Air Serbia yesterday scheduled the launch of its flights between Belgrade and Shanghai for this coming January, making the city its third destination in China. It also marks the airline’s fifth long-haul service. Shanghai is Belgrade’s busiest unserved destination with Air Serbia to become the eleventh European carrier to serve the Chinese city. The route will launch in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year when demand for travel to and from China peaks, offsetting the seasonal nature of the US market, which is also served by the Serbian carrier. Air Serbia has said its future developments on the Chinese market, following the introduction of flights to Shanghai, will focus on densifying the network. “It’s such a big market and there obviously a big opportunity to grow, perhaps not in the number of destinations, but in densifying the frequencies. We are starting with a low number of frequencies because we don’t want to take any risks. We want to stay as a profitable airline”, the carrier’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said recently.
As of January, Air Serbia will serve the Chinese market with its own flights five times per week. It is working with China Southern Airlines to secure a codeshare agreement out of the carrier’s Guangzhou hub and a potential Joint Venture between the two. Air Serbia already boasts a codeshare agreement with Air China for operations out of Tianjin. Beyond the Chinese market, the airline sees potential in serving South Korea and Japan in Asia. “I think in two- or three-years’ time [we will look to] the South Korea and Japan markets”, Mr Marek said.
Following the development of its China network, the airline is expected to return its focus onto North America, although as EX-YU Aviation News learns, any development in this regard is unlikely until the second half of 2025. “Following China, we will continue to grow on the American market. We are considering Toronto and Miami, which we mentioned a number of times. After that we hope there will be enough destinations in North America in the years to come”, Mr Marek previously said.
Increasing TSN to 2 weekly after Shanghai is launched should be a priority so all of their destinations in China are served at least 2 weekly.
ReplyDeleteTSN goes on 2 weekly.
DeleteYes, 2 weekly starts from beginning of 2025 summer season.
DeleteGood news
DeleteMakes sense
DeleteShanghai should be 3 weekly at least.
DeleteTaking no risks is the biggest risk.
Meanwhile:
Delete“ SAS in November 2024 is set to discontinue Copenhagen – Shanghai Pu Dong service, becoming the latest European carrier to cancel service to China.”
Because they can't overfly Russian airspace and taking the southern routes adds way too much time and costs as their hubs are not positioned well to use it.
Delete🥲
DeleteLOT is also ending Warsaw-Beijing.
DeleteGood luck JU!
ReplyDeleteMiami would make sense to launch next winter season. No point launching it during off season in summer.
ReplyDeleteI remember there being comments yesterday speculating about further long haul operations. Glad we got a report on it
ReplyDeleteSo:
ReplyDelete2023 - new US route
2024 - new China route
2025 - H1 new China route, H2 new US route
2026 - Korea or Japan route
That's quite impressive. I wonder between Seoul and Tokyo what they would choose first.
DeleteThe article implies that Japan or Korea won't come before 2027 at the earliest, not 2026. The next A330's will be used for adding frequencies to current routes rather than adding destinations.
DeleteMy guess would be NRT in time for Expo 2027 seeing that JU will this month operate 2 charters to NRT related to the Expo.
What is distance between NRT and BEG, probably similar to LAX? Will a full A332 even be able to make that rotation?
DeleteBetween NRT and BEG it is 9250 km and flying range of A332 is 13450 km.
DeleteThat's probably when overflying Russia
DeleteThey are flying from Tokyo next week full without an issue.
DeleteFull with passengers and an empty cargo hold. That can add a lot of weight and cargo revenue is essential for long-haul routes
DeleteI really don't know why you are so insistent but the A330-200 can make it between Tokyo and Belgrade with a full load of passengers and cargo. But if I say it cant would you be happier?
Delete@9.10
DeleteI would add long haul leisure there too. They said they were considering it.
In my opinion BKK, KUL or SIN would make more sense than TYO or ICN ... way more tourists gravitate towards those countries than Japan or Korea but I guess they know what they are doing.
DeleteThere is some craze going on about Korea, look at LOT from Budapest...
DeleteAfrica long haul? Maybe South Africa, Cape Town or some other capital of SA. I believe there is a potential.
DeleteOh yes! Thank God, finally! Wow, this is good news. Let's just hope stars will align to enable start of North America expansion a bit earlier, by mid 2025 if possible. That could mean Toronto starts next summer and Miami continues in the winter. Worst case, MIA starts fall of 2025 and YYZ spring of 2026. OMG!
ReplyDeleteTo me it seems it will be either YYZ or MIA, not both. But let's see.
