Montenegro plans Belgrade base

Montenegro Airlines hopes for flights from Belgrade to Europe

The CEO of Montenegro Airlines, Zoran Djurišić, told a press conference on Wednesday that Montenegro Airlines plans to offer flights out of Belgrade to Western Europe. This came only several days after the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate denied to issue Montenegro Airlines a license to operate summer charters from the Serbian capital to Palma de Mallorca in Spain. Djurišić said that although the Directorate had the right to make such a decision he hopes that Serbia and Montenegro will liberalise their skies soon. Djurišić added that he wants Montenegro Airlines to begin flights from Belgrade to other countries other than Montenegro and in return Jat Airways should be granted the right to fly out of Tivat and Podgorica to other countries of its choice.

Serbia is currently implementing phase 1 of the Open Sky agreement meaning that it is under no obligation to issue fifth freedom rights to airlines, although it has exercised this right with Wizz Air since the Hungarian registered airline flies from Belgrade to several destinations in Western and Northern Europe.

Recently, the Montenegrin Government announced it would liberate its sky by allowing low cost airlines to commence flights to both Podgorica and Tivat. Montenegro Airlines’ chief says he welcomes competition but underlines that low cost airlines should operate all year round services to the country and not only peak season flights.

Until June 2006, Montenegro Airlines operated summer charters out of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as well as scheduled services to Zurich, Podgorica and Tivat.