Serbia is looking to attract more flights from Asia in an effort to improve its tourism industry and overall connectivity. It has identified several Asian markets which hold potential to generate inbound or outbound travel in the form of seasonal or charter flights, including China, Japan, India and South Korea. Earlier this month, almost forty tour operators and agencies from twelve Asian countries, including China, South Korea and Kazakhstan, took part in a workshop co-hosted by Turkish Airlines and the Serbian Tourism Organisation. The Turkish carrier is benefiting from an increase in visitors from the aforementioned countries to Serbia and carrying a large portion of these travellers.
The Serbian Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure noted that a new bilateral Air Service Agreement with Japan will be signed soon in order to facilitate the introduction of new services. The operator of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, VINCI, holds a concession, as part of a consortium with Japanese partners, for two airports in Osaka, as well as Kobe Airport. VINCI has said it plans to link Belgrade with a number of its other airports across the world. The state also hopes to secure new flights to China after Hainan Airlines suspended its two weekly service between Beijing and Belgrade via Prague in 2018 following a year of operations. Despite the route suspension, the number of Chinese arrivals to Serbia has not been dented and continues to grow at a record pace. Currently, Belgrade is the eleventh busiest unserved route from Shanghai and the seventh busiest European market lacking flights to China's most populous city.
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| Belgrade Airport's existing connectivity |
Korean low cost carrier Jin Air previously announced plans it would launch flights from Seoul to Belgrade as part of its expansion into Europe. The airline's CEO, Jung-ho Choi, noted services to the Serbian capital would be introduced in 2020. The budget airline, which commenced long haul operations in December 2015, is a subsidiary of Hanjin, a holding company which also runs the national flag carrier Korean Air. The Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure noted, "In the coming period we expect even more new flights from Belgrade Airport, which will link us with previously unserved markets and in turn boost tourism". The President of operator VINCI Airports, Nicolas Notebaert, said in February, "We are working on all fronts, on developing both short and long hauls. There will certainly be new routes from Belgrade. At the same time, we are working on attracting a new generation of long haul airlines".
If Air Serbia was smart it would have started flights to China. At the momeny, Aeroflot and Turkish are taking the cake.
ReplyDeleteWith what aircraft and money would they have started China?
DeleteThey could always lease another a330.
DeleteThe Government can provide the money for another A330 and flights to China.
DeleteThey can always try what Banja Luka will be doing with "shuttling" Chinese tourists with Mahan Air via Tehran :D
DeleteI think we will see Air Serbia expand long haul next year. This year's expansion was the introduction for that, which is what they even said. Plus 2020 is an election year in Serbia so... :D
DeleteAs previously mentioned, JU can consider the 767 because it's cheap...
DeleteIt's also a gas guzzler.
DeleteThere should to be flights to China but they didn’t attract enough profit.
DeleteFirst Chile, Osaka and Guadeloupe. Then JU can consider other routes :)
DeleteYou are not funny.
DeleteI doubt the Jin Air flights will happen. Would be nice though.
ReplyDeleteJin Air would actually fit in Vinci's description of attracting a "new generation" of long haul airlines.
DeleteJin Air doesn't fly to Europe at all. I seriously doubt BEG would one of their first routes to launch.
DeleteI think Jin Air flights were in play when South Korea was bidding for BEG concession. But since they didn't win, they are not happening.
DeleteI think the only Far East Asian market with potential for flights to BEG is China.
ReplyDeleteJapan?
DeleteThere are few Japanese tourists visiting Serbia. Not sure it would work out.
DeleteCharters would be great to start off with.
DeleteWith Vinci running some Japanese airprorts, I wouldn't write it off.
DeleteLooking at the map, you can tell Europe is almost completely covered, only Portugal missing in my opinion. Time to spread to North America and Asia.
ReplyDeleteNo Dublin either.
DeleteWith there being a very small Serbian diaspora in Ireland I don't see it launching any time soon.
DeleteSame was said for Helsinki :)
DeleteSince VINCI manages Portuguese airports, there is a good chance that flights from/to Belgrade could begin sooner or later.
DeleteSpanish coverage is quite missing: PMI, ALC, VLC, TCI, LPA, etc
DeleteAlso Morocco....
Maybe, just maybe these Spanish continental routes (no chance for Canary Islands) will be opet once FR comes to Belgrade.
DeleteOtherwise I do not see it happening.
RAM does not come to BEG anytime soon and the visas have not been lifted so therefore we can't expect soon flights from Belgrade to Morocco
I'm not that impressed by Vinci's work. They talk about attracting new airlines and destinations but I don't see much results.
