New Century, New Beginnings
With all the misfortunes that JAT faced during the 1990s,
including the infamous deal with Airbus that was never
completed, the company was thrown into a deep economic
crisis. However, by the time FR Yugoslavia ceased to exist in
2003, JAT had managed to renew some of its old routes and to
introduce new Euro-Mediterranean sectors, with a f leet thatwas enriched in 2002 by a leased Boeing 737-4Q8.
The disappearance of FR Yugoslavia made the name
‘JAT – Yugoslav Airlines’ obsolete and the airline rebranded
itself into Jat Airways on August 8, 2003, a move that
was followed by the introduction of a new visual identity.
Jat Airways titling was applied to all aircraft fuselages,
supplemented by three dots (blue, red and blue) on the tails.
Meanwhile, the rising need for regional operations
resulted in the lease of an ATR-72-202 – this becoming the
fourth of the type to join the f leet. This was followed in
2004 by a decision to lease two Boeing 737-4B7s from US
Airways and by the end of the year Jat Airways had carried
1,202,124 passengers.
In 2005 Jat Airways returned its leased B737-4Q8, sold its
last DC-10 and phased out all remaining Boeing 727 and
DC-9 aircraft from its routes.
On June 3, 2006, the State Union of Serbia and
Montenegro ceased to exist and Jat Airways effectively
became the national f lag carrier of the Republic of Serbia.The f irst Boeing 737
joined JAT in 1985
and the airline would
go on to operate an
extensive f leet of
the type. YU-AND
was one of the f irst
delivered and is seen
here departing Paris
Orly in April 2002 in
the updated scheme
worn by the JAT f leet
from 1993 onwards.
The aircraft remains
in service today with
Air Serbia, albeit in
Aviolet markings.
S W
A B
C
JAT DC-10 YU-AMB
at Zurich in July 2001
wearing the f inal
version of the airline’s
livery. Following
the collapse of the
former Yugoslavia
the name ‘JAT –
Yugoslav Airlines’
became obsolete and
the airline rebranded
itself into Jat Airways.
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