Air Serbia launched two new routes from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to the Middle East. The airline landed in Tel Aviv (Israel) and Ankara (Turkey) in early April. The Belgrade-Tel Aviv route was inaugurated on April 6. Flight JU812, which departed at 1:30 PM local time, was the first service on a route that will operate three times a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. A fourth flight will be added on Mondays starting on May 8. The Airbus A319 aircraft is scheduled for this route. “Tel Aviv is one of the most modern centers in the Middle East. By adding this cosmopolitan city to our destination network, we have opened the doors of Israel to all who wish to visit it. Just 50 kilometers away is Jerusalem, a city whose history dates back to the fourth millennium BC, making it one of the oldest in the world. The average flight time to Tel Aviv is two hours and fifty minutes and will be operated by Airbus A319 aircraft,” said Bojan Aranđelović, Air Serbia’s Head of Network Planning and Scheduling.
The service to Ankara (ESB) was inaugurated on April 7, departing from Belgrade at 12:30 AM local time. This itinerary will be operated with four weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, also with Airbus A319 aircraft. “The introduction of direct flights between the two capitals will strengthen Serbia and Turkey’s great economic, social, and cultural cooperation and further improve the mobility of people and goods. In one week, specifically on April 15, in addition to Istanbul and Ankara, Air Serbia will also begin operating flights to Izmir, while in the upcoming summer season, we will offer charter flights to Antalya, Alanya, Bodrum, and Dalaman,” said Boško Rupić, Air Serbia’s Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer.
The addition of Tel Aviv and Ankara to Air Serbia’s route network increases its offering to the Middle East. Customers can make connections to Central and Western Europe, the Balkans, and the United States via Belgrade.
A new A320 for Air Serbia
The airline announced that it received its third Airbus A320, registered as YU-APS, on April 12. The aircraft is 11 years old and previously belonged to low-cost carrier WizzAir. It was painted in Air Serbia’s colors in the Netherlands and has a cabin equipped with Recaro Slim seats, with a capacity for 180 passengers. “With the arrival of the new Airbus A320 YU-APS, our company will have three aircraft of this type in its fleet. The continuous modernization of our fleet, management system, technical support, and crew training are the strategic objectives of the Serbian national airline,” said Marijan Kocić, Air Serbia’s Director of Operations.
“Last year we expanded our fleet with eight new aircraft. An Airbus A319 and an A320 were added to our fleet, our regional aircraft fleet was rejuvenated with the addition of five ATR 72-600s, and since December, our second Airbus A330-200, which bears the image of the famous Serbian scientist and inventor Mihajlo Pupin, has taken off. This is the second addition to our fleet since the start of 2023, and we are very proud of it,” continued Kocić. Air Serbia’s fleet consists of:
- 5 ATR 72-600
- 10 Airbus A319
- 3 Airbus A320
- 2 Airbus A330-200
Overall, Air Serbia’s expansion of its route network to Tel Aviv and Ankara is a significant milestone in its growth strategy, providing passengers with greater connectivity and convenience. The addition of the third Airbus A320 to the fleet also demonstrates the airline’s commitment to modernization and innovation.