Air Serbia will add extra capacity to its fleet this coming summer season by wet-leasing a Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft from Estonia's Nordica. The 88-seat jet will join the Serbian carrier's fleet from June 1, enabling it to introduce nine new routes. The lease contract was concluded between Regional Jet, a joint venture between Nordica and LOT Polish Airlines, and Air Serbia for a four-month period. As a result, both aircraft and crew will be provided to the Serbian airline until October. Nordica described the deal as "good and profitable", adding that the two carriers would explore expanding their future cooperation.
This will be the second time Air Serbia has wet-leased a CRJ900 aircraft. It previously used the jet for a three-month period during its last major network expansion, in the summer of 2016, when Adria Airways provided both its crew and equipment. However, Air Serbia utilised the jet free of charge, as Adria was repaying its old debt owed to JAT Yugoslav Airlines through the deal. The Serbian carrier previously said, "The Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft offers excellent performance and passenger comfort levels, and is a great match for network expansion". The incoming aircraft will not be painted in Air Serbia's livery, while the cabin crew on board will be Estonian, with exception to an Air Serbia guest ambassador.
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| Nordica CRJ900 cabin |
Air Serbia is yet to schedule the CRJ900 within its network. During its last stint at utilising the jet three years ago, it was deployed on flights to Kiev, Hamburg and Sofia. The Serbian carrier is planning one of its busiest summers to date with the introduction of seven new year-round routes and two seasonal services, as well as an increase in frequencies on a number of destinations. Furthermore, the airline will operate close to 1.000 charters flights. In addition to the CRJ900, the carrier will maintain operations with eight Airbus A319, two A320, one A330, six ATR72 and three Boeing 737-300 aircraft. Earlier this year, the airline's part-owner Etihad Airways cancelled an order for ten A320neo jets which were destined for Air Serbia. Airbus returned the 23.5 million dollar deposit payment for the aircraft to the Serbian carrier in January.
Great news
ReplyDeleteWill one plane be enough to sustain the network they have planned?
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt it. They need more capacity for both scheduled ASL operations AND Aviolet charters.
DeleteAnd they will definitely need more capacity if the intend to participate to the competition for 10 new government subsidized routes from INI.
We don't know they will go after all 10 routes from INI. And those will come in winter 2019/20 when they have extra capacity.
Delete^ remember they will have 7 extra routes to operate next winter so there won''t be much spare capacity around.
Delete^ correct. Also the new routes from INI will be year round. So if JU gets some or all of them will have to find capacity to fly them during the summer as well. And possibly at increased frequencies.
DeleteIf they get INI routes they will probably lease a plane just for those, like Trade Air does in Croatia for example with its PSO routes.
DeleteNot exactly. If PSO will be this summer they will need extra capacity, if it will be in winter they will not need extra capacity as there is enough capacity in winter on planes which are grounded. Next summer if different issue.
DeleteBravo Serbija!
ReplyDeleteCabin looks in good shape.
ReplyDeleteThe livery is beautiful too.
DeleteAir Serbia must replace 200 series with 500 or even 600 and additionally introduce rj planes, if they want to be more competitive on the market. CRJ would be a good option.
ReplyDeleteThey need more regional Jets to launch more regional routes and increase frequencies on routes that cannot fill a A320 daily.
Delete+1000
DeleteEmbraers would be an even better option but company management preferred to focus on ...prestigious JFK flights instead of getting regional aircraft.
I think both regional and long haul fleet expansion is needed. Balanced growth of both goes hand in hand.
DeleteIt is for sure that new destinations like KRR, HEL, RJK etc will nothing but help all future wide bodies to be filled up
DeleteA regional network should have been in place before launching longhaul flying.
DeleteWe should have flights with enough frequencies to Ukraine, the Caucasus, Hungary, Poland and the Middle East to feed the launghaul flight.
In that case it might have been financially successful. But instead we chose to build a house starting from the roof down.
Nine newly introduced flights will surely help.
DeleteJU will be flying to KBP, KRR, BEY and CAI and a lot of passengers from these destinations will connect to the JFK flight.
From the other side it looks almost for sure that JU will open PVG so all existing plus new destinations like BCN and MAD could be feeding flights to PVG
Any info on PVG flights? Are they going to get an extra A330?
DeleteWhat PVG flights?
DeleteIt looks like they will start PVG in winter with YU-ARA on the days it does not fly to JFK
DeleteIs there a source for this rumor? I mean other than some Anonymous posting it on this blog?
