Montenegro Airlines, the national airline of Montenegro has ceased operations since December 26 2020. 360 employees lost their jobs. The Montenegrin carrier suffered heavy financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 10, 2021, the successor carrier, Air Montenegro operated the first commercial flight scheduled, launching with a service from Podgorica to Belgrade. The launch of scheduled flights by Air Montenegro took place less than six months after the crash of Montenegro Airlines. In addition to flights to the Serbian capital, the airline will serve the Slovenian capital, Llubljana, Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Frankfurt, starting on 15 July.
On June 10, Air Montenegro operated the first scheduled commercial flight between Podgorica and Belgrade.
The government first outlined plans for a successor carrier in early January after the new company was registered. Air Montenegro chief executive Predrag Todorovic said the carrier had managed to fly in three and a half months. The launch of the scheduled flights came after the airline made its first flight in early June, a service that transported Montenegro's national football team to Sarajevo.
Montenegrin Minister of Economic Development Jakov Milatovic said: "I am very pleased to be participating today in the first commercial flight of the new national airline from Montenegro. With this, the Government fulfilled its promise made five months ago, which said that Air Montenegro will operate the first commercial flight before the start of the tourist season. "
Air Montenegro uses Embraer 195 aircraft for its flights. Its predecessor, Montenegro Airlines, operated three E195s before the bankruptcy, and the Montenegrin government purchased two of these aircraft from GECAS in February before launching the new airline. At the time, the government said the airline was also negotiating the purchase of a third plane.