Air Serbia is evaluating the possibility of extending its upcoming seasonal Belgrade - Toronto service into the winter period. The Canadian Embassy in Belgrade, together with Air Serbia, hosted an event yesterday evening to promote the route ahead of its launch next year. Speaking at the gathering, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, noted, “I hope that in six months we might have news on whether we will extend flights into the winter or not. Any new service not only boosts business but stimulates demand. We strongly believe this route will be successful, and that in six months’ time we will have the opportunity to share some positive news”.
The Serbian carrier will launch two weekly flights to Toronto on May 23 next year, with the service currently scheduled to run until September 26. The Ambassador of Canada to Serbia, Michelle Cameron, said, “When two countries have flights, studies show it increases the trust between the two nations. This decision to connect Toronto and Belgrade with a ten-hour flight finally means that we will have passengers and cargo travelling between our two countries. I keep thanking the Serbian carrier, but this is a business venture. Air Serbia has done the metrics and made sure that this is profitable. Air Serbia is not a charity organisation. We applaud this decision”.
Commenting on the Toronto service last month, Mr Marek said, “Demand for Toronto is comparable to, or even stronger than, what we saw when we opened sales for Chicago. It is a very similar market, driven not only by the Serbian diaspora but by travellers from across the wider region. Initial sales indicate significantly higher interest than when we began selling tickets for Chicago, which started at roughly the same time. To put this into perspective, three years ago we operated just one long-haul route, and now we will have five”. Air Serbia is expected to announce a range of new routes which will complement the Toronto launch within the next two weeks.
I'm glad they are open to it. I think the diaspora demand alone should support more than a seasonal schedule.
ReplyDeleteIncreasing frequencies AND offering connections to Lebanon would do wonders for this route.
DeleteIt would be way more popular than Chicago.
^
Delete+100
Frequency can't be increased due to bilateral.
DeleteThe bilateral can change after negotiations.
DeleteIt takes way too long.
DeleteThe negotiations first need to start. Same situation was the visa regime for travelling to the UK.
DeleteBut in the current political situation frequencies to Canada I'm afraid is not very high in the priority list.
The bilateral was renegotiated just a few years ago. People don't understand that Canada has very protectionist policies when it comes to aviation.
DeleteIs it possible for Air Canada to codeshare with them? Or for Air Serbia to codeshare on AC domestic flights (or another Canadian airline)?
ReplyDeleteThat would be amazing
DeleteNot gonna apen.
DeleteAir Canada unlikely because they are Star Alliance and codesharing with Lufthansa to Belgrade. But it will be interesting to see if they can get a local codeshare partner. Maybe WestJet or Air Transat.
DeletePorter Airlines too.
DeleteYes. Porter is really expanding in the past year
DeletePorter is a great airline actually.
DeleteI’m cautiously optimistic. The market is strong in summer, but winter will be a challenge. Maybe fly 1 weekly in November and February and keep 2 weekly in December, January and March.
ReplyDeleteWinter would be perfect. Especially Christmas and February breaks when many people from Canada travel to Europe. Make it happen!
ReplyDeleteThey are doing things right. First establish the market over summer, then evaluate winter performance. Smart strategy.
DeleteIf they can keep ORD during the winter that maybe has lower demand why not doing it the same with YYZ?
ReplyDeleteExactly
Delete"...three years ago we operated just one long-haul route, and now we will have five”
ReplyDeleteThis is really amazing result. Well done Marek!
+1
DeleteFive long-haul routes in such a short period is impressive
Deleteit would be great if they can add Miami as well then. since they put so much effort and said that it will have the same profitability and year round demand as Toronto. then will have 6 long haul.
DeleteI agree. They definitely have enough capacity available, which was the problem in the past. But I understand that economy problema are hitting hard all around the globe, especially US and European markets
DeleteYes, would be great if they made codesharing with either Westjet or Porter for flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Currently, the only option from Vancouver to BEG using AirSerbia is Condor, but with a long layover. Their existing codeshare with Turkish is useless for us. The mutually loyal twin brothers Lufthansa and Air Canada completely exclude AirSerbia on any and all of its flight options.
Delete*sorry, not the only option, but the best one.
DeleteHaving five long-haul destinations within just three years is a major achievement for a regional airline.
DeleteExtending into the winter season will depend on how well JU can capture beyond Belgrade traffic. The Toronto-Western Balkans market is fragmented across multiple carriers today, mostly via VIE, FRA, WAW and MUC. If Air Serbia can successfully market shorter transfer times and maintain reliable connectivity, then yield dilution during winter could be minimised. The network effect is the key here, not just diaspora demand.
ReplyDeleteBut how much more will passengers be willing to pay for a direct flight?
Deletewhat direct flight man? from SKP or TIV or ZAG to YYZ via BEG is same as via WAW or VIE. 1 stop ride.
DeleteTalking about peeps from Belgrado.
