Air Serbia’s incoming A330 prepares for entry into service

The third Airbus A330-200 aircraft destined for Air Serbia is undergoing maintenance in Lisbon as part of preparations by the lessor to transfer the jet to the Serbian carrier. All procedures are expected to be completed during the month, with the airline hopeful to take delivery of the jet by the end of August. The aircraft, currently registered OE-LAC, is ten years old. It most recently operated on behalf of Air Belgium. It was delivered new to Etihad Airways in 2014 but was stored in late 2019 until it was taken up by Air Belgium three years later. The cabins, which feature the Etihad Airways layout, including a 1-2-1 seat configuration in business class and 2-4-2 in economy, are not expected to be significantly modified. The aircraft is expected to take up the registration YU-ARD, although the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate will make a final decision.

Ongoing maintenance on the aircraft also includes work on the landing gear. Since landing gear depends on the number of cycles performed, it needs to be overhauled after a certain period of time, which is the case with the A330 in question. The incoming jet has a total of 262 seats, including 22 in business and 240 in economy. Business class seats offer a privacy shell, a six feet one inch full flat bed and direct aisle access from every seat. Each seat has a 15-inch LCD screen, in-seat power sockets and an in-built massage function. Economy class offers a 31.5 to 33-inch seat pitch depending on where one sits. The cabin is fitted with cradle-style seats that slide forward and recline, as well as mood lighting that is adjusted to suit the time of day. Economy class seats also feature a 10.4-inch LCD screen, USB ports, PC power sockets and RJ45 sockets.

The arrival of the third A330-200 will enable Air Serbia to commence operations to Guangzhou, which have been scheduled for launch on September 30. As EX-YU Aviation News learns, sales for the inaugural flight have been performing strongly, both with point to point and transfer traffic, particularly from Guangzhou to Western Europe. Air Serbia believes the Chinese market has a lot of potential, and it is also seeking to benefit from cargo operations with a free trade agreement between Serbia and China going into effect on July 1. Under the agreement, approximately 90% of the products traded between the two countries are exempt from tariffs, while over 60% of them enjoy zero tariffs. The Serbian carrier plans to take delivery of a fourth A330-200 jet in October or November, depending on maintenance.