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Niš Constantine the Great Airport

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For other uses, see Constantine (disambiguation).

Niš Constantine the Great Airport (Serbian: Аеродром Константин Велики Ниш/Aerodrom Konstantin Veliki Niš) (IATA: INI, ICAO: LYNI), located 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of downtown Niš, in the suburbs of Medoševac and Popovac. It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Serbia, after Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.[1] Niš Military Air Base (Serbian Air Force and Air Defence), the Serbian-Russian Emergency Response Centre and Centre for Aerial Firefighting Duties are all located on the site of the airport.

Niš Constantine the Great Airport

Аеродром Константин Велики Ниш

Aerodrom Konstantin Veliki Niš
Summary
Airport typeInternational/Military
OwnerGovernment of Serbia
OperatorAirports of Serbia
ServesNiš
LocationMedoševac and Popovac, Serbia
Focus city forAir Serbia
Elevation AMSL650 ft / 198 m
Coordinates43°20′14″N 021°51′13″E / 43.33722°N 21.85361°E / 43.33722; 21.85361
Websiteini.aerodromisrbije.rs
Map
INI is located in Serbia
INI
INI
Location in Serbia
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11R/29L 2,500 8,202 Asphalt
11L/29R 1,700 5,577 Grass
Statistics (2023)
PassengersIncrease 448,312
Aircraft movementsIncrease 3,974
Cargo volumeDecrease 69,648 kilograms (153,548 lb)
Sources: Serbian AIP at Eurocontrol[1]
Official website[2][3]

History

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Early years

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The first airfield serving the city of Niš was established in 1910, near the village of Donje Međurovo. In the 1930s, then-national airline company Aeroput used the airport for civil service. In 1935, Aeroput included a stop in Niš in its, back then, domestic route linking Belgrade with Skopje.[4]

Following World War II, the airport was used as a military base. Among other units, it was a base for the 63rd Paratroop Brigade and 119th Aviation Brigade. A portion of the airport is still used by the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence. In 1952, at the site of today's airport, the first concrete runway, measuring 1,500 m (4,921 ft), was built and used for military flights. In order to maintain the pace with the development of military as well as civil aircraft, in 1972 the length of the runway was extended to 2,200 m (7,218 ft) to accommodate larger contemporary commercial aircraft.[5]

In the 1970s, the airport was used for occasional service to the Adriatic coast. By the 1980s, this occasional service led the local authorities to recognize the needs of the people living in Niš as well as Southern and Eastern Serbia and took into account the economic development of the city. The association of economic and political entities prepared detailed terms and in 1986 made a decision on establishing the entity "Airport Niš".[5]

The terminal building as well as the ancillary support facilities were built and opened to service in 1986. This project also included the asphalt coated runway and built-in system of lights that provided visual descent guidance during runway approaches at night. The development of air traffic in Niš was not initiated just by JAT Yugoslav Airlines, but also by Slovenian company Inex-Adria Airways (Adria Airways nowadays), although both were domestic airlines back then.[6]

Breakup of Yugoslavia

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The Breakup of Yugoslavia at the beginning of the 1990s brought a sharp decrease in travelling to the Adriatic Sea, Ljubljana and Zagreb, once the busiest routes from Niš. This was followed by United Nations sanctions imposed on Serbia and Montenegro which included a ban on international air travel. In these circumstances the volume of traffic reached its lowest point with the only route being to Tivat Airport during the summer period. In 1998, the traffic volume increased owing to the heavy air traffic from Pristina International Airport which was out of use because of numerous foggy days during which the traffic was successfully carried out from Niš. The airport was heavily damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

The airport was reopened in 2003 with the financial assistance from the government of Norway. Damage sustained during the bombing was repaired, including the building of a new control tower and renewal of the terminal building.[6]

In 2004, Jat Airways and Montenegro Airlines resumed flights from Niš to Zürich, Paris, and Tivat. In 2010, Wind Jet connected the airport with Forlì, Italy while Montenegro Airlines linked it with Podgorica on a daily basis. The route to Podgorica was discontinued in 2013 because of low passenger numbers. For more than two years (2014-2015) there were only charter flights to and from Niš.[6]

