Fleet renewal gains momentum

Jat's ATR72

Jat Airways’ fleet renewal which is scheduled to begin in early 2010 is gaining momentum as the company’s management decides on some firm dates for making the decision of which aircraft manufacturers will be chosen. It has been so far decided that the company will choose three different types of aircraft for its fleet. There will be aircraft with 75 seats, with 90 seats and aircraft with over 125 seats that will be chosen. At the recent Paris Air Show Jat’s team has held talks with 8 different aircraft manufacturers. It has been decided that on July 9, 2009 the company should decide which type of aircraft it will peruse to lease or buy. On that day it will also be decided what will happen with Jat’s current fleet of 1 Boeing B737-200, 10 Boeing B737-300s, 1 Boeing B737-400 and 5 ATR72s.

The airline already has 3 scenarios of what should happen with their existing fleet. By July 9, the Serbian national carrier should have a clearer picture if it will go ahead with the takeover of MAT Macedonian Airlines. If the takeover is finalised, some of Jats B737s will be deployed to Macedonia in 2010. The other plan is to lease the B737s to Air Ivoire, the national carrier of the Ivory Coast while the third scenario is to sell 7 B737s. For example, by selling 7 aircraft of this type, whose age amounts to 23 years, the airline could receive enough money to lease aircraft for the next 2 to 3 years. Jat will also pursue to upgrade its ATR72s however whether it will do so depends on upcoming talks with Airbus regarding the purchase of 8 Airbus A319s.

The company’s management has announced that with the aircraft which have a capacity of 70 seats the airline will carry out regional services. The airline would use aircraft with a capacity of 90 seats to destinations in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and Turkey while larger aircraft with over 125 seats would be used to London, Paris, Zurich, Frankfurt, Moscow and Abu Dhabi. This way the airline would significantly improve its cabin occupancy index. An airline spokesperson said that the carrier finds it difficult to fill aircraft on services which should be served with aircraft with a capacity of 90 seats.

Today Jat’s new CEO should be named.