Air Serbia to take delivery of A330-200 jet
Air Serbia is set to take delivery of second widebody Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The jet, formerly operated by Aeroflot, is twelve and a half years old and carries the registration VP-BLY. The aircraft landed at Shannon Airport in Ireland yesterday where it will receive the Air Serbia livery and be prepared for service. The jet is expected to feature the airline’s new premium product, which will allow for greater capacity in the business class cabin. The aircraft’s last commercial service was operated between Antalya and Moscow in August 2020, with the jet stationed in Hong Kong ever since. It features Rolls Royce engines and had a total of 241 seats while operating for Aeroflot, with 34 in business and 207 in economy.
The aircraft will replace Air Serbia’s sole A330-200 in its fleet, registered YU-ARA. Its lease runs until May. The airline took delivery of the former Jet Airways operated aircraft in May 2016. It boasts eighteen seats in business class and 236 in economy. Its premium cabin includes leathered fully flat bed seats (68.5 inch in length) in a 1-1-1 configuration. Air Serbia has made a number of changes to its fleet since the coronavirus pandemic hit the aviation industry a year ago. It has retired its Boeing 737-300 fleet and ended the lease of one ATR72 and one A320 jet. At the same time, it took delivery of two additional A319s.
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| Air Serbia's existing A330-200 business class hard product |
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| Air Serbia's existing A330-200 economy class product |
Since the onset of the pandemic, the airline has renegotiated leasing terms for its aircraft, with power by the hour contracts concluded, where leasing costs are accounted based on the number of hours the aircraft has been utilised rather than a fixed rate. The Serbian government previously said it was the “right time” to acquire aircraft for the company. “We are thinking about starting negotiations for the acquisition of some aircraft. This is the right time, because there will never be an opportunity like this where prices on the market will be as low”, the Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure said last May.
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