TRIP REPORT
I wanted to continue my tradition of flying on Air Serbia’s inaugural long-haul flights, so I purchased a ticket for the Toronto service on February 20, for the May 23 departure. I must admit the business class fare was quite pricey compared to the inaugural flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou. Nevertheless, I went ahead and booked my one-way ticket (as I would be returning home via a different route) and was all set for Toronto, which also marks my first visit to Canada.
I arrived at the airport at around 9.30am. It was a busy day at Nikola Tesla Airport with a lot of long-haul flights departing in relatively short proximity to one another. This included Air Serbia flights to Toronto, New York and Shanghai, as well as Hainan Airlines’ service to Beijing.
The airline dedicated a couple of check-in desks specifically for the Toronto flight. I used the premium check-in facility at the airport and headed to passport control. There was no one in the priority lane for either passport check or security.
I chose not to go to the Premium Lounge as I wanted to walk around the airport a bit. Our gate was C11/12, while a ceremony was being held at C13.
It was a sight to behold that all five Air Serbia heavy aircraft were parked side by side at the C gates at Belgrade Airport. It included all of Air Serbia’s A330-200s (Tesla, Pupin and the EXPO planes), as well as the Hainan Dreamliner. As I walked down the C hall, there was a long line for boarding for Hainan Airlines’ flight.
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| Hainan flight boarding for Beijing |
Initially, YU-ARB (Nikola Tesla) was scheduled to operate this flight based on the seat map, as it has a specific business class cabin layout. However, a day before the flight this changed, and I realised it was either YU-ARE or YU-ARD (the EXPO planes). I changed my seat as I was randomly allocated a middle seat with the aircraft change and chose the window side seat as the cabin is in 1-2-1 configuration. For more privacy, I would recommend choosing the odd numbered side seats, as they are closer to the window, while the side table shields you from the aisle. Although I was aware of this, there were none available by the time I saw the plane had changed, but it was not an issue. I was glad to get this plane as I had not flown with it previously.
Almost all the passengers on the flight were Serbians, although there were some Canadians in front of me at check in. At the gate, I could overhear a woman say she thought she would never see the day she could fly nonstop to Toronto. Most passengers seemed to be visiting family. There were also some Russian speakers here and there.
Boarding began at around 11.40 for the 12.30 departure. A dedicated air bridge was used for business class passengers, and it seems I was among the first to board.
The aircraft features Etihad Airways’ former cabin product, as the airline was its previous operator. Air Serbia has changed the seat covers to the same ones as in YU-ARB. Etihad uses this exact same seat on its B777s nowadays. I actually like it. There are no overhead bins across the middle seats to make the cabin more spacious.
At my seat there was a big pillow, blanket and slippers, as well as a bottle of water and menu. The seat itself is lie-flat, it has a charging port and a USB port.
Shortly after settling in, more passengers started boarding and the crew came around with welcome drinks, including prosecco, water and juices. We were also given a wet wipe.
The cabin crew member serving my side of the aisle then came around and introduced herself and her team individually to each passenger.
Shortly before takeoff we were distributed headphones, which came in this sack, which says it was made from used plastic bottles, which I think is a nice touch considering that such initiatives are still very rare in Serbia.
The crew member then came to take our meal orders. The following is the menu, and you can also find the meal choices for the return flight from Toronto to Belgrade.
I ordered the first choice for the entre and the second for the main. The crew informed passengers that we could have our meal any time during the flight as it is dine-on-demand. The crew also asked about drink choices and if we would like to have different drinks with each course.
I must say that although I think Air Serbia’s crew is generally polite and nice, this crew went beyond that on this flight. They were extremely professional, from the questions they asked passengers to the care they took when placing glasses making sure the airline’s logo was turned towards the passengers and so on. They took care of the little things.
We received a short welcome from the captain who informed us about the flight time, and we pushed back on time. 20 of 22 business class seats were occupied.
We had a long taxi from C12 all the way down to the runway.
We took off at around 12:45 for a smooth flight. After we reached the top of climb the captain came over the PA and gave us another welcome with details about each country we would fly over. He also made note that this was the first flight to Toronto since JAT’s last service.
Shortly after, the crew distributed amenity kits and one could also ask for pyjamas, which are given on demand.
Then the meal service began. We were first served a ramekin of mixed nuts accompanied by drinks, followed by the starter, main course and dessert. Each component was presented individually by the crew rather than being delivered together on a tray. The crew also came around with a bread basket offering several choices. The meals were well presented and tasty. I also noticed that passengers drinking wine were served directly from the bottle at their seat, with the crew waiting for them to sample it before pouring a full glass. It is also worth noting that the tray tables can be slid sideways, allowing passengers to leave their seat even while the table remains fully set.
I visited the washroom around four hours into the flight and found it spotless. One interesting feature of the forward galley, located ahead of the business class cabin, is that there are no crew stationed there, nor is there any kitchenette setup. Instead, all crew activity and galley operations are concentrated in the galley behind the business class section. I also quite liked the faux wood finishes inherited from Etihad, which still give the cabin a premium feel.
