Morava Airport readies for opening


Kraljevo's Morava Airport in central Serbia is on course to open its doors in just over a month on June 28. Work on overhauling the runway, equipping the terminal building and hiring some thirty staff members is currently ongoing. Its operator, Airports of Serbia, noted that the Civil Aviation Directorate is currently carrying out Morava's certification process in order to enable it to serve international flights. The airport's 22 million euro terminal and control tower were completed in 2012, however, its 2.200 metre-long and thirty metre-wide runway can only handle smaller turboprop aircraft. Bureaucratic procedures between the airport's former operator - the military - and the government also delayed its opening on numerous occasions.


The Serbian government expects for the airport to handle its first commercial flights later this year. The Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, noted, "From its opening in late June, until the end of this year, we expect several carriers to introduce flights from the airport. It will handle around 20.000 passengers this year and between 100.000 - 150.000 in 2020. We will also work on developing cargo traffic at Morava Airport". Located in central Serbia, it is projected that Morava Airport would significantly boost the local economy since it lies between several industrial cities and is in close proximity to the Italian-run Fiat-Zastava car manufacturer. Furthermore, the airport is expected to stimulate the local tourism industry and benefit health tourism in particular which is already developed in the area.


Wizz Air had previously expressed interest in serving Morava Airport and said it was "monitoring developments". It remains unclear whether the state will utilise a similar model it has employed in Niš by subsiding the launch of new routes. In addition, part of the Raška District, in which Kraljevo is located, has close historical ties with Turkey and a portion of the local population is expected to use this airport, instead of Pristina, for future flights to Istanbul. Ms Mihajlović added, "Serbia has an important central transit hub in Belgrade, which is now even more significant due to its 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”.





Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Can't believe this is actually happening.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:03

    If they already plan to have 20,000 passengers this year it means that they already made a deal with someone to fly some route probably.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:10

      That was on my mind too

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:11

      Maybe Ryanair. I still remember they held talks with them earlier this year about their future development in Serbia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:32

      I really hope it's either FR or W6 and not the overpriced JU.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:39

      Overpriced JU? What a moronic comment, go and look at their fares from INI and then come to talk on here.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:41

      I have and all of the 50 euro cheap fares are gone.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:44

      Yes the 10 seats for 50€ are gone. Now they need to find people willing to pay a lot more.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:44

      I just checked August to GOT and there are some fares for as little as 7.300 RSD.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:55

      I checked several cities in September, average is 60€

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:04

    Air Serbia could fly BEG-KVO-IST with an ATR. It would also mean they return to Istanbul.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      I can already see long lines of people waiting to buy tickets BEG-IST via KVO with a turboprop instead of this dreaded direct flight with A320/B737.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:09

      No, government will probably subsidise Kealjevo-Ljubljana, Kraljevo-Budapest lol.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:12

      I didn't mean that the route to IST would be used primarily by people from Belgrade, but if you are not going to base an aircraft in Kraljevo you might as well sell tickets on the aircraft ferry flight.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:19

      Jat schedule 2 weekly KVO-IST in 2012. But then they gave up on the idea whn it turned out the airport wasn't in fact ready at all.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:21

      Correct. Planned routing with ATR72 was Belgrade - Istanbul - Kraljevo - Istanbul - Belgrade every Wednesday and Friday.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:25

      And how long would BEG-KVO last for. 20 minutes.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:27

      Yes it would take about 20 minutes.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:27

      Ferry flights are very profitable. Ask Adria how it went with their MBX-SEN adventure.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous09:31

      I do not think they will be opening BEG-KVO.

      They did not want to make domestic route BEG-INI so I believe KVO will be served probably by W6 or FR for foreign destinations

      Delete
    10. Zoki14:49

      London(Luton)

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:05

    If Wizz were really to launch flights to KVO, which routes could work?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      Gastarbeiter routes most likely.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:14

      BSL?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:16

      Yes, Basel would be the most obvious choice. Maybe some route in Scandinavia too.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:22

      Malmo

      Delete
    5. Nemjee09:33

      I think northern Germany would be the most successful since many from Novi Pazar, Sjenica and Tutin emigrated there. I see them launching Dortmund, Hanover, Hamburg... Just look at the bus schedule from Pazar and you will see what the biggest markets are.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:44

      Maybe a new government subsidy will help JU

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:58

      Sure, the same as it already happens on all OU domestic routes

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:06

      @09:58

      Spotting the difference between subsidizing domestic routes and giving away money to national carrier to launch flights to glamorous gastos destination such as Baden Baden and Friedrichshafen?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:20

      Subsidizing domestic routes is also giving away money to national carrier

      Providing big discounts for attracting foreign companies to fly to ZAG is also giving money away

      Paying to foreign companies to fly to destinations like ZAG or DBV from "zajednicko oglasavanje" is also giving money away

      So why would it be a problem for the country that does not have developed domestic traffic to financially support its national carrier for foreign the routes that will be mostly used by Serbian citizens?

