Windjet – the saviour of Niš
Niš Constantine the Great Airport in Serbia has handled 16.000 passengers in the first seven months of the year, an increase of 25%. The airport has already handled the same number of passengers as it did for the whole of 2009. The big increase is mostly due to new airlines operating out of the airport, in particular the low cost Italian airline Windjet. Besides Windjet, the airport is also used by Montenegro Airline and Atlasjet. The authorities at Niš Airport are hoping to persuade Montenegro Airlines to commence flights from Niš to other cities, on top of the current service to Podgorica.Although the airport is recording financial losses, the Government of Serbia recently created an airport investment fund. While Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport will receive 118 million Euros from the fund, Niš is second in line. The airport also has exemplary relations with its rival Belgrade, which has donated equipment to its Niš counterpart and is training Niš Airport’s staff. The airport has received more funds as the European Union recently donated 150.000 Euros. Niš also recorded a big increase in the number of handled cargo, with a total of 820 tonnes handled, more than in the past three years combined.
Hopefully, Jat will get back there in winter season. Combined with announced ski-charters from Moscow to Nis this winter, maybe we can see there 25k. Still poor, but at least increase.
ReplyDelete"Nikola Tesla Airport will receive 118 million Euros from the fund"
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!! What a nonsense
^ Over the next 10 years. Announced and reported a month ago.
ReplyDeleteyes, but why oh why, they are profitable, they can invest, get credit line or whatever. in these times there are better ways to invest money...
ReplyDeletewish they build a rail connection to BG with that money, or invested it into some underdeveloped business.
Nice stuff for Nish. Would be nice if JAT had the right aircraft to serve Nish with a couple routes, BEG, VIE, ZRH...maybe winter charters for Kopaonik... i wonder how airlines are doing in INI, loads and CLF wise...
ReplyDelete@ alo
the rail connection, i think is a waste of money. Money could be better spent upgrading city rail infrastructure (Beovoz), like from Batajnica to Pan4eva4ki most, which is neglected. Cities such as Melbourne in Australia, who serves well over 20 million passengers a year, dont have a rail service connecting the city and airport, but a frequent bus service (known as SkyBus).
BEG does need more work done to it, a proper parking facility would be nice, maybe freshening up the area between gates A1 and A9??? would be a start. There was talk of a cargo facility a few years ago which never realised...
^ They are investing a lot into Beovoz now but BEG needs a rail connection of some sorts. One shoddy bus line isn’t great and Jat recently stopped its shuttle from the airport to the city. What’s worse none of the 3 metro lines will stop at the airport either.
ReplyDeleteI think they are planning to refurbish A1-A9
Anyone know why all JA ZAG-SJJ are suddenly not bookable for the month of September?
ReplyDeleteHope this isn't something serious and the flights are about to be stopped...
JA is canceling ZAG route as of September 01, 2010. On a positive note apparently code share agreement has already been signed with KLM on Amsterdam and with Delta under negotiations
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteB92 reported that Srdjan Radovanovic said that JAT and Montenegro will start joined operations from BEG, INI, TGD and TIV on the 31st of October, at the beginning of winter 2010/2011 season. That way, there won't be departures from the same airport to the same airport in time difference of 10 minutes, like they are right now... I guess it'll be some kind of codeshare or something... and yes, the most important - the tickets will be lowered... I cant wait to see what will really happen here :)
ReplyDeleteI go for 99 euro BEG/INI-TGD/TIV round trip, all fees and taxes included :) just imagine the passenger boost :D
That is great news for INI :-) As it has been said, not a huge increase, BUT it is increase and most importantly something is happening. If Windjet has made a succes and tehy really don't have very low prices, can you imagine EZY, WZZ or FR with their low prices from INI, I am sure it would be success. once again, so happy for INI, Nis and region this is improving.
ReplyDelete@ anonymous
ReplyDeleteyes, Beovoz is getting investments, with 6 trains being revamped in Zrenjanin and 3 in Kraljevo. Let Beovoz first operate more needed lines, Mladenovac, Rakovica, Batajnica, Pan4evo, then we will see about the airport. As i said before, if an airport like MEL, who receives 26 million pax, doesnt have rail connection and doesnt plan to, i dont see why it is a must for BEG to have a rail connection. As for the metro lines, ill believe it when it goes under construction. the planed lines dont go even to Zemun so why should it go to the airport?