Established in October 2013, Air Serbia, the national airline of the
Republic of Serbia, seems to be among the youngest airline carriers in
Europe. However, as Igor Bozinovski explains, the airline is the direct
successor to Aeroput, JAT Yugoslav Airlines and Jat Airways and is
therefore one of world’s ten oldest airlines still operating today.
mid-range airliners. Another two Electras
arrived in 1938, followed by a further four
more in 1939, allowing for the retirement of the now
outdated Potez biplanes.
Post-War
In 1940 alone, the company carried more than 16,000
passengers and 519,621lbs (235,700kg) of cargo but operations
ceased when the Axis armies invaded Yugoslavia on April
6, 1941. Most of the Aeroput f leet was lost during aerial
bombardments of Belgrade or burnt up on the ground at
Divci, near Valjevo. However, six Electras joined the Royal
Yugoslav Air Force and were used for liaison tasks across the
war-torn country. Another three were used to transport
Yugoslavia’s royal family and government to Greece and were
then evacuated to Egypt where they joined the Royal Air
Force on May 2, 1941.
Following the war, and thanks to the enthusiasm and efforts
of pre-war Aeroput management, f light and technical staff, the
private joint-stock company was reactivated on July 2, 1945.
However, Aeroput’s future in the now-communist
Yugoslavia was damned when the State-owned Jugoslovenski
R • The first
Aeroput f light was
conducted by a Potez
29-2 five-seat single-
engined biplane in
- A number
of the type would
ultimately be operated
by the carrier, six of
which are seen here at
Belgrade-Dojno Polje
Airport in 1929.
F • The
Aeroput MMS-3 was
the first Yugoslavian
twin-engined three-
seater passenger
aircraft. It was
produced by Aeroput
for its own needs
in 1935 and was
created by engineer
Milenko Mitrović-
Spirta.
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