ReplyDeleteThere are over 10 new routes from BEG this summer so I wouldn't say there are no visible results.
DeleteI must get along with you they told us there will be much new flights. But also I must say there are new airlines like AirFrance and ASL airlines and Qatar, Aeroflot and Turkish has bigger number of weekly flights.
DeleteAirport needs major upgrade. Imagine two full B777 land around the same time - it would be a big mess in the corridor... it is needed to significantly expand the airside.
DeleteI think VINCI is working quietly and systematically. There are a lot of new flights this year and more are to come for sure.
DeleteAs someone who works there, I can tell you, we wouldn't really have a problem with two b777 at the same time
DeleteI agree. If ZAG which is way smaller and less congested has no problems handling Emirates 400 seater and Transat 350 seater simultaneously, I doubt BEG would have any issue doing the same. And I remember the times when BEG had not 2 but 3 DC-10 departures within the same wave, and meanwhile the airport was modernised, so no issue at all
DeleteOnly problem today is that 777 and 330 have much wider wings than DC-10. Also I don't think 777 can dock at airbridge in BEG. It's always on remote stand.
Delete777 can dock on the air bridge in Belgrade without a problem. The only B777 BEG currently gets is Etihad Cargo, which is ofcourse on the remote stand.
DeleteIf 777 docks then three gates are closed and maybe even four parking positions.
DeleteUobicajeno lupetanje kao i za A330. Bolje nadji dokumentaciju C gejtova na mrezi.
DeleteI think next year EY will start wide body services, and in short haul even TK and SU might be allowed to have a limited wide body services. For direct flights there needs to be a major upgrade to the airport - primarily on the airside - in order to attract full service carriers from far away. Also, JU shall look to join a formal airline alliance.
ReplyDeleteTK already wanted to start widebody flights but they DCA didn't allow it unfortunately.
DeleteTK is again pushing to increase flights to BEG with additional afternoon flight but I think they will get the same response as last year from regulator.
DeleteI find it ludicrous that they don't let them increase the flights, especially since JU does not even fly to Istanbul.
DeleteThe only way TK will be allowed to increase frequencies or use larger equipment is if they simultaneously provide serious benefits to JU, or Turkey to Serbia in any relevant way.
DeleteWith KK in the market with whom JU has decent cooperation, there is no need to let the heavily subsidized TK do what they want.
SU can send any plane they want as Serbia and Russia have an open skies agreement
DeleteEuropean coverage looks quite good actually.
ReplyDeleteTime to improve long haul network.
DeleteNot really. BEG has very few low cost options, especially to major European cities. Secondary centers are not covered well either. There are so many new destinations to open.
DeleteI like the blue Belgrade Airport logo. Looks good
ReplyDeleteThink that HU stopped flts, was not ideal to attract other Asian Carriers
HU flights were useless with stop in Prague. It's proven by the fact that the number of arrivals from China to Belgrade didn't decrease or slow when they stopped flights. In fact it was the complete opposite.
DeleteFlights from Shanghai would make more sense.
DeleteAgree. Shanghai is much more logical route to BEG then PEK.
DeleteThere would definitely be more O&D traffic.
DeleteThere won't be any long haul flights from Asia until the Directorate is protecting Etihad.
ReplyDeleteIdiotic.
DeleteBEG is well positioned to handle more long haul flights. In my opinion there is a market and the airport has the infrastructure. Last year there was one day when there were 6 widebody passenger flights from Belgrade - New York with A330-200 (Air Serbia), three flights to Istanbul with A330-300 (Turkish), Beijing with A330-300 (Hainain) and Moscow with A330-300 (Aeroflot).
ReplyDeleteSo why does everyone suddenly want flights to Japan?
ReplyDeleteOlympics, large untapped market?
DeleteUnfortunately all plans and announcements about flights from Asia - India flights with Indigo, Hainan flights from Beijing, turned out to be duds or failed. Let's see if Vinci changes things.
ReplyDeleteIndiGo is not even planning to serve any long haul routes. They do not even have wide body aircraft on the order list. Hint. on domestic routes IndiGo has a codeshare agreement with Erdogan Airlines. So they shall first make ops to Istanbul rather than Belgrade.
DeleteIndigo already flies to Istanbul.
DeleteMaybe they do, but with equipment which can not reach to BEG without a refuelling stopover.
DeleteThey did say they plan to serve secondary European cities via Istanbul.
DeleteIt seems unreal to think Belgrade might have nonstop flight to some far east asian markets before having flights to Toronto and Chicago.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Don't understand what's the obsession with North America.
