Air Serbia has today unveil its new on board product on its sole wide-body Airbus A330-200 jet, which arrived in the Serbian capital over the weekend to replace the previous aircraft of the same type. The Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, and US Ambassador to Serbia, Anthony Godfrey, attended the unveiling ceremony at Belgrade Airport. Both the airline’s business and economy class cabins feature new seats, while the airline is also introducing new meals. The aircraft will operate its first commercial flight for the Serbian carrier at 13.15 CEST to New York. Passengers traveling to Moscow will also have the opportunity to sample the new product, as the aircraft is scheduled to operate the afternoon service between the two cities on May 9.
Speaking at the press conference, Air Serbia's CEO, Duncan Naysmith, said, "The interior cabins are best in class and we have incorporated Nikola Tesla's life in our service proposition. I am convinced that the improvement of our service proposition will further enhance our transatlantic service, which, despite the pandemic, has performed extremely well". US Ambassador Godfrey said, "With its smart management I expect we will see Air Serbia add additional aircraft and destinations in the United States".
Business class
Economy class
In the business class section, which has the capacity to accommodate 21 passengers, Air Serbia has opted for the Thompson Vantage full-flat beds, with two in the middle, and direct aisle access for over 95% of seats. The seat extends to a minimum full-flat bed of 79 inches (two metres) and is equipped with an on-demand entertainment system including a sixteen-inch HD touch screen. Featuring extended consoles in many positions, the work surface and stowage options have been increased compared to the airline’s previous offer, and all seats are equipped with power and USB outlets. The economy class section boasts 236 seats, which are the same as those utilised by Aeroflot on its A330 aircraft. They boast a 30 - 32-inch pitch and nine-inch Panasonic TV screens. Unlike Air Serbia’s previous A330 economy class offer, the carrier now offers USB ports in all seats.
Air Serbia is preparing for a busy May as both the Orthodox Easter and May Day holidays will coincide this year. Frequencies on a number of routes have been increased including Paris, which will run ten times per week, Moscow at seven weekly, Larnaca with four weekly rotations, and Oslo which has been increased to three flights per week. The Serbian carrier is also opening its summer charter season tomorrow, with a total of seven leisure flights planned between Belgrade and Hurghada until May 7. Overall, the airline will be operating 800 charters this summer with its Airbus A319 fleet to Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Tunisia.
Nice
ReplyDeleteWow CDG at 10 weekly. That's almost pre pandemic levels.
ReplyDeleteI believe it was 12 weekly pre Covid.
Delete30" legroom down the back is very tight.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same as on the previous plane.
DeleteAre the bulkhead seats with 32 inches of legroom?
DeleteOne would assume
DeleteSo proud of Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteYea, I flew with them a few months ago and it was kind of bad. Fixed things up a lot!
DeleteAir Serbia's CEO, Duncan Naysmith, said, "The interior cabins are best in class".
ReplyDeleteWhy is everything in the Balkans always labeled as "the best", "luxury" and "modern" even when it isn't?
Well, sure he won’t say “the product is mediocre”.
DeleteWhat sort of chauvinistic remark is this? Every company says their product is the best in class. You can take Apple for example
DeleteCall it what you want, but the Y product is extremely average. Those displays are straight out of 2007.
Delete"Why is everything in the Balkans always labeled as "the best", "luxury" and "modern" even when it isn't?"
DeleteGo ahead, ask the Scotsman.
I wasn’t talking about JU’s Y product, but the xenophobic comment about “the Balkans”.
DeleteI didn't see any airline making such a fuss out of a single plane.
ReplyDeletebecause they have many planes like this one ... but some did it about A380 :)
DeleteBecause it's the only national carrier in the region to have a widebody. They can do what they want.
DeleteIt's good PR. Why not?
DeleteAnon 09:53 People in this region have pretty low expectations and shortsighted vision. These cause big fuss for the arrival of a plane.
DeleteOther airlines cause a big fuss when their biggest fleet member arrives or are launching a new product. If you haven't noticed that, then you really don't follow aviation much.
DeleteOn the other side, most of the fuss companies make are about new aircraft type or something that’s coming fresh from the factory.
DeleteWell I guess you'll just have to deal with it.
DeleteInteriors look great!
ReplyDeleteLooks fantastic
ReplyDeleteThe cabin does not look so shiny as the new one should be.
ReplyDeleteThat’s because the bare minimum was invested.
DeleteGive it a rest. The cabins look great.
DeleteHad they unveiled Q suites you would still find some problem.