Delete@09:33 Well, from Belgrade there are hardly any pax for Canada..Serbian citizens need visas with extremly strict rules, and processing time of visas is most over 6 months, sometimes ( frequently) even over a year..So who can travel under therse conditions? Only very very few people..This route will be strictly dependent on diaspora, but that's one way traffic..Only if AS manages to catch some of the wider Balkan pax, who are not that much limited by visas, as Serbians are..
Delete^ This isn't correct. There are people travelling from Serbia to Canada, mostly people visiting their family members in Canada. I know several who travel each year. They get visas very easily since they have relatives in Canada.
DeleteHm, my generation from high school lives in Canada for decades, and their family members can hardly visit them...So it is not true what are you saying
Delete@10:12 Yuo share false information. It is a lie that prcess lasts 6 moths to a year. You must be either analiticar.. My mother got visa very quick. Malicious comment and I understand you. AS keep growing and Toronto service will be all year round. Miami and Beijing coming soon.
Delete@Anonymous11:01
DeleteI don't know what your generation is. My hairdresser's sister lives in Canada and she goes every year to visit her and her family. My friend's grandmother whose daughter lives in Toronto goes and visits her every year.
Seriously, "Well, from Belgrade there are hardly any pax for Canada" comment calls for an Oscar, or at least a Grammy award. Jesus, man...
DeleteTogether with a question "what can be seen in Canada?"
DeleteSix month procedure takes only visas for Mars and Venus. For Canada is up to 2 weeks
DeleteWhen it comes to visitor (tourist) visas, Canada issues multiple-entry visitor visas exclusively. You apply once, and the visa remains valid for as long as your passport is valid (up to 10 years). My parents recently had to renew their passports and, as a result, also had to renew their visitor visas. It took approximately 3 months from the day we applied. Processing time likely varies depending on the time of year—anywhere between one and six months is possible for visitor visas. As for other types of visas, I can’t say much because I don’t have first-hand knowledge.
DeleteCanada easing visa requirements for Serbian citizens would help.
ReplyDeleteTrue dat.
DeleteYes, I have heard they still keep insane conditions for issuing a simple tourist visa.
DeleteWho would go to Canada for tourism?
DeleteWhat a question!
DeleteIt's really quite complicated to get a Canadian visa for Serbian citizens, as well as people from; BiH, Mak, MNE etc
Deletewhy what a question? What on Earth you have in Canada that you dont have in rest of World where you can fly without visa?
DeleteYes, you only have Vulin's granny xD
You mean tetka.
DeleteI have no family ties with Canada, I have no intention to stay in that country and I would like to visit it as a tourist.
DeleteWold love to see Toronto, to rent a car and visit Niagara falls, Jasper National Park, Quebec, Montreal, Vancouver...
I can't even believe that I reply on such a question...
Canada is beautiful country..Quebec, Vancouver and Vancouver island with Victoria Nova Scotia etc..great places...Would love to go to Canada again..But visa rules this last decade are insane, and people get rejected for nothing..
DeleteI think that the route should operate until 10th January and start around 15th of March... That 2 month gap I think we'll survive without them
ReplyDeleteWho's we?
DeleteWe who's flying :) the route either for business or for leisure
DeleteLet's see how summer goes first..Surely biggest problem is one way traffic, since only Canadian side can travel, as you know, from Serbian side is almost no pax to Canada due to visas..
DeleteFrom our side we could get a LOT of conecting passengers from Greece, Israel, the rest of Balkans and IF someday JU decides to return to Lebanon and Egypt that would get us a ton of traffic too.
DeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteA range of new routes might imply it will be more than 6, as previously discussed 🥳
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to find out all the new routes they will launch
ReplyDeleteWe already know about Toronto and Baku. Probably comes Yerevan, Tel Aviv, Cairo...
DeleteIf they got slots, one will be Ibiza.
DeleteTrue dat.
DeleteTo sustain Toronto year-round, JU must protect yields. If the airline enters the fare-dumping game against major European carriers for regional connections, that undercuts profitability.
ReplyDeleteTheir fares seem relatively competitive with the big boys from the random test bookings i did in June. It ain't cheap to fly to Canada from the Balkans that's for sure!
DeleteWhat remains under-discussed is western onward connectivity out of YYZ. Without a codeshare with a Canadian carrier, Air Serbia misses traffic flows to Western Canada, which are substantial in diaspora volume (Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg). These routes can help stabilise winter loads significantly.
ReplyDeleteHave they talked to AC, Westjet and Porter?
DeleteLonghaul demand forecasting is notoriously optimistic in our region but JU has one thing working in its favour: Serbia’s cost base like labour, airport fees, handling, which is still competitive relative to EU hubs. Lower break even loads allow more risktaking in new markets like Toronto.
ReplyDeleteWill there be any cargo on this route?
ReplyDeleteAny idea what is exported/imported?
DeleteAjvar for sure!