      Or Croatian citezens flying OU domestic route are somehow better than gastos flying INI-HHN? I do not think so.

      Even financial benefit of gastos coming to Serbia from Sweden, germany, Italy etc is much bigger than financial benefit of Croatian citizen flying ZAG-DBV to visit his ount.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous10:41

      What do you have against kind nieces and nephews? Aunts also play a very important role in the upbringing of their nieces and nephews. Children have their parents to raise them and teach them values, but aunts practically take on the role of second mothers. They're always there when their nephews and nieces need them.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous11:18

      Maybe TRF? Or even better OSL.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous15:03

      @ 10:20

      Paying national carrier to fly domestic routes serve some other purposes.
      There are countries you know, for example Greece, which has access to the sea and are blessed with wonderful islands - there are, however, people who live on these islands and need to have transport connections with other parts of their country and it the the state that needs to provide this to them.
      In situation like this, focus is on provision of this service, not on the ROI of these flights.


      Delete
    13. Anonymous15:25

      I was not the one who first mentioned "giving money away", but you.

      I just explained that in Serbian case it could be win-win case with ROI as well as with gastos flying cheap to their home land.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:07

    That is bad news for JU and BEG. KVO is too close to Belgrade and it could become a low cost alternative to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1
      FR could even open a base there. But I think the government will keep fees and taxes for KVO at a similar level with BEG so as not to upset ASL and the French.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:13

      I'm pretty sure these airport openings and subsidised flying is in coordination with he French.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:15

      Not closer than RJK is to ZAG but nobody mentioned it is bad news for ZAG.
      Interesting

      Delete
    4. Nemjee09:34

      Let me remind you that people also claimed INI tender is bad news for JU yet here we are.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:47

      Is it really good news for JU?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:50

      So you are saying Nemjee that the government again will subsidize JU for launching flights from KVO?
      Which destinations? I hope the won't be thinking about Baden Baden or Friedrichshafen...

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:59

      @Anon 09:15

      Maybe because it's news about KVO (and consequently BEG) and not about RJK and ZAG?

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:11

      Not in this post, but generally. Have you ever heard that RJK is a potential threat to ZAG even if FR flies there? I haven't. But as soon as someone mentioned opening KVO all possible catastrophic scenarios are brought to the table.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:52

      Anon @10:11
      Which catastrophic scenarios were brought to the table?

      Delete
    10. Anonymous11:03

      It is quite symptomatic you did not reply on my question but keep asking.

      Just read the comments

      Delete
    11. Anonymous11:26

      Rijeka is already threat to Zagreb. Lot of passengers from Zagreb use 11 LCC routes that are not on Zagreb list but are in Rijeka operated by Ryanair, Eurowings (Hannover), Air Baltic, Norwegian (Oslo), Transavia, TUI and Volotea. Eveno more from Zadar and Pula. And yes, in Croatia many wrote about that.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous11:32

      Thank you. It was not mentioned here or by some so called experts.

      But at the same time everybody denies BNX is threat to ZAG alhough it's distance from ZAG is the same as BEG-KVO and FR surely intends not to stop on 4 destinations there.

      Hypocrisy

      Delete
    13. Anonymous14:18

      Is there a border between BEG and KVO or PRN or KVO?

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:08

    More money from governmeng to JU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nemjee09:34

      Well, don't forget Wizz didn't even apply for INI subsidies so it made sense for JU to get it.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:29

      When in tender there was obligation to have 15 workers in call center speaking Serbian and must have security check, and that it should be done in 30 days all foreign companies were disqualified. 15 workers in call center for only 25 weekly flights? Can not be done and it is unreasonable, has no business sense at all. Tender was designed for Air Serbia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:35

      And you think that tender of Hungarian Government for flights from BUD to SJJ, TGD etc was not designed for wizzair?
      It is nothing new, everybody is doing it

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:14

    Seems they will finally deliver on their promise. So another operative airport.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:16

    I expect they will follow INI logic with low fees

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:16

    Are there gastos from the area?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:22

    This is great news and very good indicator of better regional development in Serbia.

    Hope UZC is next

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:22

    Good for KVO, way to go.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:22

    Won't all of these airport with actual flights have an impact on BEG?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:25

      Not big actually.

      For KVO 20.000 passengers is huge and for BEG it is just one busy day in August

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:36

      20.000 passengers for this year.
      Next year they are going for 150-200.000 pax.
      It will have an impact.
      I remember people saying that INI would not impact BEG but it did.
      Same thing will happen with KVO.

      Delete
    3. Nemjee09:36

      Not really, this will mostly affect bus companies. Also don't forget that demand in Serbia grows every year so additional flights make sense.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:58

      yeah, sure that 200k will have an impact on 6 mil airport. as big as INI has on BEG

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:01

      150.000-200.000 is really exaggerated.