DeleteVucic is in China next week :D
DeleteBe patient amigo
DeleteCome on!! PVG should not be next in line .. I heard that YYZ is the next long haul route that will start in the winter...PVG can be the 3rd next year.
DeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteGood move! From leasing a smaller jet to launching these new destinations. These are the news we want to hear.
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested to see which routes will get the CRJ900. Kiev and Hamburg are both showing A319 so maybe it won't be the same as last time.
ReplyDeleteAs JU will lease this plane only during summer months maybe it will be used for NCE and charter destinations as we know that there is 1 B733 less in the fleet now comparing with previous summer
DeleteNCE will be on the A319, Crj will fly to KBP among other routes.
DeleteMaybe KBP but nor for a long time as KBP is year-round and CRJ900 will be there only during summer months
DeletePiglet 737-300 refuses to give up flying for another summer season <3 This CRJ move only shows how much ASL needs 70-90 seaters in its fleet.
ReplyDeleteThis is turning out to be a good summer for Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteThose 23.5 million they got from Airbus certainly helped.
DeleteAnd especially for BEG airport
DeleteThis plane would be perfect for them to launch Nis routes in the future.
ReplyDeleteOnly for four months? Shame it's not longer.
ReplyDeleteThey really don't need it in winter because their current fleet is underutilised during winter months.
DeleteWell, April, May and October surely do not belong to the winter
DeleteMost of their summer growth starts in June.
DeleteI'm surprised they didn't lease one from Adria, especially since many crew can speak the language.
ReplyDeleteThey probably got a better deal from JU. And who knows if Adria has spare CRJ900s left to lease.
DeleteThey will lease SSJ100 from Adria :)
DeleteThey didn't get it from Adria because of the lawsuit.
DeleteWhat lawsuit?
DeleteI can't find the link now but it was a year or two ago that JP sued JU-EY for breaching EU regulation on something, something. They were basically doing LH's dirty work.
DeleteWasn't that OU that wanted to forbid JU to fly the passengers from Croatia via BEG to the other countries?
DeleteNemjee there is no lawsuit between Adria and Air Serbia. Adria codeshares on Air Serbia flights.
DeleteI am certain there was at least a complaint submitted by JP against JU-EY. Even people at JU told me about it. Later on I will try to check it out and find a link.
DeleteNobenga nimajo na razpolago.
DeleteCroatia Airlines pays a lot for teir CRK. Just wonder what that means for Air Serbia with Nordica claiming that it is a profitable deal for them in the middle of summer and JU sells the new routes relatively cheap.
ReplyDeleteConsidering they are paying much more attention to their finances in the last 2 years, I'm sure they did the math.
Deletehopefully
DeleteWell, maybe Nordica had issues filling up the plains and its better to lease it.
Deletehttps://standbynordic.com/nordica-eyes-lots-regional-jet-stake/
In the MIDDLE of the summer season? Oh, then Nordica better close their doors immediately. Filling the CRJ upon JU´s return of the plane is not going to be easier.
DeleteWell, it happens sometime, you could read article on posted link?
DeleteHere is another one:
https://standbynordic.com/competition-forces-nordica-to-close-routes/
Well, good practice is to lease planes from struggling airlines, not from ones that perform great :)
DeleteIt's just nice to see Air Serbia waking up after a few years.
ReplyDeleteThey were consolidating. Expansion was bound to happen sooner or later.
DeleteI just hope they can sustain all 7 new routes year round and that it doesn't end up like Adria's expansion.
DeleteWould be interesting to know how advanced bookings are performing for each new route.
DeleteI have heard that BCN is doing very well
DeleteMaybe someone can say more about HEL, MAD, KRR, CAI...
BCN is doing visibly well since flights are sold out on many days in summer and aircraft is upgraded to A320.
DeleteThey should be smart and plan BCN as 4 weekly next summer, two in the morning and two in the afternoon!
DeleteCan JU replace their 737 and ATR fleet with the current profits they are generating?
ReplyDeleteIf they could they probably would have done it by now.
DeleteThink so too. But then the time pressure to finally make a decision is building. Flying the 737 and ATR for another 5-10 years is no option. Getting new planes hard, with both Airbus and Boeing having enormous backlogs for their planes. Even if JU made an order for new aircraft, they would have to wait for at least 5 years. At least if they decide for Airbus or Boeing new models. Used aircraft are easier of course.
DeleteThey need a 76 seater for regional jet, both Boing & Airbus dont have such model currently...
DeleteQ400 or new ATRs would suit them most.
