Cargo centre to save Niš Airport

Niš Constantine the Great Airport, Serbia’s second international airport reconstructed in 2004 after it was bombed by NATO in 1999 has struggled in the past 4 years to attract airlines. The airport’s management has more than once accused the national carrier Jat Airways of ignoring the city even though in 2006 Jat introduced flights to some 4 destinations from Niš, all of which struggled to maintain more than 10 passengers. Despite promises from the airport management low cost airlines have been more than reluctant to operate flights to the city, situated in Eastern Serbia. It is currently only served by Jat Airways which maintains 2 weekly services to Zurich. Montenegro Airlines operates flights to the airport during the summer.

However, there now seems to be an investment that could save the airport and benefit the whole region. The CEO of public company Airport Niš Radisav Radojković, and the director general of company Eymaxx Management GmbH from Vienna Mihail Miler, recently signed a contract for the joint financing of the development of a logistics, commercial and cargo centre to be located at the Constantine the Great Airport. The investment, which everybody expects to be the catalyst for development in Niš, and the whole region of southeast Serbia, is worth 61.3 million Euros and construction will start in spring. The Viennese company participated in the tender together with investment fund Chayton Capital from London. The contract was signed in the presence of the Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning of Serbia Oliver Dulić, the Deputy Ambassador of Austria Urlike Hartman, the Mayor of Niš Miloš Simonović, and the representatives of Niš’s city council. “This is our first logistics centre in Serbia. We also want to develop a trade centre at the airport and invest a total of 100 million Euros in several phases. The first phase will result in the creation of 500 new jobs”, Miler pointed out.

Is this the revival the airport needs? Only time will tell. Niš (pictured above) is Serbia’s third largest city population wise.

NOTE: Adria’s winter 2008/09 schedule, which begins tomorrow, will be published tomorrow. Apologies for the delay.

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Cassette bombs dismantled at Niš Airport

Russian experts have dismantled five cassette bombs found near the passenger terminal of Constantine the Great Airport in Niš, Serbia (the second largest city in the country). The bombs were thrown during the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia in which the airport was badly damaged. Together with the three cassette bombs a mine throwing bomb was also found unexploded since World War Two near the passenger terminal. A further two cassette bombs were found on August 15, 5 to 30cm deep in the ground. The exploration of the airport complex (of 704.000 square metres in area) began on July 31, 2008 with 5.000 square meters already being searched. Work on the whole site should be complete by the end of the year.

In the 78 day bombing of Serbia, Niš was hard hit with some of the most controversial raids taking place with many civilians killed. Cassette bombs have been banned by the Geneva Convention since World War Two however a few world powers persist in using them. Niš Constantine the Great International Airport was reconstructed in 2004 thanks to donations by the Norwegian Government and Serbian Royal family. The airport is served by national airline Jat Airways, national airline of Montenegro as well as Thompsonfly from the United Kingdom (only during the winter season). The airport handled 30.461 passengers in 2007, a decrease of 5.000 compared to 2006 contributed by the closing down of many lines by Jat Airways due to unprofitability. However 2008, with an increase in lines by Jat Airways and the reintroduction of flights from Tivat to Niš by Montenegro Airlines, should secure the airport to have over 35.000 passengers.

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Montenegro Airlines and Jat Airwaysstart new flights

Montenegro Airlines from today, 16 of June, is commencing regular service from the Serbian city of Niš to the Montenegrin town of Tivat. The flights will operate two times a week using a Fokker F100. The flights will last until September 5. Meanwhile Serbia’s national carrier Jat Airways is also starting services on the same destination. The flights will operate from June 20 to September 5. Therefore Montenegro Airlines will operate flights on Monday and Friday while Jat will operate on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (using an ATR72). In total this summer Jat Airways services flights to Zuirch. Tivat, Corfu and Heraklion from Niš while Montenegro Airlines will fly to Tivat. Yesterday Montenegro Airlines operated its inaugural flight to London Gatwick using its brand new Embraer 100. Read more