Commenting on the airline’s performance, Mr Marek noted, “We are very pleased with our results. At the start of the year, we changed the way we report our performance, moving from monthly to quarterly reporting. However, we can share our July results at this point. July was our busiest month on record. On scheduled services, passenger numbers grew by 10%. Charter traffic was somewhat weaker due to the war in the Middle East, which has affected demand for charter services to Egypt and Turkey. Nevertheless, when scheduled and charter traffic are combined, our overall passenger numbers increased by 8%”. He added, “Considering that Belgrade Airport recorded passenger growth of 4%, this indicates that our market share increased. For the first time in the company’s history, our monthly revenue also exceeded 100 million euros”.
The ongoing situation in the Middle East has increased the carrier’s costs, although the CEO said the impact remains manageable. “This year, our biggest challenge is the war in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices, which have risen significantly. Since the outbreak of the conflict, higher fuel prices have resulted in an additional 47 million euros in costs. Our team will work to mitigate this impact by optimising ancillary revenues and reducing costs wherever possible. Nevertheless, the situation remains under control and is not critical”.
Two months after launching its new Elevate frequent flyer programme, Air Serbia is attracting more than 1.000 new members each day. “We currently have 90.000 members, with between 1.000 and 2.000 new members joining every day. Our initial projection was to attract between 280.000 and 300.000 members within the first year, but current trends indicate that we will exceed those figures. We are very pleased with the results, and the programme will continue to develop”, Mr Marek said, He added, “By the end of October, we hope to introduce dynamic awards, which will enable passengers to use their points online when purchasing tickets and other services. We are also preparing a family programme, allowing an entire family to use a single loyalty account. Another feature we are working on is a favourite destination option, where each member will be able to select their preferred destination and earn additional points when travelling there. We also expect to launch partnerships with Banca Intesa and Alta Banka in November or December for co-branded payment cards. These will allow members to earn points through everyday purchases, which can then be redeemed for airline tickets”.
Let the new route guessing game begin
ReplyDeleteCluj-Napoca.
DeleteWhat I like is that since last year they announce new routes early. Ok, they added many more afterwards this year but still in general last year they also announced new routes much earlier than in the past.
DeleteCluj boy is quick off the mark
DeleteYerevan.
DeleteYerevan definitely.
DeleteCluj very likely.
Ibiza hopefully, if they manage to get slots.
Some Polish destination such as Wroclaw with ATR.
Also Tel Aviv and Cairo.
Cluj is long overdue. They have the perfect aircraft in the ATR for it.
DeleteMiami. Helsinki. Manchester. Graz. Genoa. Chisinau. Brno. Kosice.
DeleteSame lists from the same guy.
Delete@10:13
DeleteSame comment from the same guy.
Topic is potential new routes.
I hope Cluj-boy is aboard the first flight (if and when it occurs).
DeleteSeeing the Italian and Iberian destinations really having a momentum while changing some very established charter habits at BEG I would bet on these markets. Could be Trieste, Turin, Ibiza, Bilbao, another Canaria airport, Faro...
DeleteDublin, Bilbao, Damascus, Tashkent
DeleteNot sure about Damascus, but Erbil/Baghdad would certainly make sense.
DeleteThey don't make sense either because of proximity to Iran
DeleteLagos, for sure!
DeleteTbh via Cluj?
DeleteYerevan, Tashkent, Gdansk, Bilbao, Miami or Beijing, Cairo
DeleteGdansk? Whyyy?
DeleteBecause there is potential to Gdansk and nobody flies there. Better launch it before Wizz does it.
DeleteDoubt Wizz ever will
DeletePeople just find points on the map and say fly there.
DeleteThey already increased for the next summer:
ReplyDeletePrague from 10 to 14 weekly
Moscow from 23 to 26 weekly
Brac from 2 to 3 weekly
Krakow from 3 to 4 weekly
Highly doubt Prague will stay at 14 pw until summer. They always increase ATR destinations like BUD, ZAG and downscale it before season starts.
DeleteI think they just preliminary schedule these increases and then they adjust when they add the new routes.
DeleteBUD and ZAG have not been increased. But PRG has been.
DeleteThey will add frequencies all around the region. Many EXPO visitors will go to visit neighbouring countries surely.
DeleteSVO almost going to four daily, crazy
DeleteWell its a cash cow as long as they can milk it they should and will.
