Air Serbia flew with pride during the state of emergency, from 18 th March to 27 th May, because of its country and all of its citizens. The airline transported more than 10,000 passengers and conducted more than 100 rotations, carrying valuable medical equipment, experts, respirators, hope and salvation, but also returning people from airports around the world to our Serbia, to their homes, to safety… MORALITY, COURAGE AND STRENGTH OF SERBIA'S WINGS AIR SERBIA AGAINST COVID19
was the most important flight in his life. “Our mission was first to fly from Belgrade to Shanghai, then on to Guangzhou, and from there back to our capital city. I can emphasise with pride that all colleagues gladly responded to the invitation to go to collect medical experts and help. It is a great honour when you can help your people and country, and when you know that your job done well will help to save lives in our Serbia, which we all love immensely. The flight lasted mo- re than 30 hours. I have never previously been on a longer and tougher flight, but I‘ve also never felt more pride and happiness to be part of this team. And if we also add to this the welcome greeting at our airport, I think that’s something I’ll remember as long as I live. I knew that the eyes of the whole nation were on us at that moment, and I felt very proud. We all live for such moments, and the happiness was huge, said Captain Filipović back in March, adding that Air Serbia employees have always been, and will always be, the first to act whenever something needs to be done for the nation and the state. That‘s because it was precisely during those days when Air Serbia was transporting medical aid and citizens from all over the world that we could see just how important our national air- line is. Alongside special cargo flights, of which there were a to- tal of 45, and which tirelessly brought us help, the national airli- ne flew proudly and bravely to help Serbian citizens trapped at airports around the world. Air Serbia brought them home. And although they know they are doing the right thing, at our airli- ne they say that they only became aware of that after landing, when they saw the faces of grateful passengers. Thousands of our citizens who found themselves beyond the country‘s bor- ders were returned to Serbia. They also helped foreign citizens who found themselves in our country when the Coronavirus hit, so Air Serbia flew to Los Angeles on 26 th March, transporting 68 American citizens, and from there delivered valuable medical equipment back to Ser- bia. A flight to Washington also followed – with 178 American ci- tizens returned home, while 236 of our people arrived back in Serbia from that city. They flew to the airports of almost all Eu- ropean cities, wherever there was at least one Serbian citizen who couldn‘t find their way home. And just over two months later, on 21 st May, we welcomed the return of our planes to commercial waters, to regular pas- senger routes, with joy. Guests on the first flight, which took to the sky bound for Zurich at 7.20am, didn‘t hide how happy they were to be able to see their friends and family, to return to the- ir usual work obligations… Air Serbia flew that same day to Fran- kfurt, followed by London, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris, New York and other destinations that can be flown to at this moment. Li- fe began to return to the world‘s skies, but security remained the top priority. “We want to assure our passengers that we have taken and implemented all necessary measures, in accordance with the highest standards of safety and hygiene, as well as the in- structions of the competent domestic and international regu- latory bodies. We have proactively introduced many measu- res that exceed industry standards in this area, in order for us to further protect our passengers and crew members. As always, the safety of passengers and crew members comes first,” sa- id Air Serbia CEO Naysmith. He invited passengers to regularly monitor the company‘s website, as well as social media acco- unts, in order to always keep updated regarding measures that the Serbian national airline is taking to enable its passengers to travel safely and comfortably.
THE SKY OVER SERBIA FELL SILENT on that fateful 19 th Mar- ch 2020. The skies above the world fell silent. Covid-19 groun- ded planes, closed borders, isolated people, stopped life as we know it. During those few days in mid-March the birds had the blue expanse just to themselves, but Air Serbia‘s planes very quickly began keeping them company again. That‘s because although passenger traffic stopped for security reasons, stop- ping in order to halt a pandemic the likes of which humanity has not seen in the last hundred years, brave pilots, cabin crew and the management of the national airline made themselves avai- lable to the state of Serbia and all its citizens. Air Serbia employees had no dilemma, nor fear, becau- se they know best how resilient aviation is. There have been dif- ficult times and crises before, which their predecessors tra- versed with pride and courage. Aeroput, JAT and JAT Airways, in a history dating back 93 years, confronted impossible situati- ons from which they emerged victorious. This difficult 2020 al- so put Air Serbia to the test, a test that it passed with the hig- hest marks! “The airport is open for all humanitarian flights, cargo fli- ghts and special ad hoc flights, and Serbia‘s airspace is open for all flights. The human spirit strives for connection, and on- ly aviation can provide that. At this time of previously unrecor- ded deviations from planned traffic, I want to send you a perso- nal message, while we are all confronted by the effects of the Coronavirus. It is inevitable that this will hit us all, as well as our work, our nation and our families. I‘m sure that with devotion, perseverance, dedication and the desire of us all, we will emer- ge from everything much stronger and better prepared for the future,” said Air Serbia CEO Duncan Naysmith addressing his employees, but also the entire nation. And so it was that as early as 21 st March one of our pla- nes flew towards Belgrade carrying medical devices, disin- fectants, masks and other protective equipment, but also six medical experts who‘d fought against the Coronavirus in Wu- han. That same day saw an Airbus depart bound for Shang- hai, for the second round of valuable help. Serbia saw these fli- ghts as a sign of hope that everything will be fine, that we are not alone, that help can arrive, that our Air Serbia is awake and on a mission. How that looked was best explained by one of the pi- lots on the A330, which under normal circumstances flies to New York. He flew to China during the state of emergency, and the captain told me during the conversation we had at the ti- me that he‘d never been on a longer or tougher flight, nor had he ever been so proud and happy. Dejan Filipović says that this
Zaposleni u Er Srbiji nisu imali dilemu, ni strah, jer oni najbolje znaju koliko je avijacija otporna / Air Serbia employees had no dilemma, nor fear, because they know best how resilient aviation is
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