Niš Airport secures Egypt flights from May 2019


Niš Constantine the Great Airport will be linked to Egypt this coming summer season, connecting the Serbian city with the African continent through scheduled flights for the first time. In addition, services between Cairo and Belgrade are also expected to launch. The Egyptian Ambassador to Serbia, Amr al Jowaily, said, "The visit by the Governor of the Red Sea to Serbia in October, which was the first visit of its kind, included talks with the top management of Niš's Constantine the Great Airport, from where we are expecting the first flights to depart for Egypt in May 2019. An important element in civil aviation is to think outside the box, as we did with Niš, and to consider the bigger picture, as we are projecting for Cairo as a regional hub".

Niš Airport anticipates welcoming a record 355.000 travellers this year. Although its figures have begun to decline in the past two months when compared to 2017, following the suspension of several routes, the airport's General Manager, Dušan Knežević, said last week that talks are underway with airlines over the introduction of new flights. The Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, noted, "We strongly believe that we will have some surprises concerning new carriers at Niš Airport in the coming period".

Mr al Jowaily also noted that progress is being made on the introduction of scheduled flights between Cairo and Belgrade. "This is one of the most important steps we all need to work on to expand bilateral relations. We have invited airlines in both countries to consider not only the important aspects of passenger traffic between the two countries, but the equally important fact that both capitals are gateways to their respective regions", the Ambassador told the "Cord Magazine". He added, "Cairo has one of the most extensive network of flights to Africa and the Arab world. It is worth noting that 'Greater Cairo' now hosts two new airports, namely West Cairo's Sphinx International Airport, which enjoys tremendous advantage of close proximity to the Giza Pyramids, the soon-to-be-opened Grand Egyptian Museum and the Cairo - Alexandria Highway. Can you imagine what it would mean for Serbian companies to be the first to enter the Egyptian civil aviation market, and to make use of this promising potential, not only to access a country that has a population of 104 million, but to a city that is a hub for two adjacent regions"?

Air Serbia was to introduce services to Cairo in 2014 but cancelled such plans due to deteriorating security in the country at the time. Egypt Air's subsidiary, Air Cairo, maintains scheduled year-round flights between Hurghada and Belgrade. This summer, it was joined by AlMasria Universal Airlines and Air Serbia on the route. "We have archived tangible results in civil aviation with regards to other destinations in Egypt, especially Hurghada, where this season, for the first time, we witnessed three companies serving tourists flying to this beloved resorts city", Mr al Jowaily noted. Earlier this year, Air Cairo confirmed to EX-YU Aviation News that it would consider introducing flights from Sharm el Sheikh to Belgrade and would coordinate future operations on this route with Egypt Air Express, which itself will open a base in the holiday resort town with the arrival of its new Airbus A220-300 aircraft over the coming months.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Great news.
    The fact that JU doesn't fly to Egypt will hopefully prevent the government and its management team from sabotaging that route too much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:04

      Isn't this proof that the GoS aren't sabotaging anything?

      And JU does a whole lot of flying to Egypt, only not as scheduled flights.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:05

      JU does fly to Egypt, Hurgada to be specific.

      Delete
  2. Not Your Average Joe09:03

    *Begin sarcasm

    SKP, you’re going down!

    *End sarcasm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      SKP covers 3 countries (Ger, Swiss, Skandinavia). Egypt is a different continent.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:14

      SKP-INI 3:1 :D :D

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:22

      as if SKP didnt have Hurghada charters ?!?! WTF

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:28

      When was the last time it had these flights?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:36

      last summer and they are already on sale for next season

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:40

      Which airline?

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:12

      I would also like to know which airline has been flying these flights and where I can buy tickets for next summer since you say they are on sale.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous12:53

      every mk travel agency

      Delete
    9. Anonymous12:54

      I'm asking which airline and how many times per week?

      Delete
    10. Anonymous12:56

      ...and where can we find these seats that are already on sale as you say.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous15:30

      The charters by AMC airlines. The flights will be on Monday and Friday.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:04

    Sorry, but who will use these flights?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      This summer from Belgrade there were 3 airline flying to Hurghada. One of them flew three times per week with an A330. So, obviously there is sufficient interest.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:15

      Sorry, but Egipat was always a popular destination for Serbs.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:16

      I meant "who will use these flights from Nis"?

