Competition between Air Serbia and Wizz Air is intensifying, with both carriers announcing new routes from Belgrade this week that are already operated by their rival. On Monday, the low cost carrier scheduled the launch of services to Palermo and Alghero, destinations currently served by Air Serbia. Wizz Air plans to operate three weekly flights to each city using its 239-seat Airbus A321neo aircraft, with services commencing at the end of March. As a result, the Hungarian carrier will deploy significantly more capacity on both routes. In contrast, Air Serbia serves the two destinations on a seasonal basis from June, operating two weekly services, with Alghero maintained by a 144-seat Airbus A319 and Palermo by a 118-seat Embraer E195.
The Serbian carrier went on the offensive yesterday by announcing the launch of seasonal flights to Alicante, served by Wizz since June 2025, to be operated with A319 and A320 aircraft, with the service potentially extending into the winter season. While promoting the new route, the airline made thinly veiled jabs at Wizz Air, referring to its competitor as “obsolete” and emphasising that “baggage and smiles are included in the ticket price”, adding that it does not “measure bags with a ruler at the gate”. Announcing the new service, Air Serbia also noted, “On this route, passengers will be able to enjoy the benefits of travelling with the national carrier. The high level of quality and comfort compared to low cost travel, as well as an excellent price-to-quality ratio, with an average fare in line with market needs, make this service additionally attractive".
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| Air Serbia ads for new Alicante service |
Wizz Air has also recently launched flights between Belgrade and Madrid, a route already served by Air Serbia, and announced a new three-weekly service to Chania, which Air Serbia currently operates twice per week. The two airlines now compete head-to-head on several routes from Belgrade, including Rome Fiumicino, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Larnaca, Madrid, Malta and Nice. This summer, direct competition will expand further with the addition of Alicante, Chania, Palermo and Alghero. Until recently, the carriers also competed directly on flights to Copenhagen and Lisbon; however, Wizz Air has since discontinued both routes. In addition, the two airlines compete indirectly on a number of markets, such as London, Stockholm, Milan and Paris, where they serve the same cities but operate from different airports.
Commenting on Wizz Air in the past, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “Wizz Air is our biggest competition in Belgrade. They are a tough player in Belgrade. We compete with each other on several routes. Sometimes we win, sometimes they win. There are also routes where our offers complement each other. We are open to competition because then we are forced to improve our efficiency and change our approach to the customer”. Wizz Air noted, “Competition from Air Serbia does not impact us that much because our cost base is much lower, so we are happy with the set-up and competition is always good. It keeps us on our toes, and it is an upside for customers because they have greater choice. We are always happy to compete. As long the cost base is low it’s always fine to compete”.
Game on :D
ReplyDeleteIt would be better if Wizz introduced some out of the box route, instead of all the same as JU.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, they were the first who introduced ALC.
DeleteYet JU was first to introduce Madrid, Alghero, Palermo...
DeleteYes, you are right.
DeleteWizz introduced ALC as a response to JU flights to VLC.
DeleteIt would be better if we had a lot more competition so that the prices are lower.
DeleteI agree but Wizz prices are not all that cheap from BEG for many routes.
DeleteW6 is not very innovative when we talk about new routes.
DeleteI remember how long it took them to introduce BCN from BEG although they were flying this route from SKP. Once JU started and opened the market, they finally decided flying there.
At this moment they had choices of opening FUE, LPA, MAH, KEF (it would be amazing to have direct line to KEF - when JU can open TOS, whey wouldn't W6 open KEF?)
@anon 09:20
Delete+1
Expected Wizz to open Canary Islands first yet they didn't.
I agree with last anon. If you compare to FR in ZAG which started routes like Lanzarote and a bunch of unserved routes, Wizz has mostly been launching routes that are already served either directly or an airport nearby.
DeleteLet's not forget Manchester and other British cities.
DeleteWizzair do not fly to Manchester at all so let alone Serbia.
DeleteKeflavik? I mean come on..be happy with the trust wizzair has placed on the Serbian market. But routes to Iceland start to sound rather fanciful
DeleteTromso also sounded crazy until recently but it's launching in December
DeleteYou will see that next Wizz routes will be Tromso and Tenerife lol
DeleteLet's first wait and see if JU keeps Tromso and Tenerife... we don't want them to end up like ESB or LYS. Ouch.
