This is my first review, and hopefully not the last. The reason I decided to write it is because I used both airBaltic and Air Serbia on my trip to Athens for an extended weekend.
I bought my ticket almost a year in advance, which is unusual, but there was a promotion at the time. I paid around 10,000 RSD (about €80), which is quite cheap considering that a cabin bag was included in the price.
I arrived at the airport about 1 hour and 30 minutes before my flight. Previously, I would usually arrive about an hour before departure, but since I discovered LoungeKey, I try to use lounges at every airport I fly from.
This was my 10th time visiting the Belgrade lounge, and to be honest, it’s the worst one so far. It looks outdated, not very clean, and the food and drink selection is quite poor. It definitely needs renovation, especially considering that it’s a business lounge used by many international travellers.
I also found out that I can bring one guest free of charge, so I will definitely use that option next time. Anyway, I picked up three sandwiches and two Coca-Colas, which I shared with the person sitting next to me on the flight to Athens.
About 30 minutes before departure, I headed to the gate, where boarding started based on zones corresponding to seat rows (from the back of the plane forward). I found this very efficient, as boarding was completed in about 20 minutes. The flight departed on time.
This flight was operated by airBaltic using a 2-year-old Airbus A220. The aircraft was in excellent condition and had solid legroom, especially considering that I am 188 cm tall.
One thing I really liked was the small screen above each seat showing the map and flight information. After about 20 minutes, I discovered that there was free Wi-Fi on board with very good speed – excellent!
The crew, however, wasn’t as friendly or engaging as I’m used to with Air Serbia crews. I went to the toilet and had a short chat with a crew member. When I asked about the number of passengers, she said it was confidential and even asked why I was asking. When I mentioned it was for a trip report, she still refused but jokingly said I could count them myself 😂 – which I eventually did.
The flight was almost full, with around 8 empty seats. The passenger next to me told me he was transiting from Vienna.
We landed after about 1 hour and 5 minutes. While taxiing to the gate, I saw three Qatar Airways aircraft lined up, as well as an Emirates plane, likely due to the situation in the Middle East.
After disembarking, I headed to passport control. The line was huge, and with only three officers working, the wait was around 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Overall: 9.5/10
Return flight to Belgrade
On my way back to Belgrade, the flight was operated by Air Serbia using an Embraer E195.
I arrived at the airport about 2 hours before departure. Although I didn’t have checked baggage, I was asked to check in my cabin bag at the counter because the flight was full. Later, the crew mentioned there were 12 seats in business class and 103 in economy. I refused to check in my bag since I was in a hurry and know that baggage handling in Belgrade can be slow.
I went straight to passport control, where the line took about 25 minutes. I’m not sure what’s happening in Athens, but again, only three officers were working.
This time I used the Sky Express lounge, which has been newly renovated (I didn’t know that, as I had only seen old photos in the LoungeKey app). It was honestly a very pleasant experience.
The staff at reception even asked if I wanted to take a shower and offered to prepare it. Since I didn’t have much time, I went to the main lounge area, grabbed some food and wine, and relaxed.
There was a good selection of meals, everything from club sandwiches to grilled chicken with vegetables. The drink selection was also solid, including coffee and Greek white wines.
After about 45 minutes, I headed to the gate, which was around a 5-minute walk from the lounge. Boarding was already in progress, and I was among the last groups to board.
The issue started because the Embraer doesn’t have much overhead storage, and many passengers had more luggage than allowed. The crew had to place some bags in the cargo hold due to lack of space, which slowed down the boarding process. Boarding was completed about 30 minutes later, and we pushed back at 5:00 PM (original departure time was 4:30 PM).
The Embraer itself was in good condition, around 10 years old but freshly painted in Air Serbia colours. The legroom felt similar to the Airbus A220, and as mentioned, it was comfortable for my height (188 cm).
About 10 minutes into the flight, the crew started service with water and a Mini Plazma snack.
The crew was generally very friendly. I noticed them interacting with children at the back of the plane, always smiling, which was a big plus compared to the airBaltic crew.
After about 1 hour and 10 minutes, we landed at Belgrade Airport.
Overall: 9/10
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