Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines has confirmed it has launched a feasibility study into the introduction of flights between its main hub and Belgrade, as the carrier evaluates further expansion across Europe. The Serbian capital is being assessed alongside Bucharest, Birmingham and Lyon as part of what the airline described as efforts “to lay the foundation for future route network expansion”. The SkyTeam member, which ranked as the world’s eighth-largest airline by capacity last year, has undergone significant growth over the past three years and currently serves sixteen destinations across Europe. Its network includes Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Copenhagen, Rome, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Kazan, St. Petersburg, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Madrid, Milan, Moscow and Venice.
The potential entry of China Eastern Airlines into the Serbian market would create significant competition for Air Serbia, which launched flights between its hub and Shanghai in January last year and currently maintains the service twice per week. During its first year of operations, the airline handled close to 50.000 passengers on the route, offering around 55.000 seats over the twelve-month period, indicating a solid load factor for a newly introduced long-haul service. Prior to its launch, Shanghai represented Belgrade’s busiest unserved route, while the Serbian capital ranked among the Chinese metropolis’ largest unserved destinations in Europe.
Air Serbia is already contending with strong competition on its Guangzhou service from China Southern Airlines, which operates two weekly rotations between the two cities. The presence of the Chinese carrier has proven challenging for Air Serbia as it seeks to stimulate and capture traffic, particularly among Chinese leisure travellers, who tend to favour flying with Chinese airlines.
The potential launch of China Eastern Airlines services to Belgrade would mean that two of China’s three largest carriers operate to the Serbian capital and three Chinese carriers overall. In 2025, a total of 184.042 Chinese tourists visited Serbia, representing year-on-year growth of 17.5%. China Eastern boasts a fleet of nearly 700 aircraft and serves more than 230 destinations worldwide. Its European network is primarily operated with the Airbus A330, while select routes are served by the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350.
JU needs to up frequencies to 4 weekly as soon as possible. It definetely has enouh A330s for it.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI don't know if it so simple taking in consideration Chinese bureaucracy.
DeleteI do not think it is as easy as that. They need the approval of host airport I believe.
DeleteSundays, all three A330s are parked at the airport. I just can't believe they are not utilised better.
DeleteHow come so many international airlines can increase flights to PVG but Ju is unable too.
DeleteSounds more like an excuse for inaction.
Which airlines and how many frequencies increased?
DeleteAs many as they want, nobody is stopping them.
Delete^ not true. Please don't write something you don't know about.
Delete^ It is absolutely true.
DeleteIt isn't and you obviously don't know much about policies. Increasing frequencies to China as a foreign carrier is a lengthy process and involves putting in an application and then waiting months. If you know mandarin you can find on their website when airlines apply and how long it takes to get approval.
DeleteThat lesson doesn’t exist on zama academy he’s attending
Delete@ anon 09:12
DeleteI really don't understand what's going on with Air Serbia's long haul strategy. Seoul, Tokyo, Miami were talked about but we stuck with Toronto seasonal only. At the same time 3-4 aircrafts underutilized. Ok, at least one is AOG but there is a huge spare capacity just collecting dust on the tarmac. And cabin experience is below standard. I am JU's fun so don't get me wrong.
Both Seoul and Tokyo were mentioned in the long-term in the next 5 years. They were not announced as new routes. No need to make up. For Miami they said why they didn't go after it now.
DeleteI don't have a large sample, however couple of my friends went to Thailand during the winter, one with family (4) the other one solo.
DeleteIs there a sufficient demand for winter charters to Thailand, at least 3-4 rotations?
^ i wouldnt think enough to fill business class seats profitably. Eventually such a leisure route will work from
DeleteBG, but its probably a while off
If AS dont grow, it will shrink and loosing positions
DeleteAir Serbia launched CAN in 2024 and PVG in 2025. They already talked about possible expansion to PEK or increasing frequencies to CAN/PVG. They are not shrinking and losing positions, they are growing, but you are free to hope they won't.
DeleteDont be such an obsessive. Observations are not some attack against JU or Serbia. Chill out
DeleteAgreed, if you were unable to observe well-known facts @19:20, you would jump to incorrect conclusions @18:11.
DeleteAlthough being a JU fan, China Southern is just better. JU keeps sending Pupin plane to CAN showing they don't really care about the service on the route. No wonder then China Southern is proving tough.
ReplyDeleteJU simply needs to invest much more in it's product if it wants to remain competitive.
True dat.