      Delete
    4. Nemjee09:24

      It's not just Nis, you have the whole south of the country, Rasinski okrug, Sumadija as well as eastern Serbia that could use these flights.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:29

      Well BEG is where all the wealthy people live. Fortunately, Egypt trips are super cheap right now and accessible for almost everyone.

      Delete
    6. Nemjee09:32

      Palma was in Egypt recently so I am sure holidays on the Red Sea will be heavily advertised in Jagodina especially since it is not a poor city, quite far from it. Not to mention that JA is closer to INI than to BEG, 106 vs 139 km.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:36

      Anonymous at 09:29 is correct. Belgrade residents are too prestigious and sophisticated for the streets of Cairo.
      Manhattan and London are far more fitting destinations for them. Leave cheap Egypt and its flies to the poor southerners.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:37

      Huh? He said they are accessible for everyone, rich and poor. Egypt is for everyone's pocket.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous09:39

      He/she reads what he wants...

      Delete
    10. Anonymous09:41

      Can INI attract also Bugarians with the new highway to the border? I see no flights from Sof.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous09:50

      Macedonia as well as they don't have any flights of their own.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous09:56

      There are seasonal charters Bulgarian Air Charter (BAC) to Hurghada.
      Cairo is not really popular in Sofia. Now the new trend is Jordan, Israel and next summer 2 new Ryanair Greek destinations to Chania and Kalamata.
      It's a pity though, Egypt is a very nice country.
      The highway is still not completed because the govenrment gave priority to the highway to Burgas and Edirne towards Istanbul but not Niš.
      Anyway, glad to see something new for the region.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous10:42

      "BEG is where all the wealthy people live"

      Please, the wealth disparity of regions is Serbia is over-exaggerated on this blog. There's a lot of people with money in the south too. Besides, this is Egypt we're talking about not Monaco, it's accessible to the Serbian middle class too and despite your prejudice the middle class in Nis has very similar standard of living to the Belgrade middle class.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous10:45

      Of course but he didn't mean it in that way. He just said that Egypt can be for the rich and for the poor, it's a very 'flexible' market for everyone's needs.

      Delete
    15. Anonymous10:53

      What he meant is that Egypt is considered a low-cost destination in general given the low prices and the fall of the Egyptian pound.
      During Hosni Mubarak´s time, the EGP was extremely strong: 1 USD = almost 3,8 EGP!
      Currently 1 USD = 17,9 EGP!

      100 RSD = 17,9 EGP.

      So if the average wage in Serbia is around 50,000 RSD then, that´s not too bad to go on holiday to Egypt.

      Delete
    16. Anonymous11:28

      Anon 9:56. Excuse my pessimism but I doubt Jordan and Eilat will be around next winter.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:04

    Well that was unexpected.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:54

      Hope we get some more positive surprises.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:05

      Zorana Mihajlović, noted, "We strongly believe that we will have some surprises concerning new carriers at Niš Airport in the coming period".

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:05

    First time I hear of this new airport in Cairo. Interesting stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      It opens next month
      https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/12/19/egyptair-to-operate-flights-at-sphinx-international-airport/

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:54

      Interesting, thank you.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:05

    If INI continues to open new routes to destinations not currently served by Belgrade Airlines it will be just fine.
    Just avoid confrontation with the national project and the airport and the South will be allowed to develop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      Anonymous at 09:05
      +1000

      Delete
    2. Nemjee09:25

      The moment Nis stops being a gasterbajter central it will get more and more flights, with or without 'Belgrade Airlines.'

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:25

      lol

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:06

    Any new connection is good. More work is needed to establish flights to EU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      This would be their first non-EU flight... (and yes I know Switzerland isn't in the EU but it's the same thing).

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:08

      ASL already flies to most of the EU potentially viable routes from Niš.
      just use BEG and ideally ASL.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:06

    Air Serbia should start Belgrade - Cairo. It probably would have been surprisingly successful as Beirut turned out to be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:11

      Bring on Egypt Air I say.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:19

      Egypt Air could use Egypt Air Express to fly to Belgrade

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:22

      From last year Egyptair is codesharing on Aegean's flights to Belgrade, which is a good indication of their interest and potential future flights.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:11

    Great news for Nis. Cairo-Belgrade long overdue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:16

      Agree. If Air Cairo can make it work year round from Hurghada then surely Cairo can too.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:55

      When did Jat stop flying to Cairo?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:06

      2003/2004

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:13

    I always found it interesting how Air Cairo flies to BEG year round on what are summer holiday routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nemjee09:27

