Russian Travelers Tap Serbia Loophole to Reach Europe

  • Air Serbia still serving Russia as Belgrade stays neutral
  • Seat capacity between the two countries has surged 50%
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Russian travelers hemmed in by airspace closures following the invasion of Ukraine are using Serbia as a backdoor route to visit resorts and cities across Western Europe.

Seat capacity between Russia and Serbia, where it has longstanding ties, surged by about 50% in the first week of March compared with pre-war levels. Onward travel to countries including France, Switzerland, Italy and Cyprus is up by almost two-thirds, according to ticketing trends specialist ForwardKeys.