Jat Serbian Airlines (Belgrade Nikola Tesla) is the new brand name expected to be used by a successor of Jat Airways (Belgrade Nikola Tesla) that will start operations on March 31, 2013. According to the latest plan by the Serbian government, Jat Airways would transfer some of its assets, employees and contracts to the new company while the government will assume the debts of the old Jat. This will allow for the new airline to be privatized once operational as Jat's old debts have proven to be a major hurdle during previous privatization attempts. The new airline will lease four A319-100s from lessor ILFC and operate them alongside some of Jat's B737-300s and ATR 72-200s. It will then later also replace the ATR 72-200s by four ATR 72-600s on lease from ILFC. According to press reports in Serbia, the government also is in talks with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) about an order for four A320-200s that would be delivered from 2015 onwards.
Jat Airways to be succeeded by Jat Serbian Airlines?
© Tis Meyer (PlanePics.org)