      KVO will not grow so quickly as INI did in 1 year only.

      And BEG gets this summer about 65 new weekly routes - it won't feel it a bit

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:23

    Lots of skid marks on the runway. How come? Is the airport used?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      It's used by the military. That's one of the reasons its opening has been delayed for so long.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:25

      Ah yes I missed that in text.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:25

    So many airports in such close proximity to each other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:29

      From Kraljevo:
      Nis: 107 km
      Belgrade: 121 km
      Pristina: 124 km
      Sarajevo: 180 km
      Skopje: 200 km

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:30

      Forgot Podgorica, also 180km

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:32

      It would be good to write down also how long you need to get to the mentioned airports from KVO taking in consideration roads condition

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:33

      And Tuzla 185km :D

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:36

      KVO-BEG 163 km
      KVO-INI 187 km
      KVO-SJJ 272 km
      KVO-SKP 370 km
      KVO-TGD 358 km

      these are road distances

      Delete
    6. Nemjee09:38

      Yes, Kraljevo-Nis is 107 km but it takes over 2 hours since there is no highway. Same thing with Sarajevo where there is a horrible road infrastructure and an actual border to cross. Not to mention that SJJ is highly uncompetitive due to its high charges.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:50

      I used to fly from BEG to STR. Paying for a family of 4 it is good I can fly from INI now paying only 200€ RT for 4 istead of going from BEG for 600€ for 4. Hope it gets even cheaper from Morava. So next year from Morava for 150 :)

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:20

      Maybe it makes more sense to invest in basic infrastructure first, such as land road, which would enable the residents and visitors to move freely and reach nearby airports. If the city generates enough travelers, then you can consider constructing an airport, which is a far more complex infrastructure than the land road.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:49

      The biggest tourist areas are in vicinity of this airport. Several spas and Kopaonik ski and hiking resort.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:26

    What are the weather conditions like there? Does Kraljevo see a lot of fog in winter?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:47

      Climate is good. Less rain in the area than others.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:37

    Did a lot of people move during the ex-Yugo times to Kraljevo?? Looking at the city's ethnic composition based on the census it seems there are Croats, Macedonians, Slovenians living there.... and Yugoslavs
    https://i.imgur.com/92LVoHk.png

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:41

      It's not a surprise really. After the wars Serbia was left with the most ethnically diverse population out of all the former Yugoslav states and that includes Bosnia too.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:42

      Many Romani (gypsies) are actually people who were chased out of Kosovo like many Serbs in that area. Other nationalities there are probably from Yugo times when Kraljevo was an important economic center.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:50

    Personally, I am optimistic about KVO. But the only way to get some traffic is by heavily subsidising airlines.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:00

    We expect the following in the beginning:

    3x SAW with PC
    4x VIE with W6
    2x BSL with W6

    Summer charters 1pw: AYT, CFU.
    Winter charters 1pw: VKO, ATH.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:05

      Partially agree with you as SAW, VIE and BSL sounds reasonable.

      Maybe we could add to the list of destination TRN because of FIAT, but winter charters are more logical to come from UK than from ATH and VKO

      Delete
  19. Anonymous10:16

    This airport has so much potential. Very good location

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous10:27

    wow the saga with this airport is almost over. Can't believe it.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:31

    Weren't people ranting how after the Belgrade concession it will be the only airport in Serbia with traffic? But it seems Nis is going to have record traffic and Kraljevo is also being opened.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:32

      Correct.
      There are some rumours UZC is next on the list
      And I can't forget all those calims saying that BEG has so much traffic as it is "the only airport in Serbia"

      Delete
  22. Anonymous10:31

    Serbia is playing an expensive game and the consequences might be extremely risky.
    Going from from 1 major airport to 3 at once, the same year, is way too much.
    There will be a route cannibalism and the sustainability will remain questionable.
    This will also affect BEG 12 million growth, which will mostly happen in 2 decades time and not 1 as Vinci claims.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:41

      There is no single confirmation that Air Serbia will fly to KVO. If it happens we do not know under which conditions they will fly there, to which destinations and when.
      So many open questions, but as above mentioned catastrophic scenarios are already on the table. Funny.

      Constant repeating that micro airports will affect the biggest airport in ex-Yugoslavia are nothing but wet dreams. INI had passenger increase in period 2015-2017 from 36.000 to 330.000 passengers and only in period 2016-2017 BEG had increase of 9% yoy (much more than 3% yoy that was for period 2015-2016) . So INI did not affect it all.

      Pointless to speak about KVO.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:46

      Serbia and Hungary are similar countries needing only 1 or 2 airports.
      BEG is more than enough.
      For example INI and DEB are just present but even if they cease to exist they generate barely 300 thousand passengers.
      Serbia does not need 3 airports.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:57

      Hungary is EU country with no single hill and good road infrastructure.

