Under the Decision on Declaring Emergency Situation ( Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia Nos 31 / 2020, 36/2020, 38/2020, 39/2020) and the Regulation on Emergency Measures (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia Nos 31/2020, 36/2020, 38/2020, 39/2020) the Government of the Republic of Serbia suspended air operations in the Republic of Serbia for all commercial flights.
As the situation caused by the COVID-19 virus pandemic affected all air carriers without exception, the European Commission published a document titled “Interpretative Guidelines on EU passenger rights regulations in the context of the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19”, Brussels 18/3/2020 C (2020 ) 1830 final, which states, among other things:
where public authorities take measures intended to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, such measures are by their nature and origin not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of carriers and are outside their actual control respectively "is caused" by extraordinary circumstances, which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
Accordingly, passengers' compensation claims will be treated in accordance with the circumstances of the emergency, which relieves the carrier of the obligation to pay the passengers damages.
The Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia informs the public of the intention to intensify inspections in the coming period to safeguard aviation safety, due to the increased paraglider activities, announced previously.
At Nikola Tesla Airport for thresholds RWY 12/30 and Constantine the Great Airport for threshold RWY 29, approach procedures based on EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) SoL service are applied. These two airports are among the first airports in Southeast Europe, where the EGNOS service is operational. EGNOS service implementation status (taken from EGNOS Bulletin, Issue 33 – Summer’20 Edition) EGNOS represents the European SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System). With its three geostationary satellites and a network of reference earth stations and centers, EGNOS improves GNSS information\'s accuracy and reliability. The implementation of the EGNOS service enables the definition of RNP APCH procedures up to an LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance) minimum of 200 ft, which corresponds to the minimum for ILS CAT I operations, without the installation of ground equipment at airports. At the end of 2016, the European Commission started the project of using the EGNOS SoL service in civil aviation in countries outside the European Union. The Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Serbia initiated the signing of an agreement with the GSA (European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency). It gave warranties and confirmed compliance of SMATSA LLC with the applicable SES requirements. Based on the said agreement between the Directorate and the GSA as the competent aviation authorities, the agreement was signed by the service providers ESSP (European Satellite Service Provider) and SMATSA LLC, after which the EGNOS signal formally became available to users. The working agreements signed with the GSA and the ESSP were the first EGNOS working agreements signed in the Balkans. After defining the operational and legal framework for the use of EGNOS service, SMATSA LLC activities on its implementation followed: site survey, development of RNP APCH procedures up to LPV (CAT I) minimum, safety assessment, validation from the ground and from the air and publication in AIP. Published EGNOS procedures in AIP The establishment of EGNOS SoL service at airports in the Republic of Serbia enabled the continuation of activities on the implementation of APV procedures and the implementation of the national plan for the introduction of PBN. The Directorate of Civil Aviation will continue to monitor and apply the latest standards in the field of air navigation in order to enable efficient use of airspace (from the point of view of optimal route planning, reduction of fuel consumption, and noise reduction) while maintaining the required level of safety.
At the proposal of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure The Government of the Republic of Serbia has adopted a regulation 343-3718 / 2020-1 of 08.05.2020 recommending the air carriers, having been issued the operating license under the law governing air transport, due to cancellation of flights in emergency situation caused by COVID-19 to issue vouchers to passengers enabling them to exercise their rights by choosing between: changing the date of their travel, under the similar conditions of transport, to the final destination as acceptable to the passenger, depending on the availability of free seats; the possibility to use the amount corresponding to the full price of the ticket at which it was purchased on one of the flights on the air carriers network at a later date, as acceptable to the passenger, depending on the availability of free seats. The voucher referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article may be used until December 31, 2021.
At the proposal of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure The Government of the Republic of Serbia has adopted a regulation 343-3718 / 2020-1 of 08.05.2020 recommending the air carriers, having been issued the operating license under the law governing air transport, due to cancellation of flights in emergency situation caused by COVID-19 to issue vouchers to passengers enabling them to exercise their rights by choosing between: changing the date of their travel, under the similar conditions of transport, to the final destination as acceptable to the passenger, depending on the availability of free seats; the possibility to use the amount corresponding to the full price of the ticket at which it was purchased on one of the flights on the air carriers network at a later date, as acceptable to the passenger, depending on the availability of free seats. The voucher referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article may be used until December 31, 2021.
Under the Decision on Declaring Emergency Situation ( Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia Nos 31 / 2020, 36/2020, 38/2020, 39/2020) and the Regulation on Emergency Measures (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia Nos 31/2020, 36/2020, 38/2020, 39/2020) the Government of the Republic of Serbia suspended air operations in the Republic of Serbia for all commercial flights. As the situation caused by the COVID-19 virus pandemic affected all air carriers without exception, the European Commission published a document titled “Interpretative Guidelines on EU passenger rights regulations in the context of the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19”, Brussels 18/3/2020 C (2020 ) 1830 final, which states, among other things: where public authorities take measures intended to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, such measures are by their nature and origin not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of carriers and are outside their actual control respectively "is caused" by extraordinary circumstances, which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Accordingly, passengers\' compensation claims will be treated in accordance with the circumstances of the emergency, which relieves the carrier of the obligation to pay the passengers damages.
