Air Serbia is evaluating two to three potential destinations as part of its longer-term long-haul growth strategy, although the airline remains satisfied with its current network for the time being. This summer, the carrier will introduce seasonal services to Toronto, marking the fifth consecutive year of long-haul network growth following Tianjin (2022), Chicago (2023), Guangzhou (2024) and Shanghai (2025). “Long-haul development is always highly specific, as it requires a long-term approach and a wide range of KPIs (key performance indicators) to be met before operations can commence. Maintaining a balanced network between East and West remains important. This summer, we felt it was the right time to give Toronto an opportunity, and we will see if in the future we will expand further in Asia”, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, told the “K1” network.
Mr Marek added, “For now, our long-haul network is largely set for this year and next. That said, we are continuously evaluating two to three additional destinations. As previously mentioned, options include Miami, a winter leisure route, or potential points in China and wider Asia. However, the final decision will depend on a number of factors, as each route must meet several key parameters before being launched”. In the past, in addition to Miami, the airline mentioned potential services to Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo and Havana.
Commenting on its long-haul fleet comprising four Airbus A330-200 aircraft, the CEO noted, “At present, we have a stable long-haul fleet with sufficient capacity to support the addition of new destinations. However, given the uncertain geopolitical environment, ongoing market volatility and elevated fuel costs, we are not planning any wide-body fleet expansion at this time”. Air Serbia recently noted it is considering five to six new routes for its network next year, following the introduction of nine new services in 2026. “There are still some white spots in our network, and these regions will form the focus of our development in the years ahead”, Mr Marek concluded.
As usual lots of talk, studying and evaluating but little action.
ReplyDeleteLittle action? New long haul route each year for 5 years.
DeleteAs usual, a lot of the commentators on here fall prey to the usual Balkan megalomania. The airline has literally launched new long-haul routes every year for the past five years. Let them consolidate current operations before overextending.
DeleteConsolidate what? They only fly twice a week to PVG and CAN. How many years do they need to fly just twice a week before raising frequencies?
DeleteBoth routes were launch within the last year and a half. Are you ok?
DeleteAnd how many years has Hainan been flying twice per week? There is obviously a limit to the market. If there wasn't everyone would have increased it long ago.
DeleteHe wants 100 weekly long haul flights. Doesn't matter if it bankrupts the company. And if they flew 100 weekly, he would still complain why it isn't 105 weekly. It's a national sport.
DeleteYou should not be counting Tianjin as a destination; it obviously failed to perform.
Delete^ We kept reading that the airline was happy with Tianjin's performance. And then one day it was cancelled.
DeleteOh my goodness if we don't count Tianjin it has only been a measly 4 consecutive years of long haul expansion. The horror! The absolute HORROR!
DeletePEK or even DAX is a must. Especially with the Russian and Ukrainian airspace restrictions that make carriers from northern Europe make a large detour JU could get quite a few connecting traffic.
DeleteGuys, don't you see that he is here only to provoke?
DeleteHe obviiousy has some personal problem with JU.
Don't feed the troll.
PEK would be very successful for JU I believe.
DeleteIf and when the bilateral allows i think the China is where JUs future sits. Trans-Atlantic other than NY will remain tricky, but china-serbia-europe is a routing that JU could really master with the right prices and timings.
Delete9:27
DeleteOf course he’s trolling. He’s using ANALiticar’s stupid arguments, just to ease the pain for a moment. But then he comes back to sore reality.
For him: Tinjin was only allowed from Chinese government during Covid and was successful until CAN, PVG and PEK started.
PEK at least is a must. MIA has been under examination for a decade now?
ReplyDeleteNo, it hasn't been under examination "for a decade". It was first mentioned just 2 years ago. Not sure if you see what is the state of the world at the moment.
Delete^ No, flights to MIA have been under discussion since before COVID.
DeleteMiami service was first mentioned by the company as a potential new route in December 2022.
DeleteAnd what's exactly the issue that they mentioned Miami? I love that we know which routes JU is looking at and what they are thinking. I would much rather have that then know nothing about their plans. And like he said, and that is true, for a small airline it is logical to take it' time because these types of routes are a huge financial strain for a smallish airline. I would much rather we know about Miami as a potential new route than know nothing for years.
DeleteMiami will need to do some work to help nudge JU to make the final step forward. It is a great winter/cruise destination for people from the Ex-Yu. Lots of money in that town as well.
DeleteThey could have at least increased frequencies on the Chinese routes since the fleet has more than enough spare capacity for it.
ReplyDeleteNo they can't increase frequencies to China. For the millionth time.
DeleteThey can in the sense that they need to apply for an increase, wait months for approval and then Chinese airlines have the right to increase by the same amount.