DeleteAre all of Air Serbia's flights to the same Moscow airport?
DeleteYes, to SVO
Delete👍
DeleteSo basically there's an Air Serbia aircraft present at SVO at almost any time of the day.
DeleteBravo Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteYerevan is almost certain I guess
ReplyDeleteI think we can put that one in the safe column. My guess is they announce around 5 new routes.
DeleteTLV and CAI are a must. BEY too, these destinations would provide loads of connections both to the European and transatlantic network.
DeleteHopefully they start with CAI next year. And then add another NA/ME destination every next year. Like they started with TBS and hopefully finish with EVR in Caucasus region.
DeleteI don't see TLV or BEY relaunching next year with the ongoing situation. CAI definitely, but with an updated schedule.
DeleteTheir netowrk is already magnificient, but I suppose they will add Manchester, Helsinki, Yerevan, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Ibiza (if they get slots).
ReplyDeleteWith wich fleet? They need at leat 6 more aircraft!
DeleteCompared to OU they look like TK.
DeleteMagnificent is usually used to describe art work, not airline routes, but whatever works for you.
DeleteI assume they will wet lease the needed number of aircrafts.
DeleteWorry don't! By the end of this year 2 more jets and within the beginning of summer season 3 more. That doesn't count wet leases
DeleteWhat are the three coming next year?
DeleteAnd the planes that will come will be...magnificient.🤣
DeleteSome people...
Extraordinary 🤩
DeleteThey will not be bright and shiny, but they will be magnificent. Cry me a river
DeleteNooo , you can't say it for an airplane....only for Mona Lisa 🤣
DeleteImpressive that monthly revenue has now crossed 100 million.
ReplyDeleteYes but fuel cost is huge.
DeleteAn extra 47 million in fuel costs is enormous. If they can still remain profitable despite that it would be quite an achievement.
ReplyDeleteFinally making using points online without having to call the call centre would be very welcome. Hope it happens in October.
ReplyDeleteMy guess are new destinations in Poland and Romania within ATR range.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure. They have the same number of ATRs as last year. But they are growing Embraers and they have announced another Embraer joining recently so I think it could be routes with Embraer aircraft.
DeleteSome of ATR routes are ready to be upgraded to E195. For example OTP.
DeleteIf they leave some roomin the turnarounds they can shift between ATR and EMB on a route according to the needs.
DeletePRG seems ready to be upgraded to E190. Rising frequencies and maybe reduce price could bring regular usage of E190
DeleteAre they fit to fill Wizz gap, if it happens of course?
DeleteFill what? W6 only flies already existing JU routes. They may just add some frequencies, if W6 leave.
Delete@09:27
DeleteEjets have already slowly replaced the ATR's on a few routes this summer - DBV, SJJ, PUY, RJK, PRG, OTP, TGD. With more entering the fleet we can see more frequencies move over to the Ejets.
@10:49
The Ejets are already this summer flying 3 pw to PRG. Perhaps next summer that increases to 5 pw.
Tel Aviv is a must, given the links between Serbia and Israel but also the transfer potential to the US and European cities. Hopefully Cairo goes along to mark JUs return to the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteYerevan and Cluj are great transfer routes, especially after successes of Baku and Tbilisi.
ATR routes could be for example Graz, Košice, Brno or Wroclaw.
Embraer routes could be Helsinki while Airbus could be added to some more Russian routes like Yekaterinburg or resumption of Krasnodar.
A330 could surprise us with Miami in 2027
The longhaul routes need more time.for introduction. MIA or any route on the A330 needs to be announced in the coming weeks.
DeleteSo that could be the reason of this announcement....
Let's see on the 15th....
Wondering if YYZ did well fir them and if that route is coming back next year and when?
DeleteIt did great, hopefully next year they will prolong it to year around. Even with 1pw in the dead of the winter. With LO shrinking, it may be very reasonable.
DeleteSuch a pitty that the billateral does not allow for more than 2 weekly flights
Delete@09:49
DeleteTLV I don't see coming anytime soon, not before there is more certainty that operations won't suddenly halt due to escalating tensions. European airlines returning are going in with caution, KLM for example via LCA. JU can easily use capacity for other, stable destinations.
CAI definitely yes. Hopefully with a revised, split schedule.
KRR no, but something else in Russia will definitely happen.