DeleteConsidering that it isn't a new aircraft and that obviously they're not swimmimg in cash, its an excellent product. Overall, their A330 product on ARA has been given alot of praise. The biggest change with ARB is the business class configuration.
DeleteKabina odlično izgleda,jedino mi se ne sviđaju crveni nasloni za glavu u biznis klasi.Bilo bi mnogo lepše da su iste boje kao u ekonomiji.
ReplyDeleteSame colour scheme like on YU-ARA
DeleteBusiness class product looks much better now. Congrats to JU.
ReplyDeleteBut they still managed to squeeze in a spelling mistake on the menu. Also vibrations? On an airplane? Not a synonym I'd like to see really.
DeleteEnergy. Vibrations. Frequency .... wtf ???
DeleteI guess that they wanted to convey vibrant atmosphere and flexibility but it got lost in translation.
DeleteBR, Eight
No, it is meant to be a refernce to Tesla's famous quote "If you wish to understand the Universe think of energy, frequency and vibration."
DeleteThanks! I learn something new every day. However, it should have been quoted in full, I guess.
DeleteBR, Eight
Those throne seats in business look great. Probably the best seats in the cabin.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWell done Air Serbia. Good job.
ReplyDeleteThis actually looks really good. I like it.
ReplyDeleteThe photo with the wing, reg. and tail :)) beauty
ReplyDeleteThe YU registration lives on :D
Delete👍😎✔‼And YU should never be forgotten...
DeleteGetting a plane during covid times and launching new hard product deserves to be commended, whatever you may think of the airline.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Credit where credit is due.
DeleteGood Business seat, yet for sure not ´the best´ / comparable to what Turkish, Qatar or Aeroflot have installed on their new planes. Economy class IFE looks small & oldish too. Having said that, all the best to Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteYou are comparing Air Serbia to Qatar Airways...
DeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteThe business class seats are lie flat which all that is important really on an overnight service from New York to Europe :)
ReplyDeleteWhat about the rest of us in economy? :D
DeleteI just wish they got a second A330
ReplyDeleteToo expensive. Especially launching new routes in these sort of conditions.
DeleteToo expensive maybe but there will never be an occasion like that where prices are at their lowest level, it's time to acquire a second A330 and launch YYZ/ORD/PVG when Covid is gone
DeleteAir Serbia had an opportunity to launch second route in 2019 or announce it for 2020 months before Covid, but it DIDN'T. Therefore "these sort of conditions" excuse falls flat.
DeleteI think they would have announced it in 2020 for 2021. They were building up a very strong European network.
DeleteOh my goodness
ReplyDeleteLook at these tiny and ancient looking seatback screens
They must be kidding. We're back in the nineties obviously.
Screen size is exactly the same as on most other airlines
Delete16 inch in business
9 inch in economy.
It feels so cozy with this “Live, Laugh, Love” caption. Not.
ReplyDeleteWhere is that caption?
DeleteHe/she is probably referring to «Energy, vibrations, frequency» on the headrest. This is from Tesla’s quote «If you wish to understand the universe, think of energy, frequency and vibration».
DeleteI am referring to Tesla’s quote on the headrest. They failed with this in several aspects: the placement (vibrations on a plane), design (the font reminds me of cheezy airbnb “LLL” signs), English grammar (spacing after a comma).
DeleteWhat a joke and waste of time to have a prime minister and the US ambassador to participate in the launch of a plane's new interior. They should have more important things to do!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Air Serbia is an important part of the country's economy.
DeleteOne would hope it is, given how much money it costs the taxpayers to run this project.
DeleteBut that money is only a small fraction of how much money and overall benefits airline brings back to country's economy.
DeleteI like both the cabins and livery. Looks good.
ReplyDeleteSame. Nice job Air Serbia.
DeleteJust departed to New York :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it was right next to Aeroflot's A330 at the gate :D
DeleteAnyone know how many passengers were on board?
DeleteExtremely happy with AirSerbia what they accomplished in the last few years considering the current situation everywhere. Tesla 330 looks awesome and much better bussines class configuration for those that love to look trough the windows while flying . Question for aviation people on here, does anyone know has AirSerbis moved to MyIdTravel for z fare travelling or still on manual old system ? Thank you for an answer.
DeleteJU is back on myIDtravel, but the listing has to be done manually by phone call to the call center or e-mail, which is really oldfashion, regards from ZRH
DeleteThat is extremely disappointing for AS. There is hardly any airlines on the World left to book such a old fashion way .
DeleteFor a 12/13 year old plane it's ok.
