Air Serbia has set ambitious growth plans for the coming period, aiming to capitalise on the centenary of Serbian aviation in 2027 and maintain its market share. By the end of the next decade, the airline believes it could have over fifty aircraft. The company currently operates to over eighty destinations and aims to reach 100 by 2027.
The main focus will be network densification rather than adding more destinations. Air Serbia currently has 22 aircraft in its fleet and continues to use eight on a wet-lease basis through the winter season to complete base maintenance tasks.
The airline’s CEO, Jiri Marek, stated that there is no urgency in renewing its existing fleet of mid-aged aircraft. With the current size, the company can still capitalise on the volatile market and target secondary, mid-aged, mature aircraft until they reach a size of between 35 and 40 aircraft. Once they reach that size, it becomes critical to establish long-term fleet plans, including possible new orders from manufacturers, which will naturally mean evolving to new technology.
Marek believes that once Air Serbia is ready to order new aircraft, issues faced by manufacturers and their suppliers should be resolved. For smaller airlines, such as Air Serbia, overcoming challenges when 40% of the fleet is grounded due to engine issues can be difficult. Air Serbia will continue to use current technology until the problems with new technology are resolved.
