After a weeklong holiday in the Rijeka area which included a quick trip to Italy, it was time to go back to Belgrade. The roads on Krk island on the way to the airport were really congested and the taxi driver explained there was a public holiday in Slovenia coming up and that Slovenes were all going to their holiday homes on the island which is why it was so busy.
I arrived at the airport around an hour and a half early. Rijeka Airport is in a pretty bad state and looks as if you have entered a time capsule. I doubt it looked much different during Yugoslav times. It was 30C inside the terminal and the AC obviously wasn’t working properly. Once you pass passport control there are no restrooms anymore so if you need to go to the toilet, you have to get one of the staff to escort you, which is pretty bizarre. The area after passport control is also very small and there is not enough seating space.
The outbound flight from Belgrade arrived around 25 minutes late and since we could see the plane from the glass gate it seemed to have been full. Some 30 minutes later we boarded the ATR72-600 registered YU-ASF. The cabin was around 80% full. The majority of the passengers were a mix of Serbs and Croats and most of them were senior.
The pilot welcomed us onboard, apologised for the delay and said we would make up some time on the flight. We eventually departed 40 minutes behind schedule. The flight was fairly uneventful. It was smooth and the seats were comfortable. The plane itself was in good condition and seemed well maintained. Shortly after takeoff the crew handed out the Air Serbia branded plazma cookies with an Air Serbia branded bottle of water. Afterwards, they came around with the buy on board service. I asked for a Coke Zero, which is advertised in their buy on board menu, but they didn’t have any… The cabin crew, consisting of a male and female staff member were also nothing spectacular and seemed short tempered.
We landed smoothly in the scorching 38 degree heat in Belgrade 30 minutes behind schedule. We parked on the remote B stands and were bussed to the terminal. At that time, it wasn’t busy inside the terminal and the passport control was a breeze. However, AC wasn’t working properly in some parts of the terminal where it was very hot. The bags came out quickly. The baggage claim area is still a work in progress, although several new baggage belts have been installed, new toilets have been opened and an area which is still under construction looks as if it might be a smaller duty free on arrival, which would be nice.
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RJK looks absolutely horrible but due to politics it is being neglected like the whole region, Istra included. I wish JU would fly here in winter as well.
ReplyDeleteIstra is the most visited part of Croatia with the highest income per capita, biggest mix of industries and highest quality of life.
DeleteIstra is neglected??
DeleteThat’s all true but it does seem like it’s being neglected by the government. Underfunded is the more appropriate term.
DeleteI am happy Air Serbia modernized their Atr fleet instead of retiring it. Many airlines such as Aegean or Austrian Airlines realized what a mistake they made and they eventually brought it back.
ReplyDeleteWith ten Atrs in their fleet they can organize themselves much better but I think they need 15 of them in order to truly cover the region with multiple daily departures.
As for RJK, I think they should provide JU with subsidies for winter flights once again. JU has enough planes now to schedule RJK during the noon wave which was not the case before.
Of course that the staff member were nothing spectacular and seemed short tempered when they fired more than 30 experienced and excelente Cabin Crew in the past 2 months while constantly training a new inexperienced ones. Everyone is noticing service downgrade delivered by the crew. There is no stability if you are a crew, canceling contracts as per management subject decisions not based on merit. Everyone is constantly scared who is next to get fired… shame…
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain high ranking JU manager who is responsible for this.
DeleteIt is really shame that the company hit rock bottom with the crew… I had so many bad experiences in the past months, it is terrible!
DeleteI hope something changes
DeleteAnon 9:13 Trip report related comment or a personal vendetta?
DeleteI actually had quite good experience in the last flew months flying with Air Serbia, and their cabin crews.
Deletei took 10+ return flights with Air Serbia this year and 2x last year. Not a single bad experience with their crew. Taking into account that I mostly sit in the first row I often chat with them, most of them sound satisfied and see themselves long term at ASL.
DeleteTo last anon: Of course that they are satisfied, but only in your imagination. The salaries are among the worst in the region when it comes to aviation, constant downgrading - moving crew to work in a call center or putting them back to FA positions after being CS, no labor union to protect cabin crew, they change crew more than I do socks per month… but I guess these are just minor problems 😂😂😂
DeleteI don’t think anyone in this company thinks about long term, considering all the layoffs they did, and still are doing every day
DeleteWeird how every commentator that speaks from personal experience claims they regularly fly business class
DeleteMy thoughts also, didn’t know we have so many business class people here commenting 😂
DeleteI fly some 120000 nautic liles per year with 30 airlines in F and C snd sometimes in Eco and JU crew is not better or worse then any other crew in Europe
DeleteRijeka Airport is stuck in the early 80's.
ReplyDeleteYeah, cool.
Delete+100
DeleteRJK is like a time capsule stuck inlate Yugoslavia. Is it possible to reach RJK by bus?
ReplyDeleteNope, only taxi
DeleteHow much is a taxi fare?
DeleteThere's an airport minibus that you can book for shuttles.
DeleteHe is spreading lies, I flew with them 3 times in the last 2 months and FAs were excellent, very professional and friendly. I always say one of the best in industry as I fly minimum 2 x a month and use multiple EU airlines.
DeleteI have 0 bad experience with their ground or inflight crew in the last 6 years since I start using JU. Guy like Anonymous09:13 has some personal issues.
You replied to the wtong comment to begon with, and crew is horor! It was never like that before, so many unexperienced and rude crew. Shame and disgrace to the company
DeleteThanks for the report. It was a nice read with lovely pictures after take-off. I wish trip reports were more frequent on this website.
ReplyDeleteOne every couple of days would be a nice addition!
DeleteRJK almost looks like a school lol
ReplyDeleteSo cool
DeleteRijeka Airport is exactly the same since it opened in 1970. Only few minor upgrades were made in the past 54 years.
ReplyDeleteWow Rijeka airport looks horrible, all those stairs, I guess people with reduced mobility should avoid that airport. And bus ticket to/from RJK @15€ is a rip off. Bus service is offered twice daily!! Horrendous time capsule.
ReplyDeleteThe airport does shuttles all day, but you have to tell them in advance you are taking it
DeleteNice consise report.
ReplyDeleteFlew in and out of RJK a few years ago. On the outbound flight JU was late for many hours. The staff at RJK were.mosty young people, and very friendly and helpful. Especially since we were the last departure of the day and they were only open because of us. RJK airport is a gem.
I agree. I love Rijeka airport. Flying domestic is fun as there is a secret door that takes one through a security 'hallway' and outside with a sofa where staff sit and smoke. At least it was like that 4years ago. I agree on comments re air con in both Rijeka and Belgrade airport..come on guys..get proper a/c!!
DeleteI agree regarding the AC. Airports are unpleasant to begin with, but being in one at 38 degrees without AC is just hell.
DeleteThank you for the trip report and time dedicated.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with two items.
New ATRs are worls apart from the old ones... and the crew is mix-n-match now. Over the past decade, we witnessed the decline in service. I would really like the company to do more on this item as in ATR one can do so much with the hard product. Even on intraeuropan flights crew attitude is the one thing that sets an airline apart from others. I have no insider knowledge, I just observe as frequent flyer.