      Serbia is not EU country with a lot of mountains and poor road infrastructure.

      They are far from being similiar.

      I am sure the people from Ivanjica, Aleksandrovac, Prokuplje, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Cacak, Krusevac, Vrnjacka Banja, Novi Pazar etc. do not share your opinion that Serbia does not need 3 airports


      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:08

      South Serbians already have INI as an airport and it's empty with 1-2 flights per day.
      Even if the roads are not in condition, the distance is quite short.
      Maintaining half empty airports is wrong and bloody expensive.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:19

      Yes, those living in Prokuplje or Krusevac do have INI as alternative but for those in Ivanjica, Cacak, Prijepolje, Nova Varos even Kragujevac INI is not alternative at all as it is not closer to all of these places than BEG, so the distance is a far from being short.

      From the other side INI does not have capacity for bigger traffic especially now when JU introduced new routes.

      If this logic was followed we would never have airports like BNX, TZL, OHD, RJK, OSI, INI built and it would be a shame.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:58

      @Anon at 10:31
      Your negative comments about Kraljevo airport are very similar to Purger's comments on t6: Kraljevo je bila notorna glupost kad se gradio. Glupost na 90. potenciju. Notorna. On ne može biti komercijlno isplativ ni za 50 godina. Njegova izgradnja, i još više letovi sa njega koštat će porezne obveznike Srbije kamaru para. Totalno glupo i nelogično.
      At lease we now know Purger openly hates KVO airport project. Are you the same person?

      Delete
  23. Anonymous10:37

    This is just GREAT :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:38

    I'm mostly happy that this airport is opening because of Rodney Marinkovic :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous10:52

    This airport is ideal for cargo.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous11:06

    I find it amazing that this building has been sitting for almost 7 years and just collecting dust. Good that it will finally be put into use.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous11:12

    How big is the apron? How many planes can it accommodate?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Моје виђење и тврдња из 1989 године у Сиднеју се остварује
    на Видовдан 2019 године. И ове речи сада пишем из Кинга Парк-а предграђа у западном делу Сиднеја. Чак ме и неки
    Анонимус 10:38 АМ. Коинцидентно помену.
    Ако Бог да сада за један дан бићу на лету са А380 према Београду. Са вером и надом да ћу бити у неком углу Терминала Краљевачке Мораве и тихо се радовати добру које се отвара у самом центру централне Србије.
    Ред је да се комеморација Видовдана претвори у радост
    Мораве за будућност деце и људи који ће летети и долетати.
    Срећан Видовдан. Видимо се на Морави. Може ли. Верујем!
    Rodney Marinkovic, Kings Park Sydney Australia.
    ✈☺✈🔅✈🌎✈🌍✈🌏✈✨✈😇✈💒☺✈

    ReplyDelete
  29. Ово је сјајно!
    Него када мисле да ураде унутрашњост нишког аеродрома?
    Оно је криминал на шта она зграда личи изнутра...
    Зашто то није урађено када и спољна реконструкција?
    Срамота.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous20:22

    Great, another airport no one needs. Sounds familiar to Maribor maybe?

    ReplyDelete
  31. I can't see JU flying here. I would rather expect all LCC INI flights moving to KVO as they would not be able to compete with JU there for long (or only strongest %LF lines will stay). Timing of INI subs lunching vs opening KVO is indicative. It's almost a win win for all, as JU will use subs money and be able to control INI growth - in line with Vinci contract. LCC will not simply leave INI but rather move to KVO where they would have limited growth as they need to start from scratch and due to smaller catchment area (again works for Vinci). KVO would work just fine for Ryan and Swiss flying smaller birds + Pegasus or Atlas flying to IST.
    If all played well, it could really work. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous19:34

    Istanbul would be a great choice! Kraljevo-IStanbul plane will be always full with cheaper prices than from Belgrade, especially with Pegasus or Onur Air

    ReplyDelete
  33. Поштовани Анон 10:38, прошле седмице сам долетео из Сиднеја. Један од главних разлога јесте да би присутан био на отварању међународног аеродрома Морава - Краљево на Видовдан. За мање од две седмице. Да Аеродром Морава ће се до градити. Карго центар изградити и нова писта направити. У области авијације у задњих педесет година од када сам на аеродромима и авионима,
    оно што сам тврдио се углавном обистинило.
    То тврдим и за овај најновији аеродром између
    Краљева, Чачка, Крагујевца... ✈
    До септембра из сунчане Шумадије, града Краљева
    и поред лепог путничког терминала на Морави.
    Ваш, Rodney Marinkovic & Aviation enthusiast .
    ✈☺✈��✈��✈��✈��✈��✈✨✈��✈��✈��✈☺✈

    ReplyDelete

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