DeleteIf there are two destinations to complement seasonality, Miami and Toronto are those two. Quite possible to see two seasonal services, Miami in the winter and Toronto in the summer schedule.
Delete^ +1
DeleteSome routes are not suitable to be operated year-round from Belgrade. Chicago is barely making it, with some periods this winter going down to just one weekly. Low winter demand and snowstorms would be hurting Toronto service as well. On the other hand, Miami in the summer season is exposed to hurricanes, hot and humid weather and less cruise ships. Air Serbia has avoided seasonal long-haul services so far but seasonal Toronto and Miami could work together.
DeleteThat's why those flights failed miserably from Budapest.
DeleteYYZ is definitely back in the game!
ReplyDeleteNope.
DeleteWhat about Lagos?
DeleteLOS should take priority over YYZ.
DeleteExcellent news.
ReplyDeleteI think Shanghai will be one of their most successful long haul routes.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they will be able to add more frequencies.
DeleteWell they say they don't want to take too many risks.
DeleteThat's quite stupid actually, knowing the demand.
DeleteIdemo dalje...
ReplyDeleteSo proud of Air Serbia!
ReplyDeleteIs there any chance, that any other US carrier will launch flights. If JU is so succesful, I don’t see the reason others wouldn’t be
ReplyDeleteUS carriers have other priorities and they are mostly focused on western Europe. They don't fly to much larger cities than Belgrade in Eastern Europe.
DeleteUS carriers hardly, but I think that it's a matter of time when the third Chinese carrier step in.
DeleteUS carriers are only interested in expanding to Med destinations for some time now.
DeleteWould adding another US destination next year require more than 4 A330s?
ReplyDeleteJU said they plan to have up to 8 A330s
DeleteI presume at least 2 more before Expo.
DeleteThat would be great
Delete@09:49
Delete8??? Are you sure?
One for Lagos and Johanesburg other for India and rest of Asia.
Delete@anon 1041- yes, plan is 8 A332 and then 2 A350
DeleteNot enough. Lagos at least 14pw for starter
DeleteTo be honest, Lagos is completely doable with A320
Delete@11:43
DeleteWhere did you read that?
A350 for which routes? Sydney? Melbourne? I think A350-900 have the range
DeleteNice pic!
ReplyDeleteWhich of those Asian markets other than China has the most potential? India, Korea or Japan?
ReplyDeleteDepends with which country there is more economic exchange. By that I mean Korea or Japan.
DeleteAs for India, there are visas and the market is extremely price sensitive.
If they add more shot haul feeding routes, no problem at all
DeleteIt's just me, but I'd link an India flight with a Toronto flight, same aircraft, shortest possible layover in BEG. This would surely fill both flights because that market is ever-growing.
DeleteThat's exactly what LOT is doing in WAW
DeleteI wonder why more destinations in the U.S. aren’t being looked at? Los Angeles and Dallas could both work.
ReplyDeleteL.A. probably, DFW much less likely to work.
DeleteBravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteGood luck JU!
DeleteI think the selected markets are good
ReplyDeleteThey should really think about Hong Kong. I think it makes more sense that adding routes to Japan or Korea.
DeleteHong Kong makes no sense with Guangzhou being served.
DeleteGlad that we have a clear strategy for long haul development. They were stuck just on New York for far too long.
ReplyDeleteDestinations outside China in Far East sounds great.
DeleteWhy not Bangkok? Thailand is a major tourist destination and is actuaully quite popular from Serbia.
ReplyDeleteThere’s no enough demand.
DeleteThey already said that while they may be full to Bangkok the yields would be bad because it is oversaturated with Middle Eastern airlines offering cheap fares.
DeleteBut market has changed..Airfares for Bangkok are quite high after Corona, I would say even expensive..These last days Chinese are carriers and dumping prices, but lets see whats gonna happen..800 euros as cheaper ticket from BEG to BKK with Middle Eastern companies is far away from cheap fare
DeleteCan confirm about BKK, it is becoming hell - both Emirates and Qatar have 5 daily flights (4 are with A380), Etihad 3, IST 3-4 daily. My last TK flight was significantly overbooked. Only flight with some empty seats in the last two years was Thai, but they are crazy overpriced. When you try to fly from surrounding countries to Europe, cheapest options now are through KUL, and airlines often put at least one leg via KUL/SGN bundled with BKK. Few months ago they opened a completely new remote terminal at BKK.
DeleteSIN, not SGN.. haha.. also, Qatar and Emirates each
DeleteBangkok is actually a good idea and should be looked into.
