FLIGHT

flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
Out of the embattled airline’s 14 aircraft only seven are operating
STRATEGY IGOR SALINGER BELGRADE
Jat aims to revive
latent Airbus deal
Troubled Serbian flag carrier faces fleet shortage and intends
to slash workforce as part of broad restructuring programme
Serbian flag carrier Jat Airways
claims the government commission
responsible for the troubled
airline has accepted a restructuring
plan proposed by the
operator, which includes axing
nearly 50% of jobs and leasing
additional aircraft.
Under the plan, Jat would lease
four Airbus A320-family jets and
two ATR 72-500 turboprops to
cope with a fleet shortage.
The airline confirms that out of
14 aircraft – 10 Boeing 737s and
four ATR 72s – only seven are
currently in operation, forcing it
to revise timetables and cut frequencies
to some destinations.
Sources familiar with the situation
indicate the airline has received
a $10 million loan to be
used for maintenance and repayment
of debts to fuel suppliers.
Jat Airways’ escape plan includes
cutting its workforce to
740 personnel, including 156
flightcrew, down from 1,138 employees.
It will also “revise” its
relationship with Belgrade airport,
its fuel supplier, caterer and
handling agent, and maintenance
firm Jat Tehnika – some of which
were formerly an integral part of
the airline before being spun off
as independent companies. Jat
started the year with some 5.5 billion
dinars ($66 million) of debt,
mostly towards these companies.
It hopes to introduce two new
Airbus A319s and two A320s, as
well as two ATR 72-500s, before
June, and operate 14 aircraft for
the summer peak.
This could lead to resurrection
and restructuring of the long-
dormant order for eight A319s. Jat
intends the revised fleet and reduced
workforce, along with
amended relations with domestic
suppliers, to halve losses and
help increase passenger numbers
to 1.5 million – up from 1.36 million
in 2012.
Jat Tehnika managing director
Srđan Mišković says the maintenance
company has received the
necessary certificates to be “fully
capable” of offering both line and
heavy support for A320-family
jets. It currently services Boeing
737 and ATR fleets, and last year
recorded a “steady” turnover
with a “slightly positive, yet to be
specified” result.
About half of its work is performed
for Jat Airways, the rest for
third-party clients such as Jet2,
Europe Airpost and Transaero. �
Igor Salinger