      Egypt and Tunis are popular year-round destinations for Serbs, that is why there are flights in winter to both countries.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:18

    Well at least something new for INI. There is some hope.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:22

    Great news. Good to see some flights in the pipeline for Nis.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:22

    Such a nice moment and bad news for all those comments like:
    "INI fan club"
    "INI troll"
    "INI-LAX" etc

    Niš is a big city and deserves a decent airport with enough routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:29

      +1

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:31

      Anon 9:22, you should talk to your prime minister, not people on this blog.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:28

      Niš is not a big city, lol

      In fact, Belgrade is the only ex-YU city that could qualify as big, and barely.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:45

      Niš has a population of around 188,000 while the administrative area has a population of 261,000 inhabitants, that´s the size of Debrecen in Hungary for instance and it has already 2 aircraft based.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:45

      Big by Serbian standards.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:28

      BIG :D by small kids standard

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:56

      actually tiny even by Balkan standards...

      Delete
    8. Anonymous12:34

      By Balkan standards its an average city. Don't forget that Balkans have around 70 million people.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous13:11

      Niš is somewhere in the top 30 list, which is still nto bad

      https://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/222880/biggest-cities-in-the-balkans

      Number 19 is Novi Sad and the 2nd biggest is Beograd after Bucuresti.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous13:39

      That list is highly flawed, there is no Greece and Bucharest is not in the Balkans.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous23:27

      And no Constantinople as well...

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:23

    These flights would be a nice addition to BEG & INI.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous09:29

    This will compensate BTS, good job INI.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:30

      BTS is on sale for next summer.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      They can cut anytime a route if it is not profitable. Wizz will kill them with VIE, I give them one more month.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:33

      The last time I checked BTS wasn't cancelled. I guess someone is bitter INI is getting flights to Egypt.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:38

      Even if BTS is cut do you really think FR will just withdraw and hand over the market to Wizz Air? No. They will most likely launch their own flights from VIE with Laudamotion.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:43

    Lepo,lepo,nadam se da je AS sledece iznenadjenje.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous10:05

    The question is, will this flight be operated by Air Serbia or an Egyptian airline?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:07

      Egyptian one for sure.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:08

      I think photo is indicative of who it will be.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:10

      I seriously doubt that JU will start flying from INI and I doubt even more that if it does in the future it will be to Egypt.

      Just my2cents.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous10:08

    I like this sentence

    "An important element in civil aviation is to think outside the box, as we did with Niš, and to consider the bigger picture, as we are projecting for Cairo as a regional hub".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:17

      +1

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:31

      that sentence doesnt make any sense

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:31

      It does. You just don't understand it.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:40

      its the same regional hub bs like yugo regional hub crap

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:41

      It shows that you don't understand it. I wasn't focusing at all what he said about Cairo.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:57

      nonsense sentence of the year of Krasnodar proportions

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:00

      I was simply referring to he fact that hey thought of Nis as something outside of the box that could work. Same as what Swiss did and it turned out to be successful. Hopefully, we will have more of this kind of thinking, not just in Nis but other smaller airports in the region where airlines are apprehensive or not informed enough about potential.

      @ 11.57 and the rest of your comments - if you want to be an idiot, that's your call.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous18:03

      "its the same regional hub bs like yugo regional hub crap"

      You will then be delighted with regional hub bs plans Fraport has for Ljubljana with announced terminal expansion.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous10:09

    What about CAI-INI-BEG?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous10:17

    Nice and different.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:20

    Wait weren't we lead to believe by some here that the airport will be closed soon and that there will be no more flights?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:21

      Go INI, GO!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:25

      That's what many want on here to happen, it's the same ones who always write 'bad news for JU' and so on. They were so happy when INI lost a few lines but now comes a second round of expansion. With the Egyptian airline launching flights, INI will become one of the most successful smaller airports in ex-YU because of so many different customers.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:32

      LOL, decko je neumoran jutros

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:40

      yes and LX mainline and not Edelweiss! :D

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:08

      Pure jealousy about LX mainline. Other nearby airports can dream of this.
      The airport reputation climbs to the sky.
      I understand but no need to be like this.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:36

      Of course they are triggered, they have prepared themselves for INI to fail, not thrive.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous13:03

      lx mainline flies to ini, but not pristine, not sKopie, not sofija.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous10:21

    Good thing about Serbia is that it's a source of outbound tourism so in the future we will see more and more airlines add flights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:26

      Yes especially if the economy starts to improve.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:29

