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Air Serbia newest addition to Abu Dhabi Int’l network

First flight welcomed; stronger links eyed with European cities

Abu Dhabi Airports on Sunday announced the expansion of its global network at Abu Dhabi International Airport with the arrival yesterday morning of Air Serbia’s first commercial flight connecting Abu Dhabi to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.

A delegation of Serbian government officials, businessmen and media onboard the aircraft, led by Aleksandar Vucic and Dane Kondic, chief executive officer of Air Serbia, was welcomed upon arrival at the airport by Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, along with senior officials and local dignitaries.

The new service operates four flights per week, with Air Serbia’s flight JU800 departing from Belgrade at 5:10pm and arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 12:25am the following morning. The return flight, JU801, departs Abu Dhabi at 2:50am and arrives in Belgrade at 5:55am. All times are local

Al Haddabi said: “Abu Dhabi Airports welcomes Air Serbia to Abu Dhabi as we look to strengthen our links with major European cities. The use of Abu Dhabi as a connection between Europe and the Middle East reinforces the capital’s position as an international aviation hub, and Abu Dhabi Airports looks forward to offering its world-class services to yet another strategic airline partner.”

The four flights a week will be operated using an Airbus A319 aircraft with a two-class configuration with eight in business class and 120 in economy class.

Kondic said: “These are exciting times for Air Serbia, as the airline enters a new era. This new service, our first since we started rebranding the airline, expands upon our existing network and provides our passengers with enhanced access to the Middle East and onwards through our partnership with Etihad Airways to key destinations across Asia and Australasia.”

In August this year, Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, announced that it had secured regulatory approval to acquire 49 per cent of Air Serbia — the former JAT Airways — and had been awarded a five-year management contract for the airline.

Air Serbia has also named its first plane after Novak Djokovic, the Balkan country’s best-ever tennis player who is second-ranked in the world. The former world No. 1’s name is printed in large letters at the front part of the plane.

Serbian media have quoted Djokovic as saying he was happy to help the carrier.