The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and Air Serbia have celebrated the carrier’s inaugural flight between O’Hare International and Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. Flights between the two cities had ceased more than thirty years ago when the Yugoslavian national carrier, Jat, left O’Hare International in 1992.
The new, two-weekly, service will increase to three-times-per-week on Monday, June 12, with a 257-seat A330-200 aircraft. From Belgrade, customers will be able to easily connect to other cities in the Air Serbia network, such as Berlin, Bucharest, Prague and Sarajevo. The route is estimated to create $55 million in economic activity for the Chicago region over the next year.
“More than 350,000 Chicagoland residents are of Serbian origin, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer them a fast and easy connection to their roots in the Balkans,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee.
“This day is of especial importance for our company, Serbia, Belgrade, and the entire Western Balkan region, as well as the large number of our compatriots who live and work in North America,” said Jiri Marek, CEO of Air Serbia.
Air Serbia’s General Manager for Commercial and Strategy, Boško Rupić, told EX-YU Aviation last month: “this route has been long-awaited in our network. Many from the diaspora in the United States have written to us, urging us to introduce these flights. Its launch is justified considering that almost all flights have been completely sold out until mid-June.”
CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE NEWS
Chicago – Belgrade Air Route Resumes
Follow us
