Airbus is constant to pitch the Airbus A220 plane to Air Serbia, noting that deliveries could be secured regardless of a backlog. Johan Pelissier, President of Area Europe at Airbus, stated, “When the time comes for Air Serbia to switch its A319 fleet, and contemplating the success we now have seen with the A220 throughout Europe, it might make robust sense for the airline to look intently on the sort. It affords a comparable dimension, but in addition offers larger long-term flexibility. Given the expansion on this area, Air Serbia ought to keep away from limiting itself to a product that might constrain its future growth”.
Mr Pelissier added, “The A220 has been a really profitable product, and it’s true that direct procurement for this plane household is unavailable earlier than the top of the last decade. Nevertheless, options could be discovered. The A220 is a powerful match as a alternative for the A319, as demonstrated by plenty of operators, together with in Europe”. He famous that the A220 engine scenario is shifting in the fitting course. The Serbian service has beforehand expressed concern with the plane sort as a result of ongoing Pratt & Whitney engine reliability points. Roughly 17% to twenty% of the worldwide A220 fleet is at present grounded consequently.
Air Serbia has stated that its just lately concluded wet-lease association for 2 Airbus A220 plane from airBaltic, growing to 4 from this summer season, will allow the airline to trial the jet’s efficiency. “We stay dedicated to innovation and technological growth, all with the intention of strengthening our competitiveness within the European market. This sort of plane will probably be an essential mannequin and reference level for future choices concerning the composition of Air Serbia’s fleet, in keeping with the continued growth and implementation of the corporate’s strategic plans,” the service stated. The airline plans to deploy the plane sort on its upcoming two longest intra-European routes throughout the 2026/27 winter season – Tenerife, with a flight time of 4 hours and 45 minutes, and Tromso, with a flight time of three hours and 55 minutes. Nevertheless, Air Serbia has to date expressed a larger willingness to increase its Embraer fleet and probably modernise its mid-life plane with new E195-E2 jets.
