The skies open in spring?

More competition starting this spring?

The Open Skies Agreement (ECAA) gives free access to carriers to freely open new destinations and services without needing to go through the usual bureaucracy associated with gaining a license. The ECAA has been signed by 36 and the agreement could bring Serbian citizens cheaper ticket prices and a greater choice of air carriers and would bring more work for those employed in the aviation industry, the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate hsaid after the Serbian Infrastructure Minister, Milutin Mrkonjić, stated that the implementation of the Open Skies Agreement could begin in Serbia as of spring this year. Mrkonjić said that "since September the agreement has been in parliamentary procedure”, meaning that the agreement is wating for the parliament to vote on it. "All the documentation is prepared at the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate, so I am expecting that everything will be ready within a month and a half", he said.

In response to the question of when a larger number of airlines offering cheap tickets, so called "low cost" airlines, would be able to come to Serbia, Mrkonjić said that Serbia is open to them on condition that they cooperate with the national carrier Jat Airways. The low cost “Nikki” from Austria is hoping it will begin flights from Vienna to Belgrade once the agreement is passed by the Serbian parliament. Currently an agreement between Serbia and Austria only allows 2 carriers to operate scheduled flights. These rights are being used by Jat and Austrian Airlines.

Meanwhile the Serbian government announced that Jat’s management will be changed. They will be replaced by professionals that have worked in Jat for many years and know the company well. Mrkonjić said he is certain Jat will become a strong and competitive airline.