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Wizz Air may close its Belgrade hub if the company’s conflict with the Serbian government—which erupted this spring due to regulatory changes affecting the operations of airlines in the Balkan country—is not resolved in the foreseeable future, Világgazdaság reported. The Hungarian low-cost airline believes the changes could give Air Serbia—which already holds a dominant position—an additional competitive advantage in the Serbian aviation market over foreign competitors, including Wizz Air.
The dispute between Wizz Air and Serbia continues to escalate, as the Hungarian low-cost airline claims that the proposed new regulations would make it completely impossible to operate its local base, thereby giving the state-owned Air Serbia a significant competitive advantage in the Balkan country’s aviation market. The Serbian side, however, rejects the allegations, arguing that the amendments are intended solely for security and regulatory purposes, and not to drive Wizz Air out of Serbia.
Photo: Hungary Today
Under the regulations Serbia plans to introduce, starting in November 2026,
the state would impose new conditions on the maintenance and operational activities of foreign airlines operating in the Balkan country.
Wizz Air states that it is practically impossible to comply with these regulations under its current operating model, and therefore the company believes that its Belgrade base could be at risk. Wizz Air argues that the changes jeopardize the continued operation of its aircraft based in Belgrade, where the low-cost carrier currently operates four aircraft and flights to 23 destinations, including Barcelona, Hamburg, Madrid, Malta, and Fiumicino.
According to data from the Airport Research Center, the airline currently accounts for 20.9% of the capacity at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG), making it the airport’s second-largest airline behind Air Serbia, which holds a 51.9% share. Wizz Air noted that, as a member of the European Single Aviation Area (ESAA), Serbia has committed to the liberalization of the aviation market; however, the current measures contradict these obligations, and the matter may therefore become the subject of an investigation at the EU level.
Based on a report by Flight Global, an aviation industry portal, the amendment affects Article 3 of the agreement, which stipulates that European Union airlines may, under the third and fourth freedoms of the air, operate flights that depart from and arrive in the territory of the European Union. The Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate (CAD), on the other hand, emphasizes that the amendments apply equally to all market participants. According to the authority, the new rules are being introduced solely to strengthen aviation safety and the regulatory framework. However, according to Wizz Air, the reports incorrectly linked administrative licensing issues involving third-party maintenance providers to flight safety.
Any claim that Wizz Air operated aircraft without adequate maintenance support or in a manner that jeopardized safety is completely false,
the airline stated, adding that the airworthiness of its aircraft, the quality of their maintenance, and their safety standards have never been in question.
In its statement, Wizz Air also noted that its operations in Belgrade had been supported for more than fifteen years by Global Maintenance, a maintenance company compliant with ESAA regulations. On April 20, the Serbian authorities ordered the suspension of operations for the company servicing the airline’s aircraft. Wizz immediately transferred maintenance support to Avia Technics, another ESAA-approved service provider. However, Avia Technics subsequently faced the same ground handling licensing issue. To ensure the continuity of maintenance operations, Wizz Air established its own maintenance capability in Belgrade on May 27.
In this regard, the airline stated that Serbian authorities confirmed that no separate ground handling license is required for maintenance performed by its own approved organization under a self-handling agreement.
Air Serbia is, in fact, the dominant player in the Serbian market and has received significant state support in recent years; the proposed regulations would likely further strengthen this position.
Industry analysts have noted in this regard that, in the long run, passengers will also feel the effects if competition diminishes. Wizz Air is currently one of Belgrade’s most important international carriers, so a potential withdrawal could lead to higher ticket prices and a narrower selection of flights.
Via Világgazdaság; Featured photo: Pixabay
The post Wizz Air Warns It Could Close Belgrade Base amid Dispute with Serbian Authorities appeared first on Hungary Today.
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