Air Serbia has said it will look to replace its existing ten-strong Airbus A319 fleet with A320s and Embraer aircraft, while the latter will also be used to substitute turboprops on routes with high demand. Speaking to “Aviation Week”, the airline said, “Air Serbia decided last year to upgrade any new additions to the Airbus fleet to the A320 model, as the A319 is being phased out due to its maturity within the Airbus portfolio. With the gap between the 72-seat regional turboprop ATR and the 180-seat A320 being too large, Air Serbia has explored options for a typical regional jet, or a crossover jet in Embraer’s case.”
Having tested the concept through wet-leases, Air Serbia is “pursuing a dry-lease option for the first two E195s” the carrier said, describing Embraer as “the future replacement for the A319”. The first two 118-seat E195s are due to enter service on July 1. As previously reported, the two aircraft will be leased from Denmark’s Runway Leasing. One is already in Belgrade, registered OY-GDA, while the other is currently in Katowice, registered OY-GDB. The carrier is also wet-leasing two Bulgaria Air E190s for the summer, with one already operating on Air Serbia’s behalf, while the other is due to enter into service on June 10.
Air Serbia has said the two incoming E195s will also be deployed on established ATR routes. Notably the E195s have been scheduled on select flights to Podgorica, Tirana, Tivat, and Bucharest this summer which were initially to operate with the ATRs. Furthermore, Air Serbia plans to further expand the Embraer fleet. As EX-YU Aviation News previously reported, a third jet of the same type is likely to arrive during the coming winter. “We believe there are enough mid-aged E1 Embraers available on the market to meet our short-term fleet needs”, the carrier concluded. Air Serbia has now scheduled the E195 jets throughout the coming winter season as well.
Interesting. So we might see up to 10 E195s in the fleet?
ReplyDeleteASL needs 5 E175s and 5 E195s
DeleteE175 is too small for them, they don't need it. E90 is a much better option given the planes economics.
DeleteE-175 is too small and too similar to the seat capacity of the ATR.
DeleteE-175 could be used for launching new routes and for adding frequences. LOT uses 15 aircraft of the type.
DeleteI think E Jet can wonders for JU especially in developing eastern European routes, similarly like what it has done for LOT.
DeleteThe LOT E175 is one of the most uncomfortable aircraft in the skies and everyone I know hates flying it. Plus, as other posters have said, the capacity is too close to the ATR.
DeleteI’m probably here the only one that love baby E. I love flying with E70 and E75 of LOT. The cabin is the same as E90/95, with exception of a few E90 that were before with Alitalia and have less comfortable seats. And because it is smaller it is more intimate.
DeletePeople aren't too fussed with perceived discomfort of the E175. They will fly it if the price is good, time is convenient and serves their need.
DeleteIt open more opportunities for JU. As it allows to open new routes. It can reach Georgia and Armenia while not being too big. And it can open opportunities for INI
I flew the E95 of LOT and so far it was the most plesant and comfortable experience for me. It is so much better then the Airbus A320 or B737 family cabins and I agree, the seats of LOT are so comfortable.
DeleteTo be fair to LOT. the polish became very organised and put a lot of effort to make their service a good quality and their embraer fleet. They reasonably could be intop 3 airlines using the embraer
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI think taking a bus is better way of travel since they will stop and i can smoke my cigarettes.
DeleteIt’s time for new 195’s E2. With 132 seats makes it perfect replacement .
DeleteWouldn't that decrease overall capacity?
ReplyDeleteYes, but obviously needed.
DeleteDepends on the route, for some it would go up, for the others it would go down. I would say they aim of getting better utilisation and efficiently which is good
DeleteIt's not going to happen tomorrow so I think no decrease in capacity will happen. By the time they end leasing 10 A319 they'll have more capacity for sure.
DeleteOverall, ERJ's will allow an increase in capacity around their network. Quite a few of their routes are ready to transition to something larger than ATR but are overkill on the A319 (PRG, OTP), some routes can do with increased frequencies on smaller capacity (FRA) which overall is an increase in capacity ie 2 x daily 118 seats on ERJ's vs 1 x daily 144 seats on A319's. Quite a few routes can't work on the A319 but are too far or not competitive with ATR (HEL, WAW).
DeleteThis is the perfect plane for JU. Should have been incorporated into the fleet years ago.
ReplyDeleteEmbraers are great planes and Jat did consider them at one point. I remember they even operated a promo flight between Belgrade and Podgorica.
DeleteWould have looked nice even in Jat Airways' livery.
DeleteInteresting that wet leased E195 is not flying for several days
ReplyDeleteIt went to Sofia and returns into schedule tomorrow. Probably maintenance.