ReplyDelete@exyuaviation - thank you very much for these photos. Only place I could find them. Much appreciated.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHow long with YU-ARB's lease run for?
ReplyDeleteMaybe 5 years like YU-ARA.
DeleteAttractive looking Cabin.....hopefully Air Serbia establishes themself as the strongest Eastern European Carrier.
ReplyDeleteThat won't be easy by any means. There are several very strong airlines in Eastern Europe.
DeleteLOT is by far the dominant Eastern European airline. Not including Aeroflot of course.
DeleteAnd finally we have seen Mr. Duncan Naysmith the CEO of Air Serbia in live, and not only throughout press statements. The is one big step for the company. oK, his speech was far beyond reality, but nevermind. It counts
ReplyDeleteIt's only taken 4 or so years .... I guess you can't rush these things
DeleteHaha I was thinking the same. I don't think he has ever given an interview.
DeleteHow's his Serbian ?
DeleteOn another matter, I'm surprised to still see him there, given that Etihad has all but pulled out of its involvement with JU. I guess if he's still there, he must have resigned from EY
Etihad has an 18% stake and the right to name the management team.
DeleteSounds like a good deal for Etihad .... invest no money; have the Serbian Govt fund 100% of the airline; keep a minor (and declining) stake in the airline and still have the right to name the management team.
DeleteWhat goose agreed to that arrangement ?
I can understand them having the right to name the management team when they were a 49% shareholder and held the 5 year management contract. But once that ended and especially in their stake watering down to 18%, I don't get how that gives them the right to name anyone, let alone the management team
One Anon claims 18% stake gives EY right to name the mgmt team... to which other Anon claims EY invested nothing! LOL bunch of fools.
DeleteImpresive!!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know why I can not book a buisness class ticket on the Ait Serbia site. It just gives me options in economy. ?
Thank you
How come? I'm seeing business offered. I searched Belgrade-New York.
DeleteWhy ARB and the last A319 aircrafts entered the fleet APK,APL and APM don't have the wifi antenna installed?
ReplyDeleteWhats with the naming with the rest of the fleet? The ATRs could get the names of Serbian mountains:
E.g: Kopaonik, Zlatibor, (ALT) Tara, (ALP) Pester, Golija...
I guess it's expensive to operate and people are not buying wifi on short flights up to two hours. But I believe ARB will have the wifi antenna.
DeleteI'm actually really happy there is an airline with a widebody jet in ex-Yu. I wish them good luck.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia should join Oneworld ...
ReplyDeleteWould be nice
DeleteYes please
DeleteNo money for that - becoming a member of an alliance is EXPENSIVE, as are the annual subscriptions ... besides, you don't join, you need to be sponsored by an existing member to become a member
DeleteInteresting. I didn't know the airline had to pay for it.
DeleteYep - they sure do. I know the fees for Skyteam carriers start at USD200k per year. On top of that, the airline has spend a ton of money on its IT systems to ensure that it can "talk" to and "interface" with the rest of the airlines in the alliance. It also has to invest in huge sums of money to ensure that it can meet the customer proposition that the alliance promises its members. Becoming a member of an alliance is easier said than done. It is a huge udnertaking and can take years and alot of investment, to ensure that you can become compliant and aligned with the other airlines.
DeleteThat's why it is best for a small airline to make bilateral deals with other airlines and use codeshare arrangements as the best way to secure interline traffic
Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like the Mafia, someone has to vouch for. ;-)
DeleteWell done Air Serbia: new livery, denser and better business class and better leasing conditions deserve praise. Failing to launch another long haul destination since 2016 doesn't. Today we should focus on the positive side and celebrate, so congratulations to Air Serbia and Godspeed YU-ARB!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
ReplyDeleteI hope that tail on one of their planes will carry an image of Isidora Sekulić :)
ReplyDeleteDoes this aircraft offer wifi connectivity ?
ReplyDeleteI don't think they have installed it yet but am not 100% sure.
DeleteIt's not a cheap exercise to undertake. Moreover, as a largely VFR airline, the takeup is probably very small and it is not worth the investment. The previous aircraft was wired up during Etihad days and it was all part of the "boutique" positioning. The reality of nowadays has washed out any of that earlier stuff. Better to invest in the hard product and give passengers a good overall experience instead of spending alot of money unnecessarily, especially on something that very few passengers will use.
DeleteI pray God the next A330 will be without any 'special livery'.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean 30-32 pitch? How do you end up on 32 and not 30 when booking? How many seats with 30 and how many with 31 or 32? A practical question.
ReplyDelete