DeleteEventually JU will struggle in China like most European airlines have. The Chinese based airlines have a huge huge advantage going forward. Air Serbia's future in China might not be as strong as we think. So improving the offering is vital.
DeleteI flew both to Shanghai and Guangzhou with Air Serbia. On both flights, I saw a number of foreign passengers who were transiting in Belgrade. If Air Serbia had higher frequencies, they'd be able to attract a higher number of transit pax.
DeleteOn the topic of Guangzhou, I hope that Air Serbia used a Cantonese speaker on board, as well as translating things into Cantonese (which is the official language in that area). I hope they are not using the Mandarin used on flights to Shanghai.
And to add - I hope that Air Serbia stops canceling these long haul flights last minute. My Guangzhou flight got cancelled a few weeks prior to the flight - not what I would have expected.
DeleteYeah, yeah. But you forgot to complain about broken seats, stained carpets and IFF with too few content
Delete^ they are just accepted if one selects JU to China
DeleteMandarin is the official language and taught in China including the south, Cantonese is a secondary language now, mainly used in Hong Kong and elderly people for whom it was their language until Mandarin become official all over the country
DeleteIf you select JU you also accept the bad service you are most likely going to receive. That is why more and more will switch to China Southern for CAN and maybe China Eastern to PVG one day.
DeleteJU claims to have large profits yet they are too slow or not interested in investing it in improving the product on long-haul flights. Retrofitting an A330 is measured in a couple of millions but it is long overdue as it is an anchor on their reputation for far too long now.
Anonymous09:04
DeleteIdk man, been taking CS to CAN several times, it aint any better than JU and the einterior is just meh
@13 32 If you choose JU, you will receive excellent service, comparing the ticket price. That's why JU break passenger records every day, month and year, no matter how hard you are trying to persuade somebody opposite. Keep trying, who knows, maybe you will succeed one day.
DeleteThe service is ok. Hardly excellent. But yeah its great to see increasing passenger numbers
DeleteJU should also start PEK, especially with the EXPO coming!
ReplyDeleteThey could launch Belgrade with their Shanghai Airlines operation like they do to Budapest. I'm flying them in two weeks actually. Routing Belgrade-Budapest-Shanghai-Tokyo (for various reasons).
ReplyDeleteShanghai Airlines is more point to point. They need their whole network out of Shanghai, don't know if those two cooperate.
DeleteThey are a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines with a fleet of 87 aircraft. They have total cooperation.
DeleteMore China and Russia flights desperately needed!
ReplyDeleteRussia not so much!
DeleteWith all these Middle East distractions this will be more than welcomed.
ReplyDeleteJU should immediately increase their frequencies to China in light of what is happening in the Gulf.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIf this materialises, Belgrade would become one of the most connected secondary European capitals to China.
ReplyDeleteWell many cities in Europe are at least as well connected to China and many far more so. But yes it would be good for BG.
Delete^ learn to read original comment before your complexes get the better of you.
Delete^ Of secondary cities like Budapest? With 21 weekly flights
DeleteOf secondary cities like Zagreb, Bucharest, Sofia with 0 weekly flights.
DeleteComparison doesnt bring much to the table.
DeleteOf course. Sorry to have trigerred you. Move on.
DeleteI couldnt care less tbh
DeleteYeah I see.
DeleteIf this materialises, Belgrade would become one of the most connected secondary European capitals to China.
ReplyDeleteWhich perfectly make sense. Chinese tourists doesn’t need visa, likewise in EU. Although Chinese stndard is way higher than most of EU
DeleteFacing competition from China Southern and possibly Eastern, Air Serbia now more than ever needs to invest in its A330 product to remain competitive.
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteDadgummit, that A330 cabin again? Well son, I recon Air Serbia is doing fair to middlin’ to China. Their A330 product is tough as nails, always in a rumble gainst gussied up China Southern 787 and Hainan A330. I ain't saying Air Serbia A330 cabin is hotter than blue blazes, but they have fightin' chances, so don't be sweatin' like a sinner in church.
DeleteThis would be a very interesting development and would really impact on Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia seems to have benefited from the war in Iran. Overnight its Shanghai and Guangzhou flights became sold out and fares shot up.
ReplyDeleteNoticed that too
DeleteThis proves even further why SCAT should have launched flights to Shymkent. Now they would have been able to funnel the growth towards China.
Delete^ Very true!
