An Air Serbia flight bound for Moscow turned back to Belgrade on 3 November 2026 after a politician allegedly bypassed security checks at the departure airport, with the diversion confirmed by Flightradar24 data.
One Mile at a Time reports that flight JU134 was scheduled to operate from Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG) to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO), with a planned departure of 6:25 PM and an arrival of 11:40 PM, blocked at three hours fifteen minutes. The aircraft was an Airbus A320 registered YU-APH, according to One Mile at a Time.
What the Air Serbia Flight Data Shows
Flightradar24 data shows that YU-APH lifted off from the airport with ICAO code LYBE at 17:48 UTC. Rather than continuing to its planned destination (ICAO UUEE), the aircraft turned back toward Belgrade. The highest altitude it reached during the flight was approximately 35,000 feet.
Flightradar24 data confirms the aircraft touched down at 20:57 UTC, three hours and nine minutes after take-off. That is consistent with a full outbound leg not being flown: the outbound scheduled block time alone was three hours fifteen minutes.
Readers wanting to track YU-APH and other specific airframes can use our Aircraft Search tool.
The Allegation
The incident centres on a claim that a politician boarded the aircraft after bypassing standard security checks at the airport, prompting the crew to return to Belgrade. The politician identified in the reporting is Aleksandar Vulin, a former Serbian deputy prime minister.
Vulin denied the account. One Mile at a Time quotes him as saying: "It's all a lie, an act of violence and an attempt to prove to these new authorities how ready they are here at the airport, how much they are on the defensive of their ideology."
Air Serbia has not yet issued a public statement on the diversion, and no official investigation body has confirmed the circumstances that led to the return.
The Bottom Line
A mid-route return of this kind is an uncommon event, and the circumstances alleged, a passenger boarding without passing through security, would represent a serious breach of aviation security procedure wherever the fault lay. What is established by Flightradar24 data is that JU134 departed Belgrade, reached cruise altitude and then returned to its origin, landing just over three hours after take-off.
We will update our coverage if Air Serbia or any relevant authority releases further information. In the meantime, full details of the incident as a diversion event are logged in our Squawk 7700 hub.
This article draws on reporting by One Mile at a Time and flight data from Flightradar24.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.
Advertise with us Your brand, in front of an aviation audience Home page and in-article placements, sold directly, one advertiser per slot. From £250 a year. See the rates
