UPDATE: Jat Airways hits million

On Wednesday September 3, Jat Airways, the national airline of Serbia, transported its millionth passenger this year, 20 days earlier compared to 2007. For the fourth year in a row Jat is managing to transport over 1 million passengers annually, with each year the millionth passenger being transported earlier. In 2007 the millionth passenger flew Jat in late September, in 2006 in October while in 2005 Jat managed to transport its millionth just prior to the end of the year, in December. Jat management has announced it hopes to improve this result next year by transporting the millionth passenger earlier and announced that the airline has committed itself to improving inflight service drastically. The millionth passenger (pictured above) is Jelena Vasić from Loznica traveling on a Jat charter flight to Greece. She received a return ticket for teo to any destination operated by Jat of their own choice. Croatia Airlines transported its millionth passenger in early August. The Croatian and Serbian airliners will most probably only be joined by Adria from the EX-YU region when it comes to +1 million transported passengers by the end of the year.

Jat faces privatisation this year which could potentially fail due to low interest, according to Serbian media. More detail on the bidding airlines will be known in late September while the final list will be announced in October. If the privatisation fails the government has promised it will invest into Jat, particularly in the purchase of new aircraft, and will not put the airline on sale in the near future.