Jat B737-300 at hub airport
On October 26, 2008 Jat Airways suspended 5 long running destinations due to unprofitability, as stated at the time by the airline’s CEO. However Jat is now planning to resume many of these services, hoping that the government will soon send the promised credit so the Serbian carrier could repair 6 aircraft that have been grounded temporarily. In October flights to Prague, Tirana, Tripoli, Malta and Gothenburg were suspended. Starting March 30, Jat will resume services to Libya’s capital Tripoli via Malta. Flights will depart from Belgrade at 21.00 and arrive in Tripoli at 01.00, with a short 59 minute stopover in Malta. The return flights are operated directly to Belgrade without the Malta stop. Flights will be operating twice a week with a Boeing 737-300. Jat is also returning to Gothenburg in Sweden. Services used to operate via Stockholm in the past however the airline has now decided to operate direct flights. JU392 will operate twice a week with a B737-300 starting June 16. Flights to Tirana will not resume this summer while Prague will continue to be operated by CSA Czech Airlines in a code share agreement with Jat. Jat Airways is close to signing a deal with the Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways for the transport of Serbian passengers to and from Australia. The new deal will be much more affordable for passangers than the current one with Emirates which ends next week. Etihad has invited Jat to commence services to Abu Dhabi although the airline is likely to wait until October due to the fleet shortage. You can read more about this deal on January 29.
Meanwhile Jat is preparing to enter the Macedonian market and take over international operations. Jat’s CEO has stated that more news will be available to passengers in February if all goes to plan. On June 1 Jat will resume services to Macedonia’s second largest airport – Ohrid, after a one year stop. Flights will operate direct using an ATR72 twice a week. Jat’s CEO once again said that the airline is planning a law suit against Macedonian carrier MAT due to unpaid debt. This raises the question if Jat been behind MAT’s bad start to the year, with the airline losing its privileged “Macedonia’s only scheduled carrier” status.
Flights to Pula also return this year although a specific date is yet to be set. Jat’s full summer scheduled will be published on the blog along with all other national EX-YU carriers in March. The new flights will be listed in the “New Routes Launched” section on the right soon.
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