Serbian flag-carrying airline Air Serbia has announced a new codeshare, this time with the Nordic favorite Finnair. Launched yesterday (27^th October), the new partnership will see Finnair’s code added to Air Serbia flights and vice versa on some select routes.

In a press release announcing the agreement, Air Serbia’s Vice President of Trading and Strategy, Jiri Marek, commented,

“We are pleased to be able to offer our customers more choice and flexibility in their travel arrangements with Finnair. We believe that this interesting and strategically important partnership will improve our countries' economic relations. We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Finnair customers on our flights to Belgrade and other Air Serbia destinations.”

Details of the new codeshare

Air Serbia’s new tie-up with Finnair will see improved connectivity between Serbia and various destinations in Europe and Asia.

According to a Finnair press release, the agreement will see Air Serbia’s JU code added to flights operating on Finnair metal between Helsinki and;

• Vienna
• Prague
• Berlin
• Copenhagen
• Stockholm
• Gothenburg
• Oslo
• Riga
• Tartu
• Vilnius
• Tallinn

In addition to these cross border services, Air Serbia’s code will also be added to numerous domestic routes around Finland from Helsinki. These include:

• Tampere
• Joensuu
• Jyväskylä
• Kuopio
• Kajaani
• Kokkola-Pietarsaari
• Vaasa
• Kemi-Tornio
• Oulu
• Ivalo
• Kuusamo
• Rovaniemi

In return, Finnair’s AY code will be added to Air Serbia flights between Belgrade and Helsinki, as well as between Belgrade and;

• Vienna
• Prague
• Berlin
• Tirana
• Bucharest
• Sofia
• Skopje
• Podgorica
• Sarajevo
• Tivat
• Larnaca
• Thessaloniki

Finnair is a leading transatlantic carrier, so the partnership will allow easier connections via Helsinki to a number of US destinations too. Right now, Finnair flies to eight destinations in North America and 19 in Asia, along with more than 100 around Europe.

In terms of points redemption, Finnair was kind enough to provide Simple Flying with the following information:

It’s possible to earn Finnair Plus points if you have purchased a Finnair codeshare flight (operated by e.g. Air Serbia) in connection with a scheduled flight operated by Finnair. In most cases, you will earn points based on the booking class, points multiplier and distance flown.

Codeshare table for Finnair flights (AY2501–AY7000) can found here. Finnair Plus point redemption is not possible with Air Serbia operated flights.

Advancing Air Serbia

This development comes just months after Air Serbia first began flying into Helsinki from Belgrade. The airline has been forging a path for the future over the course of 2019, with this just one of many codeshare agreements that have been inked or expanded since the start of the year.

Just this week, the airline has reached a passenger milestone, with 15 million travelers boarding its aircraft since it relaunched under a new name six years ago. This is in no small part thanks to the airline’s massive restructuring which took place in 2017, where changes were made at all levels of the company to improve performance.

From standardizing the seating to restructuring fares, Air Serbia has made positive efforts to improve efficiencies and passenger experience throughout its operations. With a new hub at Nis and increased services from both here and Belgrade, Air Serbia is becoming a force to be reckoned with. We’re looking forward to seeing what 2020 brings.