Air Serbia's H1 Operating Revenue Up 29 Pct

Air Serbia has reported a 29 percent rise in first-half operating revenue to EUR€95.5 million (USD$105.7 million).

Passenger numbers rose by 19 percent 1.12 million, said Air Serbia, which is 49 percent owned by Etihad Airways.

Traffic measured in available seat km rose by 10 percent to 1.74 billion.

Last year, Air Serbia, which in 2013 emerged from the now defunct JAT Airways, recorded a net profit of EUR€2.7 million on revenue of EUR€262 million.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said last week that Air Serbia might lease an Airbus A330 for flights to New York which are expected to start in the first quarter of 2016.

Flights from Belgrade to the United States were cancelled in 1992 due to Yugoslav wars and an international embargo.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 20 aircraft comprising Airbus, ATR and Boeing models serving 40 destinations directly and an additional 41 airports through codeshare agreements.