Serbia to get new airport

Kraljevo

After Belgrade and Niš, Serbia is set to get a third airport for commercial flights. The military Ladjevci Airport in Kraljevo will be turned into a civilian one with work on its conversion set to begin this year. Kraljevo, located in central Serbia, has just over 82.000 residents while the entire municipality is home to some 121.700 people.

The Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy and Regional Development, Mladjan Dinkić, as well the Minister for the National Investment Plan, Verica Kalanović, announced the project yesterday. The project, which will cost 22 million Euros, will be partly financed by the Serbian Government, while the other half will be provided by Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. “All necessary documentation will be provided this year and work will begin in 2010. This year, we plan to begin with the overhaul of the runway, the construction of a control tower and the construction of a small terminal”, Verica Kalanović, the Minister for the National Investment Plan said.

Ladjevci Airport was heavily bombed during the 1999 NATO air raids with most of the runway and the control tower destroyed. Kraljevo is an industrial town. All industrial companies in Kraljevo have expressed their desire for the reconstruction of the airport as cargo flights would decrease the time and cost of transporting goods. In addition, the airport is also located near the mountain ski resort of Kopaonik.

Status of other airports in Serbia

Airport	Status
Belgrade Batajnica	New control tower built last year and 1 of 3 runways reconstructed. The airport is expected to handle cargo flights and low cost airlines once the entire project is complete
Novi Sad	Located only some 60 kilometers North of Belgrade, the city authorities have recently begun the first of four phases of the airport Čenej’s redevelopment, but it will be some time before the airport is operational. Novi Sad Airport should become a low cost alternative for Belgrade and the main hub for Novi Sad
Kragujevac	Located in central Serbia, a feasibility study is currently being carried out. Kragujevac is the home of the Zastava – Fiat auto maker but an airport in nearby Kraljevo would render it rather unnecessary
Vršac	Located in Northern Serbia, Vršac has the status of an international airport however, it is only used as a sports airport and is the home of Jat’s Flight Academy. As the busiest recreational airport in Serbia, there are plans to lengthen and widen the runway. City authorities hope it could attract DHL for cargo flights