DeleteEvery other airline on the planet is allowed to increase flights to China and more often than not do but only ASL's hands are tight.
DeleteOr it is just an excuse to not increase flights.
There are limitations on the number of flights between Serbia and China, as per the bilateral air agreement, therefore the rights are not the same for carriers from Serbia and carriers from other countries. China and the EU have a Horizontal Aviation Agreement, which is significantly more liberal than the one between Serbia and China.
DeleteNo, that’s called bilateral between two countries. Maybe China and that “all other countries “ have different bilaterals, but why would you know that? You would not be an ignorant then
DeleteSo let’s say if another Chinese carrier launches PVG two weekly, that would enable JU to launch PEK two weekly?
DeleteIs that how the agreement works?
No, Air Serbia may launch PEK, it have rights for that due to Hainan already serving. Other Chinese carrier may launch PVG twice weekly since Air Serbia is already serving the route
DeleteIt is not a straightforward process. Chinese carriers nominate routes they may wish to operate, however, in the case of services to Serbia, only one Chinese airline can be designated per route from a pool of approved carriers. Once an airline nominates a route, it retains exclusive rights to it for a period of one year. During this time, no other designated Chinese carrier can launch flights on that route, regardless of whether the airline proceeds with operations or not. This is currently the case with Shanghai. Once the rights expire, another airline may apply, or the same carrier can reapply. The overall process is lengthy and bureaucratic. As previously reported, China Eastern Airlines has initiated a feasibility study into potential services to Belgrade.
DeleteI wonder how long we shall be waiting for new "expert" to suggest JU to "open new Chinese route or increase existing frequencies".
DeleteWould be good to see if Air Serbia is so far satisfied with Toronto ticket sales and if they are considering extension of the seasonal operations by starting earlier and ending later next year.
ReplyDeleteSales are relatively good.
DeleteFriend of mine is traveling in July and paid circa CAD 1450.00
@9.10 You had this news and information about seasonal extension just 4 days ago.
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/04/air-serbia-to-push-ahead-with-expansion.html
DeleteIs codeshare or interline with Canadian partner airline to be expected in the future?
DeleteAir Canada is part of the Atlantic Joint Venture with United and Lufthansa Group so highly unlikely that they will cooperate with JU. Maybe Westjet?
DeleteWell AC and JU did have an interline agreement not so long ago, so some sort of partnership is still possible.
DeleteAC will definitely not offer more than an limited expansion of their interline with JU. Best bet is either with Westjet or Porter, most likely Westjet given their European presence.
DeleteCodeshare between AC and JU is out of the question unfortunately.
DeleteIf they are not extending the service all year round, it means sales might not be as good. Remember, CEO previously said if sale goes well they would try to keep the service all year round. We have to remember that the economy in Canada is struggling and many families are not able to afford to travel for now.
DeleteUnlikely that JU can make a code share with AC - but Porter has expanded significantly in North America and has an ambitious growth plan, Westjet has a huge network and codeshares with Delta.
Delete@13.56 you might want to keep in mind everything that has happened in the world since the CEO made that announcment in December. Like fuel prices doubling. Not everything is about load factor.
Delete@13:56 Are you sure many families are not able to afford to travel for now? Last year YYZ set the record for highest volume of passengers since the pandemic, so it doesn't look you are bothered to look at the facts.
Delete@13:56 What crisis?!? Other than Belgrade, Toronto is getting a ton of new routes to Europe this year, for example Budapest (BUD) — starts June 2026 (Air Canada), Ponta Delgada, Azores (PDL) — starts June 2026 (Air Canada), Helsinki (HEL) — starts May 2026 (Finnair), Cardiff (CWL) — starts May 2026 (WestJet), Air Canada Toronto to Tenerife on November 1, 2026
DeleteAC recently announced even more flights to PRG.
DeleteYes, please get us some codeshares please. From Vancouver there is still no usable option on AS website. Would be great if they agreed with Westjet for flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg. Also for Westjet’s existing flights to Rome, Paris, London, Barcelona.
DeleteI think we'll see flights to HAV before MIA.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it highly.
DeleteNo chance with the current situation in Cuba.
DeleteConsidering the current situation in Cuba, unlikely.
DeleteCuba is having huge problems with electricity and fuel, not to mention other necessities. I think tourism isn’t their priority now
DeleteMarek mentioned around 2 years ago that they were looking at Mombasa seasonal flights but that tour operators could not get their act together.
Delete@09:24 lets face it, JU longhaul has a maximum capacity for the medium term and they are close to it.
Delete^ Actually JU's has plenty of room for more longhaul flights with 4 aircraft flying.