DeleteAnonymous at 09:29
DeleteWhat profit does JU generate?
this year at least 23,5 million.
Delete^ LOL, the fantasies some people have!
DeleteJU should get newer (but not new) A319/A320 instead of Aviolet B737. Buying new aircraft when you can't afford them is insane.
DeleteLook at JP still complaining regarding lease rates for the A319s they got almost a decade ago.
Anonymous at 10:12
Delete+1
Nice. Good luck Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteI hope they use this as a trial to test the plane and maybe in the future add them to their fleet.
ReplyDeleteno....Planes are quite expensive both to operate and to lease new ones or even secon-hand..not to say about buying a brand new plane....
ReplyDeleteHEL is the only route that is likely to survive. It is a very complicated destination and even the bigger ones failed to maintain it. The dominance of AY is incredible and is also very expensive as an airport.
ReplyDeleteThe same for KRR, it will most likely survive only 1 season.
CAI and BCN will be popular, that's for sure.
You mean *unlikely to survive.
DeleteSomehow KRR reminds me on VAR. Everyone thought it would be great discovery and hoped they could fill the gap as there are not many western companies flying there (apart from OS) but it turned not to be profitable.
Deletewell if no airline is flying there there is probably nothing to be gained.
DeleteVAR and BUD should be tried again with ATRs. Even to feed the rest of the network it will worth it.
DeleteThat is my opinion too, but let's see...There must be a reason OS is still there
DeleteVAR is growing like crazy since it was privatized and Fraport took over.
DeleteIt had 2.3 million pax last year, a 16% increase!
Totally agree about VAR. OS has been operating there for many years and still charge a lot even with W6 around. In the same time, TK has expanded there too launching 11 weekly flights. The sole year round carriers are: OS, TK, FB, S7 and W6. There is definitely a margin for JU too.
DeleteJU can resume their flights but with much better schedule:
eff 31MAR14 Belgrade – Varna 3 weekly (1 daily from 15JUN14)
JU132 BEG0020 – 0305VAR AT7 147
JU133 VAR0520 – 0605BEG AT7 147
They can apply the SOF schedule which is really good and remained almost unchanged a since 2014:
JU122 BEG1320 – 1530SOF
JU123 SOF1600 – 1610BEG
JP have used the same schedule and worked out really well.
The market in VAR has changed a lot and cannot be compared with 2014.
Finally, LO is also launching seasonal flights for the very first time. I think they are trying the destination even if it is flown once weekly.
https://www.lot.com/bg/en/flights-varna-warsaw
JU, come back to VAR! :D
CRJ900 won't have JU colors, but does it mean it will be white as it was int he case with JP leased plane?
ReplyDeleteJedna lasta ne cini prolece. Er Srbiji je potrebno jos bar tri aviona ispod sto sedista. Prvensveno za za zimsku sezonu. Manji avioni donose manji profit, ali i manje praznih sedista. Sezonsko iznajmljivanje je resenje. Sve do potpunog obnavljanja i prosirenja svoje flote. Iznajmljivanjem na dugi period ili kombinovano... Stvar je strategije koju vlasnik Er Srbije ima. Privatizacija je buducnost razvoja i u vazdusnom saobracaju Srbije. To podrazumeva buducnost organizacije, odgovornosti, efikasnosti, fleksibilnosti.
ReplyDeleteRobusnost komercijale i know how poslovnosti... Privatne kompanije, ukljucujuci i vazduhoplovne su superiorne u uslovima mira, u odnosu na drzavno-partijskog upravljanja. Do sada u Srbiji privatizacija nije na agendi. Iskreno Srbija pocinje sa vecim naporima ulagati u razvoj infrastrukture kroz Aerodroma Srbije.
I preko koncesionara na Beogradskom aerodromu. Dolaze uspesniji dani Er Srbiji. U ovoj godini pocinje novo doba.
Za pocetak otvaranje Kraljevackog aerodroma Morava na Vidovdan. Sa aero mitingom ili bez njega. Vidovdan sa ovim dogadjajem postaje dan radovanja. Do sada Vidovdan je bio samo dan komemoracije. Komercijalno vazduhoplovstvo u Srbiji ovoga puta donosi i radost na Vidovdan. Do sada se to nije dogodilo od kada je prvi avion uzleteo i sleteo u zemlji Srbiji.
Pred let za Sydney,
Rodney. ✈☺🌞🌐✈
2016 all over again. hope it will earn them some money
ReplyDeleteATR is by far the most efficient plane in JU’s fleet and wider. It can fly literary with 20 passengers, while being brake even. If they can upgrade the fleet on the level of Lima Victor (series 500), that would be quite sufficient.