DeleteI just booked flight to ESB with JU last week. What are you talking about?
DeleteI'm really glad for the Tromso route. But i have low confidence it will work. But good on them for trying such an ambitious route
DeleteIt seems 10.04 would be happier if they launched nothing new. Except then he would scream why they are not launching anything new. They fly to 'just' 100 destinations. On the other hand Wizz is well known for never suspending or discontinuing routes. It is well known in the industry that once Wizz Air launches a route it is there for life.
DeleteJU needs to fly to airports that Wizz won't such as MAN, EDI, DUB, MUC, HEL.
DeleteSure, good thing you told them what to do.
Delete@anon 09:45
DeleteIf W6 can fly BUD-KEF why not BEG-KEF?
Nobody thought JU would launch TOS, but they did it.
Sometimes you should just think out of the box.
@10:43 because BUD is a huge tourist city which generates Iceland outbound tourism as well as inbound tourism from Hungary and the surrounding region. To see 400+ seats a week between Iceland and Serbia I believe would be a struggle I believe. As you said, maybe they'll think out of the box. I don't believe this will be soon, but of course one day it is not unimaginable as Iceland has established itself as one huge (and wonderful) tourist resort.
DeleteJU's fleet is much better suited for a market like BEG-KEF.
DeleteW6's 239 seat A321s are too big for it.
@10:49
DeleteI agree that BUD has more tourists than BEG, but we certainly can't say the same for Vilnus, Wroclaw or Katowice. And all of them have direct flights to KEF and W6 manages to fill all their A321 seats (or at least 90% of them).
Once it starts (if someone has a guts to open it) it could be very good cashcow as Iceland is expensive (isn't Norway as well?) yet fully undiscovered from Belgrade and has so much to offer.
Surely more than TOS.
The biggest diaspora in Iceland is overwhelmingly from Poland, making up about one-third of the foreign-born population, followed by sizable groups from Ukraine and Lithuania.
Deletelol that's a pretty good ad
ReplyDeleteI agree. It made me laugh.
DeleteI think this is the first time Air Serbia marketing team showed some innovation and humor in their approach to presenting itself and it's routes...
ReplyDeleteI think it was great, keep it coming
+1
DeleteThey went Ryanair with these ads :))
DeleteAnon 10.44 My thoughts exactly, I love Ryanair posts
DeleteI hope this “new route war” continues. Passengers will benefit
ReplyDeleteRyanair should come.
DeleteThey are too stubborn to do it.
DeleteThey prefer W6 to take the money in front of their nose in BEG.
I am absolutely convinced that Serbia would prevent Ryan Air from arriving at Belgrade Airport in every possible way.
DeleteMy hopes are for Easyjet to show some muscles in BEG but even with CDG it's so "kilavo".
Delete@9.31 you can't prevent any EU carrier from launching EU-Serbia routes.
DeleteExactly. JU did not stop Wizz, Pegasus, Norwegian, easyJet, Eurowings, but they want to stop Ryanair?
DeleteEspecially as they have no tool to do it.
LCCs are obsolete, state run airlines are the future of aviation in Europe! 🤪
ReplyDeleteYet Wizz is often more expensive and less flexible than traveling with JU.
DeleteAnd even in situations where JU is slightly more expensive, I would still much rather fly with a company that doesn't have an adversarial attitude towards their customers.
Two years ago I saw a large family of Albanians miss their Wizz flight by seconds in Belgrade. The gate doors just closed when they ran up (the plane was still connected to the airbridge). The gate agents refused to reopen the doors despite there being a big family of 12+ people with children and elders.
In contrast, I have never been in a situation with JU (or any other legacy airline) where I have not eventually gotten to my destination.
Once I was traveling with family via BA and JU on separate tickets (self connecting in LHR).
DeleteWe missed our BA flight and were rebooked on a flight the next day.
So we showed up in LHR a day late without valid JU tickets for that day. JU still honored our tickets for the previous day despite having no obligation whatsoever to let us ride to BEG. They did not require us to pay anything.
