Air Serbia CEO, Jiri Marek, at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023
Air Serbia CEO, Jiri Marek, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments.
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Transcript
Jiri Marek:We almost recovered already in 2022. We've been only 2% below 2019, but basically since July we have every single month consecutive in record number, and it's much speedier in Q4. So now in also January, February, we are double-digit over 2019 level, and we already returned to profitability in 2022 with €21 €1 million profit. I'm the most concerned that we will repeat in a way problem of the last summer in terms of the airports and air traffic control. Only this week we have already 4 strikes. We had in Germany beginning of the week, today, tomorrow is Greece air traffic. We had to cancel the flights and we are just in the winter. So I'm having big concerns that the travel madness will repeat again in the summer. On our side, we are doing everything we can in order to avoid it. But, you know, as we told already several times, we are not living in a, let's say, closed environment, we are interconnected with everything. So that definitely is a big concern. And the second concern is the whole disruption of the supply chain, because now the spare parts or anything, imagine including even the amenity kits, catering, for some things you are waiting months instead of weeks. So that's a big concern. Look, we basically already during COVID left the concept of working on the Yata season and we are constantly on the growth. Whenever we find a good deal on the market, we are in search sourcing the fleet and bridging the periods we are doing through the wet lease. So, you know, yes, there are challenges, but, you know, as was mentioned today on one panel, we are pushing forward. As I mentioned, since July last year, we have every single month on the record in terms of passenger numbers with double digits. We plan to grow this year over 40%. So we are aiming for the first time not only get over 3 million passengers for the first time, but we are aiming to get 3.5 million passengers and continue this, let's say, moving forward. I think we have a unique position in terms of what we call like Balkan region. So we have a very strong, let's say, regional network on which we can leverage. And we're always going to the partnership where it's a win-win for both parties, where we can leverage what we have, give the market access. And on the other hand, from the partner looking for the extra, let's say, marketing support on their home markets and expanding our, let's say, virtual networks through their, let's say, network beyond their hubs.
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