Since 2015

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The expansion in traffic began in 2015 when low-cost airline Wizz Air launched flights to Basel and Malmö. Shortly after, Ryanair followed the suit by announcing flights to Berlin. In 2016, both Wizzair and Ryanair announced more flights from Niš, respectively Wizzair to Dortmund, Eindhoven, Memmingen and Ryanair to Weeze, Bergamo and Bratislava. Shortly after the launch of these flights Niš experienced triple-digit growth in passenger traffic, exceeding the previous record figure. In October 2016, Turkish Cargo, the airline for the transport of cargo which is a part of Turkish Airlines commenced scheduled cargo service between Niš and Istanbul.[7] In November 2016, Swiss International Air Lines announced flights to Zürich, operated by the Airbus 320. In December 2016, Swiss got direct competition when Germania Flug announced flights to Zürich, starting June 2017 operated by the Airbus 319. However, since 2020 no airlines operates services to Zürich.[8]

As of 2019, plans existed for Niš Constantine the Great Airport to be linked to twelve more European cities, after Government of Serbia publish document about lines of public interests (PSO). Companies with the best offers will be granted 5 million euros. Twelve destinations of public interest are Frankfurt, Rome, Hannover, Ljubljana, Bologna, Budapest, Göteborg, Friedrichshafen, Karlsruhe, Salzburg, Nuremberg, Tivat.[9] Currently, the airport serves the total of fourteen regular non stop destinations in eight countries during the whole year, plus four seasonal and three seasonal charter flights during peak summer months.[10]

Terminal expansion

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In December 2016, it was announced that Constantine the Great Airport airport began overhaul of its terminal by expanding check-in and boarding space, as well as building a new exterior and fixing the roof. The project is being funded jointly by the Government of Serbia and local authorities.

As of 2022, progress has been made in construction of the new Airport terminal. The new terminal will span over an area of 7.160 square meters and will feature ten check-in desks, self-check-in stations, eight passport control booths, four passenger gates, one VIP gate, one air bridge and a luggage sorting facility. The new terminal is set to be completed in 2024 and the expansion will enable the Airport to handle up to 1.5 million passenger annually.[11]

 
 
New terminal construction progress as of Aug 2022

The new terminal building was inaugurated in July of 2024[12]

In 2023, it was announced that SMATSA (Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency) plans to start construction in 2024 of a new control tower and an instrument landing system (ILS), which provides guidance to aircraft approaching and landing on a runway during low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain or snow.[13]

Airlines and destinations

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The following airlines operate regular scheduled, seasonal and charter flights from Niš Constantine the Great Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
Air Serbia Belgrade,[14] Cologne/Bonn,[15] Hahn, Istanbul,[16] Ljubljana[15]
Seasonal: Athens, Tivat[15]
Seasonal charter: Antalya,[17][18] Monastir
Ryanair Malta, Vienna
Seasonal: Corfu, Stockholm–Arlanda[19]
Wizz Air Basel/Mulhouse, Memmingen
Swiss International Air Lines Seasonal: Zürich (resumes 30 June 2025)[20]

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at INI airport. See Wikidata query.
Passenger and Flight movements statistics (2004–2023)[21]
Year Passengers Change Aircraft movements Change Cargo (t) Change
2004 19,040   284   147  
2005 26,787   41% 315   11% 452   207%
2006 35,518   33% 382   12% 112   75%
2007 30,453   14% 456   19% 448   300%
2008 22,870   24% 353   23% 163   64%
2009 17,159   25% 349   1% 390   139%
2010 23,627   38% 558   60% 1,554   298%
2011 25,112   6% 591   6% 705   66%
2012 27,426   9% 781   32% 322   54%
2013 21,700   21% 497   36% 343   10%
2014 1,335   93% 271   45% 285   19%
2015 36,200   2,611% 526   94% 553   91%
2016 124,917   345% 722   37% 1,967   355%
2017 331,582   165.4% 1,477   104.6% 2,537   29.3%
2018 351,582   6% 1,417   4% 688   74.5%
2019 422,255   20% 1,967   39% 1,180   71.5%
2020 154,233   63% 1,011   49% 523   56%
2021 146,296   5% 1,040   3% 310   32.2%
2022 389,022   166% 1,928   85% 91   70%
2023 448,312   15.24% 3,974   3.06% 70   24.08%