DeleteIt's because everybody thinks that suddenly, Serbian diaspora in those cities will start flying at least 4 times per year to Serbia, using exclusively AirSerbia.
DeleteJFK route is not only for Serbian diaspora. YYZ does not have service to SKG, TGD, SKP etc so Air Serbia could do the same as with JFK and feed other North American destinations from regional feed.
DeleteI am not really sure if this is going to work out. Lets see, maybe Belgrade can actually have a chance.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame Air Serbia has no plans to grow its TATL network
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIf Air Serbia is not planning any other long haul routes then they really have to start thinking about next winter and how to utilise that A330.
DeleteAgree. The worst thing would be to keep the aircraft on the ground. That's a disaster.
DeleteThey didn't mind doing so for the last 4 years.
DeleteAir Serbia has no choice but to expand long haul to both Asia and North America. Another leased A330 for now, then A321XLR or even better Boeing 797 aka NMA.
DeletePatience is just needed. They will add more long haul routes soon.
DeleteIf they really wanted A321XLR they could have converted some of A320neo order to XLR. But they didn't, as they probably needed that 25M deposit back and because 4700NM is not enough range. However 5000NM range from new Boeing would unlock new destinations and give Air Serbia advantage over potential competition using 787.
DeleteLess talk, more action.
ReplyDeleteI think they have done quite well this year already. 2 new airlines in BEG so far this year, a lot of new routes including from Air Serbia and Wizz Air and a heap of new frequencies.
DeleteIs it just me or is Vinci doing worse than expected in terms of bringing new airlines and destinations to Belgrade?
ReplyDelete12 new routes this summer, 2 new airlines and over 40 extra frequencies. If that is bad...
Deleteoh come on, problem with us Serbs is that we want everything now. you have to wait people, you can't have 157 new airlines and 257 new routes in the first year of concession. these things take time
DeleteExactly anon 10:12!
DeleteConcession was given for 25 years and Vinci took BEG over just 6 months ago.
There is plenty of space and time new routes to be opened and new airlines to be attracted. After all it is in their own interest
How do you know who is Serbian?
DeleteHow do you know who is not?
DeleteI look forward to seeing the next new destination.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how BEG's route network develops with the new owners come. Free of politics.
ReplyDeleteI expected more easyJet routes
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately RAM is not coming to Belgrade anytime soon
DeleteWhat does that have to do with easyjet?
DeleteNothing. Comment was placed on the wrong place
DeleteI would prefer JU focus on USA/Canada and leave these Asia routes to one of their Interline partners.
ReplyDeleteBecause flights to North America would benefit the local population.
DeleteVinci should really target getting flights to Shanghai. Shanghai not only offers excellent transfer opportunities to other important Chinese domestic destinations, it also serves as a hub for people travelling to Japan, South Korea, other countries in Southeast Asia, and to Australia or New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteTK and SU are winning big from lack of nonstop flights from BEG to Asia.
ReplyDeleteThat's why SU increased BEG to 3 daily and TK is desperately trying to do the same but is being blocked.
DeleteGood luck, I hope these flights get launched! :)
ReplyDeleteBEG connectivity is great.
ReplyDeleteI just wonder how some so called experts could claim that "it is not good enough".
For ex-yu countries it is certainlty the best.
Evo primjera azijskih karata koje sam upravo kupio:
ReplyDeleteZagreb-Peking 29.10. povratak 9.11. za 35 osoba
541,69 Air France iz Venecije via AMS/CDG = karta je 528,10 - 26,41 EUR popusta od 5% u konačnici za BlueBizz + 40 EUR je po osobi trošak putovanja autom Zagreb-Venecija-Zagreb (benzin, cestarina, parkiranje) - KUPLJENO
624,18 Lufthansa iz Zagreba via MUC/FRA (iz GRZ, VIE i BEG su i skuplje, neznatno jeftinij je TRS)
625,04 Aeroflot iz Zagreba via SVO
635,00 Air China iz Beča = 590 EUR karta + 45 EUR po osobi trošak putovanja Zagreb-Beč-Zagreb
661,00 Emirates/flyDubai iz Zagreba via DBX
734,00 Qatar iz Zagreba via DOH
767,84 Turkish iz Zagreba via IST
785,00 Korean iz Zagreba via ICN
sve ostale opcije su bile još skuplje
Beograd, Zagreb i Ljubljana na Air France nikako nisu bili povoljni, tj. bili su daleko iznad konkurencije, a posebno ako je u karti i Croatia ili Air Serbia, onda je cijene bila još bitno skuplja.