DeleteFor 6-7 months a year in winter season JU has only 9 weekly long-haul flights. I could definitely see them launching a seasonal route to either BKK, Dominican republic, Zanzibar or someplace in the Indian ocean.
Delete^ longhaul leasure flying at once weekly adds a degree of complexity for crews etc. But maybe they will give it a shot. I guess nice for the Serbian tourist and for av geeks but hardly anything revolutionary.
DeleteHavana is pointless. Most of the country has electricity for 2 hours, no gasoline, food is hard to find. Country is fall apart. So commies like to go there to see last stage of communism. But normal people wont. While Miami from the other side is world class city and place to be. Lot od Balkan diaspora in whole south FL. Lot of venets, from F1 to World cup, Miami opet etc
DeleteBKK is definitely worth re-evaluating now that the ME3 have significantly reduced operations.
Delete@Anonymous 11:40
DeleteTrue dat!
@10:59 - don't forget Serbfest. HUGE turnouts in Orlando and Tampa last year. Events in November, just after the windy season.
DeleteWhat could be the winter seasonal route he mentioned?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Bangkok?
DeleteIf they see Miami as a "winter leisure route", it would make more sense to me to look for winter leisure routes that don't require complicated and expensive visas, and where holidaying is cheaper (Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia etc). There would definitely be more Serbian tourists flying to such destinations than to Miami.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he was implying to Miami as winter leisure. He said Miami, a winter leisure route or points in China and Asia.
Delete@9:27 - you make an excellent point. Travelers really do not want the hassle of visas and want to go where they will have a nice time. There are a lot of destinations that are competitive and eager for tourists that do not require visas. Ex-Yu travelers spent a lot of decent money and are great guests - exactly the kind of people that destinations want.
DeleteIs that ORD in the pic?
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteTo me this reads that they might add a seasonal winter route this winter season.
ReplyDeleteWith fewer people wanting to fly via the Gulf, I think they could consider Bangkok, or something shorter like Sri Lanka or Zanzibar, where Serbian people generally go.
DeleteBangkok have very great potential. Without China, Thailand is the biggest not served destination from Belgrade
DeleteEasier to not fly over the gulf for the next year or so for winter routes. Too bad there are not many African destinations anymore.
DeleteLong haul has been expanding each year. In my opinion, they should work on densifying the long haul network now and then maybe expand again in 2028.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I would rather see them strengthen existing routes before launching new ones. Frequencies matter more than destinations.
Delete^ i agree.
DeleteNothing stops them to add frequencies now, except the demand. There is enough capacity available, but demand is getting weaker, due to all around economic crisis. So JU did their part, rest is not in their hands.
DeleteBetter to add new route with more potential, than fly more often half empty to ORD or JFK
EXYU editor explained what stops them, so you are once again not correct when you say that nothing stops Air Serbia from adding frequencies except the demand. You are also not correct when you say they fly empty to ORD and JFK, as US DoT, PaNYNJ and Chicago Dept of Aviation publish numbers you don't bother to check:
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/04/air-serbia-handles-over-124000.html
I think the anon at 15:05 meant if they added extra capacity to North America they would risk flying half empty.
DeleteAir Serbia over time expanded JFK from 5pw to daily, and that didn't result in flying half empty. During the past 5 years Air Serbia added dozens of destinations and significantly increased passenger numbers, allowing more long-haul transfer passengers. During 2025 summer they added JFK frequencies early and late in the season.
Delete@16:54
DeleteOf course I meant North American routes, because situation with Chinese routes is familiar. When they reached daily JFK, they said that they will probably add extra frequencies when new planes are added into the fleet. That happened last winter, but still no growth last or this summer. So, what do you think may be the problem, since capacity is more than enough? And why ORD is cut to 1 pw during winter(which is also better then turn to seasonal)? You think that they don't have enough crews?
^ I think you are living under a rock if you can't see the existing geopolitical climate, fuel prices and costs. Especially the impact it has on small airline like Air Serbia.
Delete@20:20 You forgot they are expanding this summer with new Toronto service, that could have been used to expand JFK beyond daily. Spend one full winter in Chicago and you won't have any questions about low winter demand for diaspora routes.
Delete20:23
DeleteI think you are writing BS. Fuel prices is growing last 45 days and we are talking about last 24 months. And yes, geopolitical climate, economy crisis, recession and inflation is lowering the demand. That's obvious, unless you are living under the rock last 3-4 years.
20:54
I am not forgetting anything. There is still enough capacity to grow JFK this summer beyond daily, but it will not gonna happened. As it didn't happened last summer, when there was no YYZ and still had more than enough capacity. So, there isn't enough demand any more, is it not clear yet?
