Air Serbia has retired its entire fleet of Boeing 737-300 aircraft, almost 36 years since the type was first introduced by its predecessor. In a statement to the TangoSix portal, the carrier said, “The phase out of the Boeing 737 from the national airline’s fleet was planned by the end of this year. The remaining two operational aircraft had fewer cycles left in them and due to an overall reduction in flight operations, we decided to remove them earlier than planned. The decision was also made in line with goals to reduce our fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions and make savings in maintenance, training and means required to keep an aircraft of over thirty years in operation”. It added, “Keeping in mind the forecast for the industry made by relevant institutions such as Eurocontrol, the Airbus and ATR fleet will be sufficient for the operation of scheduled and charter flights in the medium-term, while the company will continue to be proactive and respond to changes on the market”.
The two remaining Boeing 737-300 aircraft that have now been withdrawn from service are registered YU-ANI and YU-ANK. The former operated its final flight from Stockholm to Belgrade on January 17, while the latter flew its final commercial service from Frankfurt to the Serbian capital on February 8. YU-ANI has held the record for being the oldest Boeing 737-300 series aircraft in regular passenger service (excluding cargo and military VIP configuration versions). The aircraft were all delivered new to JAT Yugoslav Airlines and later operated for Jat Airways and then for Air Serbia under the carrier’s dedicated charter brand Aviolet. The jets were also leased out to various foreign carriers, especially during the 1990s and early 2000s.
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JAT's first B737-300 on the assembly line, Boeing Renton plant, 1985
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The withdrawal of the Boeing 737s from Air Serbia’s fleet means the Serbian carrier will no longer operate US manufactured aircraft for the first time in decades. It now has eighteen aircraft in its fleet, including eleven Airbus A319s, one A320, one A330-200 and five ATR72 turboprops. In December of last year, the Serbian Minister for Finance, Siniša Mali, said the country’s national carrier would retire older noisy aircraft, as well as those producing greater gas emissions. Mr Mali said the move would be part of the company’s restructuring program which includes fleet rationalisation, the reduction of the company’s workforce and termination of select routes.
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Magazine article marking the arrival of JAT's first B737-300, August 1985
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