The IFE was pretty good. There was a selection of movies, TV shows of all kinds (with around five episodes loaded for each) and some games. The screen was responsive and could be controlled both from the screen and the remote control.
By this point, most passengers had closed their window shades, and the cabin crew dimmed the lights. I then reclined my seat into the fully lie-flat position and fell asleep for the next five hours or so, helped by the fact I hadn’t slept much the night before. The seat is genuinely comfortable because of its thick cushioning. One thing worth noting, however, is that Air Serbia’s blanket is exceptionally warm, perhaps a little too warm, at least for me.
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| Cabin with lights off |
Two hours before arrival, the crew distributed a certificate acknowledging the inaugural flight, as well as a chocolate and magnet with the Belgrade - Toronto branding.
Around sixty minutes before arrival the second meal service started. There was no choice for this one, but everything was again served individually. I must say it was tasty and I like the fact they served parmesan individually with the pasta, which is not so common on planes.
We arrived in Toronto and yes there was applause from the passengers to mark this special flight. Upon disembarking, there is a similar setup as in the EU where you scan your passport and fingerprints at a self-service kiosk. I completed the arrival card online before the flight, which is advisable as it speeds up the process.
Passport control was very quick even though there was a big line and looked very informal, with two officers at a counter which took only a few seconds.
After getting my bag, I transferred to Terminal 1 with the inter-terminal shuttle and headed to the train station. The express train takes you directly to Union Station in downtown Toronto and is the easiest and quickest way to reach the city.
I really can’t fault Air Serbia on this flight. I have written critical reviews of the airline in the past when I genuinely felt certain aspects needed improvement, but overall, this was a flight without any notable issues. The seats were comfortable, the service was attentive, the IFE performed well, and the food was tasty. If I were to point to one area for improvement, it would be Wi-Fi on the long-haul fleet. In this day and age, I think it would go a long way in enhancing the passenger experience. I am not familiar with the economics behind introducing or maintaining the service, but considering how many airlines now offer onboard connectivity, and the fact that Air Serbia itself was once ahead of the curve in this area, its absence does feel noticeable.
However, I should also note that Air Serbia has made noticeable improvements along the way. I have been flying its long-haul services since 2016, and over the past year or perhaps a little longer, I have picked up on a number of subtle but meaningful changes. These include improvements to the food, better presentation, more polished service etc. And there are some small things, like the headphones used to be handed out in simple plastic wrapping, whereas they now come in neat fabric-style pouches. These may seem like small details, but they do contribute to the overall experience and are certainly noticeable to frequent flyers.
As for the aircraft itself, this is, in my opinion, Air Serbia’s best long-haul hard product. I have flown both YU-ARB and YU-ARC, as well as YU-ARA before them, several times, and in business class at least, this is hands down the strongest product the airline has offered to date.
Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com
Thanks a bukch dor the report and all u’re doing for the aviation enthusiasts…
ReplyDeleteWhy is there no photo of the 5 wide-bodies lined up?
ReplyDeleteIt's impassible to take the photo from inside the terminal.
Delete"I changed my seat as I was randomly allocated a middle seat with the aircraft change " is that some option in business class. Since Air Serbia numerous of times changed my city in economy on short haul flights due the aircraft change, and I didn't have opportunity to change , jut to refund
ReplyDeleteSo you flew to a different city than planned?
DeleteSeat selection in business is complimentary.
DeleteWonderful report. Thank you
ReplyDeleteFantastic report. I got to say looks like a solid product for a European carrier!
ReplyDeleteGreat trip report, really loved reading it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your time in doing this report. Great read.
ReplyDeleteStill the catering offering in business is quite unrefined and looks cheap. That seat costs a fortune so a bit of extra refinement would not hurt. As is, the most expensive botte of wine is around 15e wich is "low" for this kind of exclusive product.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the load factor?
ReplyDeleteIt says in the report. 20/22 seats occupied. There was also the loads for both flights yesterday in the article
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/05/air-serbia-restores-belgrade-toronto.html
Wonderful read. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGibanica is a wonderful touch. Keep it up and please include more Serbian delicacies on the menu! The food looks great.
ReplyDeleteJeste ali susam na gibanici…
DeleteUnrelated to this, but one suggestion I would have for all airlines doing long haul flights, and Air Serbia, in economy class, is to add a detail called “next flight event” in the IFE. It would be like a counter indicating to the passengers in how many minutes/hours the next service will begin (like serving of drinks, dinner, breakfast, duty free sale). When ever I flew these flights, I found it lacking this info, not knowing how soon the first food or drinks will be served etc. Once I fell asleep and after I woke up, found they already served the breakfast and skipped me. Once I selected to watch a 2 hours long movie not knowing that the arrival will be sooner and that I would not be able to complete it on the IFE. Would be good if the IFEs had this little ticker with appoximate countdown, rather then showing it in any clock format (making it confusing as to which timezone clock it refers to).
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea.
DeleteTook the first JU509 flight in biz and impressions are almost the same. What Air Serbia is lacking in terms of modern hard product, they certainly make up in attentive personal service.
ReplyDelete