DeleteThis goes to show you how important it is to have your own carrier with a strong hub network. Air Serbia benefited massively from the events in Ukraine and now the Gulf. Only Turkish Airlines profited more than them.
Delete^ agree. Good for them
Delete^ although all of Western Europe is well served by Chinese Airlines already. JU is useful indeed for the Balkans but its not doing anything revolutionary in terms of connectivity.
DeleteWould love to see China Eastern in BEG.
ReplyDeleteThey're the worst of the main Chinese airlines.
DeleteSo? You don't want them to fly to BEG?
DeleteFrom a passenger perspective, more competition means better fares and more options. Hard to complain about that.
DeleteSeems like you are advocating for Air Serbia to start Beijing, as more competition means better fares and more options for passengers. Hard to complain about that.
DeleteAir Serbia has a huge promotion to China currently, basically through all its network:
ReplyDeletehttps://shorturl.at/m7CwG
there is no promotion
DeleteI giess they wpuld use A330 to Belgrade
ReplyDelete*would
DeleteRather i hope they send Shanghai Airlines and their 787 instead if they were to launch it.
DeleteA330 seems most likely, but an A350 in Belgrade would certainly be a sight :)
DeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteThis would be a huge development for Belgrade. If China Eastern comes, that would mean two of the Big Three Chinese carriers in BEG. Not bad for a market of Serbia’s size.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of SkyTeam connectivity here. China Eastern could offer much stronger onward connections across Asia compared to what Air Serbia can provide on its own.
DeleteInteresting that Belgrade is being evaluated alongside Bucharest, Birmingham and Lyon. That puts BEG in quite respectable company. It shows how much the market has grown over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteChinese leisure travellers clearly prefer flying with Chinese airlines. If China Eastern launches, Air Serbia will have to rely more on transfer traffic via Belgrade rather than pure O&D.
ReplyDeleteIf this happens, it could push Air Serbia to increase frequencies to Shanghai. Competition sometimes stimulates the market instead of hurting it.
DeleteSerbia had 184,000 Chinese tourists last year, up 17.5%. With that kind of growth, it’s logical that more capacity will follow. The question is whether demand can sustain two carriers on the same route long-term.
DeleteThere are many other destinations they could/should launch in China.
DeleteThis is exactly what happens when a route proves itself. Air Serbia opened the market, showed there is demand, and now others want a piece of it.
ReplyDeleteDemand was there prior to JU launching direct flights. Shanghai was a top underserved destination with higher demand than Toronto. SU was previously the main carrier transporting pax between BEG and PVG.
DeleteGuangzhou is already competitive with China Southern operating twice weekly. If Shanghai also becomes a battleground, Air Serbia’s China strategy will really be put to the test.
ReplyDeleteJU's PVG flights are basically 100% Chinese pax onboard. There a few foreigners here and there, including Serbians, but it is mostly all Chinese - and most of them are Serbian residents.
ReplyDeleteNow, I really hope MU will have the red-eyes instead of these terrible daytime flights JU has opted for. For me, that would be a game changer, if nothing else.
How come author of this article came to a conclusion that JU flights to CAN are challanging due to competition of China Southern Airlines, and that chinese travelers prefer China Souhern? Based on what data he/she claims this? Since Air Serbia said thair load during last year, which was 81% as I recall, and that's very good. Air Serbia also keeps saying route is successful. I can personally confirm, because on my flight , plane was around 85-90% full, out of season , was somewhere in november, and there was 80% of pax that were chinese..The fact that is right is that AS soft product on this rpute is not so good, I asked cabin atendant why food on this chinese route was soo much worse than on NYC route, and they told me something like- here are more chinese pax , they are not so demanding..This is disrespectful towards pax who should be treated equally. Also they didn't even offer western cutlary, only chopsticks..Plane was not Pupin, but ARE, and in very good condition..My screen was not functioning though, but I didn't mind, and as I could see, it was probably the only one in the plane that was broken..AS should go catch transfer pax, 'cause CAN is golden hub, and improve food service on this route..Besides that, all was good, and on time...My thinking is that they should increase frequency on 3x during winter season..Go for transfer AS, you have planty of options..
ReplyDeleteMaybe they have actual figures from recent flights
DeleteThis would be a massive addition, as SkyTeam is notoriously underrepresented at BEG.
ReplyDeleteJU should start flying to India and Africa.
ReplyDeleteNo. It should not fly to india
DeleteYeaaah!!!! Lagos coming!!! 🤣
Delete