TRIP REPORT: Remembering JAT

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Written by Veljko Marinković

Flying JAT’s widebody DC-10 on a 30-minute flight

Flight: JU 691, Tivat - Belgrade

Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, YU-AMB, named "City of Belgrade"

Age: 24 years

It was a Sunday, mid-august 2002, and I was returning from a family summer vacation from Tivat to Belgrade. Our usual routine each summer was to fly JAT’s last flight of the day on the weekend and we usually arrived some three hours prior to departure, because of the usual traffic jam on the Montenegrin coast, as well as to check which aircraft was operating. Back in those days it was possible to change your flight to an earlier one if there were empty seats, and since I am great fan of the Boeing 737 we usually changed our flight if that aircraft type was operating. When I asked the ground staff which plane was flying, she told me it was the big one - the DC-10. I asked again if she was sure, because at the time I thought Tivat Airport did not have the sufficient runway length to handle the DC-10. So, we decided to give the B737 a miss even though there were empty seats on the flight at 6:05 pm.

I liked Tivat Airport because you could see aircraft from a very close distance. It was very spectacular to see the mighty DC-10 arriving. I still regret that I didn't have a mobile phone back then. The airport was pretty crowded, since there was an ATR72 scheduled to arrive at 6:40 pm arrival and the DC-10 at 6:55 pm. The DC-10 was almost full, meaning around 280 passengers or more and there were some 60 passengers on the ATR. It looked as if everyone possible was flying that evening: musicians, actors, politicians and of course Džej (the singer).

Back then, the airports in TIV and TGD did not have automatic baggage sorting, so every passenger had to identify their luggage in front of the aircraft upon boarding. As a result, there was a long line of suitcases in every possible colour and dimension. The seats were not assigned at Tivat Airport, so after I showed our suitcase, I ran with my mother’s plant in hands to get the good seats by the window. Yes, back then it was possible to carry a lot of personal luggage with you, so we even carried on board the DC-10 our sun umbrella, because it was damaged on our flight the year before.

It was my first and only flight on the wide-body aircraft so I still remember so many violet and blue coloured seats on the DC-10, with a 2-5-2 configuration. It was the first time I didn't have to be careful not too hit my head somewhere on the plane. While final preparations were conducted, the ATR took off and was climbing over Boka-Kotor’s bay. As an unwritten rule, passengers did not always identify their bag before boarding, so the flight attendant made an announcement for passengers who had not done so to do it, otherwise their luggage would remain in Tivat. Then half of the passengers on the plane got up to see if it might be their bag.

The DC-10 took off straight over Budva old town, then made a left bank and we were over Golubovci Airport in Podgorica, then on the route over Mojkovci and Valjevo and we were approaching in Belgrade less than 30 minutes. The take off was really spectacular. You could feel the power from the engines. It made for a totally different experience of flying. The cabin service consisted of hot and cold beverages, and the crew was in real rush to serve all passengers on such a short flight. It seemed that the flight lasted for just a few seconds. Everything was so smooth, that I didn't even finish my drink by the time the fasten seat belt sign was turned on.

After landing at Belgrade Airport, we disembarked through the rear door, since we were sitting in the rear of the aircraft. We exited straight onto the platform, and then we were transferred to the terminal building by bus. It was an Ikarbus bus very similar with those that GSP Belgrade was using at the time, but in a blue and white colour and with leather seats. It was pretty crowded, and I was protecting my mother’s plant, so we waited for the next bus, and while we were waiting, the ATR which took off before us, was taxing to its parking position.

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