Centavia

Centavia, short for Central European Aviation, was a Serbian low-cost airline established in 2005. The company was designed to connect Belgrade with European destinations and used Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as its hub. Its technical base was at Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany. The airline was founded and led by Predrag Vujović, who had previously attempted to establish another Serbian carrier, Air Maxi, but abandoned that project because it could not secure sufficient funding. Centavia began assembling its operating fleet in 2006. Its first aircraft, a BAe 146-200 leased from Meridiana, arrived on 15 June 2006. The aircraft supported the airline's first charter service, which operated from Corfu to Belgrade on 8 July 2006. During its initial operating period, Centavia concentrated on charter flying rather than a broad scheduled network. A second BAe 146-200 arrived in August 2006 and was registered as YU-AGM, bringing the fleet to two aircraft. The carrier sought to use Serbia's geographic position to serve destinations across Central and Southern Europe. It obtained permissions or landing rights connected with operations to Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, and planned to begin services to those countries during the winter 2006 season. Centavia also held informal discussions with Hungary's Wizz Air about jointly operating selected routes. A proposed codeshare arrangement with Slovenia's Adria Airways was associated with planned Belgrade–Ljubljana services. Centavia's expansion plans were constrained by regulatory and political obstacles affecting air links between Serbia and other former Yugoslav republics. Croatian authorities rejected the airline's application to operate between Belgrade and Zagreb, stating that the relevant bilateral framework was absent and that the European Open Skies Agreement did not apply in the circumstances. Montenegro also denied landing rights. These decisions limited Centavia's ability to develop regional routes that had been central to its plans and were widely viewed as reflecting unresolved intergovernmental and aviation-policy disputes in the former Yugoslavia. The airline's operating life was brief. Centavia declared bankruptcy on 8 November 2006. Its two leased aircraft were returned to the lessor, BAE Systems, on 9 November 2006. As a result, the planned scheduled network and prospective partnerships did not develop into a sustained commercial operation. Centavia is therefore chiefly remembered as an early post-2000s Serbian low-cost airline initiative whose ambitions were curtailed by financial weakness, regulatory barriers and a very short operating period.

Centavia, whose name referred to Central European Aviation, was established in Serbia in 2005 as a proposed low-cost and regional airline. Its founder and chief executive, Predrag Vujović, had previously pursued the creation of Air Maxi, another airline project that was abandoned because of inadequate funding. Centavia was intended to develop a new commercial air link structure centered on Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, with Cologne Bonn Airport serving as its technical base. The airline moved from planning to operations in 2006. It received its first BAe 146-200 on 15 June 2006 from Meridiana. The aircraft was used for Centavia's first charter flight, which flew from Corfu to Belgrade on 8 July. At first, the carrier operated only charter services. A second BAe 146-200 arrived on 17 August 2006 and received the registration YU-AGM. The two aircraft formed the entire fleet identified for the airline. Centavia planned to use its Serbian base to build a network to destinations in Central and Southern Europe. It secured permissions or landing rights associated with Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland and expected to launch services to those markets in the winter of 2006. The company also discussed possible cooperation with Wizz Air and was expected to codeshare on proposed Belgrade–Ljubljana flights with Slovenia's Adria Airways. Slovenia approved the relevant operating request without the difficulties encountered elsewhere. The carrier's regional ambitions were affected by political and regulatory barriers. Centavia intended to become the first airline to operate a Belgrade–Zagreb route since the dissolution of Yugoslavia, but Croatian authorities rejected the application. Their stated position was that no bilateral agreement existed between Serbia and Croatia for the proposed operation and that the European Open Skies Agreement ratified by Croatia did not apply in the case. Montenegro also refused landing rights, in a dispute connected with aviation relations between the two countries and the withdrawal of Montenegro's air operator certificate for the daughter company of Montenegro Airlines, Master Airways. These restrictions damaged Centavia's ability to develop its planned former-Yugoslav regional links. Centavia's commercial existence lasted only a few months. It declared bankruptcy on 8 November 2006. The two leased BAe 146 aircraft were returned to BAE Systems the following day. The proposed scheduled network, codeshare and cooperative arrangements therefore did not mature into a long-term airline business. Centavia remains an example of a short-lived Serbian airline startup whose plans were undermined by limited financial durability and cross-border regulatory disputes.

