Jat turns 83

Jat Airways has today turned 83. It was today in 1927 that Aeroput was founded as the national carrier of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After World War Two, JAT Yugoslav Airlines would become its successor and the name would change one final time, in January 2003 to Jat Airways, after the name Yugoslavia finally ceased to exist. Jat has had turbulent history. After World War Two the airline struggled to get aircraft in the air and was banished by both the East and West. However, its major rise would begin in the 1960s as foundations were laid for Jat’s “golden years” which took place during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1987, Jat carried the most passengers in its history – 4.531.000. The number has never been surpassed.

As Yugoslavia started to break up so did Jat’s network. Under United Nations sanctions, Jat was banned from flying out of Yugoslavia for most of the 1990s, although there were short periods of time when Jat was allowed to operate to European destinations. The first time Jat suspended air service, excluding World War Two, was in 1999 during the bombing of Yugoslavia. The airline resumed services in June that year.

After 83 years, Jat faces an uncertain future just as it did eight decades ago. Whether the airline will celebrate 84 years of existence under a new name remains to be seen. Although the airline might have lost its glory and respect it has managed to do one thing – it is still in the air, jumping over hurdles many would have stumbled upon.

Interesting Jat facts
· First operator of the Boeing B737-300 in Europe
· The only nationl airline coming from a communist country to operate an all Western made fleet
· In February 1978, on a flight to Sydney, a woman gave birth on Jat’s Boeing B707. The birth certificate of the child, named Jatko, designates the Jat aircraft as his place of birth. Jatko Todev lives in Australia and has a lifetime of free Jat tickets
· In 1990 Jat ordered DC11 aircraft and was to become the launch customer of the type. Originally the airline planned to order Boeing B747s but an overnight political decision changed all that. As Yugoslavia broke up, ultimately, the order was transferred to Swissair. Tragically, one the aircraft from the original order crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on route to Geneva in 1998
· Vesna Vulović, a Jat stewardess holds the Guinness World record for the longest fall without a parachute. It occurred in January 1972 when Jat’s DC9 was shot over Czechoslovakia. Vulović, falling from 10.000 metres, survived and continued working for Jat until retirement
· During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Jat’s fleet of busses, which transported passengers to Bucharest which would later continue their onward journey, were based in front of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade as it was believed they would be safe there. Ironically, the Chinese Embassy was bombed and Jat’s entire fleet of busses was destroyed
· Jat has been the national carrier (under various names) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and finally Serbia

Although the name Jat still exists today, the airline which is best remembered for its modern aircraft, extensive international flights and good service disappeared between 1992 and 1993. This is the final article of the “archive file” series. It talks about the end of JAT Yugoslav Airlines.

The end of JAT

The sanctions had not yet been imposed when JAT launched intensive preparations for the hard times ahead on May 21, 1992. The company management made a decision to reduce the number of employees at home and abroad to an optimal level. A large number of employees were sent on three month leave (fully payed) on May 25. The primary goal was set to define the elements, strategy and business policies conducive to JAT’s survival under the embargo conditions, and to create the environment for the company’s revival once the sanctions were lifted. It was planed for JAT not to abandon any market and that the company share capital would not be sold. An order was issued to store all aircraft and components except for the bare minimum needed to conduct services inside the republics of Yugoslavia which were not at war. On May 30, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution number 757 which imposed economic sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro, the two republics which remained under the common state. Sanctions, among other things, banned all international flights. JAT Yugoslav Airlines was forced, for the first time since World War Two, to suspend all international traffic. The last DC10 flight from Sydney and Melbourne via Singapore and Dubai ended when it landed early in the morning in Belgrade on June 1. Passengers on board were joined by more than 70 tearful JAT crew members which regularly operated on flights to Australia, once the aircraft landed in Belgrade. They would never again fly to Australia on board a JAT aircraft. Interestingly, the crew on board the flight from Australia via Dubai were extremely anxious. Sanctions began only a few minutes within the flight from Dubai. The pilots expected they would be banned to flyover most countries on route to Belgrade and did not know what to do. However, instead, traffic controllers from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey and Bulgaria all wished them well. Memorably the Cypriot traffic controllers said “Good luck, we’ll see you soon”.

