Towards the end of the year, Air Serbia is set to expand its operations into the Chinese market, seizing opportunities emerging from the resurgence of outbound tourism from one of the world’s leading economies post-COVID pandemic, according to James Hogan, former CEO of Etihad.
Hogan emphasized the significance of the new routes connecting Belgrade to Shanghai and Guangzhou, considering projections that 130 million Chinese travelers will journey abroad in 2024, marking a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, Air Serbia is eyeing the launch of a new route to Miami, adding to its existing destinations in America, including New York and Chicago.
Expanding its network to include these new cities underscores Air Serbia’s continued growth trajectory across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, where it currently operates over 90 routes spanning 34 countries. With three international airports in Serbia – Belgrade, Niš, and Kraljevo – the airline has seen a remarkable performance, conducting over 45,000 flights in the past year, a 44 percent increase compared to 2022.
The introduction of Air Serbia’s newest route to Mostar reflects exceptional performance indicators for the previous year, during which the airline transported 4.19 million passengers, ranking it as the third-best result in its nearly 97 years of operation.
Air Serbia’s fleet presently comprises two wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 13 narrow-body Airbus A320 family aircraft, and eight ATR turboprop aircraft for regional flights. With plans to introduce new Airbus A330-200 long-haul aircraft and ATR 72-600 regional aircraft in the coming months, the airline is poised for further growth in 2024.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Air Serbia remains a profitable carrier, with preliminary data indicating a profit of €40.5 million, a nearly 50 percent increase compared to 2022. Notably, this achievement was attained without any government support or subsidies, highlighting the airline’s resilience and self-sufficiency.
