Air Serbia readies for loyalty overhaul and lounge launch amid cabin review
Frequent flyer program
The much-anticipated replacement of the carrier’s Etihad Guest frequent flyer program is advancing. Mr Marek explains, “As we speak, we’re in the final stages of selecting the platform provider for our new program. We’re also close to finalising the choice of our co-branded card partner. We expect to officially announce the program around October, and if everything goes according to plan, we aim to go live by the end of December. This is without a doubt one of our top priority projects for the year”.
It was previously reported that Air Serbia's new frequent flyer program will shift from a traditional miles-based system to more of a lifestyle-focused program, aiming to allow members to earn points through everyday spending, including activities like buying groceries, gas or attending the cinema. These points could then be used for flights or other purchases.
Long-haul cabin reconfiguration
Commenting on upgrading cabins on its Airbus A330-200 fleet, Mr Marek said, "This kind of decision isn’t easy to make, especially given how we originally planned our operations for this summer. Our strategy was to maintain some spare capacity, mainly for ad-hoc charter operations. However, we’ve already faced delays in maintenance. One of our [A330] aircraft was supposed to be out for three weeks but has only just returned after two months. And we are in the peak summer season, with tickets already sold.
Had we not planned for that spare capacity, we would have found ourselves in serious operational trouble. Fortunately, that planning has allowed us to stabilise, and we’re currently seeing very good on-time performance, which we intend to maintain.
Still, these are not easy decisions. For an airline of our size, investing in additional aircraft is a significant financial commitment. At the same time, the market is beginning to shift, aircraft are returning, often in good condition and with properly configured cabins, and at competitive lease terms.
So, with all these moving parts, we’re carefully evaluating what the right next step should be".
New Belgrade Airport lounge
The airline had hoped to open its new ticketing office at Belgrade Airport, which is already set up and ready, as well as its new Premium Lounge located in the C pier. However, neither has yet materialised. Mr Marek noted, "I would love to open the lounge already. The ticketing office is finished, it looks great, and everything is ready. But we’re still waiting on the airport to secure the necessary permits, whether it's a building permit or another type of approval. It’s not just our project that's affected; several others in the new terminal area are also on hold for the same reason.
The lounge project itself is fully designed and ready to go. We're essentially just waiting for the green light to begin construction. Once we start, the build will take around three months. So, we’re very close but just need final clearance to proceed.
In the meantime, the current lounge is already quite congested. Even after cutting access for Priority Pass holders, it's still crowded given the scale of our current network. There’s clearly a need for expanded capacity".
Джерело інформації: EX-YU Aviation News