On June 1, 1991 services to Ohrid, Banja Luka, Athens, Thessaloniki, Cairo, Istanbul and Tel Aviv were terminated. On June 2, the last flight from Skopje departed and a dramatic special flight from Stockholm was operated carrying the national football team. The last city to ban JAT was Moscow. The last flight between the Yugoslav and Russian capitals was operated on June 3, 1992. On that day, on the other side of the globe, in New York, JAT employees at the New York office came to work only to find a note on the office door by the US Federal Police saying that the office is no longer open and that all of the employees have lost their jobs.

Despite its troubles, under a new name, the airline still operates today as the national carrier of another country. Although it has survived under circumstances other carriers wouldn’t it will always be remembered for its history dating from the 1960s until 1992.

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Next week: B&H Airlines winter 2009/10 schedule

This is the tenth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until the early 1990s. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications

The following talks about the complete collapse of an airline which was one of the largest in Europe, as Yugoslavia began to crumble.

D-day (part 2)

By October 1991, war was already raging across Yugoslavia. JAT had lost many investments within the newly independent country of Croatia. Among other things the Yugoslav airline had 7 offices in Croatia and an entire handling service, line maintenance teams, catering services, car services and over 300 employees at all of Croatia’s 7 airports. From 1986 until 1990 JAT alone invested some 9.5 million American dollars in the construction of Dubrovnik and Zagreb Airport terminal buildings as well as 3.200.000 dollars on the construction of a hotel complex named Duga Uvala near Pula. JAT also invested some 50 billion Dinars in the reconstruction of the Esplanada Hotel in Zagreb. All of these investments were lost in 1991 and JAT was banned from operating in Croatia.

Domestic air carriers JAT and Adria Airways maintained regular traffic on domestic and international services in 1990. Adria Airways accounted for 15% of all passengers on domestic services and 5% on Euro-Mediterranean flights in 1990. Meanwhile, JAT accounted for the remaining 85% on Euro-Mediterranean services, 95% on domestic flights and 100% on intercontinental routes. In order to realistically assess just how the break up of the former Yugoslavia affected JAT, that is the loss of the Croatian and Slovenian markets and later the loss of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, one must look at the statistics of the affected operations. The outline of the individual federal units’ participation in traffic in 1990 may serve to illustrate the actual passenger flow. Air transport operations were maintained at 16 Yugoslav airports, along with the ones in Banja Luka, Osijek, Portorož and to a lesser degree at Mali Lošinj. The level of passenger flow between the republics was as follows:

Republics	Passenger flow (%)
Serbia - Croatia	34
Croatia - Croatia	21
Serbia - Slovenia	10
Serbia - Bosnia & Herzegovina	7
Serbia - Macedonia	9
Serbia - Montenegro	9
Croatia - Bosnia & Herzegovina	6
Croatia - Macedonia	4

Analysts have concluded that on domestic services, JAT, as the agent of development in this area, lost 40% of its passenger potential due to the break up of Yugoslavia. Until the country’s break up, Yugoslav air carriers for the most part used Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Split and Dubrovnik airports for international traffic. As a rule, JAT connected all services bound for Western Europe with stop overs in Zagreb or Ljubljana, motivated by demand. Percentage wise individual airport participation in international passenger handling in 1990 may be seen from the following table:

Airport	Passengers handled (%)
Belgrade	67
Zagreb	23
Ljubljana	7
Split and Dubrovnik	3

After Germany, Italy followed suit and banned JAT services on January 10, 1992. Even so, JAT desperately tried to remain above water and expand traffic on all other markets. Firstly, traffic was established for the first time between Yugoslavia and Israel. Plans were being made to launch flights from Belgrade to Johannesburg and plans were also formulated for a big expansion in the Macedonian republic. Nevertheless, the situation in the country and in the company was highly tense and uncertain. It was quite clear that after the war ceased in Croatia in late 1991, there was a real danger of conflict in neighbouring republics. Indeed, war broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina too. After airports in Sarajevo and Mostar were closed, JAT began to fly to Banja Luka on April 8, 1992. As war in Bosnia and Herzegovina escalated, the US imposed an air traffic embargo on Yugoslavia in May 1992. JAT conducted its last flights to Chicago and New York on May 18 and 19, respectively. That day JAT made the decision to redirect its long haul traffic and redirect passengers from the US via Canada. However, Canada followed the US and transatlantic operations were ceased on May 24, with DC10s operating their last flights to Toronto and Montreal.

