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| Serbia’s ghost airport expected to open next year |
The Serbian government plans to open Kraljevo’s Morava Airport for commercial use by mid-2016. Located in central Serbia, the airport’s terminal building was completed in 2012 but has been closed ever since. According to the Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, “We want the airport to be commercial with scheduled flights. At this point, I cannot say how often or to which destinations these flights will operate to”. Ms Mihajlović noted that a similar model to the one employed at Niš Constantine the Great Airport would be used in Kraljevo as well. “We will do the same in Kraljevo – we will make it profitable without subsidies”. Niš Airport recently reduced its fees to just three euros per passenger, which saw Wizz Air introduce flights from the city.
Construction of Morava Airport began in 2011 with work on a new control tower and access roads. Later on in the year the first promotional flight was operated from Belgrade with Jat Airways’ ATR 72 aircraft. In 2012 a new passenger terminal was opened featuring a duty free shop, exchange office, commercial office space, a detention centre, clinic, car park and a cargo depot. Jat Airways soon after announced it would launch a two weekly service from Kraljevo to Istanbul, however, these never materialised. Since the airport lies between several industrial cities, the government is hopeful the likes of the Italian run Fiat-Zastava car manufacturer would make use of the airport and that further business and investment in the area would be stimulated. In addition, part of the Raška region has close historical ties with Turkey and a portion of the local population is expected to use the airport for future flights to Istanbul.
Minister Mihajlović believes that flights from Kraljevo would accelerate the region’s development. “Serbia has a central, transit and important hub in Belgrade, which is now especially significant in regards to future flights to the United States. However, we must have several smaller airports if we want to develop our tourism industry. It is much better to arrive at your destination by plane”, she said. In April, the Serbian government announced it was willing to enter into a public private partnership agreement with a German company which would operate flights from Kraljevo to both Frankfurt and Istanbul. The name of the company was not specified. “I’m certain that all preparations for the first flight will be completed soon. Morava Airport is vital for the entire region”, Ms Mihajlović concluded.
Comments
Kraljevo does have potential, but it is kind of too early to talk about it.
..........The Serbian government has announced plans to set up a state-run company to manage up to 25 of its airports, including the country’s busiest - Belgrade. The public company running Belgrade Airport will be renamed to “Airports of Serbia” with more than twenty smaller airports to be added to its managing portfolio. The move is believed to be in relation to the upcoming concession or sale of Serbia’s busiest airport, through which the future operator will also gain control to the rest of the country’s airport infrastructure. The Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, says the company WILL BE SET UP WITHIN DAYS. “Six airports are currently confirmed to be part of the company including those in Niš, Kraljevo and Užice. We are not setting up a stand-alone enterprise, rather, these airports will be added to the “Aerodrom Beograd” company which manages Belgrade Airport”, Ms. Mihajlović said......
No comment
http://www.exyuaviation.com/2015/06/state-misses-deadlines-on-belgrade.html
However a good NEWS REPORTER reports what is going on, without looking what may lie behind it. An ANALYST could dig a bit deeper and remind of certain things but this is a NEWS blog. And it covers the region with some symbolic aviation activity. Daily updates from such region require professional coverage of what governments say. It is up to you to like or dislike it. Many readers here do not really appreciate your ability to turn any discussion into a political circus but yet we live with it.
this kind of infos pop up usually few months before an election
If anything, their 'reign' was marred by scandals, increased control of media while the country's economy slowly but surely disintegrated into complete chaos. :)
I am just saying these info are useless for now, and repeating over and over again, just like stories about long haul flights.
Air Serbia is unable to do that because of a totally wrong business model so they will be stuck sending half empty planes like idiots.
Even Lufthansa can't defend itself from low cost carriers and they have resorted to starting various LCC carriers of their own (germanwings, eurowings, etc) so they can compete with Ryanair and the rest.
Whoever is really pulling the strings at ASL has never learned about "if you can't beat them, join them".
ASL should have been a network LCC such as JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air Baltic, Pegasus, and other successful airlines.
Over 30% of diaspora has roots within 2hr drive from the airport. For about 15% of diaspora, LYKV is the closest airport (in Serbia).
This is just existing passengers. I see that LYKV would take some traffic from BEG and , with the right price, from bus companies.
There would be some new traffic (leisure, business, cargo) once you put it on the map and connect to the world.
With several targeted destinations, it could succeed
I'd say that AirSerbia and Austrian are best positioned short term due to turboprop, but I can imagine in medium/long term alsoTurkish/Pegasus/Wizz/Ryan if the infrastructure is completed (i.e. ILS).
my2cents
Opposition BOT.
Beogradjanin sam, ali se kompletno slazems sa tobom. Nas najbolji BG izvoz je zanovetanje i pljuvanje.
Samo napred! Aerodrom Nis polako napreduje, a ako Bog da, i dogodine da krene Kraljevo.
INN-NS
my2cents
http://vijesti.in.rs/region/velja-ilić-odbio-tursku-donaciju-od-10-miliona-evra
On je rekao da je Turska dala donaciju od 10 miliona evra, uz uslov da oni izvedu kompletne radove za 28 miliona evra. "Zašto bismo mi uzimali njihovu donaciju kada naši građevinari mogu za 18 miliona evra da urade isti taj posao?
Ptice volim ali ne oko aerodroma. Na sva mesta na terminalu gde ptice sleću i prljaju stavlja se ovo, bird spikes:
http://www.bird-x.com/
Pored elektronskog tajmera za merenje vremena izmedju čišćenja WC-a već godinama najbolje rešenje je dodati i ovo:
http://www.ydr.com/ci_21139588/dirty-restroom-63-some-businesses-have-button-that
Pritisak šalje poruku i čistačima i menadžmentu, pa se vidi ko tokom smene ima najmanje a ko najviše pritužbi za čistoću.
Er Serbija kao najveći prevoznik na aerodromu najviše gubi ako se ovo ne sredi.
Air/Ryanair, providing there is an organized shuttle-bus from Nis and other major cities in South&Central Serbia. That is notwithstanding the fact that it has a much more recent terminal and a wider touristic area to draw upon. It is also closer to Belgrade making it a more viable option even for travellers from Belgrade and other areas of Serbia.
Okolina LYKV moze da bude prilicno siroka (1.5-2 sata voznje), ne treba potceniti.
Ima verovatno i ljudi u Srbiji , ne vezano za dijasporu, koji bi mozda i leteli (cesce) da ne moraju da se cimaju do BEG.