Belgrade - Pristina service to launch this summer
Flights between Belgrade and Pristina are expected to commence this summer season after authorities from Serbia and Kosovo signed a US brokered “Belgrade - Pristina Special Air Route” (BPSAR) Letter of Intent earlier this week. Details of the new service, which is to be operated by Eurowings, have emerged, and will be implemented “with the support of all sides”. The main sticking points for the resumption of flights in the past, such as air traffic oversight and taxes, have been addressed in the document. The Letter of Intent states, “Agreements on Freedom of Movement and IBM [Integrated Boarder Management] Agreement reached within the Belgrade - Pristina dialogue shall apply to the passengers, mail and cargo carried on this air route. The Civil Aviation Authority in Kosovo and the Airport of Pristina confirm that the operation to/from Belgrade/Pristina and vice versa shall operate without any additional taxes, fees and charges for a service on a BPSAR. In any case, tax, fees and charges shall not be discriminative”.
Under the agreement between the two sides, passengers flying point to point from Belgrade to Pristina and vice versa will not use their passport for travel. Instead, they will use their National Identity Cards. Furthermore, Kosovo passport holders will be able to transfer through Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to onward destinations using their passports. The Kosovo Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that flightpaths used prior to the 1999 conflict will be utilised again, meaning there will be no need to fly over Macedonian airspace before entering either territory. The Letter of Intent, signed between relevant authorities from both Serbia and Kosovo states, “KFOR [Kosovo Force] retains the authority in the airspace over Kosovo pursuant to internationally recognised agreements on NATO’s mission in Kosovo. Pursuant to the Agreement and Arrangement, the Civil Aviation Authority in Kosovo and KFOR will harmonise and sign the Coordination Procedures on the execution of BPSAR flight. At all times, the Civil Aviation Authority in Kosovo, the Airport of Pristina, and KFOR will ensure safe flight operation, including landings, of the BPSAR.
Eurowings has been given the freedom to determine fares, select codeshare partners and the equipment it will use for the flights. “The filing of codeshares with a carrier with the Lufthansa Group on the respective service shall be granted at any time, provided that all regulatory conditions have been met. Eurowings, or a carrier of the Lufthansa Group, have the right to use services from wetlease partners for the operation of the respective services, with prior consent of the said authorities”, the document states. It adds, “Eurowings and carriers of the Lufthansa Group shall have full authority to sell tickets, define its passenger fares and cargo, as well as mail rates only for the respective services between Pristina and Belgrade and vice versa”.
The two sides are tomorrow expected to commence talks on the resumption of a railway line between Belgrade and Pirstina as well. Eurowings boasts a base in Pristina and handled 343.701 passengers on flights to and from the city last year. On the other hand, the low cost carrier, which currently has no services to Belgrade, will commence three weekly flights from Stuttgart to the Serbian capital on May 21.
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