The national airline Air Serbia expects to reach 45% of the traffic volume recorded in 2019 in the upcoming summer season, which would represent an above-average recovery compared to the global average projected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) or Eurocontrol air traffic.
At the CAPA summit dedicated to the aviation industry, the General Manager of the company for commercial business and strategy, Jiri Marek, stated that Air Serbia currently operates at about 38% of the capacity recorded in 2019.
“What we predict for the first quarter is that we will more or less work around those 35 to 38 percent of capacity… We have several scenarios for the summer, but they could change dramatically depending on how the market develops, what will (anti-epidemic). There will also be a limitation on whether there will finally be a coordinated approach,” Marek said.
He also explained that a coordinated approach means harmonization of rules, given that almost every country has different anti-epidemiological regulations implemented by which country.
“Even during 2020, we have always worked above average compared to the rest of the EU with better (key performance indicators), such as load factors. So, at the moment (during the second quarter) we will most likely be around 40 to 45 percent of 2019 traffic levels,” stated Marek.
He added that the share of Air Serbia in connecting traffic has dropped significantly and now amounts to 35% of the total number of passengers.
“It is significantly lower than the previous level, connections are difficult to manage, because some countries impose different restrictions on transfers, not only for those entering the country, but also for those crossing certain countries. However, flexibility gives us a real advantage in maintaining decent connections. This is also evident in our flight schedule,” said one of Air Serbia’s leaders, Kamatica reports.