Razlika u cijeni između Air France iz Venecije sa svim troškovima i iduće najjeftinije Lufthanse iz Zagreba je 82,49 EUR po putniku ili ukupno 2.887,15 EUR. Nimalo zanemarivo!
Pa dobro admine kakve ovo veze ima sa danasnjom temom?
DeletePa ima veze za regionalnim cenama za Azijsko trziste. A i mozemo da vidimo da je direktan let najskuplji.
DeleteOvde se govori o srpskom trzistu a ne o "regionalnom", ponajmanje ne o Veneciji ili Becu.
DeleteDirektan let ne postoji pa samim tim ne moze ni biti najskuplji
Porazno. Aviokompanije na ex-yu putnicima zaradjuju extra profit ako lete sa svojih aerodroma. Ali kad se krene sa VIE, VCE, MXP, BUD, PRG, ATH...sve bude jeftinije jer tamo ima i konkurencije.
DeleteIma konkurencije i više saobraćaja, nije porazno nego normalno.
DeleteNe znam pod kojim je uslovima trazena karta (koja se refundira ili ne), ali ja evo nadjoh za 502 EUR po osobi (istina za max 9 osoba jer sistem ne omogucava vise odjednom) Aeroflotom iz Zagreba preko Moskve za Peking sa ukljucenim predanim prtljagom po osobi.
DeleteDi. 29. Okt.
Aeroflot
11:00 — 16:00
Zagreb (ZAG) - Moskau (SVO)
Economy 3:00 Std.
Aeroflot 2041 · Regionaljet · Sukhoi Superjet 100-95
Umsteigen in Moskau (SVO)
Langer Aufenthalt
5:21 Std.
Di. 29. Okt.
Ankunft Mi. 30. Okt.
Aeroflot
21:20 — 9:50
Moskau (SVO) - Peking (PEK)
Economy 7:30 Std.
Aeroflot 204 · Großraumjet · Boeing 777-300ER
Sa. 9. Nov.
Aeroflot
2:15 — 5:35
Peking (PEK) - Moskau (SVO)
Economy 8:20 Std.
Aeroflot 201 · Großraumjet · Boeing 777-300ER
Umsteigen in Moskau (SVO)
Langer Aufenthalt
3:19 Std.
Sa. 9. Nov.
Aeroflot
8:55 — 10:10
Moskau (SVO) - Zagreb (ZAG)
Economy 3:15 Std.
Aeroflot 2040 · Regionaljet · Sukhoi Superjet 100-95
Iz Beograda jos jeftinije (435 EUR po osobi) ako zelis u odlasku noc da provedes u Dohi i razgledas grad
Di. 29. Okt.
Qatar Airways
11:40 — 18:45
Belgrad (BEG) - Doha (DOH)
Economy 5:05 Std.
Qatar Airways 232 · Kleinraumjet · Airbus A320-100/200
Umsteigen in Doha (DOH)
Langer Aufenthalt
16:14 Std.
Mi. 30. Okt.
Qatar Airways
11:00 — 23:50
Doha (DOH) - Peking (PEK)
Economy 7:50 Std.
Qatar Airways 896 · Großraumjet · Boeing 777-300ER
Rückflug
PEK - BEG
16:15 Std.
Sa. 9. Nov.
Qatar Airways
1:25 — 5:35
Peking (PEK) - Doha (DOH)
Economy 9:10 Std.
Qatar Airways 895 · Großraumjet · Boeing 777-300ER
Umsteigen in Doha (DOH)
1:14 Std.
Sa. 9. Nov.
Qatar Airways
6:50 — 10:40
Doha (DOH) - Belgrad (BEG)
Economy 5:50 Std.
Qatar Airways 231 · Kleinraumjet · Airbus A320-100/200
Tražena je isključivo grupna karta, dakle akontacija danas, imena 61 dan prije puta i definiran broj karata (do tada bez posljedica može se odustati od 20% karata), promjene imena moguće do 8 dana prije puta bez posljedica.
DeleteSvi grupne karte imaju skuplje nego individualne, a ja 5 mjeseci prije ne mogu znati hoće li mi se neka mažoretkinja razboliti, pasti na ispitu na faksu... Samo Air France ima grupne karte nekih 5% jeftinje od individualnih, te Emirates i Qatar otprilike istu cijenu.
OK, sad je malo jasnije sem u delu kad kazete da QR i EK imaju istu grupnu i pojedinacnu cenu.
DeleteAko sam ja nasao pojedinacnu cenu da bude 435 EUR sa QR onda to znaci da bi i grupna bila toliko?
