Air Arabia eyes Belgrade success despite competition
The Sharjah-based low cost carrier Air Arabia says it is optimistic over its new four weekly service to Belgrade, set to launch on June 28, despite significant competition from nearby domestic rivals Etihad Airways and Flydubai, which have been present on the Serbian market for several years. The airline said that the number of Emirati citizens visiting Serbia in 2018 grew by almost 15%, with the trend set to continue into 2019, as UAE passport holders no longer require visas to enter the country. "We will leverage these emerging travel trends and deliver even more value to customers through affordable and quality experience. Evidence suggests that low cost carriers increase the overall size of the market by encouraging people who have not previously flown to take to the air and by allowing existing customers to fly more often", the company said.
Serbia - UAE weekly one-way seat capacity, peak summer 2019
| Airline | Weekly seat capacity |
|---|---|
| Etihad Airways | 1.904 |
| Flydubai | 1.162 |
| Air Arabia | 672 |
Although conceding there will be competition on the route, Air Arabia believes the market will be large enough to sustain a third player. "We will meet the needs of thousands of people travelling between Serbia and the UAE as well as the wider region. For Serbian passengers who want to go to other cities such as Dubai or Al Ain, we have buses to transfer them from Sharjah", the carrier noted. It added that a final decision on whether the route will run throughout the year or seasonally will be made based on its performance this summer. Air Arabia introduced twelve new routes in 2018 and 21 new points to its network the year before. It has recently focused on expanding its European reach from Sharjah by adding services to Prague last month.
One of the UAE's oldest and largest tour operators, Galadari International Travel Services Group, noted that UAE travellers always crave new destinations to explore. "Countries such as Georgia, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Thailand are the latest popular destinations for UAE residents, where the visa hassle is limited and where tours are within their budget", it said in its 2019 forecast for the country's tourism industry.
Air Arabia's Group CEO, Adel Al Ali, said, “We are glad to add the capital and largest city in Serbia, Belgrade, to our growing tourist hotspots with direct flights from Sharjah. The new Sharjah to Belgrade service offers our customers a unique opportunity to discover a colorful and historic city situated on the main route that connects Europe and Asia while it reflects Air Arabia’s commitment to continuously offer our customers affordable and value driven air travel”. During the peak summer travel period this year, a total of 3.738 seats will be on offer each way between Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.
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