The Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, has said discussions are ongoing with Air Serbia for the introduction of several new routes from Niš Constantine the Great Airport, in addition to the existing seven which are maintained as part of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract. “We are in discussions with Air Serbia for the opening of several new routes from Niš. I will be working on this matter in the coming period so Niš will continue to have more and more passengers”, Mr Vesić said, without specifying the potential new routes according to the “Fly from Niš” portal. The carrier currently maintains services from the southeast Serbian city to Belgrade, Cologne, Hahn, Istanbul, and Ljubljana, as well as seasonally to Athens and Tivat. It also runs a number of summer charters
Despite a record 2023, Niš Airport has been hit by sliding passenger numbers during the first two months of this year. It comes primarily as a result of fewer flights operated by the airport’s two other carriers – Wizz Air and Ryanair. During the January and February period, Niš Airport handled a combined total of 47.580 travellers, down 19% on 2023. It comes on the back of a 38% reduction in the number of flights by Ryanair, and a 28% reduction in the number of operations by Wizz Air. The airport’s management has been criticised for not doing enough to attract new airlines.
All of Air Serbia’s scheduled services out of Niš are subsidised based on the PSO contract. The value of the deal for the duration of the four-year contract, which also includes services from Kraljevo to Istanbul and Tivat, is valued at 34 million euros. Air Serbia has attempted to add flights from Niš in the past, outside of its PSO obligations. In the winter of 2022/23, it introduced a limited winter service from Constantine the Great Airport to Zurich. However, the flights were cut short due to insufficient demand. Last year, the airline invested in the opening of a new call centre, as well as an aircraft balancing service department in the city. Furthermore, it has said it would open a “special business lounge” within Niš Airport’s new terminal building. The latter is set to open this July.