DeleteAnd maple syrup
DeleteThe Canadian-Serbian community has grown and diversified. It’s no longer just 1st generation travellers returning home in July. There are students, mixed families and corporate links that create more stable year-round flows. JU should tailor marketing directly to these segments.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhen it comes to students, recent phenomena is that some kids from Canada (of Serbian decent) go back to Serbia to univeristy, mostly those that want to study medicine. I'm not saying it's a lot of them but I know at least of 5-6 of them from my circle of friends (I live in Toronto btw). High cost of university studies and the fact that to get into med school is next to imposible are likely rasons.
DeleteGood luck Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteNo need to rush into year-round operations prematurely.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they are rushing. People really need to start reading carefully what they are saying
Delete"I hope that in six months we might have news on whether we will extend flights into the winter or not. Any new service not only boosts business but stimulates demand. We strongly believe this route will be successful, and that in six months’ time we will have the opportunity to share some positive news”.
There are worrying comments here about extending year round Toronto operations. Like it wasn’t enough punch for them with seasonal announcement last month
Delete@10.28 I also often notice that people don't read what is actually said. And I guarantee you if they don't by any chance extend the flights some people will scream how they announced that it will be extended even though they didn't. They just said they are considering and that they may or may not.
Delete+1 Literally. And considering future moves and plans is a good sign of a dynamic business.
DeleteToronto passenger here. Extending it is a great idea, at least earlier start and later end of seasonal flights. Based on random feedback from Toronto diaspora, main concern was start in late May and last flight before mid-September. Some people prefer shoulder season like April and October. Next concern was pricing for some dates with peak ticket prices around 2000CAD. That seems a lot for some folks here. Third concern was that Subject to Government approval warning. Some are wondering if Air Serbia would provide full refund in case approval is not received. That should be clarified by the airline.
ReplyDelete"Subject to government approval" is purely a formality. You really think the Canadian embassy is hosting an event promoting Air Serbia's new route if there is a chance the government would now issue them approval? Same thing was written for New York and China flights.
DeleteThose are concerns from garden-variety Toronto diaspora. Industry professionals know it's a formality, but most of them don't.
DeletePeople from Canada are never n
DeleteHappy . I bought my ticket for 1575 and saw many other dates for 1625. LOT for the same dates was 1810 CAD. So the 2000 price range is not often seen on their site, unless there is a flight that is almost sold out. None people in my are are concerned about the gouvermant approval post. It was there for every single long haul route. Also if you look at the first 2 flights from BEG to YYZ they are mostly local Serbs so it is not true that flights are just based on the diaspora.
Jasmineeeeeee!!! Ša'ima? Jel'se olad'la kahva? Kaće više ta pemzija?
ReplyDeleteIdemooooo!! Samo jako! Bravo JU!! 🇷🇸✈️🇨🇦
ReplyDeleteAmazing news, looking forward to to see data from where most people connect to this flight.
ReplyDeleteLong haul network relies on A330 fleet. Earlier this year, some comments mentioned possible extension or return of some A330s. Any changes regarding A330 fleet leases? Is no news actually good news?
ReplyDeletePupin is greatly underutilized and at the end of next year will return to its lessor.
DeleteIdemo dalje...
ReplyDeleteHow are crew rotations organised on such low-frequency routes? It's difficult to believe that a single crew stays at the destination all week.
ReplyDeleteThe aircraft stays there for 24 hours for the crew to get its legal rest time and they fly back the next day.
DeleteAnd yet, JU508 departs Belgrade on Wednesdays at 17:30, arrives in Toronto at 21:35 the same day, is cleaned, and then departs Toronto again on Wednesday at 23:45 as JU509, arriving in Belgrade at 14:30 on Thursday. Where exactly are the “24 hours” you mentioned between 21:35 and 23:45 on Wednesday?
DeleteI assume he was thinking you were referring to the winter Chicago service. A 3 day layover, like they have in Toronto is nothing revolutionary. They will spend the three days there.
DeleteCosts of the stay (ground transportation, hotel costs, expenses /perdiems) are not such a problem, even for one week layover. Bigger problem, generally and worldwide, is crew utilization /work productivity, where the crew can't be rostered/planned to another flight duties for full five days, which would be the case if layover was shorter, 24 hours for example. Shortage of pilots and even cabin crew becomes real issue today
DeleteI would be honestly happy with flights being extended to late November and resume in April. I could live with few months in the winter without it. I also agree with the above posters that citizens of East balkanshave hard time getting visas.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing that I found not so appealing is that air Serbia is offering two checked bags to BEG but one checked bag beyond Belgrade even though everything is on one tickets and through fare
Harpy to hear that advanced bookings are doing well
ReplyDeleteToronto has been long overdue and if demand is strong enough, I hope we see year-round flights sooner rather than later. Competition would only benefit travellers!
ReplyDeleteI’m curious how (and if) Air Canada will respond.
ReplyDeleteIts hardly a 'threat' that JU have launched it. I guess they'll monitor its sucess for a season or two.
Delete