Nisam uspio dobit cijenu za grupnu kartu Qatara iz Beograda. Nudili su samo iz Zagreba. I prošle godine za Shanghai je bilo isto. Nisu htjeli dati cijenu za grupnu kartu iz Beograda, samo individualnu, a iz Zagreba i za grupnu i za individualnu.
DeleteActually out of all of the airline from Asia, I think that Jin Air is the most possible, despite what people think.
ReplyDeleteAre there many Korean tourists in Serbia?
DeleteI don't know about Koreans, but I saw many people from Hong Kong on the streets of Belgrade
Delete@13.14
DeleteNo.
@13.35
DeleteHow exactly do you know they are from Hong Kong?
He heard them speaking Hongkongese
DeleteI asked them where they came from.
DeleteIn Rijeka obviously people don't know how to do it
OMG, have you ever heard of something called joke? But if you take "Hongkongese" for serious, than we really have nothing to talk about. No offense meant. Ciao!
DeleteAlso, how many is many people that you managed to ask where they are from?
DeleteEnough many
DeleteJust enough for the direct Hong Kong flights.
DeleteIn your dreams
DeleteThese are not my dreams. You got me mixed with someone else.
DeleteWhy do you mention it then?
DeleteI haven't seen anyone talking about it, except you of course.
Did I mention Hong Kong first? I did not.
DeleteIt was mentioned for a reason you choose to ignore.
You were first to put together Hong Kong and flights to there.
DeleteQuote
"Just enough for the direct Hong Kong flights."
Unquote
Quote
Delete"I don't know about Koreans, but I saw many people from Hong Kong on the streets of Belgrade"
Unquote
I guess the poster was referring to something completely else than, I dunno - aviation and possibility of direct flights.
Poster was referring to the number of tourists from Hong Kong in Belgrade.
DeleteNo more no less
Dully noted.
Delete@13:48
DeleteThere's actually quite a few Koreans.
Hope some of these plans eventually become reality.
ReplyDeleteHow about connecting BEG to the leading ASEAN capitals: KUL/SIN/BKK/MNL and especially SGN or HAN?
ReplyDeleteSerbs visiting Vietnam and Vietnamese workers in Serbia?
What Belgrade needs more than new flights to Asia or Canada
ReplyDeleteis drastically increasing frequencies on existing flights to European destinations :
Madrid and Barcelona should be daily in summer
Tel Aviv should become 3x daily
Croatian coastal cities at least daily in summer
Increase Saint Petersburg and become year round
open Lviv in Ukraine
Make a new contract with Turkey and open Ankara and Izmir,Antalya
Get the Iranians back with visa on Arrival
Introduce Malaga,Palermo and Catania under mainline
Let Easyjet open a base
Ohrid and Varna with better Timing
Etihad, Qatar and Flydubai should be double daily in summer and daily in winter
Instead of longhaul Air Serbia should get more new Atrs for regional expansion
Air Serbia needs to expand long haul as it takes long time for those routes to mature. Regional expansion is fine as long as it doesn't exclude long haul growth.
DeleteLufthansa leaning critics of Air Serbia suggested in the past JU should give up on JFK service and follow the regional model of airBaltic. However now airBaltic wants to go long haul and they are validating Air Serbia strategy of both regional and select long haul services here:
https://atwonline.com/paris-air-show-2019/paris-2019-airbaltic-sees-a321xlr-ideal-transatlantic-flights
Is Air Serbia tomorrow really flying 4x Antalya and 3x to Rhodos ?
ReplyDeleteThat would be massive ...
Yesterday there were 4 flights to Hurghada from BEG (UJ (A332!), SM, 2xJU)
DeleteLol on Saturday there were seven flights to AYT on top of other charters.
DeleteYou are wrong.
DeleteThere are 6 JU flights to AYT tomorrow (JU9400 , JU9710, JU9602, JU9202, JU9402, JU9106)
According to Flightradar24 there are and were neither flights to Antalya or Rhodos, so how do you can talk about something that does nt exist ???
DeleteBecause flighradar does not list many flights Einstein. Go to beg.aero and you will see them. Then again, best you keep an eye on your own backyard.
DeleteFR doesn't list the flights but it does show the planes when they depart from BEG. I guess you are a jealous neighbor since all Serbs know about charter flights and where to find them!
DeleteWhy so many charters to Turkey and so few to Greece?
DeleteBecause it is cheaper and offers more for the price paid
DeleteGeografija. Do Antalije ti treba dva dana voznje do Atine si za 12 sati i sa skrbavim autobusom.
Delete