09:07 a joke or just wishful thinking? Because i can assure you that 'state run airlines' are not the future in Europe.
Delete^ the emoji obviously indicates that they are joking.
DeleteEmojis show on the phone, I am on the PC and I just see a small square.
DeleteWizz has "only" 240 aircraft and outstanding orders for 270 more!
DeleteI think the future of intra European aviation just like the present is LCC rather than legacy state owned airlines.
Their bread and butter is long haul flying.
Carriers can not be "flexible" after a gate closes.
DeleteAirline and airport regulations do not permit reopening the doors after final security check.
What is next. planes should return to gate from taxiing and pick-up late passengers??
Legacy carriers which are innovative will survive. Lufthansa Group just announced Starlink wifi for their entire fleet. This service will be free for their loyalty program customers. This is how a legacy survives when fighting LCCs.
DeleteJU on the other hand is not innovative. They are a flying bus company taking you from A to B while offering minimal service, average to high prices with little to no reward for loyalty.
Mate, all airlines are flying bus companies if you want to use such a silly comparison. JU are are solid operation. The legacy/LCC-Wizzair mix in BG is healthy and good for the market.
DeleteAnon 9:57
DeleteThe difference is that JU will accommodate and with Wizz you are stuck.
JU will hold the plane if a large group is still passing security or if there is a tight connection.
And even when the passenger is at fault, they will still accommodate and rebook when possible.
With Wizz you are out of luck and hopefully you can find alternate transport.
@09:57
DeletePlazma biscuits is a real product differentiator between JU and LHG airlines.
Who cares about things like Starlink Wi-Fi and power chargers on seats?
JU will only hold the plane if a large group is still passing security or if there is a tight connection because they also handle transfer passengers, whereas Wizz caters for p2p.
Delete"only". In what other cases they should hold the plane exactly?
DeleteI wish W6 would launch MXP, BUD, PRG, OTP, ATH, WAW.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThe high level of comfort.....
ReplyDeleteAnyone who flew on JU A320s knows that comfort is non-existent there. A319 and E95s are a different story.
DeleteI just wish Wizz introduced some destinations we don't have so we would have greater choice of routes. Lately, it's all the same routes JU has
ReplyDeleteI just wish W6 will fly to more popular destinations in Europe (since it is not only allowed to fly outside it) and JU would focus more on non EU and in general destinations that demand is better suited for E-jets and ATRs.
Delete^ Exactly!
DeleteGod forbid that either Wizzair or Air Serbia start flying to Dublin.
ReplyDeleteIs there really demand for Dublin?
DeleteGiven that irish visa takes weeks/months to process, it's unlikely a lot of people would bother. Yes there are lots of tech companies in Dublim, but the amount of corporate travel between Serbia and Dublin is probably too small to sustain this.
DeleteIt does not take months to process. A tourist visa takes 7-10 days (at least it took this long for me in 2023) but you do have to bring a lot of documents. On top of that I think a lot of people think it is the same process as for UK visa which takes long and is expensive.
DeleteWizzair do not fly to Dublin at all. Let alone from Serbia.
DeleteAgain dude with Dublin and Manchester xD
DeleteThis not gona happen until Ireland and UK revoke visa or do at least something to reduce paper thingy for visas. you literally have to bring your children data even though they are not traveling?!
I know most of times they dont request this, but by default you should have this, which is insane. Yet they allow doctors and engineers from far away countries to go around and act like its Dhaka or Islamabad.
Well at least Wizz has finally moved on from introducing gasto routes from Belgrade to leisure routes.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI welcome the competition as that will give the passengers lower prices and more options. Also, I was very happy when Wizz introduced flights to Madrid and I have used it, as well as my friends and family. However, on this particular route, Wizz' product is not cutting it for me. When I travel to Serbia and back, I always want to carry a lot of stuff, so a backpack is not enough. Adding a bag effectively doubles the price. When we add less space in the seat, inconvenient flight times (at least for me), no inflight service, the rubbish experience when buying tickets on Wizz' complicated and misleading site (I will not say fraudulent, but the experience is really poor) then I am willing to pay 10-20 euros more to get a much better service. Having said all that, I do hope they continue to fly, as we, the passengers, can only gain from the competition.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Without Wizzair and airlines to stimulate JU the airline wouldnt have developed to the semi-decent airline it is nowadays. Real and fair competition in a country like Serbia is very positive (and lacking in so many other aspects of the state). Aviation has actually be something Yugoslavia was half decent at (both forms) and Serbia has keep that tradition it seems. And i think the competiton is very healthy for it.