Niš Air Base

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The Sergeant-pilot Mihajlo Petrović Air Base (Serbian: Војни аеродром наредник-пилот Михајло Петровић, romanized: Vojni aerodrom pukovnik-pilot Mihajlo Petrović), commonly known as Niš Air Base (Serbian: Војни аеродром Ниш, romanized: Vojni aerodrom Niš) is located at the airport. Operated by the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence, base is home to the 119th Mixed Helicopter Squadron "Dragons" of the 98th Air Brigade. It is also home to the elite 63rd Parachute Brigade, special forces unit.[22]

Emergency Response Centre

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In 2009, the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations established a joint Serbian-Russian Emergency Response Centre at the Niš Constantine the Great Airport, also known as Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center. In 2011, a Russian Mil Mi-26 and Beriev Be-200 were dispatched to this centre for aerial firefighting duties in the region.[23] The centre was put into operation in 2012.[24]

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Public Transport

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Termina 1, Check-in area
 
Duty Free shop
 
Airport bus - old type

There are two bus lines operated by city public bus company (PE Directorate for Public Urban Transport Niš) that connects airport to the city center and most of the Niš suburbs - line 34A (Airport-Central Bus Station-Central Railway station-Airport) and 34B (Airport-Central Railway station-Central Bus Station-Airport).[25] One single ticket costs around 80 dinars (0,68 euro) and can be purchased directly in the bus. Buses are running every 20 to 30 minutes.[26] On the following website you can check all the public transport lines operated by PE Directorate for Public Urban Transport Niš: https://www.jgpnis.rs/red-voznje/

Taxi Service

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Approximately 50 meters on the left side when exit passenger terminal is a parking lot and a taxi stand.[27]

Rent a Car

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There are nine rent a car agencies available at the airport.[28]

Parking at the Airport

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Niš Constantin the Great Airport has parking in front of the terminal building that works 24 hours every day. First 15 minutes are free of charge, and after you have to pay. It is possible to pay with cash or bank cards.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "EAD Basic - Error Page". www.ead.eurocontrol.int.
  2. ^ Niš Constantine the Great Airport. "Official website" (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 May 2007. [permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Statistics - Nis Constantine the Great Airport". Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  4. ^ Drustvo za Vazdusni Saobracaj A D – Aeroput (1927-1948) at europeanairlines.no
  5. ^ a b "History – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  6. ^ a b c "History – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  7. ^ "Serbia: Turkish Cargo make Nis airport its regional center - Transport - ANSAMed.it". www.ansamed.info. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Swiss to end Niš operations". November 2019.
  9. ^ "Vlada odlučila: Od 1. jula 12 PSO linija na "Konstantinu Velikom"; Knežević: Sledeće godine očekujemo više od pola miliona putnika". tangosix.rs. 29 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Destinations – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  11. ^ "Niš Airport begins construction of new terminal". 6 May 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  12. ^ "New terminal building at the Niš Airport open for business (in Serbian)". 25 July 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  13. ^ "EX-YU Aviation News". 5 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Air Serbia / Qatar Airways Begins Codeshare Service from Feb 2023".
  15. ^ a b c "Niš outlines planned new subsidised routes for 2022". 29 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Air Serbia Expands Istanbul Service in NW22".
  17. ^ "Barcino Tours: Od 19.juna čarter letovi za Antaliju iz Niša". flyfromnis.blogspot.com. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Air Serbia to grow charter traffic by 15%". June 2023.
  19. ^ "Ryanair to suspend Nis-Stockholm winter flights - report | Serbia Investments News | SeeNews". SeeNews. 5 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Swiss to resume Zurich - Nis route".
  21. ^ "Statistics – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  22. ^ "PIONIR SRPSKE AVIJACIJE DOBIO SVOJ DOM: Vojni aerodrom u Nišu poneo ime legendarnog pilota Mihajla Petrovića". 23 September 2018.
  23. ^ "Russian water bomber, helicopter land in airport in south". B92. 30 August 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  24. ^ "Serbia and Russia launch joint emergency center". B92. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  25. ^ "Aerodrom Niš". busevi.com. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Ред вожње - Јавни градски превоз Ниш". Archived from the original on 11 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  27. ^ "By Taxi – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  28. ^ "Rent a Car – Niš Constantine the Great Airport".
  29. ^ "Home". Aerodrom Nis Parking Na Dan NiPark.
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