Air Serbia, the Serbian national airline, has announced that it will temporarily suspend six of its scheduled flights and reduce its operations for the first quarter of 2024 due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The airline said that it will operate only essential flights to and from Belgrade, as well as some regional destinations.
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The six routes that will be suspended are Belgrade - Tel Aviv, Belgrade - Athens, Belgrade - Istanbul, Belgrade - Bucharest, Belgrade - Skopje, and Belgrade - Sarajevo. The airline said that these routes are not profitable and do not meet the demand of its passengers. The airline also said that it will not operate any flights to or from Dubai until further notice. The airline added that it will continue to monitor the situation in Israel and Palestine and will resume its normal operations as soon as possible. The airline also said that it will offer full refunds to all passengers who have booked tickets for the suspended routes.
Air Serbia is one of the leading airlines in Southeast Europe and has a fleet of 24 aircraft. The airline operates flights to over 50 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The airline is a member of Star Alliance and has codeshare agreements with several other airlines. The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated in October 2023, when Hamas launched a rocket attack on Israel from Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza, which caused widespread damage and casualties. The conflict has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 200 people have been killed and thousands displaced.
The conflict has also affected the tourism industry in both countries, as many travelers have canceled or postponed their trips due to security concerns. According to Air Serbia's website, the number of passengers traveling with the airline has decreased by 40% compared to the same period last year. Air Serbia's decision to suspend some of its routes is not new. In July 2020, the airline temporarily suspended three routes due to travel restrictions imposed by Greece following a military coup. In March 2021, the airline announced that it would restore six routes in April after easing some of the entry requirements for travelers from certain countries. Air Serbia's CEO Dane Knežević said that he hopes that the situation will improve soon and that he remains optimistic about the future of aviation in Europe. He also thanked his customers for their understanding and loyalty during this difficult time.