MIA looks like will finally launch and could be why JU is announcing the new routes earlier. YYZ was announced in October last year.
@12:22
YYZ seems to be doing well with healthy loads judging by earlier comments. My guess is that it YYZ isn't a cheap airport operate in to, plus with the added expense of launching a new long haul route plus increased fuel prices, the route is likely losing them money rather than breaking even as expected. I don't see it going year round just yet but likely an extended season is what we will see next year.
Extending Toronto season earlier and later would be welcome. Not everyone enjoys 30+ degree Belgrade weather and would rather visit Belgrade during shoulder months.
Delete@17:22
DeleteAre you just assuming this about Russia?
JU hasn't continuously suspended and restarted operations to Russia as has been the case with foreign airlines to Israel. Huge difference there.
DeleteJU's average ticket prices out of Russia to cities across Europe are 3 times higher compared to the average fares out of TLV. SVO and TLV are similar flight times from BEG, however 1 makes significantly more profitable.
For JU, TLV is simply not worth the trouble.
Ekaterinburg (SVX) or Kaliningrad (KGD)
ReplyDeleteMinsk if the sanctions are lifted
DeletePskov (PKV, ULOO) could be an interesting option to compete with Turkish Airlines and Pegasus flying Europe from LED + ensure shorter rotations than to other RU arports + have a good redispatch airport to BEG-LED flights + serve some passengers from Minsk as well (at least, Pskov is a popular tourist bus destination from Belorussia, so it is reachable)
DeleteLol
DeleteLol x10
DeleteI don't find any Lol. Have you heard about LPP airport (Finland), which was called among passengers as Pulkovo-3? Ryanair flights were full of RU passengers, though it is at least 4 hours by car with border crossng & no public traffic. LPP was alive only becauseof passengers from Saint Petersburg, now it is dead. I guess, PKV well connected with regular Lastochka trains with Saint Petersburg can generate well. And JU will make prices on direct flights cheaper than in LED, it will fill its plains. In LED, JU faces huge competition from airlines from Turkey, like 1 vs 6-7 daily only regular, 10+ with charters.
DeleteJU should increase over the summer to a minimum of 10 flights to LED.
DeleteAir Serbia has not introduced a single additional flight to SVO this winter.
DeleteNo way to increase: LED is too overcrowded in prime time. In the early night in July, pilots and cabin crew needed to wait almost an hour in line to the passport control though they have a separate fast track line
DeleteMore morning arrivals and evening departures across the region would probably generate more connecting traffic
ReplyDeleteI hope Elevate gets international partners. A frequent flyer program becomes much more useful when there are plenty of opportunities to earn and redeem outside the airline itself.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia should have waited to launch Elevate until it was fully completed, especially since it was already delayed by several months from the date it was originally announced. My tier status from the Etihad Guest program has not been transferred, and no one is responding to my emails. I also see that many people on socials are complaining that they are unable to credit their miles.
DeleteMy miles credit automatically. The day after I fly
DeleteDo you know the vale of 1 mile, in Euro or RSD?
DeleteIt is RSD, at least here in Serbia. But I don't know if it's the same situation if you are based in another country.
DeleteThanks. But how much is the value of 1 mile in spending?
DeleteIf you want to use your mile points for a ticket, every 1 mile is equivalent to one dinar. So if you have 20,000 miles, you will reduce the ticket price by 20,000 dinars. Taxes can't be reduced though. I redeemed 10,000 rsd for a ticket to Athens earlier this month. It covered the entire cost except for the around 3,000 dinars in taxes.
DeleteHere, you earn points not miles, and the number of points you receive depends on how much you spend, not on the number of miles you fly. I recently had two round-trip flights in Economy Light and earned 600 points + 100 welcome points, so I have 700 dinars to spend. Very generous
DeleteAre Tier points the same as regular points if all flights are flown by Air Serbia (not transferred from Etihad). If not, what is the difference between Tier and regular points?
DeleteElevate section on airserbia.com does not explain how tier vs regular points are calculated. Seems completely random.
DeleteI have to admit that these kinds of interviews can be quite confusing when it comes to finances. The majority of passengers who traveled in July had purchased their tickets in the period before July, which means that the corresponding revenue is recognized in the month when the payment is due/collected, rather than in the month when the passenger actually travels. Since we do not have the other side of the equation, namely the expenses, this figure is not showing as much as it should.