ReplyDeleteHere are some more facts since I lived in Tallinn Estonia for the lastotal 2 years!! Since last month the number 1 carrier in Estonia is Latvian..Air Baltic, with all new C Series, (Airbus A 220-300)
ReplyDelete13 delivered, 17 more to go, and 50 on optiin. Air Baltic is the youngest fleet of any airline in Europe, and is sitting pretty with the Boeing max fiasco. Tall Inn is a heavy winter dedtinstion, number 1 voted Christmas market in all of Europe, and Nordica LOT, for these 2 reasons can afford to wet lease in the summer.
Interesting facts indeed. Nordica is basically now LO.
DeleteI loved TLL to bits, looks like a fairytale with all them castles around.
Say, I know BT is really strong in the Baltics but didn't the bankruptcy of OV in November 2015 affect the airport? They seemed to be a decent carrier.
I think JU is missing the Baltik market too. TLL now has a traffic of 3 million pax, which is quite a lot being so close to HEL. Something like VIE and BTS.
Nordica is not LOT, not basically not any other way. LOT partly owned company that is owner of planes which fly for Nordica, but even from there they want to go out, and asks for it!
DeleteNot owner of the planes, operator of the planes.
DeleteAnon @ 11:23
DeleteIt's close geographically, but not practically.
VIE->BTS is a half an hour drive on the motorway. Getting from Tallinn to Helsinki requires you to take a 3.5h ferry ride or flying (which would also defeat your point).
One more thing. Does anyone know what is preventing the EU commission to force Latvia into selling their airBaltic stake like they did with JP? The state has injected tons of cash into the company (namely to buy the A220s). I really wish JP had done the same (even if that meant the taxpayers doing one last push to get it over the line). Having a fleet of ~15 A220s would be absolutely perfect for them. With slightly reduced seating they could even do LJU-JFK with the bird (A220 just recently got 180min ETOPS certification).
DeleteWell a big correction the Tallinn to Helsinki ferry takes exactly 2 hours, not 3,5, again lived there took it a dozen times!!
DeleteNice. Would like to try this plane out
ReplyDeletedoes anybody know what will happen with the ASL Airbus A332 leased from Jet Airways if Jet cease to exist, which is very probable in only few days?
ReplyDeleteNothing. They'll keep paying. Only to the different shareholders.
DeleteCRJ is fine but won't be able to replace A330 they have. A330 is leased from Jet Airways and Jet is close to bankrupcy. Air Serbia will need to find another plane. Etihad has A330 with different engines collecting dust right now, why wait for Jet Airways creditors to come knocking.
ReplyDeleteDon't talk rubbish. That jet is being paid for. Whoever takes Jet Airways or their remains will take the money.
DeleteCreditors might not be in the leasing business and willing to continue with the contract. Watch your language and get ready for other scenarios.
DeleteIt's been repeated over and over how JU pays exorbitant fees for the lease of YU-ARA, therefore, I expect that any future owner would be happy to accept these high fees, or alternatively, JU won't have any troubles finding another A330 on the market for the money it's offering.
Delete01:12 - Yeah, they'll just contend with one A330 sitting on the tarmac. Don't be stupid.
DeleteAs Jet airways is facing bankruptcy, what will happen with Air Serbia A330 that is leased from Jet Airways if they go bankrupt?
ReplyDeleteEtihad the destroyer airline - part 3.
DeleteJet Airways is losing ground, losing clients and slowly being eaten by the other Indian airlines.
But, it is indeed a very good idea for JU to inherit 2-3 A330s and finally launch the long awaited PEK, YYZ and DEL.
The A330 can also be deployed to ZRH and SVO - the busiest routes.
Mkt only does JU have issue with fleet shortage, but it has with pilots as well. Even if someone gave them two A330s today for FREE they would not have the crew to operate them.
DeleteExcellent passenger comfort... Jel ovo mišljeno kao neki vic????
ReplyDeleteIf they use crew based in TLL, my bet is that the aircraft will fly to at least one destination where Nordica already flies from TLL, so that they can make crew changes there. Otherwise, the operation would be too complex and expensive that Nordica wouldn't have won the contract.
ReplyDeleteIs there a flight schedule for the CRJ now?
ReplyDeleteNordica is planned to fly Helsinki, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Kiev, Thessaloniki and Zurich - info to Nordica pilots.
Delete