A Lot of Work Lies Behind Every Success

"Heading a national air company is a great honour, but also a great challenge. Jat Airways is a secure, safe and reliable air carrier – a true national air company with a long tradition and high potential that needs to strive towards an improved position, to restoring its reputation and positioning itself as regional leader in commercial aviation", says Srdjan Radovanović, Jat Airways CEO.

"Jat Airways, like other large systems, faces numerous problems, but despite difficulties, we have succeeded in accomplishing a lot over the past six months. We have launched a comprehensive process of company restructuring and we already have tangible results. Due to strict spending controls, losses were considerably lower than expected, and half of what they were in 2008. In the year ahead, we plan to realize the projected goal of 1.5 million transported passengers. Also, we will devote special attention to better traffic and timetable organization, as well as improved service quality and maintaining a competitive pricing policy. We will do our utmost to use all of the potential we possess to accommodate our passengers."

Tell us about your working day at the national air company.

"I get up very early in the morning –at 6 a.m., check my electronic mail and reply to messages. I always arrive to work before 7:30 a.m. and in the course of the morning deal with a variety of things – go over incoming information, sign decisions, look into the condition of the fleet and the financial situation on the accounts. The company's Executive Board meets each day, after which various other meetings ensue – with representatives from the company's organizational units as well as with representatives from corresponding ministries, partner institutions and other organizations. Around 4:30 p.m., I am once again back in my office: reading reports and analyzing information prepared by the professional services. I leave the office around seven in the evening. I believe in the saying that ‘a lot of effort lies behind every success' – this applies on a personal level and to the efforts of all company employees. Our intention is for Jat Airways to become a successful and modern company in the future, established on contemporary managerial principles, participating in the market race, generating profit and assuming the position of regional leader in commercial aviation."

When you travel by plane, do you have specific requests, and what do you think is most important when travelling?

"Like all other passengers, I attach great attention to the timetable because that is very important in terms of saving time. In cities with more than one airport, it matters to me at which airport the airplane will land. For instance – if I travel to London, I always prefer Heathrow to Gatwick. Naturally, I expect good cabin service. Considering the position I hold, whenever I fly, whether by Jat or with another air carrier, I no longer feel like any other passenger, as I experience every moment onboard an airplane through the prism of my work. I love travelling in economy class, and sit closer to the aircraft's tail in the cabin in order to have a better view of passengers and the cabin staff and their reactions. I examine to what measure the cabin staff accommodates passengers and to what degree the passengers are pleased with the service provided."

You have mentioned introducing completely new services for Jat Airways passengers. What do you have in mind?

"We have announced the introduction of free health insurance for travel to European Union member-countries for all those flying by Jat Airways, as well as complimentary taxi transportation to and from Belgrade airport. Serbian citizens, whose health insurance is not applicable in European Union member-counties and who formerly had to pay for health insurance to obtain a visa, will be covered by health insurance, provided they have a Jat Airways return ticket – this also includes emergency cases. In this way, we want to demonstrate that our care for passengers is not only limited to the time they spend onboard our airplanes. Another service we have discussed pertains to the introduction of complimentary taxi rides to and from Belgrade airport. However, when we can expect this to take place depends on procedural regulations."

Are there plans for some new destinations?

"In the coming summer season, we plan to establish a scheduled line to Portorož. This will enable passengers from Serbia fast, secure and safe travel to this destination at affordable prices. The line to Portorož comes as a result of cooperation with Slovenian hoteliers who are interested offering tourists from Serbia a quality and pleasurable stay in one of the most beautiful parts of the Adriatic littoral. Also, I believe our passengers will be pleased to learn that the introduction of seasonal lines to Spain is being planned this coming summer."

In late 2009, Jat Airways conducted a promotional campaign offering air tickets to key European cities at exceptionally favourable prices. Can such drives also be expected in the course of 2010?

"As part of this campaign, we have secured for our passengers air ticket prices ranging from 19 euros for one-way tickets, for Jat Airways flights from Belgrade to popular European destinations. Our aim was to make possible for our passengers to use the advantages of the announced visa-free travel to the Schengen Agreement signatories. There will certainly be similar drives during 2010 because this is in the interest of our passengers, and we will endeavour to accommodate them as best as we can."

Does Jat Airways plan to join one of the air carriers' alliances?

"Joining one of the alliances is one of Jat Airways' priorities in the coming period. In this way, passengers will enjoy many amenities, especially pertaining to choosing connecting flights, a process that will be significantly easier. They will be able to reach their respective destinations faster, at more affordable prices and reduced waits at airports. We have already held negotiations with the relevant units at SkyTeam, and they have shown a readiness to admit us into their alliance as an associate member without any conditions."

Are any changes to be expected with regard to the fleet?

"We meet the highest international standards of security and safety and have a good fleet that we successfully maintain. The security and safety procedures Jat Airways is implementing are at the highest international level, a fact borne out by all the required international certificates. Jat was the first from among some 300 International Air Transport Association (IATA) members that, as early as 2005, obtained the so-called IOSA (IATA-issued Operational Safety Audit) on safety without any inconsistencies with respect to the strict regulations prescribed by international standards. There is a plan to renew the fleet by re-directing existing costs incurred from aircraft leasing towards travel on a different type of aircraft, or a newer model. Concretely speaking, aircraft whose term of lease expires will be returned, and we will proceed to lease new aircraft. Thus, two new Boeing 737-700 planes are due to arrive as early as this spring. They will enable us to maintain lines to the Middle East, that is to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, without stopovers in Larnaca, as is the case at this time."

What do you see as the main advantages of travelling by Jat Airways, as compared to other air companies?

"Travelling on board aircraft of the national air carrier implies everything other large world air companies provide, and in this context we strive to follow global trends. However, I would like to point out the Serbian language as a special advantage. Serbian people living abroad experience entering Jat aircraft as being tantamount to entering Serbian territory, as a true national air carrier, and we are honoured to be able to justify the trust they place in us. Of course, we also try to provide the best possible service in all other areas to please our passengers."

What wish(es) do you extend to passengers for 2010?

"Along with much fortune and good health, I wish our passengers all the best as regards their finances. Money certainly is not a pre-requisite to happiness - which we ourselves make - but it can be of great assistance. Naturally, I wish them very many fine and pleasurable trips, unforgettable moments at various destinations across Europe and the world. Lifting visas for travel is indeed the best thing that happened to us over the past two decades and I hope we will be in a position to use it to our best advantage. All of us here at Jat Airways will be honoured to contribute in 2010, too, to our passengers' comfortable, secure and safe travel to desired destinations.

First Jat Visa-Free Travel Passengers The first Serbian citizens to travel under the vise-free regime to a Schengen Zone country on December 19 boarded Jat flight JU 2722 from Belgrade to Brussels. Captain Gradimir Vojinović piloted the B737-300 aircraft with 85 passengers onboard, including Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Djelić.