newstodate.aero
Mar 11, 2014 (newstodate): The parties in the struggle over a Serb order for new Airbus A319 aircraft in the 90'ies has finally been solved amicably.
In 1998, JAT inked a contract signed by the former Milosovic government worth USD 400 million with Airbus for purchase of eight A319 aircraft and paid USD 23 million up front.
The aircraft were never delivered and the fate of the down-payment remained a bottleneck in the carrier's long-overdue fleet renewal issue.
After the Balkan wars, JAT and Serbia repeatedly tried to retrieve the money from Airbus that, however, refused to back down from its stance.
With the entry of Etihad among Air Serbia's shareholders, the situation has changed.
In 2013, Air Serbia placed orders for 10 new A320neo aircraft to be operated by Air Serbia, and the earlier down-payment has been accepted by Airbus as part of the total payment for the new aircraft, thus ending a year-long strife.
In 1998, JAT inked a contract signed by the former Milosovic government worth USD 400 million with Airbus for purchase of eight A319 aircraft and paid USD 23 million up front.
The aircraft were never delivered and the fate of the down-payment remained a bottleneck in the carrier's long-overdue fleet renewal issue.
After the Balkan wars, JAT and Serbia repeatedly tried to retrieve the money from Airbus that, however, refused to back down from its stance.
With the entry of Etihad among Air Serbia's shareholders, the situation has changed.
In 2013, Air Serbia placed orders for 10 new A320neo aircraft to be operated by Air Serbia, and the earlier down-payment has been accepted by Airbus as part of the total payment for the new aircraft, thus ending a year-long strife.