Next week: The end of JAT (final archive file)

This is the ninth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until the early 1990s. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article dates back from 1991 when war swept over Yugoslavia and JAT Yugoslav Airlines, still the national carrier of the common Yugoslav state, was forced to suspend some regional services and soon many international flights.

D-day (part 1)

What in 1990 was still a sinister threat became a full blown reality in 1991. The year began and ended with war. Due to the increasingly dramatic developments in the Middle East and a growing certainty of wars and conflicts in the Gulf, the beginning of 1991 indicated great losses for commercial aviation worldwide. Airlines began suspending services to the Middle East and JAT, with an extremely large coverage of the Gulf region, was no exception. Meanwhile, the political and economic situation in Yugoslavia was becoming increasingly alarming. The Yugoslav economy’s insolvency deeply affected all businesses. JAT approached 1991 hoping that the financial recovery programme and credits it counted on to implement it would partially stabilise the situation. However, it soon became obvious that deep cuts and cost cutting measures were needed to stabilise the carrier financially.

The political crisis in the country also affected JAT’s position and operations, a company which was one of the biggest in Yugoslavia covering and operating across the entire country. In late January and early February, Zagreb and Split airports began an erratic relationship with JAT often denying landing, offloading of cargo and so on. Secession was in full swing and for JAT this meant fresh problems and further losses. The eruption of war in Croatia and the increasingly difficult situation in Slovenia made JAT suspend all air traffic in the 2 republics in August and September 1991. JAT performed its last flight from Zadar Airport on August 3, from Rijeka on August 5 and from Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split on August 6. The last flight that operated from Pula was performed on September 15. On November 23, that same year, JAT indefinitely discontinued all services to Mostar in the Yugoslav republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite this unfavourable turn of events, both at home and abroad, JAT was determined to, as much as possible, continue operating and even try to move on in terms of development. On April 1, 1991, it launched automated check-in at Belgrade Airport. The advantage over the classic system was that it completely avoided problems of overbooking and also managed to process passengers promptly. The first passengers to be checked in this way were those flying to Warsaw. JAT gradually began introducing automated check-in at Split and Zagreb Airport as well as Frankfurt and New York. That year, regular traffic between Yugoslavia and Iran was resumed after 24 years, on April 19. JAT signed an agreement with the Iranian national carrier Iran Air in February. This agreement, in turn, was to be approved by an interstate air traffic agreement between the two countries. Services to Larnaca, Cyprus also began on October 1. As November rolled pass losses rose progressively and the war in the country was taking its toll.

The poor situation in the company caused by the deterioration of the economic and political situation in the country led to a large scale strike by the majority of JAT’s employees employed in the Serbian republic. As a result of the strike, the entire management was dismissed by the government and an emergency administration was introduced. Another blow came in late 1991 when the German government introduced an embargo on all air traffic from Yugoslavia. Theoretically, the embargo applied to the country as a whole, but clearly (and de facto) it was only applied to the republics of Serbia and Montenegro.

Next week: D-day (part 2)

This is the eighth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until the early 1990s. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the airline’s large scale plans for the last decade of the 20th century. By the late 1980s JAT had already devised plans to begin a new wave of fleet renewal and a new wave of long haul route launches. Little did the airline’s management know that those years would be the toughest it has ever faced.

Grand plans for the 1990s

After the breakup of the Eastern Bloc and the historic changes that took place in Eastern Europe, as well as the first multi party elections in Yugoslavia, first signs of serious crisis began to show in the country. Nevertheless, JAT continued ahead with its plans to establish itself as one of the largest European carriers. JAT was planning to begin services to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela in 1991. Thus, in April 1990 the airline initiated the signing of an interstate air traffic agreement between Yugoslavia and Venezuela, the first such agreement with a country from South America. JAT had chosen Venezuela as its first South American destination as it was the most sustainable for air traffic development. Thus, from 1991 JAT was expected to connect Yugoslavia with cities from 6 continents. During that year the Yugoslav – Israeli air agreement was also signed and JAT immediately began operating flights to Tel Aviv twice per week. The airline was also planning another surprise for 1991. It was to begin services to Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Thus, in 1990, an interstate agreement between Yugoslavia and the Republic of Korea was signed in Belgrade. As the agreement nominated a number of carriers, JAT and Adria launched talks early on with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, on joining a broadly based cooperation. As even more agreements were signed in 1990 JAT was also considering the possibility of beginning services to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo.

