Alitalia suspends Belgrade, Podgorica flights until 2021
Italy’s national carrier Alitalia will not resume services from Rome to Belgrade and Podgorica this coming winter season as initially planned. The airline confirmed to EX-YU Aviation News that flights would not operate until late March 2021. Ticket sales for the 2021 summer season are yet to commence. The carrier suspended services to the Serbian and Montenegrin markets on March 7 as Italy became a hotspot of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. The development will mark the first time in decades that Alitalia has not served any market in the former Yugoslavia.
In recent years, Alitalia has only run year-round operations to Belgrade and Podgorica among the former Yugoslav markets, as well as on again - off again services to the Croatian coast over the summer. Both Air Serbia and Montenegro Airlines plan to resume their operations to Rome and elsewhere in Italy once the Italian government lifts its ban on flights from the two countries, which was introduced in mid-July. There is currently no indication on when that might occur. Air Serbia has tentatively scheduled the resumption of its flights from Belgrade to Rome for October 2, while Montenegro Airlines plans to restore operations from its hub to the Italian capital on October 9. Alitalia codeshares on each of the respective services.
Belgrade - Rome - Belgrade passenger traffic
| Year | PAX |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 161.012 |
| 2018 | 157.273 |
| 2019 | 153.726 |
Last year, a total of 153.726 passengers flew between Belgrade and Rome, while 45.748 travelled between Podgorica and the Italian capital. In addition to flights to Rome operated by Air Serbia, Montenegro Airlines and Alitalia, the Serbian carrier also maintains services from Belgrade to Milan and Venice, Montenegro Airlines flies seasonally to Bari, while Wizz Air and Ryanair also maintain operations between the three aforementioned markets, although all are currently temporarily suspended.
Podgorica - Rome - Podgorica passenger traffic
| Year | PAX |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 44.496 |
| 2018 | 46.298 |
| 2019 | 45.748 |
Alitalia is struggling to stay afloat after becoming one of the most affected airlines by the ongoing pandemic. The carrier recently announced it would no longer operate any flights from Milan Malpensa Airport starting October 1 for the first time since its foundation in 1948. Earlier this month, the European Commission approved a grant of just under 200 million euros for the Italian flag carrier. The 199.45 million euro grant has been found to be in line with EU state aid rules, as it covers losses relating directly to Covid-19 travel restrictions between March 1 and June 15 of this year. However, despite this, the company plans massive cuts in staff numbers and a drastic reduction in flights. The carrier’s operations currently rely primarily on domestic services. Internationally, it will maintain flights from Rome to just fifteen destinations from next month.
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