DeleteSaw it two days ago at the airport
DeletePossible new routes from Nis?
ReplyDeleteI think E-95 will make a lot of sense in Niš instead of current A319.
DeleteLet's wait and see, maybe they'll add additional routes if they get paid
How much do the new E2 jets cost?
ReplyDeleteJudging by how there isn't a major backlog, I think you can get them relatively cheaply if you buy directly from Embraer, if you lease I have no idea
DeleteApproximately
DeleteE175-E2 - US$56,4 million
E190-E2 - US$64,6 million
E192-E2 - US$72,8 million
E2 175 didn’t even started in production
DeleteAnon 09:28
DeleteDon't be analitičar. Those are list prices and not real prices.
It is list price. More you buy bigger discount you get.
DeleteYou don't get a discount on list price.That's another Analitičar's lie. List price is completely irrelevant and discounts are made on real prices.
DeleteOf course you get discounts on list price. List price is a starting point from where discounts go.
DeleteNo it isn't starting point. Starting point is the real price of an aircraft. List prices do not even exist anymore at some producers.
DeleteNow they are replacing their A319, they should remplace their A320ceo to Neos slowly. A Neos addition is a for a fleet in our region, this can bring more advantages for the airline.
ReplyDelete[…] A Neos addition is a for in our region* my bad
DeleteI think they will probably keep three newest A319, leased in 2020-2022
DeleteNeo have that engine issue. Ceo is fine for now.
DeleteAnon 10:08
DeleteIt depends the engine type, like WizzAir which have their 30% of their Neos in maintenance.
Air Serbia already talked about NEO pros and cons several times on this site. Look it up before making comments.
DeleteWhere are the a321s that they talked about a long time ago?
ReplyDeleteThey obviously decided not to get it. Plans change you know.
DeleteGood plane for passengers, bad for cargo
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteCargo compartment is small in size compared to A319
DeleteERJ is smaller than the A319. Logically cargo capacity is smaller. What point are you trying to make?
DeleteCan the E195 land in Kraljevo?
ReplyDeleteFew times this question was posted here before but unfortunately none of this aviation experts is able to give you correct answer.
DeleteE195 barely. It's not only the runway that is the issue, but the taxiway as well. Lack of fuelling in KVO further limits operations and the range of destinations it can serve. Equipment I believe is another issue, for example the ATR has it's own stairs, where as KVO would need to provide stairs for the ERJ which I don't believe they have.
DeleteIt is a sensible solution for the future in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteEmbraers are a very reliable and efficient aircraft and already used by so many European airlines.
ReplyDeleteIf the ATR routes are busy, add more frequencies instead of changing the equipment, you know. It's crucial for regional connectivity to offer as much frequencies as possible. Like, is it normal that SJJ is still 7x weekly, SOF 9x weekly, OTP has much bigger potential as well...
ReplyDeleteERJ's need to be scheduled for all 4 of JU's major waves. 2 waves are for Western Europe, 2 waves for the Balkans. They will need to have regional destinations that can take on the ERJ. This will also free up ATR's to increase other regional frequencies as well as to add new destinations.
DeleteThe article says which routes they upgrading from ATR to ERJ
DeleteThe A319 is no longer an efficient aircraft and slowly being phased out by many carriers.
ReplyDeleteSo Air Serbia will operate the ATR, E90/95, A320 and A330.
ReplyDeleteThat's perfectly ok.
4 different aircraft families, pilot groups etc. seems too much for me for an airline the size of JU.
DeleteIt's not too much if JU can make money with them.
Delete@10:01
DeleteWhat else they could do? Their business model requires wide range of capacity.
No, they should look upon OU and invent new business strategy: One for all!
DeleteIt's not their exclusive strategy, there are other airlines with single type fleet. Nevertheless, it's not going to work for OU.
DeleteDon't belive anything analtičar says. His analysis about A220s in OU is quite bad writen.
DeleteFor JU's size, the 4 types are perfectly ok, especially considering that each type compliments a certain aspect of their network without overlapping ie having both B737 and A320 but in smaller numbers. JU has been growing the number of aircraft in its fleet and they are starting to see benefits of economies of scale.
DeleteAnon 10:01 A330's are for long haul. So theoretically that's 3 aircraft families for Europe which is smart if you ask me. Why would they have only one with 100 plus seat capacity, just to be put on line with 60 passengers on it?
DeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteUsual problem on Balkan raises when everyone is "proven expert".