The first Gulf War began in August 1990, after which JAT immediately organised an evacuation of all Yugoslav nationals from the area. The Middle East was an extremely lucrative market for JAT and Yugoslavia in general with thousands of Yugoslav citizens working in the region on behalf of Yugoslav companies. Three aircraft from Amman landed in Belgrade on August 14, 1990. These flights were redirected from Baghdad and the war torn Kuwait. A total of 7.000 people were transported on these special flights.

In 1990, JAT carried 3.828.000 passengers and 38.226 tonnes of cargo. Domestic services continued reporting a downward trend, mostly due to added competition. JAT was also preparing itself for the delivery of its first MD11 aircraft in the April 1991. Development considerations had prompted the decision to modernise the airline’s long haul fleet with the addition of 3 MD11 aircraft on March 3, 1988 under a lease purchase agreement. The advance payment was to be secured from the sale of 2 DC9s in 1989 and 1 DC10 in 1990. The MD11 can seat 320 passengers and can reach Los Angeles or Singapore from Belgrade without a stop. Also its fuel consumption is 20% less than that of the DC10. The manufacturing of the aircraft was about to start. JAT would receive its first MD11 in March 1991 and the second in December that same year. In 1990 in Washington JAT signed the 300 million Dollar agreement, under very favourable terms for JAT. Among other things, JAT was to become the owner of the aircraft after the 15 year lease period ended. In 1990 a decision to buy a fourth MD11 was made.

Ticket sales in Yugoslavia in 1990:

Republic	Domestic (%)	International (%)
Serbia	36.2	50.35
Croatia	38.66	23.88
Slovenia	7.52	11.65
Bosnia & Herzegovina	4.68	6.42
Macedonia	6.93	5.74
Montenegro	5.46	1.93

The year 1990 was the last year in which JAT operated more or less with stability. It was the year before the events which would shake the foundations of the common state and bring about its break up, war and destruction took place.

Next week: D-day (part 1)

This is the seventh in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the airline’s “golden years” which took place during 1987 and 1988. These were the years JAT recorded a record number of passengers and recorded its last year of passenger growth. During these years the airline opened other companies aboard and ordered new aircraft.

The golden years

In 1987, JAT carried the largest number of passengers to date, a total of 4.531.000. Outstanding results were achieved on domestic services with a total of 2.225.000 passengers travelling on 17 domestic destinations. This was an increase of 21% compared to 1986. For a second time in a row JAT transported more than 4 million passengers in 1987. The number of transported passengers that year was somewhat lower with passenger volumes declining by only 1%. During the two years JAT Yugoslav Airlines also transported an enormous amount of freight while the number passengers on international long haul services peaked. In accord with the Portorož city authorities, JAT opened a new service from Belgrade to Portorož in 1988, while in 1989 the airline connected Dubrovnik and Portorož.

During these years JAT also formulated its regional fleet plans. On April 23, 1987 the airline’s management decided to lease 2 ATR42 aircraft. The first type of this aircraft was delivered in June that year. This was part of JAT’s strategy to obtain smaller capacity aircraft for regional traffic on domestic and international services. After the first two, another 42 seat turboprop was leased in 1988. That same year, on December 16, the airline signed a contract for the purchase of 3 ATR72s.

During the final years of the 1980s JAT also set up a string of companies abroad including Targa Tours in Zurich, Yugomart International (still i existence today under a new name) and Pilgrim in London, LSH GmbH in Frankfurt, Yugomart International in Nicosia and OTG in Panama. All these companies sold JAT tickets, purchased spare parts for JAT’s fleet and sold seats on the so called workers’ lines, tourist charters and scheduled services.