      It would be nice if Nis got flights to Athens like Banja Luka will next summer. I'm sure it could work.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:34

      I think it's too close. Ellinair to HER is more likely.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:46

      Ellinair already loaded two weekly flights to BEG from HER so I think they are not coming to INI next summer. Maybe Astra?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous23:31

      Well, Niš and Athens are not close at all, eveen between Niš and Salonima I can sebe potential for air travel.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous00:44

      Salonima = Salonica, sebe =see

      Delete
  23. Anonymous10:28

    The good (and smart) thing about Nis Airport is that it is diversifying its offer. Most of its traffic, well all of its traffic, is gasto based. But even then there are options between Ryan and Wizz. Then there is Swiss, which not only carries gastos but also has good transfer options to elsewhere. Compare this to other smaller airports in the region like Tuzla and Osijek.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:30

    Related to Serbia but Aeroflot loaded its BEG summer schedule and the third daily is slightly different:

    SVO-BEG 17.20-19.25
    BEG-SVO 20.20-00.10

    Nice to see another departure when the airport is more or less dead quiet. Same departure as evening TK flight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:34

      I think Vinci is trying to move some flights around to reduce traffic during the busy periods. Tarom moved some flights to later times, SU departs at 20.20, ASL flies at the same time and so on.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:32

    This is a great development for Nis. It would also be nice if we see Turkish or Pegasus launch flights from Istanbul.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:33

      With the current bilateral, I'm not sure it's possible for them to launch another route in Serbia.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:35

      The reciprocal bilateral is useless since there is no Serbian airline flying to Turkey.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:39

      Also they can launch charter flights which are not as strict and they can use a plane as big as they want to. Maybe KK will launch a one weekly flight from AYT to INI with their new A332. :D

      Delete
  26. Anonymous10:36

    Definitely did not see this coming. Congrats first and foremost to the Egyptian Embassy in Serbia who obviously were the ones that had this idea and initiative to start with. If it were up to Nis Airport's management they wouldn't have done a thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:48

      Serbia is becoming a richer country and citizens seek to go cheaper, middle-class destinations. Egypt is defintiely one of them.
      My guess is that Morocco and/or Jordan will be the next hit in Serbia.
      The south may be poor, but not poor to go to Egypt.

      Delete
    2. Barbara11:33

      rich u pm

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:36

      Any data like GDP or unemployment of the South compared to the other regions in RS? Couldn't find much at RZS.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous14:05

      Yes, RoS is fast becoming the Sweden of the Balkans!
      Soon we will have the extremely important AND prestigious title of economic powerhouse of the region!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:44

      With leoni, geox and fiat it already is.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous11:48

    INI focus should be:
    1. Scandinavia: super weak from SOF, Wizzair downsizing in SKP. Price dumping or make wizz move the capacity from SKP to INI. INI is closer to SOF and can attract many people from there + the rest of the region around, South& Central Serbia.
    2. Routes like Morroco or Egypt not covered by neighboring airports, why not Antalya, Moscow with Pobeda. No low-cost to Moscow around.
    3. Standard self-sustainable routes like Switzerland/Germany/Vienna
    4. Ski charters from UK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:24

      1. INI is already connected to NYO and MMX will soon be history. W6 is not downsizing SKP, it's just simply not adding new routes.
      2. AYT can work charters similar to the BNX ones. Pobeda was once interested, not anymore.
      3. You have mainline LX but work can be done to attract OS.
      4. SOF already dominates the UK ski flights. Check schedules on Saturdays during winter. Up to 10 daily London (5 airports), Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and sometimes East Midlands.
      As the UK people are currently visiting more and more Balkan countries because of the weak pound, then INI might try to get some charter ski flights, you are right.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:38

      Wizz suspended a few routes out of SKP this winter, if that's not downsizing then I don't know what is.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:05

      Oh pleez stop it!
      Viz Air downsized so many other bases because of Viena and Luton.
      How many times will this be repeated¿?¿?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13:40

      Well they cut MMX-INI because of their Polish base closed yet people also forget and ignore that so...

      Delete
  28. Anonymous12:09

    BWK nema sanse za interkontinentalni let. Beograd, Zagreb, Split, Tivat, Sarajevo, Nis.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous15:08

    Let's hope Zorana will be forced to resign because today's disaster, then INI woule be able to prosper

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous21:07

    Kraljevo Morava - Sharm el Sheik?

    ReplyDelete

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