DeleteIt seems the conditions have changed.
Also Air Serbia should stop introducing those 1-2 weekly long-haul routes. 3 per week is the minimum to be competitive.
Toronto 😊
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Croatia is contemplating if they should keep flying to Rome with a stop in SPU or not:))
ReplyDeleteANALiticar have to analyze that route and give his opinion
DeleteHe completely ignored Air Serbia launch of Shanghai, but thinks former Emirates service to ZAG was the most important thing ever! Zero reputation.
DeleteWrote an article about Wamos. Not a word in the article that JU will be flying to Tokyo and that is why they need an extra plane for two rotations. The number of comments has dropped and he deliberately leaves the news in half. Although he properly read the entire article from another portal, although the reason is written in the text. Now he is waiting for them to write a reason in the comments 100 times.
DeleteI deliberately wrote a fake BS last week and it was published in a minute. Without a doubt. My pleasure to put him on fire from time to time.
DeleteI što više hejta za JU i BEG a Srbija siromašna i zatucana. Jes da mu dižem brojke ali zadovoljstvo je neprocenjivo.
He is the worst!!! I dont know why I even go to his site.
DeleteHe also didn't wrote a single article about Shanghai or Guangzhou, but he found Wamos 😂.
DeleteThere are two more chinese destinations to cover (Chengdu and Xi'an). No idea why they are not in the planning. Also in North America Toronto, Miami, Washington and Vancouver.
ReplyDeleteAnd only then they should focus on Tokyo and Seoul
LAX has higher demand than all listed, except Toronto in the summer
Delete11:52 Maybe, but LAX is too far for A330 to be profitable. That's the official stance of JU.
DeleteProbably but I believe Marek said last year they would have a problem with getting slots on LAX.
DeleteHe never mentioned LA in any shape or form. If you read the article, it's either YYZ or MIA and that's it for North America.
DeleteYes, he did mention. He said that it was too far to be profitable.
DeleteSorry, don't understand. How it is profitable for other European companies? Too long rotation or too much fuel to burn? Ticket price should be proportional to the flight duration
DeleteYou will need to ask him these question. I am just reminding what he said
Delete"Jiri Marek, CEO Air Serbie je na Kongresu u Beogradu „Digital Air Travel“ izjavio neke interesantne stvari. Prvo je izjavio da Air Serbia u dogledno vrijeme neće letjeti za Zapadnu obalu SAD-a i to iz dva razlog. Prvi razlog je jer nema avion za to, Airbus A330-200 nije pogodan za letove prema Zapadnoj obali, a kompanija ne planira nabavljati druge aviona osim A330-200. No, drugi razlog je još bitniji. Marek kaže da su radili kalkulacije i ustanovili da je preskupo letjeti za Zapadnu obalu i da letovi financijski ne bi bili isplativi."
So knowing how ambitious Marek is this is what I understood from what he said: 2025 Toronto, Miami 2026 Tokyo, Seoul
ReplyDeleteI believe in both cases it will be one or the other.
DeleteThey didn't say one or the other. Text says considering Toronto and Miami.
DeleteStarting CAN is a great job for Air Serbia, but it is hub for mainland China predominantly. It would be nice to start SIN in the future because it is a real hub for Asia. I know it is expensive airport but you can adjust price accordingly plus you can do proper code share with other airlines in Asia and Australia/NZ.
ReplyDeleteNot just SIN but HKG, KUL, BKK...
DeleteMany places.
Should really make use of the cancellation of flights to China by European carriers and capture the market ASAP.
ReplyDeleteAlicante-Elche 20 millón pax, 4 million population, main touristix AirPort in mediterranean Spain, when?
ReplyDeleteSoon bro.
DeleteI have asked before but will ask for opinion again, is there any chance Air Serbia will do a run to Australia. There is a big Serbian diaspora, but also a bigger Croatian diaspora, and big Bosnian and Macedonian. I realise due to historical reasons, some would not even consider the option. But, with the right marketing and targeting those diasporas specifically, in an invitational/inclusive way, I think 50 percent would especially if pricing was competitive
ReplyDeleteC'mon man, yous be serious?
DeleteI have asked before but will ask for opinion again, is there any chance Air Serbia will do a run to Australia. There is a big Serbian diaspora, but also a bigger Croatian diaspora, and big Bosnian and Macedonian. I realise due to historical reasons, some would not even consider the option. But, with the right marketing and targeting those diasporas specifically, in an invitational/inclusive way, I think 50 percent would especially if pricing was competitive
ReplyDelete