In late December, Montenegro’s flag carrier Montenegro Airlines become the latest airline to stop flying as a result of the downturn
in travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is not the first national airline in emerging Europe to go bust, and is unlikely to be the last.
An Embraer 195 carrying passengers from Belgrade to Podgorica on December 25 marked the end of the troubled, 26-year history of Montenegro Airlines.
In a statement, the airline said, “The Montenegrin government’s decision to shut down our company will have a negative impact on the entire aviation sector in the country. We would like to inform the public that starting tomorrow, December 26, 2020, we are completely suspending all operations”.
What Was The Airbus A319LR?
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The Airbus A319 is well-known for its short to medium-haul capabilities on routes that do not demand the larger A320. However, Airbus also produced examples of the type which were specially configured for long-haul operations. Known as the A319LR, these aircraft generally featured low-density, premium-heavy seating configurations. But which airlines operated these enigmatic little twinjets?
A Qatar Airways Airbus A319LR landing at Rome Fiumicino Airport. Photo: Aldo Bidini via Wikimedia Commons
A brief history of the Airbus A319
The Airbus A319 is the second-smallest member of the European manufacturer’s A320 family. The A320 itself entered commercial service in the late 1980s, with a longer version, the A321, following in 1994. This gave the family a high-capacity option, but what about on routes where demand was lower? For such purposes, Airbus launched the A319.