The 2 golden years were also marked by JAT’s introduction of automatic ticketing, the arrival of another 4 DC10s, the opening of cargo services to Paris, the decision to lease a further 2 Boeing B737-300s, the introduction of Adriatic Class on domestic and international services, resumption of services from Mostar to Belgrade and Zagreb, commencement of services to Bangkok and the commencement of services from Zagreb to Lyon, Niš to London and Sarajevo to Rome.

Next week: Mass expansion planned for 1990s

This is the sixth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the arrival of JAT’s first Boeing B737-300, most of which after 20 years are still operating for Jat Airways. Yugoslav Airlines was the launch customer of the B737-300 in Europe, with the aircraft being the most modern and fuel efficient in the sky. It also carried the unique silver body livery which JAT would exclusively use on this aircraft type.

JAT launches B737-300s in Europe

Third generation jet aircraft appeared on the world market in the mid 1980s. They featured new technological advancements such as lower fuel consumption rates (which was one of JAT’s major expenditures) and noise reduction, which had become rigorously observed in the expanding civil aviation industry. The Boeing B737-300 was the shining example of all of these technological achievements. Thus, JAT opted for this latest generation medium haul airliner in 1984. In addition to the 20% lower fuel consumption, the advantage of this aircraft compared to other similar planes was its cheap and easy maintenance. The aircraft type also had fully computerised navigation devices and was less noisy and more comfortable for passengers.

The arrangement made by JAT and Boeing for the purchase of this aircraft was interesting. Under the purchasing contract at least 50% of the aircraft’s price was to have been covered by the export of Yugoslav goods, including some parts manufactured in Yugoslavia for Boeing. The choice of the B737-300 marked the beginning of the renewal of JAT’s medium range fleet. After nearly 6 decades since the founding of Yugoslav civil aviation, JAT had at its disposal, in 1985, the most modern fleet available on the world market. In the years that followed the B737-300 became JAT’s signature aircraft on Euro-Mediterranean services, as it took over from the DC9s which were increasingly deployed on domestic and charter services.

JAT was the first European carrier to opt for the B737-300 and ordered a total of 9 aircraft. The first two, registered YU-AND and YU-ANF, arrived on August 8 and August 16, 1985 respectively. The airline also received a further 2 B737s in 1985 (YU-ANH and YU-ANI arriving on December 12 and 16). The next group of three, YU-ANJ, YU-ANK and YU-ANL, arrived in November and December 1986. YU-ANW and YU=ANL were delivered in 1988 on March 21 and 25 respectively.

No one at the time was aware that these aircraft would become the main fleet of a company named Jat Airways which would come into existence 18 years after the first JAT Boeing arrived. The B737-300 YU-ANJ was impounded in Istanbul in 1992 and would be returned 8 years later to the airline, on May 9, 2000. In 1985, JAT was the 10th largest airline in Europe and the 31st largest airline in the world.

Next week: The golden years

This is the fifth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the Adriatic Class, the name of the airline’s newly introduced Business Class. Being one of the most innovative in the sky, JAT removed its First Class product and instead operated with a Business and Economy class section on each aircraft. Previously, the airline operated with a First and Economy Class section.

Luxury in the sky – Adriatic Class introduced on JAT

By the end of 1983, Yugoslav Airlines passengers greatly benefited from the airline’s drive to improve quality and comfort in its aircraft, which was based on the company’s new policy formulated in 1980. Therefore, a new class was ushered in on regular flights to Europe and Mediterranean service on December 15, 1983. It enabled business people, which where the primary target group, to travel in greater comfort. The airline also introduced dedicated check in desks and improved ticketing procedures for its Adriatic Class passengers. Aircraft cabins were adapted to meet new requirements: the space between seats was expanded while removable screens separated Adriatic and Economy class passengers. JAT’s catering branch came up with new innovative, high quality meals and secured a large offer of domestic and foreign beverages served free of charge during the flight. Passengers in Adriatic Class were served up food in front of them, having a choice of what they would like with their main meal. Furthermore, a special Adriatic Class counter was opened at JAT offices world wide, while the Adriatic Lounge opened for passengers at Belgrade Airport in August 1985.

At the close of 1982, JAT introduced an old domestic custom to improve the quality and passengers experience on its services to the United States and Australia. Cabin crew in national dress from around Yugoslavia welcomed passengers, mostly Yugoslav immigrants, as thy boarded the aircraft and offered them Yugoslav pastries as well as a domestic drink as a token of hospitality.

