New airlines across EX-YU

Several new airlines have either started operations or are in the process of gaining necessary licenses in order to commence services. These airline originate from countries that once formed Yugoslavia.

Star Airlines

Star Airlines has just started operations as a cargo airline. Its fleet consists of 2 Boeing 747-200 freighters, one of which is pictured above in Hong Kong under the registration Z3-CAA, meaning its registration comes from Macedonia and as a result it is a Macedonian airline. However, cargo airlines inside EX-YU rarely operate from the country they are registered in. Instead they operate across the world where demands are needed. They register themselves in countries such as Macedonia and Serbia in order to bear the rewards such as low costs of registration and less frequent safety inspections allowing them to operate with fewer restrictions. For example the airline United International was previously operated under the name Air Sofia and was based in Sofia, Bulgaria. In March 2007, after Bulgaria joined European Union and strict new aviation regulations were introduced, the airline lost its license from the Bulgarian government along with 4 other airlines and it relocated to Serbia. This has similarly occurred to the now known Star Airlines. It used to operate as Orbit Express Airlines (Orex) in Turkey however it lost its license and relocated to Macedonia. It currently operates freight services between Europe and China.

Air Kosova

Air Kosova is the largest travel agency based in Serbia’s disputed region of Kosovo. After striking a deal with Slovenia’s Aurora Airlines, Air Kosova established their own charter carrier using Aurora’s fleet of 3 MD82s and 1 MD83. The airline’s operates flights between Priština and a handful of German cities as well as Maribor, Slovenia. The entire airline is managed by Aurora with the entire cabin crew and all pilots originating from Slovenia. Travel agents had unsuccessfully launched airlines in Kosovo all of which have gone bankrupt. These include Air Prishtina and Kosova Air.

Sky Srpska

The new airline based in Bosnia and Herzegovina is set to operate flights between Banja Luka and European destinations, which will commence sometime in 2009. The airline is being established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entity of Republika Srpska in association with Jat Airways from Serbia. The government will take out a loan for two aircraft, each seating 50 passengers. Sky Srpska is allowed to spend up to USD 12.25 million per aircraft. Previously Air Srpska was based in Banja Luka until Jat Airways decided to withdraw 2 ATR72s from the airline which made up its entire fleet and as a result it ceased operations.