Air Serbia set for major network expansion in 2020
Air Serbia is expected to introduce a number of new routes from its Belgrade hub in 2020 following the launch of ten new destinations from the city this year. The airline has entered into the reservation system, on a trial basis, a number of new routes during the first week of July, although these are expected to be spread out and added to its network throughout the duration of the 2020 summer season. They include Amman, Budapest, Chisinau, Florence, Geneva, Lviv, Oslo, Rostov-on-Don and Valencia. The destinations have also appeared on Air Serbia’s website, although tickets are yet to be put on sale. Air Serbia itself has not officially commented on the matter.
According to the current, preliminary schedule, which is visible in reservation systems, services from Belgrade to Amman (JU857), Chisinau (JU696), Rostov-on-Don (JU678) and Lviv (JU668) will depart Belgrade during its so-called midnight wave of flights, from 23.00 onwards and return to the Serbian capital in the morning, ahead of the airline’s morning wave of predominantly European services. On the other hand, flights to Budapest (JU620/624), Geneva (JU470/474), Valencia (JU590/594), Oslo (JU450/454) and Florence (JU550/554) will run with a split-schedule, leaving Belgrade during the morning and afternoon waves on selected days. From the abovementioned, services to Budapest, Chisinau and Lviv will be operated with the ATR turboprop aircraft.
This development will mark the carrier’s entry into the markets of Jordan, Moldova, Hungary and Norway, as well as expansion in Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine and Spain. Once the routes are all confirmed, Air Serbia would face direct competition on three of its new services - Geneva, Oslo and Budapest. The Serbian carrier planned to introduce flights to the Swiss city in 2018 when it appeared that low cost carrier easyJet would discontinue the route. However, the no frills carrier persevered, and Air Serbia shelved its planned service just weeks after putting tickets on sale. In addition, the Serbian airline will go head-to-head against Norwegian Air Shuttle to Oslo, as well as LOT to Budapest. The Polish carrier is set to introduce a new daily service from Hungary’s capital to Belgrade in May 2020. Air Serbia previously operated flights from both Belgrade and Niš to Budapest, however, both routes were discontinued. The carrier is also set to schedule an increase in frequencies on a number of its existing destinations by the end of the year for the 2020 summer season.
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