HISTORY OF AIR CARRIERS

AVIATION COMPANIES

FRANCO-ROUMAIN

This international airline was the first to operate flights from the Pančevo airfield for intercontinental passenger transport on the Paris–Istanbul route. The service was officially launched on March 25, 1923, using SPAD aircraft.

The first night flight was carried out on September 9, 1923, marking the world’s first scheduled night passenger flight.

SIDNA

In 1925, the company Franco-Roumain changed its name to SIDNA and continued to use the Pančevo airfield until May 1927.

In 1933, SIDNA became part of the French national airline Air France.

AEROPUT

The first Yugoslav airline, Aeroput, was established in Belgrade on June 17, 1927, with an initial capital of 9 million dinars.

The first commercial flight was carried out on February 15, 1928, on the Belgrade–Zagreb route using a Potez 29 aircraft named “Beograd.” The passengers were five journalists and photo reporters, and the flight lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Aeroput soon expanded its network of domestic and international routes across Europe. The fleet was modernized with new aircraft including: Farman, Spartan, Caudron–Goeland, and Lockheed Electra.

Between 1928 and 1940, Aeroput:

  • transported 77,510 passengers,
  • completed 21,187 flights,
  • covered a total of 4,817,482 kilometers,
  • and carried 773 tons of cargo.

The company’s General Director was renowned pilot and war hero Tadija Sondermajer.

OTHER FOREIGN AIRLINES OPERATING BETWEEN 1927 AND 1940

Due to Belgrade’s strategic geographic location, many foreign airlines were interested in using its airport as a central hub linking East and West, North and South.

During this period, the following airlines operated regular routes to and from Belgrade:

  • Lufthansa (Germany)
  • ČSA – Československé státní aerolinie (Czechoslovakia)
  • Ala Littoria (Italy)
  • Aero Linee Italiane (Italy)
  • LARES – Liniile Aeriene Române Exploatate de Stat (Romania)
  • Malert – Magyar Légiforgalmi Részvénytársaság (Hungary)
  • Air France (France)
  • and other carriers of the era.