• 2006

  First BAe 146-200 arrives

  [1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Centavia receives its first aircraft, a BAe 146-200 obtained from Meridiana, on 15 June.

• 2006

  First charter flight

  [1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  The airline operates its first charter service from Corfu to Belgrade on 8 July.

• 2006

  Second aircraft joins the fleet

  [1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  A second BAe 146-200 arrives in August and is registered as YU-AGM.

• 2006

  Bankruptcy and fleet return

  [1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Centavia declares bankruptcy on 8 November and returns both leased aircraft to BAE Systems on 9 November.

• 2005

  Centavia is established

  [1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Central European Aviation, operating under the Centavia name, is established in Serbia as a planned low-cost airline.

A Serbian low-cost and regional airline seeking to link Belgrade with Central and Southern European destinations, initially through charter operations and later through a planned scheduled network.

• Airline service · 2006

  Charter passenger flights

  Centavia initially operated charter passenger services rather than a large scheduled network. Its first recorded commercial flight was a Corfu–Belgrade service on 8 July 2006. Charter operations provided the airline's initial operating platform while it pursued permissions for a broader European network.

• Airline service · 2006

  Planned regional scheduled services

  Centavia planned scheduled flights from Belgrade to destinations in Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland for the winter 2006 season. Proposed regional links included Belgrade–Ljubljana and Belgrade–Zagreb, although regulatory obstacles and the airline's bankruptcy prevented the intended network from becoming established.

• Aircraft fleet · 2006

  BAe 146-200 fleet

  Centavia operated two leased BAe 146-200 aircraft. The first came from Meridiana, while the second arrived in August 2006 and was registered as YU-AGM. Both aircraft were returned to BAE Systems after the airline declared bankruptcy.

• 2006

  Begin operations with charter flightsStrategy

  Background

  Centavia was a new airline with a limited two-aircraft fleet and a planned European route network that had not yet fully secured regulatory clearance.

  Action taken

  The carrier began with charter services, including the inaugural Corfu–Belgrade flight, while continuing to pursue scheduled-route permissions.

  Aftermath

  The airline did not progress to a sustained scheduled operation before declaring bankruptcy later in 2006.

  Source

• 2006

  Pursue regional partnershipsStrategy

  Background

  Centavia sought to expand from Belgrade into Central and Southern Europe and faced the challenge of building a viable network with a very small fleet.

  Action taken

  The airline held informal discussions with Wizz Air about joint operation of selected routes and planned to codeshare on Belgrade–Ljubljana services with Adria Airways.

  Aftermath

  The proposed cooperation did not develop into a lasting commercial network because Centavia ceased operations after its November bankruptcy.

  Source

• 2006

  Cease operations following bankruptcyOther

  Background

  Centavia's operating period was brief, and its expansion plans were constrained by financial weakness and regional landing-rights disputes.

  Action taken

  The company declared bankruptcy on 8 November and returned its two leased aircraft to BAE Systems the next day.

  Aftermath

  Centavia became defunct and its proposed scheduled services and partnerships were abandoned.

  Source

• 2006

  Centavia receives its first aircraft[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The airline received its first BAe 146-200 from Meridiana on 15 June 2006 as it prepared to begin operations.

• 2006

  Centavia operates its first charter flight[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Centavia's first charter flight operated from Corfu to Belgrade on 8 July 2006.

• 2006

  Croatia rejects Centavia's Belgrade–Zagreb application[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  Croatian authorities rejected Centavia's request to operate between Belgrade and Zagreb, citing the absence of an applicable bilateral agreement and disputing the applicability of the European Open Skies framework.

• 2006

  Montenegro denies Centavia landing rights[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  Montenegro denied the airline permission to land, further restricting Centavia's proposed regional network.

• 2006

  Centavia declares bankruptcy[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Centavia declared bankruptcy on 8 November 2006 after a short operating period.

• 2006

  Centavia returns its leased aircraft[1]Centaviaen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  The airline returned its two leased BAe 146 aircraft to BAE Systems on 9 November 2006, one day after declaring bankruptcy.

1. 1Centaviaen.wikipedia.org