DeleteOf course Air Serbia will say Wizz Air is obsolete as without them they could go back to charging €450 to fly around Europe.
ReplyDeleteWizz Air is crucial because they are keeping pressure on JU to remain competitive.
At the end of the day, JU barely has 50% of the traffic in BEG so they should stop and think about that for a moment. They got to barely 50% with all the transfers. It means around 30% of BEG's p2p market actually chooses to fly with them.
Wizz Air on the other hand is all p2p. One could even say that JU and W6 carry the same number of locals if we exclude transfers.
+1 its positive for JU and the passenger the more competition the better
DeleteAt least these two compete and this competition benefits the public. In Zagreb, Ryanair launches new routes and Croatia Airlines just watches.
Delete50% share is ideal, means most of the routes have competition.
DeleteThey don't even watch. You watch at something you are interested about. And they don't care at all what's happening. They get their fat pay checks without watching anything. And when money is missing, it's just a phone call away. To Središnjica, of course.
DeleteI went to Nice with Wizz and returned with Air Serbia - impressions? Low cost carrier had a 2 years old Airbus in great shape, as new, the crew is smiling and is in great mood, decent priced great sandwiches that almost everybody bought, and the whole crew, pilots included was actually from Serbia. On the other side, national carrier had 15+ Airbus in poor visual state, old carpets, “fleke” everywhere, tired looking seats, the crew smiling occasionally, again Serbian crew. The price was literally the same. Under those conditions, I’m not sure that the “national” pride would prevail, as I chose only personal comfort and good looking plane when deciding on the carrier I will take.
ReplyDeleteThe food wasn't the same, because on the one you have to pay for that food while on the other you get a complimentary snack. You could also have paid extra to elevate your experience and fly business class with lounge access, priority baggage, three meal choices etc.
DeleteWhen JU bought the three A319s they sent them for a paint refresh but didn't upgrade the cabin. So bizzare.
DeleteAnon 09.58
DeleteYou are right, he could have further elevated his experience by purchasing a ticket with Aegean via ATH or with Turkish Airlines via IST.
JU business class product is poor especially since the cabins are in bad shape.
^ if you had never flown with it, how do you know it's poor?
DeleteWill not take business on Air Serbia, because the service is not standardised, you don’t get empty seat with Embraer, some of planes don’t have wall in front of the first row (like a low cost), some don’t have currain to divide business from economy, they don’t have meaningful FF programme, the food is mediocre at the most, and the standard business ticket is around 700 eur lately, which is ridiculous.
DeleteOh and btw, he could not have elevated his experience with Aegean because Aegean does not sell tickets between Belgrade and Nice at all :)
Delete@ Most of the things you wrote are not actually true and shows that you have never flown business with them.
DeleteHe could have bought two separate tickets and spent a day in Athens enjoying Europe's best holiday destination.
DeleteAs for JU, their business class can't be good when the state of their planes isn't good. Half of their fleet is falling apart on the inside.
Anon 10.04
DeleteAnd what proof have you given us that their business class product on the A319 is worth the money?
I have flown with it many times. Claiming things like "food is mediocre at most" while having never flown or tasted their food is stupid. Don't attack something you have never tried or experienced. If you don't want to try it because you think it's not good value, that is absolutely fine. But don't give your opinion on the flying experience, without actually ever trying it.
DeleteI flew with Air Serbia in business too many times, and I can confirm the food is poor. Recently, they even downgraded from lunch to breakfast on their LHR service - you get some food looking as “splacine”, I have few photos that I share with my friends, but you are not one of those, so you will have to put real 600-700 eur and see it for yourself.
