Air Serbia sells Boeing aircraft
Air Serbia has sold two of its Boeing 737-300 aircraft to an undisclosed buyer in China. The two were removed from the carrier’s fleet in January and February of this year respectively. The jets, registered YU-ANK and YU-ANI, are both 35 years old. YU-ANK made the journey from Belgrade to Nanchang via Ufa and Irkutsk in Russia yesterday, while YU-ANI is still grounded in Belgrade. A third B737-300, registered YU-AND, which has been out of service since February 2020, is expected to be eventually put on display at the Aeronautical Museum in Belgrade.
The phase out of the Boeing 737s from the national airline’s fleet was planned by the end of this year. However, the two aircraft had fewer cycles left in them and due to an overall reduction in flight operations, the carrier decided to remove them earlier than planned. The decision was also made in line with the company’s goals to reduce its fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions and make savings in maintenance, training and the means required to keep an aircraft of over thirty years in operation. “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”, Air Serbia said earlier this year.
Both aircraft were 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, primarily during the 1990s and early 2000s. YU-ANI held the record for being the oldest Boeing 737-300 series aircraft in regular commercial service (excluding cargo and military VIP configuration versions). In 2018, Air Serbia put a number of non-airworthy general aviation aircraft on sale, the last of which flew in 2013. In total, nineteen aircraft were put on the market, including thirteen Cessna 172 Skyhawks, three Cessna 152s and three Piper Cheyennes. Some of the aircraft were out of service since 1992.
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