By late 1987, JAT introduced its Adriatic Class on domestic services as well. Therefore, passengers of this class on all domestic and combined services within Yugoslavia on all aircraft, except the ATR42, received a new, high quality service. Along with domestic drinks, passengers on the Adriatic Class were served finely decorated sandwiches, soft drinks, candy and daily newspapers. After 6 years of favourable reactions from passengers travelling on the Adriatic Class on all international flights within Europe and the Mediterranean, JAT decided on a similar move on its Intercontinental services. Therefore, Adriatic Class was introduced on all flights to the United States, Canada, Australia, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand beginning November 1, 1988. The ticket prices on th Adriatic Class were 40% higher than those in Economy Class. The Adriatic Class was a unique product in the skies above Europe, ahead of its time.

Next week:JAT launches B737-300 in Europe

This is the fourth in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the second oil crisis which hit Yugoslavia and the world in 1979. The first crisis took place in 1976, which Yugoslav Airlines managed to overcome successfully. In 2008 the world went through another oil shock which caused mass financial losses to all Ex-Yu carriers while the 1979 oil shock is reminiscent of the 2008 global financial crisis.

Surviving the oil crisis

The prices of fuel for aircraft in Yugoslavia rose by an incredible 280% in 1979 and the first half of 1980. Among other things, this was the first indication of the deteriorating economic situation, the consequences of which would have serious impact on JAT’s operations and business. In the following years, the company would constantly be recording financial losses.

However, the situation for Yugoslav Airlines was particularly difficult because of two events which took place, unrelated to the oil crisis. The first one was the disastrous earthquake which hit Montenegro’s coast leading to mass cancelation of services from European countries to Tivat and Titograd. Then, following an American Airlines DC10 crash in Chicago, the aircraft manufacturer grounded all aircraft of this type until a full investigation was complete throwing JAT’s international services into disarray. Once the flight ban was lifted JAT resumed services to New York, Sydney and Melbourne with this aircraft and deployed it on services to the Iraqi capital Baghdad. In 1979 the airline carried 4 million passengers, 2.145.983 of which travelled on domestic services. In 1980 living standards began rapidly declining across Yugoslavia. JAT knew it had to respond to these challenges and instead of cutting frequency and capacity it first introduced charter services to Chicago. A few months later the service became an all year round line. Cleveland was introduced as a stopover on these flights during the summer season, thus greatly enhancing the route’s economic viability and boosting the cabin load factor. Furthermore, 2 flights were added to the regular New York service. Also, another flight was introduced to the Sydney and Melbourne flights.

The crisis continued into 1981 and the measures taken by JAT (focusing on international services) did not work. British Airways, like it would be in 2009, was hard hit, sacking 3.000 employees, cutting down frequencies and dumping services. The year 1982 was immensely difficult for JAT. Due to the shortage of kerosene at airports in Yugoslavia, JAT’s aircraft mostly took on fuel from abroad. The year was described as the most difficult in the airline’s history to that date. JAT opened merger talks with Zagreb based Trans Adria which eventually merged with Yugoslav Airlines on April 7, 1982. Many of JAT’s unprofitable services had to be re-examined. Traffic on domestic services was reduced, many services were merged but losses persisted. The upside that year was the increase in passenger numbers (over 4 million). However, in 1983 the crisis continued and passenger numbers declined despite the fact that the airline resumed services to Beirut and began new flights to Algiers, Thessaloniki, Kuwait and Warsaw. JAT leased 2 Boeing B727s to Air Africa and cut costs where it could. The revival of the world aviation industry would begin in 1984 and JAT would fly into its “golden years”. Little did the management know that in less than 10 years the airline would change forever.

Next week: Luxury in the sky – Adriatic Class introduced on JAT

This is the third in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article talks about the DC10 arrivals at Yugoslav Airlines. The first arrival took place on December 12, 1978 but there was some drama involved when the aircraft was chosen.

