Swift Air grounded

No flights from USA to EX-YU this summer

The airline that was contracted by Air Plus to begin flights from Chicago to Zagreb and Belgrade last Friday has voluntarily grounded its entire fleet after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expressed concerns over the airline’s staff training practices and manuals. The FAA denied Swift to depart on Friday evening with 221 passengers on the inaugural flight. According to the tour operator Air Plus, it had no idea that Swift was having problems. In 2009 Swift Air was under investigation by the FAA for safety and maintenance issues after a nose gear collapse.

Only 2 days before the flights were to be launched, the CEO of Zagreb Airport warned that the inaugural flight would be cancelled due to low interest but noted that flights would begin a week later. This was denied by all other parties involved in these flights.

Air Plus began refunding passengers their tickets yesterday. Passengers on the first inaugural flight have been offered either alternative arrangements to their destination or their money back. All flights from Chicago to Zagreb and Belgrade have been cancelled. What was to be the first direct flight from Chicago to Zagreb and the first flight from the Windy City to Belgrade since 1992 turned into a fiasco. It remains to be seen if any other airline might attempt the service next year.