ReplyDeleteYou can financially recognize revenue only after you deliver product/service, so for any July flights the income will be July income no matter if the sale and payment were made in January or July. Expenses are different: you have to book them at the very moment when they're made.
DeleteMineralnye Vody, Bilbao, Yerevan, Miami
DeleteMineralnye Vody makes absolute sense. It was mentionned here many times long time ago, i think it was that guy Aerologic.
DeleteAerologic also comes up with lots of nonsense. But Mineralnye Vody seems logical.
DeleteBetter to PKV!
DeleteSays you.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI thought they would announce the destinations in December
By announcing them earlier they have more time to sell the tickets.
DeleteExpo is coming early next year. Everything have to be prepared on time. Even before Expo, there will be a lot bigger demand due to more than 140 countries participating with a lot of staff coming, Preparation starts from December 1st.
DeleteAre people actually excited about that?
DeleteYes!
DeleteSome yes, many no.
DeleteOpportunity for many to make extra $$$ by offering services from tourism to retail to hospitality.
Deleteit is said that there were many connecting passengers from Amsterdam and Paris on the flights to Brac
ReplyDelete.
however, with the announcement of flights for next year, and connections in the direction of Brac Amsterdam or Brac Paris, it will not be possible without an overnight stay in Belgrade?
does anyone know what the word is about?
in order to be able to offer these connections, the flight should be either Monday or Wednesday, as it was last year, and Friday
AirBaltic is getting rid of 20 A220 together with the crew. Would that be a chance for JU to jump in and dry lease 5-10 of them since they are wet leasing 4 already?
ReplyDeleteNo way!
DeleteWe have to dodge that bullet. Let them go to LO, OS, LH, LX
DeleteCheap aircraft of reliable airline to lease is now considered a bullet? How would you call Marathon then?
DeleteI mean the aircraft itself, not a company. JU doesn't have sense to dry lease 6th aircraft type, no matter how "cheap" it is. And it's not cheap, OU know better
Deleteexpanding wet lease might be an option, but no dry lease
DeleteGreat, now Marek can use some of those €100 million to fix the cabins.
ReplyDeleteCabins are quite ok. Nothing to fix
Delete+1
DeleteIdemo dalje ..
ReplyDeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteWhy is no one writing about the fact that Air Serbia canceled the right to a reduced air ticket price for children of employees/former employees, over 24 years old..?
ReplyDeleteProbably because most people are not JU employees.
DeleteWhy would some former employee's children have discount? That makes no sense.
DeleteIt has been a employees perk for a very long time, for employees children to fly standby. What they have done is abolish the right for children above 24, effectively discriminating against employees who are older and who have devoted more of their time to the company. The more loyal you are to JU the less perks you get....
DeleteIt is true that in many companies children have the right to fly standby until they are 24, but it is complimented with buddypasses or what JU had before "nominovano lice" where you can designate a person you want to give this benefit.
I flew like that on Swiss as a friend nominated me, but JU has cancelled this option a while ago.
I really hope JU reverses this stupid decision. It does not cost them anything to allow children to fly stand by, they only get in if there is empty seat but it afffects employee satisfaction greatly.
it is a practice ie a benefit in all serious airline companies in the world
Deleteexactly that.. It was a benefit, which was only valid if there were free seats on the plane. Therefore, it was not possible to board the plane until it was determined that there was a free seat. So you were always at the check-in desk at risk of not getting on the plane. I didn't know that in addition to children, they also abolished the category of nominated persons-nominovana lica. Really incomprehensible decision by JU.
DeleteDespite the fact that you are on stand by mode, this ticket was not free. It was paid. Reduced price, but the ticket was paid. Now that seat will be empty, and there will be no revenue from that ticket. This is a complete waste of money for the company.
DeleteChildren, but “children” up to the age of 24! 😂
DeleteBetter catering please.
ReplyDeleteIts not the worst out there. Their product is solid and they provide wide connectivity from the Serbian capital which is what really matters.
DeleteJust take it easy I would say. Its easy to get over excited but imo its better to consolidate and improve existing routes, improve product, reliability, service, seamless travel, image and align expectation of passenger with what they actually experience. The worst practice any business can do, especially in tourism, is to claim you are Michellin star level but offer Mcdonalds product.
ReplyDelete