Kraljevo terminal construction begins

Work begins on Kraljevo’s Morava Airport terminal

The construction of a 3.000 square metre terminal building in Kraljevo has begun and is set to be completed this October, allowing the airport to open in time for the 2011/2012 winter season. Three local companies have been given the job to construct the building. The price tag for the entire project amounts to 22.2 million Euros, while necessary equipment needed for the control tower and terminal building will be provided by both the Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency and Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.

Local authorities have stated that interest has been shown for flights to commence from Kraljevo to Turkey and Germany once the airport is completed. The Turkish Embassy in Serbia has donated 10 million Euros for the project. Furthermore, there is hope that due to the relative closeness of the Kopaonik Mountain resort and the city of Kragujevac, which is home to the Fiat car maker factory, the airport could secure decent passenger figures. Similar hopes were held for Niš Airport as well, which opened for commercial traffic in 2004, following its reconstruction. However, the airport handled only 23.627 passengers last year and in the first six months of 2011 welcomed 9.847 passengers. Montenegro Airlines, the airport’s sole operator, is subsidised for its flights to the city in Serbia’s east.

Kraljevo is located in central Serbia, 125 kilometres from Belgrade and Priština, 185 kilometres from Sarajevo and 200 kilometres from Skopje. It remains to be seen whether it will manage to attract any airlines or passenger. Kraljevo was rocked by a strong earthquake last year which caused city wide damage. The airport’s opening should coincide with the first anniversary since the earthquake.