Etihad Airways and Government of Serbia sign MOU to explore equity investment in JatAirways

Etihad Airways will advance discussions with JatAirways about an equity investment in the Serbian national carrier.

An Initial Memorandum of Understanding (IMU) between Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia was signed in Belgrade today, Monday June 17.

An investment decision would depend on the successful completion of a comprehensive due diligence process and be subject to all necessary regulatory and respective board approvals.

CEO of Etihad Airways, James Hogan said: “These are early days but we are excited about the future and look forward to exploring the possibility of a much deeper strategic commercial partnership with JatAirways.”

The two airlines will now intensify discussions about collaborative efforts to further integrate their networks and help JatAirways achieve efficiencies, build revenue, and reduce costs.

He added: “As we have demonstrated with our minority equity investments in other airlines, significant on-going savings can be achieved through joint initiatives. These include pilot and crew training, fuel, insurance, and procurement and maintenance agreements for common engine types.”

The IMU announcement follows the launch of Etihad Airways’ daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade on Saturday, June 15.