Slow recovery for EX-YU long haul operations

Serbia and Croatia will be the only two markets in the former Yugoslavia to boast long haul flights this summer, with just three routes to be served at this point, compared to six in the pre-pandemic 2019. Record-high fuel prices as a result of the Russia - Ukraine conflict and subsequent restrictions, sanctions and counter measures are further expected to slow the recovery and development of long haul flights from the region. Currently, Air Serbia plans to maintain services between Belgrade and New York, Air Transat from Toronto to Zagreb, and United Airlines from Newark to Dubrovnik, the latter two both operating for a limited period during the summer months.

Air Serbia plans to run up to six weekly flights between its hub and the Big Apple this summer, up from five weekly last year. The carrier will initially increase frequencies from two to three weekly at the end of the month, followed by a fourth weekly service from May 16, fifth weekly from June 13 and a sixth weekly rotation starting June 20. The carrier has seen success on the route over the pandemic years. Last month, Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić, noted Air Serbia would lease a second Airbus A330 aircraft and launch at least two new long haul destinations, one in North America and another in Asia. “After almost five years of hard work, the service to New York is finally profitable. Now we want to increase frequencies on that route and introduce another destination in North America, either Toronto or Chicago, as well as one in China, either Beijing or Shanghai. Due diligence is being carried out and a business plan is being drafted, so we can gauge interest”, Mr Vučić said. The carrier itself has not commented on the matter.

This summer will see the resumption of Air Transat’s seasonal service between Toronto and Zagreb after over two years. Flights will be restored on May 7 with one weekly service, before increasing to two weekly on June 7. The flights will operate with the A330-200 jet until the end of the summer season in late October. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the airline planned to introduce a third weekly departure between the two cities. Its rival, Air Canada, will not be returning to the Croatian capital this summer despite initially scheduling flights. Korean Air has also ruled out a return to Zagreb this summer. The General Manager of Zagreb Airport, Huseyin Bahadir Bedir, previously said he believes it will take up to 2025 for the airport’s long haul operations to be fully restored. “It is no secret the resumption of medium and long haul flights primarily depend on travel restriction imposed by different countries. Zagreb Airport had a notable number of passengers from the Far East, Australia and North America. The return of these flights will depend on boarder restrictions. We expect the gradual resumption of these services between 2022 and 2025”, Mr Bedir noted.

United Airlines has confirmed the resumption of flights between New York’s Newark Airport and Dubrovnik this year. The carrier will restore operations on May 27 with four weekly rotations planned. Furthermore, the US carrier has extended its flight program to Dubrovnik with services to be run until the end of the 2022 summer season, on October 26. All flights will be maintained by the Boeing 767-300 aircraft. On the other hand, Delta will not resume services to the Croatian coastal city this summer, following the launch of its flights from New York’s JFK Airport last year. Similarly, American Airlines, which introduced seasonal flights from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik in 2019, and was to return in 2020 with additional services and capacity, will not be coming back. The coronavirus pandemic has seen the airline indefinitely delay the route. Brian Znotins, American Airlines’ Vice President for Network and Schedule Planning, said the company will “take a holistic evaluation” of its Dubrovnik route in the coming years to determine whether to potentially restore flights depending on how demand and competition has changed in the market by that time. “There's nothing to say that we won't necessarily restart flights again”, Mr Znotins said, adding that Philadelphia is “the natural draw” for utilising new aircraft as they come in to ramp up service to Europe.