Centavia

Centavia (Central European Aviation) was a short-lived Serbian low cost airline. Its hub airport was Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport in Serbia while its technical base was in Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany. The airline declared bankruptcy on 8 November 2006.

Centavia
Central European Aviation
IATA ICAO Callsign
7N CNA N/A
Founded2005
Ceased operations2006
HubsBelgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Fleet sizeDefunct
DestinationsDefunct
HeadquartersBelgrade, Serbia
Key peoplePredrag Vujović, founder
WebsiteN/A

History

Centavia was established in 2005 and received its first aircraft, a BAe 146-200, on 15 June 2006 from Meridiana.[1] Its founder and CEO, Predrag Vujović, had previously attempted to set up an airline company called Air Maxi, but those plans had been abandoned due to a lack of funding.[2][3]

Centavia's first (charter) flight took place on 8 July 2006, to Belgrade from Corfu. For the initial period, only charter flights were operated. The airline's second aircraft arrived on 17 August 2006 and was registered as YU-AGM.[4][5]

Centavia was to be the first airline to operate flights from Belgrade to Zagreb since the dissolution of Yugoslavia. However, the Croatian Authorities rejected the airline's application, saying that no bilateral agreements existed between the two states and that the European Open Skies Agreement, ratified by Croatia, would not be applicable in this case. Similarly, the Montenegrin government denied the airline landing rights due to Serbian withdrawal of the AOC of Montenegro Airlines' daughter company, Master Airways, rejection dramatically deteriorated the economic ties between the two former Yugoslav Republics. It was later confirmed that the European Commission requested detailed explanation from both the Croatian and Montenegrin Authorities over their rejection of landing rights. The airline's demise was seen as collateral damage of the unresolved issues and disputes between the Republics of former Yugoslavia. Only Slovenia approved Centavia's operations request without any difficulties. Centavia was to code share on the Belgrade to Ljubljana flights with Adria Airways of Slovenia.

Centavia had received permissions and landing rights from Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland and planned to start flights to these states in the winter of 2006.

Centavia also held informal talks with Wizz Air of Hungary to jointly operate certain flights.

Centavia's two leased aircraft were returned to the lessor, BAE Systems, on 9 November 2006.

Fleet

References
  1. 1 Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine 2_3 Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine4 Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2013-04-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. 1
  6. Centavia at rzjets.net, retrieved 13-12-2014
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