Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines have taken divergent approaches to global alliance membership. Air Serbia has indicated it is exploring potential interest and has not ruled out joining one of the three major alliances – Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam – though it has no immediate plans to do so. Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “We’re not in a rush. For now, we’re informally gauging interest during various meetings. Our strategy remains consistent: if there’s a proposal based on equal partnership, we’re open to exploring it, but at this stage, we don’t see anything on the table”. Air Serbia has previously noted that due to its size, membership within and alliance would hinder its independence, noting, “We don’t want anyone else to tell us who we can and can’t cooperate with”.
Croatia Airlines has been a member of Star Alliance for over two decades, with CEO Jasmin Bajić emphasising that the partnership remains highly significant to the carrier’s operations. “All the work is done within the framework of Star Alliance. We joined twenty years ago and are the smallest airline member. But we have to reach and maintain certain standards to be part of the alliance, and I am proud that Croatia Airlines has done that for two decades. Compliance with these standards and the associated technology is really important to us and gives us a platform for success. It allows us to be competitive. And, of course, there are innovations at an alliance level which we can access and there is added value for our passengers in terms of connectivity and rewards”.
EX-YU Aviation News has approached Air Montenegro to comment on whether it sees benefits in joining an alliance in the long-term. However, the carrier declined to respond. The airline has yet to finalise its first codeshare or any other form of partnership with another carrier, although it has previously stated that such agreements are in the works.