You can spend 10 winters in Chicago, but still Air Serbia is cutting winter flights there. It was almost charter route this winter. So please, go tell Marek that he's not seeing so huge demand, I am sure he'll listen to you carefully.
Actually there is a huuuge demand. Demand for you to stop trolling every single time Air Serbia is a topic. All Vrapche Academy evidence is present, from so called shortage of pilots, to interior refurb, to A330s sitting and collecting dust. Everyone knows who you are and what you are trying to do.
Delete@00.50 frequencies to Chicago were the same this winter as last. No need to make things up.
DeleteFor holidays Bangkok, Phuket, Male, Sanya, Phu Quoc, Zanzibar, Colombo, Seychelles, Mauritius. What not only charters. There are interest for all.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhy not*
DeleteI agree. With the current situation in the Middle East, we could also do a few charters to the Maldives or Thailand.
DeleteYes. Vietnam is growing market also. They launched new airlines to respond for tourism boom. SunPhuQuoc Airways, Crystal Bay for example.
DeleteSerbian tour operators are keen on transfers via Dubai or Doha, Istanbul. This winter Bucharest has charters to Phuket with HiSky.
DeleteRomania's population is also 19 million
DeleteWell, yes. We could do it too. The topic has been going on for many years and we still don't see long-haul charter flights. We have the A330, Serbs are traveling more and more, tourism is developing rapidly throughout Europe. Remember the time 15 years ago, no one was going anywhere. Now people are much more willing to spend money on a vacation instead of renovating their house. Even a vacation to the Maldives.
Delete10:26
DeleteLithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary are like Serbia 1-8 mln but they have leisure charters to Zanzibar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.
It's only a matter of time before Serbia gets such a flight, but it's certainly been quite delayed.
DeleteIt's only a matter of time before Serbia gets such a flight, but it's certainly been quite delayed.
DeleteLjubljana is hub. Go to LJU and you will fly to every point in the world.
DeleteExcuse me. Charter hub*
DeleteI work in tourism. There is definitely demand for the Maldives, Zanzibar, Thailand. One plane a week can easily be filled. All this arrives via Turkey or Dubai via transfer. Tour operators simply do not want to take this risk, they have been working with flydubai or Turkish for these flights for many years and thus guarantee their seats.But I would definitely say that in the winter months (when it's the season in Asia) there is enough demand for everything mentioned above in the comments.
Delete...I work in a small travel agency that is an intermediary for larger tour operators. Specifically, we send about 1000 people to the Maldives and Zanzibar through Turkish Airlines. But from the numbers I see, some people can afford much more than before. And they are really ready to pay much more even for a holiday in the Maldives or in Thailand.
DeleteI work in a small travel agency that is an intermediary for larger tour operators. Specifically, we send about 1000 people to the Maldives and Zanzibar through Turkish Airlines. But from the numbers I see, some people can afford much more than before. And they are really ready to pay much more even for a holiday in the Maldives or in Thailand.
DeleteBKK for sure, Toronto will be resisted,highly seasonal, and low flow of passengers,Asia can attract all tourist from ex YU, plus surrounding countries
ReplyDeleteBKK 100%
DeleteBangkok would be amazing, plus many people use it as a hub to spend few days there and then hop on ultra cheap Air Asia to Bali, Vietnam etc.
DeleteAnd then I see the JAT Bangkok ad on the left side and the year 1988.
DeleteBangkok is and transfer hub for Asia.
Delete12.05
DeleteIn addition to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and Manila planned
Toronto has more demand than chicago. BKK? What an expert you are. Vucic school?
DeleteThey should invest in refurbishing interiors of their planes (complete fleet apart from ATRs which are ok) and once they do so, they should continue with the new intercontinental routes.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a $ every time you wrote this same comment, I'd be a billionaire!
DeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteBangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Los Angeles…?
ReplyDeleteGo big, or go home!
DeleteAir Serbia is already flying from it's main hub in Belgrade to 5 out of top 10 busiest airports in the world:
DeleteHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL): 106.3 million passengers; down 1.6% from 2024
Dubai (DBX): 95.2 million passengers; up 3.1%
Tokyo Haneda (HND): 91.7 million passengers; up 6.7%
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW): 85.7 million passengers; down 2.5%
Shanghai Pudong (PVG): 85 million passengers; up 10.7%
Chicago O’Hare (ORD): 84.8 million passengers; up 6%
London Heathrow (LHR): 84.5 million passengers; up 0.7%
Istanbul (IST): 84.4 million passengers; up 5.5%
Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN): 83.6 million passengers; up 9.5%
Denver International (DEN): 82.4 million passengers; up 0.1%
@00:30 dreamland
Delete