New round of Jat – Airbus talks begin
After a letter of intent for the purchase new aircraft was signed nearly a month ago between Jat Airways and Airbus, new talks are set to resume tomorrow in Berlin, Srdjan Radovanović, the airline’s CEO announced to the media. “This is the next step in the negotiation process and the clarification of the aircraft order. We are looking to strike a deal which will benefit both sides. The conditions on the market have drastically changed in the past few years and the Serbian Government will deliver the final verdict on the Airbus deal”, Radovanović said.Meanwhile, Radovanović revealed that Jat’s financial balance has been drastically improved in the past twelve months. “We are trying to position ourselves on the Bosnian and Macedonian markets. However, in order for us to succeed we need the support of the Government, in particular from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure. Such support does exists but I am asking for more”, Radovanović said.
Settle first the serbian market before thinking of Bosnia or Macedonia. JAT Airways is loosing market share in Belgrade.
ReplyDeleteThis director is a fool. I can't listen to his statements anymore.
I'm taking bets - how many months time do you think we will still be talking about this without any decision made??
ReplyDeleteThis is non-news. I suggest that administrator stop publishing anything related to JAT, until somethin g actually happens.
ReplyDeleteBosnian market? Haha what a joke! Everybody here knows JAT as worst airline at SJJ and passengers use its route mainly because of connection to the London or Amsterdam. BON's aircraft have far better interior and catering but also are in nice shape (which is not case with JAT) and thats what passengers like.
ReplyDeleteYeah,Bosnian market! And of course it is because of London and Amsterdam flights and also because of a big Serbian population in Bosnia. That's why Bosnian market is attractive to JAT and it will be until BH airlines launches flights to Amsterdam and,maybe in the future,London flights.
ReplyDeleteThe Director is a competent man, the problem is that the government has not decized what to do with Jat-The money is not a problem here any longer. Jat can and probably will survive and join an alliance within 2 years from now.Lease up to 15 new aircrafts its not expensive any longer either...they should sit down and discuss what to do next and i think it will be good in the end.
ReplyDelete@ Geronimo,
ReplyDeleteHow is the director a competent man? Can you provide anything tangible that would show that? How many of his promises had been kept? Aside from free health coverage, I can't think of anything. Even that is iffy. Has anybody used it?
In this article, he is downright rude. He is basically stating that Jat can be successful as long as he gets the support from the government. Come on! That is all he has been getting, is support from them. Jat have been in the red for years, will never resurface without the help from the government (instead, they will only dig themselves deeper into the hole), and now he is saying he wants more. By that logic, anybody can be successful.
@ anonymous
ReplyDeletewhat support have JAT been getting from the government? them placing the former Grand Kafa director as CEO? the government is very slow in getting things done. the government doesnt know what it wants to do with JAT, either privatise it, or invest a bit into it to privatise, or start a new JAT...If one can make a major international hub in a town in the middle of the dessert (DXB in mind here) i am sure bringing in at least 10 replacement a/c not too much of a challenge. Its about time the government start looking after the airline and cut the crap on privatisation.
@ JATBEGMEL,
ReplyDeleteSeriously? What has the government done to fix the problem? The government (i.e. the taxpayers) are the only reason why Jat is still around. That company owes $180 million and its assets are a joke. If it weren't for the government support, that company would have gone bankrupt by now. It is as simple as that.
How is it the government's fault that Jat has not been privatized? The simple reasoning is that nobody wants it. Please, don't give me the bs about the Russians wanting to invest $450 million, etc. Those stories are fairy tales cooked up by Kostunica in order to manipulate the population into thinking that Russia is an alternative to EU...the same Russia who had gotten a sweet deal on the NIS sale, where they paid a lot less for something worth far more. Paying that much money for something that is worth less than $50 (at best)??? Come on! Granted, it may seem that the government had been slow to privatize the company, but I'm certain that if there was a serious offer on the table, ways would have been found. I'm 100% that there were never any serious offers, because the bottom line is that nobody wants a mess of an airline such as Jat.
Jat should, in my opinion, first show some signs of improvement...they should show that they are worthy of the taxpayers' money, and then the gov't should step it and finance new airplanes, etc. And if that doesn't happen, shut it down and let LCC and other airlines fly to BEG.
@ frequentflyer,
ReplyDeleteI bet Jat will have a new CEO before she see's any new planes from Airbus!
^ The new CEO will come with the next government. Since I doubt that there will be any early elections then it will be in 2012 and since the same party will probably win the election the same CEO will probably stay.
ReplyDeleteAs for the second last comment I agree with some parts of it but I also think that Jat is improving. Having had the chance to fly with them 3 times this year and 4 times last year there have been some good signs of improvement. For example much better food, nice cabin crew, the health insurance and so on. As for letting low cost airlines and other airline fly to BEG no one is stopping them anymore so I don’t think that argument can hold up anymore.
@ JAT haters:
ReplyDelete1. Jat slows down its decline and show capacity for reversal,
2. It stabilize and improve significantly its finances,
3. Finally, it will swallow your favorites.
Cheers!
Mr Radovanovic is a competent man but he still has to listen what the government tells him to do-He is also high educated and i doubt he bought his diploma....I dont know him personally but if you have an education its easier to reach high positions in the society then without it in the long run. Nothing will happen overnight with Jat but i think that Jat will see the light in the tunnel very soon. A lot of companies out there wouldnt survive without money from the government and in Jats case the government will fund it for some more years like it or not. Will Jat disappear - Doubt it
ReplyDelete@ anonymous
ReplyDeleteand whos fault is it in the first place that JAT was loosing soo much money? ummmm, lets see, the government. JAT is the way it is because of poor management and being neglected. Should one cut their arm off because they broke it? Just because JAT is troubled, doesnt mean it should be scraped. The idea of LCC's taking over BEG is the most stupidest idea ever. Not all routes are O&D, some routes wont be replaced if JAT stopped operations and the rest will return to monopoly routes, thus increasing air fares. Airport taxes are too high at BEG to attract lots of LCC's. With JAT gone, intercontinental passengers will be left with less choices (i prefer JAT/EK via DXB to Australia than LH/QR via FRA and DOH for example). Instead of investing into the airline the government has mixed feelings on it and is more keen on privatising it. At the end of the day, JAT has over 1.000 employees, this country doesnt need more unemployed people!
Is the airline woth investing in? yes. cargo = money, foreign tourists = foreign currency, transit passengers = tax = money, direct lines to cities = easier for businesses to do business in Serbia = development = jobs.
@ geronimo
I dont think he is all that. He hasnt said some of the right words in his 1 year and the goals he set JAT havnt been acheived. Lets see if those 737NG's come through this year. But i do give credit for the travel insurance.