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 lengthening 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 could 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”.
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