Airplane on new Belgrade-NYC route named after Tesla

Airplane on new Belgrade-NYC route named after Tesla

"After 24 years, we will again have direct flights from Belgrade to New York, operated by a Serbian airline. That will make us the only one of the 11 countries in the region to have direct flights to New York operated by a domestic company," Mali said.

"The flights also represent a crowning achievement of everything we have been doing for Air Serbia over the past three years," he said.

The start of direct flights to the US opens a new page in the history of the company, the city of Belgrade and entire Serbia, Mali said.

In the beginning, there was Jat Airways, a loss-making airline that had an aging fleet, while now we have a profitable company that flies new planes and to more destinations, Mali said, noting the significance of Air Serbia's strategic partnership with Etihad Airways.

The aircraft itself has been named after Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American engineer and inventor. Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan, who is vice-president of the Air Serbia Supervisory Board, said that the carrier has a modern fleet of aircraft, and that Belgrade is a hub for 500 weekly flights to 44 destinations.

Air Serbia has transported 2.5 million passengers, which is evidence that it is a medium-sized company, he added.

Tomorrow's flight to New York starts a new phase in the development of Air Serbia, Hogan is convinced. After 24 years Belgrade will become the gate of the Balkans to the United States, he noted.

Hogan also thinks Serbia should not be merely a transit hub, but should be marketed as a tourist destination, "as it has much to offer."

He then thanked Prime Minister Vucic, saying that it would not have been possible to finish the job "without his vision and perseverance."

Air Serbia General Director Dane Kondic also spoke today to suggest that the Airbus A330 plane "provides travelers with a great experience and has an impressive interior."

According to him, "prices are competitive, and follow the market."

Specifically, the tickets now start from EUR 440, depending on the date selected for the flight.

As for the sales, Kondic described them as "beyond all expectations." He said it was also "surprising" to see where the first passengers booked from: 60 percent from the U.S. 35 percent from Serbia, "and the rest from Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and even Ukraine."