MYKONOS – Er Srbija, the national airline of Serbia, commenced its first direct flight from Belgrade to Mykonos today.

The company's Director of Commercial Affairs and Strategy, Boško Rupić, noted that passenger interest in the Mykonos route is significantly high, with an impressive capacity utilization of 97 percent on the inaugural flight.

"The interest from travelers will likely increase over the summer since this is the first time we have a direct connection between Belgrade and Mykonos.

Previously, passengers needed to take connecting flights, mainly via Athens, to reach the island," Rupić stated.

He emphasized that Mykonos is the seventh destination in regular service by Er Srbija for flights to Greece.

"Adding to this, we service an additional five charter destinations, totaling twelve destinations, which reflects how much our citizens appreciate Greece and the demand for direct flights between Serbia and Greece," Rupić added.

When questioned about plans for new routes to other Greek islands, Rupić indicated that Greece as a tourist destination is always of interest.

"We constantly analyze and monitor potential additions to our destination map.

The fact that we are offering twelve direct destinations from Belgrade this year indicates that there is demand and room for us to further expand our network," he stated.

Er Srbija will operate flights between Belgrade and Mykonos twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

The inaugural flight from Belgrade to Mykonos was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony just before passenger boarding on an Embraer E-195 aircraft.

Onboard, passengers were treated to branded snacks, including a large Pionir Plazma biscuit, water, nuts, and a certificate commemorating the first flight between Belgrade and Mykonos.

Upon arrival, local airport representatives and the Serbian Ambassador to Greece, Nikola Nedeljković, welcomed passengers and crew.

Nedeljković highlighted that over a million Serbian tourists visit Greece annually during the summer season.

"This flight allows our citizens to access not only Mykonos, one of the world's best destinations, but also the entire group of islands.

I am very proud to have witnessed the first landing of a Serbian plane in Mykonos," Nedeljković remarked.

The ambassador further noted that until recently, it was unimaginable for a citizen of New York to purchase a ticket from Er Srbija and, with just one transfer, reach Mykonos via Belgrade.

"I believe that Er Srbija has well-studied the market and that our people will find it very accessible to reach this island.

Not only Mykonos, but there are also Santorini and Milos.

The state plans to open an honorary consulate during the season to accommodate the increased number of tourists," he added.

Referencing the significance of the direct flight between Belgrade and Mykonos, Nedeljković recalled that establishing this route was unthinkable during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the 1990s when Serbian planes were grounded.

"During the pandemic, our airline brought back over 4,000 people to the country for free.

I believe we need to have more confidence in our airline, the state, and to take pride in our country as foreigners do," he remarked.

Between January 1 and May 31 of this year, Er Srbija transported over 1.529 million passengers.

In addition to Mykonos, this year the airline will, for the first time in its history, also operate flights to Sardinia and Tbilisi and is planning to re-establish direct flights between Belgrade and Geneva.

The most popular destinations for Er Srbija in May included Tivat and Podgorica in the region.

In Western Europe, travelers primarily chose flights to Paris, Zurich, Barcelona, and Milan, while in the Euro-Mediterranean zone, the favored destinations were Istanbul, Larnaca, and Athens.

Mykonos is among the most famous Greek islands, located in the heart of the Aegean Sea.

The destination is synonymous with luxury, golden sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and a vibrant nightlife.