Air Serbia takes delivery of third A330, schedules first flight

NEWS FLASH

Air Serbia will take delivery of its third Airbus A330-200 aircraft this afternoon, registered YU-ARD. The jet, which is being dry-leased, features a special livery promoting the upcoming Expo 2027 in Belgrade. The aircraft 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 262-seat jet features the Etihad cabins, including 22 business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, and the remaining 240 in economy in a 2-4-2 configuration.

Business class seats, all of which have direct-aisle access, offer a privacy shell, a six feet one inch full flat bed, a 15-inch LCD screen, in-seat power ports 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, 10.4-inch personal LCD screens, USB ports and power ports. The aircraft boasts mood lighting that is adjusted to suit the time of day.

Air Serbia has tentatively scheduled the aircraft’s entry into service for Saturday October 12 between Belgrade and Chicago, although changes remain possible. As previously reported, Air Serbia has acquired the same seats which are featured on the YU-ARD registered jet and will install them on its other two A330-200s currently in service - registered YU-ARB and YU-ARC. The latter, which currently has an outdated hard product, will be the first to be retrofitted next year and its utilisation will be reduced upon the arrival of the airline’s fourth A330-200 by the end of the year.