Flight Delayed: Air Serbia Faces Capacity and Quality Questions

It has happened to us all. But for Air Serbia passengers, it's happening more than the airline might like.

Indeed, between June 1 and November 30, 2019, almost a third of Air Serbia's 19,645 flights were delayed, according to a BIRN investigation, including 1,466 that, like the Sharma family's flight, landed more than 45 minutes late.

That's worse than the year before, when at least 697 out of 16,442 flights were delayed more than 45 minutes. Data for almost 2,300 was not available.

The costs incurred by such 'traffic irregularities' are also climbing, from some 460,000 euros in 2017 to more than 1.2 million the following year, according to Air Serbia's financial report for 2018. The company's financial report for 2019 is not available, but the increase in flight delays between 2018 and 2019 would suggest expenses are up too. 

The figures make for uncomfortable reading for a company created just seven years ago when Abu Dhabi's Etihad bought 49 per cent of Serbia's loss-making Yugoslav-era flag carrier JAT Airways, rebranding it Air Serbia.

The deal was hailed as 'historic' by Serbia's then deputy prime minister, now president, Aleksandar Vucic. But the full details remain secret and there are question marks over the actual cost to the Serbian taxpayer.

With the company promising to expand its offer of destinations, last year's peak-season delays and consequent rise in costs have cast doubt on its readiness for 2020.

Air Serbia declined to comment for this story.

'Not one of the most punctual'

Infographic: BIRN

According to data from Flightradar24, a global flight-tracking service, Air Serbia operated 19,645 flights along 59 lines in the six-month period between June 1 and November 30. 

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