First DC10-30 arrives

By thorough and comprehensive monitoring of the market and competition, Yugoslav Airlines concluded that the European and Mediterranean sky was already divided and exploited to its maximum and thus new breakthroughs were no longer possible. JAT believed that it could count on 3 -5 million passengers annually on the existing market, a level which it already had achieved by the mid 1970s. Intercontinental operations appeared as the sole possibility for further expansion. Considering the positive experience gained from establishing, primarily charter services to Australia, the United States and Canada, JAT concluded that these routes were worth pursuing. With a view of modernising intercontinental operations, broadening capacities and reducing costs, a decision was made to purchase wide body aircraft.

Comparative studies were carried out in 1976 and 1977 and consultations and negotiations were held with aircraft manufacturers. JAT was considering two models of aircraft: the three engine Douglas DS10-30 and the four engine Boieng B747SP. The shorter body Boeing had a greater range than the classic B747 and when fully loaded was capable of flying from Belgrade to Singapore. Therefore, the obvious choice for the airline was the B747SP and the decision was made to purchase the aircraft. However, just before signing the contract a situation occurred redolent of the late 1960s when instead of the selected aircraft another was bought. Thus, instead JAT opted for the Douglas DC10-30 instead of the Boeing B747SP. Despite a decision by the JAT Workers Council to buy the Boeing, the contract for the first DC10 was signed on June 15, 1977, and for a second on February 2, 1978. JAT had many headaches after choosing the aircraft. Immediately after singing the second contract a strike broke out within the aircraft manufacturer and JAT’s delivery dates were pushed back by nearly 10 months. This meant that JAT would have to make major changes to its 1978 summer season.

After a lengthy wait, the first JAT DC10-30 registered YU-AMA and christened Nikola Tesla, landed at Belgrade Airport on December 12, 1978. With the arrival of a 280 seat aircraft capable of carrying more than 4 tonnes (the quantity annually transported by JAT at the time), along with great comfort and speed, JAT could begin intensely focusing on its long haul operations. Three days later JAT operated the first flight with the DC10 on the service Belgrade-Zagreb-Ljubljana-New York. The DC10 represented great progress, not only in terms of expanding capacities. The aircraft had put forth quite new demands and elevated standards with regard to passenger service. This meant that there would be 13 cabin crew members on board, while the 12 seat first class cabin had revolving seats, tables and allowed 4 passengers to have their meal with each other as if they were in a restaurant. JAT’s DC10s were also equipped with earphones for each passenger, 10 music channels and films were screened in Serbo-Croatian and English.

The second JAT DC10 named Edvard Rusjan and marked YU-AMB arrived on May 16, 1979. Jat would operate with 4 DC10’s by the end of the 1980s. YU-AMB would later operate for Jat Airways until 2005 when it was finally decided to end its carrier in Nimes, France.

Next week: Surviving the oil crisis

This is the second in a series of archival news items which are being published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The following article gives an idea of some of the unique initiatives the national carrier of Yugoslavia had. The special concept the following article talks about took place in 1979.

First paintings auction over the Atlantic

The history of Yugoslav Airlines has recorded scores of flights whose importance, scope and public interest surpassed national boundaries. The auction of artworks onboard JAT aircraft at an altitude of 33.000 feet may be singled out in terms of originality and exclusivity.
Less than two months after the first modern DC10 joined the JAT fleet, on February 16, 1979 a unique and historic event in global civil aviation took place at 33.000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. JAT announced the first auction of paintings ever to take place aboard an aircraft. The first flight to enjoy such an honour was JU500 from Belgrade to New York. Therefore, collectors and art enthusiasts were in a position to bid during the course of the flight and buy renowned artworks. A tag indicating that the painting had been purchased in the first “Gallery over the Atlantic” was placed at the back of each artwork. As a special token, each painting was inscribed with the altitude at which it was purchased.

The idea was met with remarkable public interest both in Yugoslavia and abroad. This was a good signal to the management that many of these auctions should be organised in the future. Thus, JAT organised a total of 11 auctions of paintings from 1979 to 1989. All of the auctions were held on flights to New York, except for the last one which took place on a flight to Los Angeles. The special significance of these auctions was that the net proceeds from the sale all went to charity organisations. Only the artworks by renowned, academic, local Yugoslav painters were entered in the auction. More than 300 paintings by over 150 artists were entered for the eleven auctions held once annually (with the exception of 1989 when two auctions were held). Some of the artists which entered their paintings for the auction were Milan Konjović, Peđa Milosavljevič, Vladimir Veličković, Olja Ivanjicki, Mersad Berber, Dušan Džamonja, Mića Popović, Ljuba Popović, Ivo Vojvodić, Nikola Rajzer, Jože Cijuha, Jože Tisnikar, Ivan Rabuzin, Vangel Naumovski and many others.

