Air Serbia launched its second destination in the Caucasus this month, with Baku joining Tbilisi in the carrier’s network. The airline said the new service has gotten off to a strong start, attracting transfer passengers, tourists and motorsport enthusiasts in the upcoming period. “Part of our strategic expansion is focused on the Caucasus. Last year, we introduced three weekly flights to Tbilisi, which have performed well, prompting us to increase frequencies to four per week this summer. Baku is being maintained at twice weekly, and tickets for the upcoming winter season are already on sale. The inaugural flight from Belgrade recorded a cabin load factor of around 87%, while the return service was almost completely full at 97%. We believe this route has strong long-term potential”, Air Serbia’s General Manager for Commercial and Strategy told the “Prva” network.
The Serbian carrier is now considering increasing frequencies on the route in September during the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to strong demand. “The two scheduled flights during that week are already fully booked, so we are looking at adding additional services as bookings continue to perform well”, Mr Rupić noted. Discussions over potential flights between Belgrade and Baku had been ongoing for over a decade. Azerbaijan Airlines, which has signed a codeshare agreement with its Serbian counterpart, has now begun selling tickets between Belgrade and Baku on its website.
Air Serbia has previously indicated that the success of routes such as Tbilisi makes destinations like Yerevan, as well as points further into Central Asia, a natural area for future expansion. Yerevan, which would have a similar passenger profile to Tbilisi, remains a potential contender. “Tbilisi is primarily maintained as a transfer route. We’re shifting our focus toward destinations like Tbilisi, where there’s a critical mass to support both connectivity and network development. These are markets where adding flights can also help feed the broader network”, Air Serbia CEO Jiri Marek previously said. Armenian carriers are currently on the European Union’s Air Safety List, which prohibits them from operating within EU airspace due to safety concerns. The ban, in place since June 2020, was reviewed in February and upheld after additional compliance issues were identified.
Would make sense to see Yerevan next
ReplyDeleteYerevan should definitely be next. There is clearly untapped demand in the region.
DeleteYerevan would be logical but complicated if they want codeshare/feed opportunities due to the EU restrictions on Armenian airlines.
DeleteThere isnt much onwards comnectivity possible from Yerevan
DeleteI think Yerevan is inevitable. Once one Caucasus market works, airlines usually cluster expansion in neighbouring destinations.
DeleteEU restrictions are not such a big deal anymore, as FlyOne and Wizz Air have based planes in Yerevan, and restrictions do not apply to them. If you compare, Yerevan has better EU connection than Baku or Tbilisi. But still, BEG-EVN is definitely good route, TBS has 4 pw, I think EVN can have 7 pw or more.
DeleteThere was this guy Aerologic who was saying for years how they should launch Tbilisi/Yerevan. I guess he was right.
DeleteThey should have launched Yerevan before Turkish and Wizz went in there.
Deleteerm? yeah right
DeleteBaku makes a lot of sense. Strong O&D, transfer traffic, plus the AZAL partnership. If they can fill flights outside of the F1 peak too, this could become 3-4 weekly quickly.
ReplyDeleteWill they use E195 in winter or the A319 like in summer?
ReplyDeleteA319
Delete^ So there is a cargo demand too?
DeleteSilkway is no stranger to BEG with their B747's. In fact, 1 departed earlier today for Baku.
DeleteSilkway is present in Belgrade since many,many years.
DeleteThey regularly flew Belgrade-Kabul to deliver arms to the former government of Afghanistan.
Also weapon shipments to Saudi Arabia when there was war in Syria.
Not a market many European carriers focus on
ReplyDeleteMakes sense for JU to focus on them. Short enough sectors, underserved markets, decent connection potential.
DeleteBeacuse its a long ol' way there.
DeleteNot sure inaugural loads prove much. Plenty of new routes start strong because of curiosity and promotional fares. Let’s see performance in winter
ReplyDeleteHow come no one ever writes this for any other airline here?
DeleteI think the sales in general are decent
DeleteInaugural flights have disadvantage as they can't carry returning passengers.
Delete"while the return service was almost completely full at 97%. "
Delete@11:15 what do you mean? Of course they do
Delete09:35
DeleteYou want to say that people here criticize JU more than other airlines? Lol.
@12:49 They can't carry passengers who are returning from trip which was done on earlier flights, unless previous leg was done with transfer.
DeleteAre u mad? Of course passengers going the opposite way use first flights. I dont think you understand this right
DeleteWonder if this gets Russian passengers too
ReplyDeleteFor sure
Delete"further into Central Asia". What this could be referred to? Yerevan and Chisnau should be added soon, despite bad political relations. Chisnau would be transfer destination and same avio connection could ease political tensions between two countries.
ReplyDeleteChisinau is not in central Asia mate
DeleteTashkent or Astana would be the crown for central Asia.
DeleteThere are already flights between Astana and Belgrade.
DeleteMineralniye Vody is a strong contender.
DeleteI think it is next candidate in Russia for direct flights from Belgrade.
Deletei meant Almaty (not Astana)...sorry
Delete9:55
DeleteOf course Chisnau is in Europe, not related to Central Asian possible destinations.
Chisanu could be good transfer destination, but also Russians would use it a lot, as well as Tbilisi, Baku, Astana, Riga, possible Yerevan. Huge Russian community is in Pridnestrovie.
Како би Руси користили Кишињев? Русија се не граничи са Молдавијом. Или Ви имате информације да су Руси ушли у Одесу и одсеку област? Или мислите на Русе из Придњестровља? Пре сте мислили на Русе и Украјинце из Украјине, ако успеју да побегну из исте?
DeleteWell GYD and GOJ were requested by the Serbian government but nice to see JU making the most of it.
ReplyDeleteIn Serbia's case it is always either a political route, a route for assylum seakers or a route for Chinese workers...
DeleteGood irony, lol
DeleteThank you govermnet! LOLLL!!!
Delete"The Serbian carrier is now considering increasing frequencies on the route in September during the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to strong demand."
ReplyDeleteAlready on sale. Two additional flights in September.
+1
DeleteNot only that, it got upgraded to A320.
Delete\Perhaps let's see if they upgrade this to A330.
Yerevan would be a very good decision!
ReplyDeleteThats been said many times by people. We get it
DeleteWe are waiting Belgrade-Yerevan flights in Armenia
ReplyDeleteThat has been said a lot. lets move on
DeleteAirSERBIAs growth is astonishing. Great management, no doubts. The best of alla is the fact that they didnt even scratch all the potential of the future growth, before all, adding new frequencies to existing routes, expanding in Central Asia and Far East as well as Middle East and Africa. Hats down to Marek & co..
ReplyDelete+100
Delete"Great management" that can't decently cover Belgrade-Brussels route for more than 10 years. Please give me a break.
DeleteDecent is exact word to describe both demand and coverage. Not a major hub, not a major tourist destination, much smaller diaspora than in Paris or Germany, Serbia not a member of EU. ZamaAnaliticar is wrong.
DeleteI'll fly with AirSerbia to Baku in 10 days.. I'll write LF here so we can compare load factors in first week and later
ReplyDeleteWrite a trip report. Its more interesting than just LF comparisons. Enjoy Baku! Its quite a nice city
DeleteBaku is really nice on the surface but if you walk a bit further from the main streets it is not so impressive.
DeleteI've been all over the country. Yes its fairly grim past the facade of Baku downtown. But most of that region is.
DeleteBelgrade - Bishkek next?
ReplyDelete