ReplyDeleteJust copy big ones, in this case KLM, 25 years ago they operate F70/100 and B737 Classic, nowadays E170/190 and B737 NG/Max.From. very beginning 319 was mistake,current fleet policy are more market oriented,
Agree. Or LOT - Embraers have actually been the backbone of their fleet.
DeleteBut it doesn't go good with the concept of boutique airline which JU was pursuing at the time they got A319s. That also was the strategy of "proven experts".
Delete319 has 144 pax vs 118 on E19
ReplyDeleteso? They will have the A320s for larger caapcity routes.
DeleteThe gap between 118 and 180 is too huge. They have to keep few A319
DeleteIt's gonna be years (if not full decade) before we see A319 leaving the fleet.
DeleteEconomics of operating A319 and A320 is similar, which is why the A320 is more popular. Gap between A320 and ERJ isn't that bad.
DeleteBig mistake, they can get those new Chinese planes much cheaper with more seat capacity and range.
ReplyDeleteLOL
Deleteuseless comment.
DeleteMaybe we start producing them at Utva Pančevo.
DeleteEstimated delivery time: May 2088.
Deletemakes sense
ReplyDeleteIs it good to have a diversified fleet?
ReplyDeleteI really like the Ejets in the Air Serbia livery. I think it is the best looking plane in the fleet to feature the livery.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIt will have 3 aircraft types in total. How is that an issue?
ReplyDeleteQuick question,
ReplyDeleteIf Embraers aircrafts are going to be dry-leasted, what will be the Serbian registration, where pilots will be trained and by whom?
Flight crews are already hired. Pilots (first officers and line training captains - TRI/TRE) most of them ex Montenegro Airlines employees. Technicians licensed for Embraer also from Montenegro.
DeleteCabin crew purser's from Montenegro and additional members trained now.
Also in order for the plane to enter Serbian registry first the type documentation together with necessary technical and operational manuals needs to be approved.
DeleteThese 1st July Danish Embraers are dry lease, right?
DeleteYes
DeleteERJ registrations will likely be YU-AT#, if that was your question.
DeleteOf course it is good to have diversified fleet. What on Earth are folks writing here... Should they start Beijing with the ATR - I mean, it is possible after all.
ReplyDeleteI love flying the eJet! 2-2 seating with big windows trumps A319 comfort.
ReplyDeletegood choice, Air Serbia!
ReplyDelete1245, it's not a choice, just a plan!
Delete1053,care to explain? An all Airbus fleet would facilitate an easier and cheaper maintenance, and a faster pilot licensing going from one type to another. How exactly is it better to have ATR, Boeing, Embraerba aand and Airbus in the fleet all combined?
ReplyDelete^ what Boeing aircraft does Air Serbia have in its fleet?
ReplyDeleteWhat Air Serbia needs:
ReplyDelete- 4-5 A332/A333 (soon 4 out of five)
- 2-3 A321 (unclear what's happening with this one)
- 12 A320 (currently 10)
- 7-8 E90/E95 (currently planning 5)
- 10-12 AT7 (done)
I`d say:
Delete5-8 А330/350
10 А320/321
20 Е-170-175-190-195
15 АТR 72/42
You purged the truth.
DeletePlan for the A330 fleet, at the moment, is for up to 8 aircraft.
DeleteAlso 10-12 A320's isn't enough. Currently they have 9 (3 dry leases, 5 wet leases). 10 A319's need replacing, with the article suggesting a mix between A320 and ERJ. JU will need between 15-20 A320's for replacing A319's and allowing for small growth.
They need to include A321 ASAP.
DeleteI have a feeling today's headline will be translated into Croatian and posted at some other site trying to explain how is this all very very bad for Air Serbia.
DeleteWell, because with an "all Airbus" fleet there would be no regional network... just to start with.
ReplyDeleteConsequently, they`d even not be able to fill the Airbus on their trunk lines.
It is no Ryanair.
Whatever they decide to have is their choice, only try to fly on time would be nice and expected. SPU today delayed almost 4 hrs is not what they expect from Air Serbia.
ReplyDeleteI think Airbus broke down
DeleteThere would with A220. JU does not have any Boeing planes at the moment but does lease B737 ocassionaly.
ReplyDeleteNo, Air Serbia does not lease B737s. Please don't spread misinformation.
ReplyDelete@16:52 Are you even in tune with what JU does? They wet leased multiple KlasJet 737's through last summer and up until 1-2 months ago.
ReplyDeleteWet lease and dry lease are two completely different things, which you are well aware of.
ReplyDeletePotreban brz plan za fazno uvođenje A320 i Embraer 195, u naredne dve godine flota bi trebala da ima 45 aviona (dry lease) inače će stvari da prerastu u tavorenje.
ReplyDelete