It is planned for the new turboprop airplane, ATR 72-600, with the sign YU-ALY, which Air Serbia will use on regional flights, to arrive to Belgrade from Toulouse on Thursday, 27 January. By leasing the first airplane of this type, the Serbian national airline has commenced the big rejuvenation of its regional fleet, which will be finalised by the end of the year.
“Fleet renewal is one of the most significant strategic decisions and Air Serbia is capitalizing on current favourable market conditions regarding aircraft availability. We are starting with our turbo prop fleet and replacing all ATR 72-200s, of which we currently have three in the fleet, as well as two ATR 72-500 airplanes, with state-of-the-art ATR 72-600 during the upcoming period. This will significantly increase our operational efficiency, as well as service provided to passengers. Our ambition is to continue to develop further as a regional leader and upgraded turbo prop fleet is an essential step on this path,” said Jiri Marek, Air Serbia CEO.
The new YU-ALY will bear the Serbian national airline’s visual identity. Made in 2015, it is younger than the other airplanes in the ATR fleet, and has a more modern interior. The latest reinforcement in the national airline’s fleet has The Geven’s Prestige 72-seat configuration, which ensures more comfort for passengers. The airplane has two PW127m turboprop engines, is 27.17 m long, and has a wingspan of 27.05 m. It has a maximum cruising speed of about 510 km/h, while its maximum range at full capacity is 1,404 km. In contrary to the current turbo prop models in the fleet, ATR 72-600 brings important new product feature, giving the option to store large roller bags in the overhead bins for majority of the passengers, being common appreciated service element in Air Serbia’s jet fleet.
Air Serbia will use the new ATR 72-600 airplanes for scheduled flights from Belgrade to Banjaluka, Vienna, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Podgorica, Prague, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Tivat, Tirana and Zagreb, as well as for seasonal flights to Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Zadar. The airline will also use the new airplanes for scheduled flights from Niš to Ljubljana, and seasonal flights to Athens, as well as scheduled flights from Kraljevo to Istanbul and seasonal flights to Thessaloniki.