2010 - the end of Jat Airways
After Jat Airways’ aircraft, a B737-300 registered YU-ANJ, entered service on Monday with a new look interior, the carrier's outgoing CEO Saša Vlaisavljević revealed that Jat Airways will no longer be the name of the Serbian national carrier. The new name of the airline will be revealed in spring of 2010 when new aircraft are expected to arrive. The new aircraft, besides a new name and logo, will have a new livery while each aircraft will carry the name of a city in Serbia. The new name will include the name “Serbia” in it so it is easy to associate with the country. Vlaisavljević says that the name will be changed due to great public pressure to do so. The new name of the airline will either be Air Serbia, Serbia Airlines or Serbian Airways. The new look will also see a big restructuring within the cabin crew department and young cabin crew will be employed, an unwelcome peace of news for the current Jat cabin crew.Vlaisavljević said that the new visual identity will cost the airline approximately 250.000 Euros but that the process, which has been delayed many times, must be complete when new aircraft start arriving. Jat’s current look, known as the “the flying dots”, was applied in 2003 when the airline changed its name from JAT Yugoslav Airlines to Jat Airways, after Yugoslavia ceased to exist. On Friday, Jat will name a 3 member team which will be involved in the negotiation for the purchase of new aircraft. This team will travel to the Paris Air Show which will be held from June 15 to 21 where an agreement should be made for the purchase of 3 new ATR72-500s, to replace the current ATR 200 series, in the airline’s fleet.
Jat’s current CEO, Saša Vlaisavljević will leave his position on June 1. Will his idea of a new look be carried out by the next Jat administration remains to be seen. Vlasavljević also made a promise for a new look in 2006 although plans were put on hold. This is why this news must be taken with caution. If the plan goes ahead, the name “Jat” will disappear from the skies for the first time since 1947.
What does/ will the new cabin look like?
ReplyDelete^
ReplyDeleteWho cares.
What really matters is how Jat (or Serbian Airways or whatever it will be called) will actually be any better than what it's replacing...if no steps are taken to actually REDUCE costs and adapt to the 21st century, dear old JU may not make it past 2010, regardless of what it's called!
The name change (like the livery change) will mean very little.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest concern for mine is the fact they will be reducing their fleet capabilities with this upgrade.
They need to buy 5 ATRs to replace their current fleet and not doing so is a worry especially for short-haul routes, also the fact that by the time they get around to delivery etc they've not chosen the state-of-the-art, efficient -600s.
The mid-size planes earmarked for purchase (90-odd seat jets: CRJs, Sukhoi 100s or Embraer 195s) won't cover the small gaps in the middle that are needed with the ATRs.
Is the airline's new policy aiming to reduce its destinations, and/or frequencies? This plan looks to do this.
I agree with other comments that restructuring and adapting for the future is more paramount for JAT than reducing their fleet, perhaps this will occur with the new CEO.
@ Anonymous1 the seats are now all leather. To my knowledge they all received a blue colour but am not 100% certain.
ReplyDelete@ frequentflyer I don’t think they plan to cut routes. They started up many this year. I think their plan is to introduce 3 ATR72-500s next year(?) and withdraw 3 ATR72-200s and then in 2011 withdraw the other 2 ATRs and receive another 2. I think they will completely change what aircraft they want after the Paris Air Show but time will tell.
Well, 'anonymous 2', the whole point of this article is the cabin interior and the comfort of passengers, as this attracts passengers, and is more important than what the airline is called!
ReplyDeleteThank you ex yu aviation for the information!
Well im little bit disapointed, the Jat airways should be called Serbian Airlines System, rather than Serbia Airlines, or Air Serbia, and the logo needs to have warm colours i think! I hope it will be a big success!/ Philip from sweden
ReplyDeleteSerbian Airlines Systems sound like Scandinavian Airlines System, which is ridiculous, because owners are from entire Scandinavian region.
ReplyDelete^
ReplyDeleteWhat's worse, is that SAS is one of the worst, most inefficient airlines in Europe - one of the last airlines you would want to be associated with!
Well i think the name needs to sound much international and global, i mean both B&H Airlines and Croatia Airlines sound that they have put a stamp to bi proud over their country, One day i hopa all the exyuaviation will be Balkan Airlines, and share their routes, but it will not happend, You anonymous guy, what do you want jat to be called? Philip Swe
ReplyDelete@ "Philip Swe":One day i hopa all the exyuaviation will be Balkan Airlines, and share their routesDream on, son.
ReplyDeleteThis existed until 1991 when they couldn't operate as one country any more (some argue they had been separate countries for 10 years before that), and the airline was called JAT, which is now a shadow of its former self and pretty much a basketcase with a recovery plan. Politically it couldn't and wouldn't happen within the next 20 years, but what we have seen is that following the dreadful conflict in the 1990s air routes are slowly reopening and the is demand for travel ensuring most carriers can survive independently.
Also, there's already an airline called Balkan - they're a Bulgarian airline making them non-exYU. And Slovenia and the northern half of Croatian aren't technically 'Balkan' (despite the mindset sometimes).
And finally, what would you do about the absolute mish-mash fleet of new-and-old 319s/320s, 737s, ATRs, Qs, CRJs, Fokkers and E-jets? Not easily standardised...
@ EX-YU:I think their plan is to introduce 3 ATR72-500s next year(?) and withdraw 3 ATR72-200s and then in 2011 withdraw the other 2 ATRs and receive another 2.Standard practice is for airlines to either:
1) take options on new aircraft, or
2) purchase the whole lot and stagger their entry dates.
JAT have been in the business long enough to know how the game works, publicly announcing 3 AT7s means there's only money and/or plans for 3 new planes...