHow does long haul compare, in number of passengers and routes? Feels like there were more routes while less passengers. I guess profitability was much easier to achieve back in a day.
ReplyDeleteBack then there were also on some routes restrictions as to how many seats you could sell to certain destinations due to bilaterals.
DeleteFrom the vintage section. Although this was summer 1990 network
Deletehttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T2_w_ifvRv-Ir3xIaHjhxK8By0hbfgSt0wjafhi4uZTD3JjWIAzUWibNcoUR3X3U8uSbh3m0k-bNQ4ROrkHbdb6Z5D_HVJi1rJc-HALwTJCP64mlhT9VNajQtsxkSD8c6EVb4ETZpWbUVM7Zu0pkmzb3wvX7aN5_wNuOl1QePzuadynv3HF3evN9tw/s1630/PhotoScan.jpg
It would be a huge improvemewnt if this website actually allowed links to function. Or even better to post pictures.
Deletehttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T2_w_ifvRv-Ir3xIaHjhxK8By0hbfgSt0wjafhi4uZTD3JjWIAzUWibNcoUR3X3U8uSbh3m0k-bNQ4ROrkHbdb6Z5D_HVJi1rJc-HALwTJCP64mlhT9VNajQtsxkSD8c6EVb4ETZpWbUVM7Zu0pkmzb3wvX7aN5_wNuOl1QePzuadynv3HF3evN9tw/s1630/PhotoScan.jpg
Delete^ Thank you so much!
DeleteCongrats JU!
ReplyDeleteI find it really funny on the paper article on top there is a news saying "Tivat airport completes phase 1 for introduction of night flights". Fourth years later and they are still closed at night
Good catch haha. Some things never change :D
DeleteIt would be interesting to see what methodology in data comparation is used to compare data 40 years ago and now.
ReplyDeleteThe market was bigger 2-3 times, but on the other hand it was 4 decades ago. The good thing is the milestone is achieved but, as always, these news come with bitter taste of spending so many years only to come to the beginning... Let's hope for more smart future for (Air) Serbia...
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to see the same passenger structure table for ASL.for a comparison.
DeleteThe AVIATION market back then was only a small fraction of what it is today.
DeleteTYhat is what matters.
Now, the only remaining remnants of JAT are at Croatia Airlines, still operating its Zagreb-Split/Dubrovnik-Rome routing 40 years later.
ReplyDeleteTrue
Delete2.25 million domestic passengers 😮
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to see similar breakdown of 2025 figures.
You mean Belgrade - Niš v. the rest?
DeleteComparing BEG - exYU destinations I would assume.
DeleteNo, I mean the split of total pax number into same categories as in 1987: domestic (virtually non-existing), euro-med, LH, etc.
DeleteI went on about quality, not quantity with someone here few days ago.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to AirSerbia!
(The time to establish and improve current product seems to be the idea which makes sense. I am certain that with increased LF prices could be hiked leading to increase in revenue. Aggressive addition of more destinations is not essential. Making the product being a first choice on the consumer end is)
I wouldn’t agree. Passengers profile of JU customers is rather inclining towards the price, punctuality and quantity before the quality of the product. With huge investments in cabin unification, WiFi and some other amenities, price would stay the same. Not too many high end customers in this area, unfortunately. Do not mind standard trolls here on the portal, they are just catching only straw they can get
DeleteThe 1987 figure had over 2m domestic customers, while the 2025 would have hardly had any, in reality a more impressive figure. It would have been interesting what would have happened to JAT if had the domestic market and the change in aviation how would it have coped
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck in 2026 and blue skies!!!
Godspeed JU!
DeleteCongrats to AirSerbia!
ReplyDeleteIt is illustrative that 50% of pax in 1987 travelled on domestic routes. It makes this 2025 achievement substantially bigger!
Yes, the smaller country, the bigger achievement
DeleteWill they reach 4.6 mil?
ReplyDelete@ex-yu aviation
ReplyDeleteJust a small correction. Newly introduced european widebody service in 1987 was not LJU to LHR but BEG to LHR. Normally, UK flights were operated by 727. These were daily JU 210/211 727 BEG-ZAG-LHR and 3 weekly 727 LJU-LHR, year-round, plus several seasonal coastal flights to LHR,MAN,BHX and GLA. Very rarely, operational reasons, those flights were on 737-300 or 707, until retired. DC-10 was introduced in addition to daily BEG-ZAG-LHR, to operate nonstop BEG-LHR, on Thursdays, the day when Australia flight was arriving, and departing again to Australia, primarily to cater for increasing and significant number of transfer passengers flying on JAT between the UK on one side, and Singapore and Australia on the other. It might have hsppened that LJU had one or two off DC-10 flights to LHR, but it was never scheduled flight, and over 90 % were B727
Regular scheduled DC-10 flights between Ljubljana and London were introduced on December 20, 1987 to cater for ski tourism, as evidenced by JAT's own winter timetable for that year, JAT publications from that period and Ljubljana Airport's official history. You can also view an image marking the occasion here
DeleteCongratulations to JU!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised by the number of domestic pax in 1987. It means that Yugoslavia was integrated with many people travelling by plane within the country.
It would be interesting to see the pax numbers now and then on the routes that survived the turmoil (BEG to LJU, SKP, TGD etc but also ZAG to SPU, DBV....)