Etihad partners help launch Air Serbia’s New York flights

Etihad Airways’ equity partner Air Serbia has launched flights to the United States, a milestone achieved with the support of, and in collaboration with, several of Etihad Airways equity partner airlines.
Air Serbia, in which Etihad Airways has a 49 percent stake, started its five-times-a-week scheduled flights between its Belgrade hub and New York JFK International Airport, marking a return of direct air links between Serbia and the United States after a 24-year absence. The route is being operated with an Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Etihad Airways, together with three of its seven equity partners — Jet Airways, Alitalia and airberlin — played a key role over the past six months to prepare for the new route launch.
From engineering, fleet planning and technical support, pilot to cabin crew training, and marketing, legal and guest service backing, the true spirit of partnership and resource sharing was evident — fundamental to group strategy to drive efficiency and create synergy.
148 Air Serbia cabin crew have completed A330 aircraft type rating training at Etihad Airways’ headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
Thirty-six Air Serbia cabin seniors who will be operating the aircraft as cabin managers were given a leadership training course in Abu Dhabi. They also underwent specific training in Belgrade.
Etihad Airways provided Air Serbia with 20 cabin crew to support the first three months of the New York route launch as ambassadors and to assist with onboard service delivery.
Up to 80 Etihad Airways and Air Serbia staff members were involved in the transition of the A330, which was delivered to the Serbian carrier on June 7, a day ahead of schedule.
Etihad Aviation Group President and CEO James Hogan said the collaborative efforts demonstrated the strength of the partnership strategy.
“Cooperation and collaboration between the equity partners has been second to none,” he said.