DeleteI've flown business on most legacy airlines in Europe and its never really 'worth it' unless its paid for by a company or unless one is rich enough to not even notice/care. JU isnt great, isnt bad. But excatly the same can be said for other 'legacy' airlines intra-European.
DeleteThat’s pretty much true, apart from the state of planes. JU cannot compare in that segment. Nevertheless, this was an answer to a suggestion that someone should take business in Air Sebia to get something much better then Wizz.
Delete@10.14 and I have flown many times with them and food is great. Especially since you have three choices which you don't have on almost any airline intra-Europe. Perhaps you expected to be served lobster for a flight departing 10am. I have also never paid more than 500 euros return on any of their business class flights except long haul.
DeleteWhat does BA serve on a intra European morning flight? I heard that they no longer serve hot food in business on any flight within Europe.
DeleteAnonymous 09:58
DeleteBy JU's "complimentary snack" you refer to the plazma biscuit?
No, they have different snacks depending on the flight duration. But it does not matter. You are unhappy that they offer anything complimentary. Same way as you would be unhappy if they didn't offer anything complimentary.
DeleteI don't see so many differences in the flight experience of Air Serbia, Air Montenegro, Wizz, Austrian, Eurowings, KLM... Believe it or not, I had worst expeience with the latter although well handled. So, for me, the choice of company comes after the choice of time and choice of price...
DeleteIt's brave of Air Serbia to acknowledge their greatest fear. Top of irony and self-reference.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia's greatest fear seems to be digitization LOL!
DeleteI find it funny that all these people in the comments which are singing praises to Wizz Air are the same people spitting and attacking this airline this time last year when they were discontinuing and suspending routes from BEG.
ReplyDeleteIt's mostly one person writing the same comments over and over.
Deletemost people here in the comments are constantly mad. No matter what the topic. If an airline launches new routes, they are mad about it. If they don't, they are made about it. If an airline competes with another, they are mad about it. If they don't compete they are mad about it. If an airline suspends the route they are mad about it. If they don't suspend it and make a loss they are made about it.
DeleteIf they have less than 50% share in BEG they do terrible job, if they have more than 50% they are monoplist.
DeleteThis list never ends.
Can someone tell me why so many people seem to be mad in the comments? What wrong did JU say? They are competing with Wizz Air. They said competition is good. Part of competing and competition is throwing some shade at that competition (even though they didn't name them anywhere). Nothing wrong with that. Wizz Air has done it many times to other airlines. What would you prefer? That JU does nothing? That JU suspends the same routes as soon as Wizz Air announces the same ones? (as they did between 2007 and 2012). I don't get it. JU has shown many times it get compete. It has shown many times that it is agile. It lowers prices on those routes. What do you want them to do? Jesus.
ReplyDeleteBecause they are claiming better service and implying that their planes/service is better than Wizz which is ridiculous. This is fraudulent advertising at least. That is why I am “mad”, don’t know for others.
DeleteNeed to calm down really. Getting mad in the morning because two airlines are competing and saying and doing what is the definition of competition is not good for your health. Wizz Air on Monday said they offer "high quality" and "industry leading" experience. So what? Be happy you can choose who you want to fly with and calm down.
DeleteDon’t worry about me, but be sure that I will help other potential passengers not to be scammed and I will share my personal experience whenever I can.
DeleteNeither their aircraft, nor their service is any better than wizzair. But what JU offer is excellent regional connectivity. That is is real strength and makes them a useful and valuable assest not only for Serbia but the wider region. The two airlines provide a useful degree of competition and that is welcome. End of.
DeleteFully agree.
Delete@10.21 good for you. I can think of much better ways to waste my time.
DeleteHe is simply bitter and nobody can help him.
DeleteEspecially no aviation site.
Idemo dalje ..
ReplyDeleteNot convinced this is great strategy for JU but let's see. JU should go for easy-to-copy routes (or replicated routes) only if high frequent. What's good of this 2 pw which will need to have lower yields for their business? It will be great for tourists to Spain and Italy though, use it while it lasts...
ReplyDeleteRegarding this Air Serbia ad, there is one sentence in Serbian language: Rugala se svraka vrani
ReplyDelete