British Airways to suspend London Heathrow – Belgrade flights from late September

British Airways has confirmed it will suspend flights between London Heathrow and Belgrade starting late September, less than a year after launching the route on October 31, 2023. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier said, “We regularly review our schedule, and due to commercial reasons, we have made the difficult decision to suspend our flights to Belgrade from September 29, 2024. We’re contacting affected customers to apologize and offer them alternative options, including rebooking or a full refund.” The Oneworld alliance member added that it would review the possibility of restoring flights between the two cities next summer.

British Airways only returned to Belgrade last winter season after a thirteen-year hiatus. At the time, the airline highlighted the strategic importance of the route, stating, “We have taken one of the best slots at Heathrow for this flight, catering for both point-to-point passengers but also transfer passengers, particularly the East Coast of the United States, Canada, and Australia. We offer seamless connectivity to these regions, especially New York and Miami, which are very popular out of Belgrade.” Currently, British Airways operates three weekly services to the Serbian capital using its A320-family fleet. The airline faces direct competition from Air Serbia and indirect competition from Wizz Air, which operates flights out of London Luton.

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