Passengers on these flights, who were mostly travelling as part of the JAT Air Lift package tours, included many domestic and international art lovers as well as numerous collectors and gallery owners from Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Great Britain and other countries.

All of the paintings found in the “Gallery over the Atlantic” had previously been displayed in galleries in Zagreb, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Ljubljana and Sarajevo. Upon arriving in New York and Los Angeles the paintings were put on display in galleries in both cities.

Next week: First JAT DC10 arrives

This is the first in a series of archival news items which will be published each Saturday. The news items date back from the late 1970s until 1989. This collection of news articles have been published in various newspapers and official historic publications.

The year is 1979, which for the aviation world and Yugoslav Airlines itself was far from smooth. The aviation industry had just begun to recover from the global oil shock. JAT, like all DC10 operators, was forced to ground its newly arrived DC10s due to the crash of American Airlines flight 191. This threw the airline’s long haul services into disarray. The airline also feared that passenger numbers would decline by the end of the year, especially on domestic services. However, JAT did manage to post record passenger figures by the end of the year, reintroduce the DC10s and was still riding on some major successes from 1978 including the famous birth of Jugoslav “Jatko” Todev on a flight from Belgrade to Sydney, which brought worldwide media attention for the airline and the introduction of the most modern booking system. 1979 was also the year before JAT underwent mass expansion, service and fleet improvement.

The following news item was published in 1979 at the beginning of that year’s summer season. It was published in the 141st edition of JAT’s “Newspaper of labour organisation”. The following is the transcript of the news article:

Responsibility fails test

Approximately 10 days ago, Gradimir Mičić, vice president of JAT’s labour board had many reasons to be unhappy and angry. With a few colleagues from the management board (and the author of this article), in the early morning hours, he commenced an ad hock “inspection” of JAT’s aircraft. It is the first of its kind at the airline (and let’s hope, not the last). He found out something that all of us at Yugoslav Airlines knew and something passengers have warned us about. The interior look and cleanliness of our aircraft, prepared for morning departures, as well as customer service cannot be commended and are not up to standard for a world renowned company like JAT.

We must introduce rigorous checks on our aircraft and hold accountable all those that have failed to provide the highest standard of service on our aircraft. This has been agreed at the latest meeting of the airline’s management board. This situation must be resolved as soon as possible so JAT can become a leader in customer service and the nice look of its cabins rather than just the operation of modern aircraft which keeps us at the top of world standards today. So what is this all about? The night before the inspection at 23.59, a Boeing B707 was schedule to depart to America. However, due to technical problems the flight’s departure time was delayed until 07.00, with passengers accommodated in Hotel Yugoslavia. From our technical division we were told the aircraft would be ready to depart in the morning. At 6.00 we found the B707 in front of the hanger without mechanics or anyone working on the aircraft. Offcourse, the plane did not depart on time. Passengers were brought to the airport at 06.00 (woke up at 05.00) without any need. Work began at 07.00 and the aircraft departed at 11.00. We can only imagine the dissatisfaction of our passengers. Another example would be a domestic DC9 flight which was to depart at 06.30. At 06.07 the mechanics arrived to do regular pre-take off checks and catering was loaded on the aircraft at 06.13. The pilot turned on the engines at 06.20. We believe that the technicians and the catering should have arrived at least half an hour earlier. Why they didn’t – we don’t know. A third example would be a flight arriving from the Middle East early in the morning. The technical report the cabin crew had to fill in was not done regularly throughout the flight and worst still it was soaked in coffee. We also found that on the DC9, registered JY-AKF (leased from Jersey European Aiways), the refrigerator was not working which means that drinks were not served cold and there was no ice.

We must improve the situation immediately as we face strong competition. We cannot allow articles titled “Fly JAT if you have nothing better to do”, which appeared in a Belgrade newspaper, to ruin our image. We will act at once.

NEXT WEEK: World first – artworks auctioned over the Atlantic on JAT.