KLM is launching daily flights from Amsterdam to Belgrade this summer, marking a return to Serbia’s capital after more than three decades. KLM is replacing Transavia on the route and ending its codeshare agreement with Air Serbia from Belgrade to Amsterdam.
KLM returns to Belgrade with a daily flight
KLM is returning to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport next week after a break of over 30 years and having served Serbia as far back as 60 years ago.
The Dutch airline will first launch a three-weekly service next week, on Thursday 13th May, operating rotations on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Then, from Monday 14th June, the frequency will increase to one daily flight, and it will remain so indefinitely.
- KL1905 departing Amsterdam (AMS) at 09:30 and arriving in Belgrade (BEG) at 11:55
- KL1906 departing Belgrade (BEG) at 12:30 and arriving in Amsterdam (AMS) at 15:10
The first flight from Amsterdam to Belgrade on Thursday 13th May next week appears to be already sold out, with tickets no longer on sale for the outbound journey but still on sale for the return journey.
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KLM replaces Transavia
When KLM launches flights from Amsterdam to Belgrade, it will be replacing Transavia on the route. Transavia is KLM’s low-cost subsidiary airline that has been operating flights to Belgrade ever since April 2017.
Transavia operated its Boeing 737 aircraft to Belgrade six times weekly, so KLM’s arrival will be a downgrade in capacity. Transavia had a codeshare agreement with KLM, so KLM could use Transavia’s flights to feed its global network from Amsterdam Schipol.
KLM also made use of Air Serbia’s ten weekly flights from Belgrade to Amsterdam, on which it codeshared to feed its network too. Now, as it launches its own flights, KLM will stop selling tickets on Air Serbia’s flights.
The codeshare with Air Serbia has changed
KLM’s booking system indicates that KLM is no longer selling seats on Air Serbia’s flights from Belgrade to Amsterdam, even though Air Serbia will be selling tickets on KLM’s own flights.
In doing so, Air Serbia is still able to feed its regional network in Belgrade with passengers arriving from Amsterdam every day. Because of this, and because KLM is already flying daily, Air Serbia will be offering just five weekly frequencies to Amsterdam this summer compared to 10 weekly in 2019.
Still, Air Serbia is continuing to sell tickets on KLM’s flights that connect onto other Air Serbia flights in Europe, thus allowing passengers to reach Amsterdam from Belgrade via other European hubs.
For example, Air Serbia is selling tickets for the following KLM flights:
- KL1223 from Amsterdam to Paris CDG
- KL1765 from Amsterdam to Frankfurt
- KL1969 from Amsterdam to Zurich
- KL1869 from Amsterdam to Stuttgart
- KL1823 from Amsterdam to Berlin Brandenburg
- KL1863 from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf
What do you think of KLM’s return to Belgrade? Do you think the route will see more frequencies in the future? Let us know what you think of this story in the comments below.
