British Airways to discontinue London Heathrow – Belgrade flights from the end of September

British Airways has confirmed that it will cease flights between London Heathrow and Belgrade from the end of September, less than a year after the route opened on 31 October 2023. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the airline said: “We regularly review our flight schedule and, for commercial reasons, have made the difficult decision to suspend our flights to Belgrade from 29 September 2024. We are contacting affected customers to apologise and offer them alternative options, including rebooking or a full refund..” The Oneworld alliance member added that it would explore the possibility of resuming flights between the two cities next summer.

British Airways returned to Belgrade last winter season after a 13-year break. At the time, the airline stressed the strategic importance of the route, stating: “We have reserved one of the best slots at Heathrow for this flight and can serve both direct-to-point and transfer passengers, especially the east coast of the United States, Canada and Australia. We offer seamless connections to these regions, especially New York and Miami, which are very popular from Belgrade..” British Airways currently offers three weekly flights to the Serbian capital with its A320 fleet. The airline is in direct competition with Air Serbia and indirectly with Wizz Air, which operates flights from London Luton.

Both Air Serbia and Wizz Air have adjusted their operations in response to British Airways’ presence on the Serbian market. This summer, Air Serbia is offering nine weekly flights to Heathrow for the entire season, an increase from last year’s schedule, which introduced the eighth and ninth weekly rotations in May. Wizz Air has also increased its frequency, now offering daily flights between the two capitals, compared to six weekly flights last summer. Both airlines have also reduced their fares on these routes since British Airways started operations to Belgrade. In the first quarter of this year, a total of 51,508 passengers travelled between Belgrade and London Heathrow and Luton airports, representing a 31.8% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

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