The tenth ATR 72-600 aircraft of “Air Serbia,” bearing registration YU-ASC, touched down today at Belgrade’s “Nikola Tesla” airport. Following mandatory procedures, it is set to commence operations with “Air Serbia” in the coming days. This delivery marks the culmination of the airline’s regional fleet modernization and expansion initiative, which began in January 2022.
Starting with the arrival of the first ATR 72-600, registered as YU-ALY, on January 27, 2022, subsequent aircraft followed suit: YU-ALW on May 14, 2022, YU-ALX on July 14, 2022, YU-ALZ on December 1, 2022, YU-ASA on January 12, 2023, YU-ASB on June 23, 2023, YU-ASD on September 8, 2023, YU-ASF on April 17, 2024, and the ninth aircraft on May 15, 2024. Jirži Marek, General Director of Air Serbia, emphasized the strategic importance of renewing their turboprop fleet, transitioning from older ATR 72-200 and 72-500 models to the more advanced ATR 72-600 series. Despite market complexities, the acquisition of ten ATR 72-600s has streamlined their fleet, now boasting an average age of 9 years, the youngest in the broader Western Balkans region. Marek expressed satisfaction with these aircraft, noting significant improvements in operational efficiency.
The ATR 72-600 aircraft in “Air Serbia’s” regional fleet service multiple routes from Belgrade to destinations including Bologna, Bari, Budapest, Krakow, Ljubljana, Prague, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Venice, Vienna, Zagreb, Banjaluka, Bucharest, Podgorica, Tirana, Nis, Tivat, Salzburg, Dubrovnik, Thessaloniki, Split, Rijeka, Varna, Pula, Zadar, and Ohrid. Additionally, they operate from international airports in Nis and Kraljevo, with routes from Kraljevo to Istanbul, Thessaloniki, and Tivat, and from Nis to Belgrade, Ljubljana, and Athens.
The newly arrived ATR 72-600 YU-ASC, aged 9 years, features 72 seats branded “Geven Prestige,” enhancing passenger comfort and convenience. Equipped with two PW127M turboprop engines, the aircraft spans 27.17 meters in length with a wingspan of 27.05 meters. It achieves a cruising speed of approximately 500 km/h and offers a maximum range of about 1,500 km at full capacity. Painted in the colors and livery of “Air Serbia” in Toulouse, the aircraft underwent handover and technical checks in France from May 10 onwards.
