Ponikve Airport
Template:Airport frame Template:Airport title Template:Airport image Template:Airport infobox Template:Runway title Template:Runway Template:Airport end frame Užice-Ponikve Airport (Serbian Latin: Aerodrom Užice-Ponikve, Cyrillic: Аеродром Ужице-Поникве) is an airport in Serbia under heavy reconstruction. The airport is located 12km North West from the city of Užice. The airport is turning into a public one and is getting prepared to open its doors for the first time since 1997.
History
Užice-Ponikve Airport was built in the period from 1979 to 1983 but until 1992 it hasn’t been actively used.
In 1996 and 1997, Jat Airways, then known as Jat Yugoslav Airlines, used the airport twice a week for a domestic line Užice-Belgrade-Tivat-Užice, with ATR-72. Later the airline stopped service because there was not a large enough passenger load.
In 1999 it was badly bombed by NATO forces during the bombing of Yugoslavia. The airport now has a brighter future with construction/reconstruction, due to interest of local companies in cargo transport and great potential of this region in tourism (some of the nearby tourist centers are Zlatibor, Tara mountain and Mokra Gora).
Heavy reconstruction (in progress)
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is investing 3.5 million Serbian dinars for the reconstruction of the runway at Užice-Ponikve Airport. This is one of the first steps to be taken by Belgrade Nikola Tesla within the project to change the use of Užice-Ponikve Airport from military into a civil one.
As earlier agreed, Belgrade Nikola Tesla will provide financial and logistics support for reconstruction of Užice-Ponikve Airport in order to create conditions for civil air operations from Užice, as soon as possible.
The runway at Užice-Ponikve is among longest in the Balkans region, and the second longest in Serbia and Montenegro. Even before reconstruction is completed, smaller aircrafts, up to 40t weight or 70 seats, can safely land at the airport.
The management of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport plans to make Užice-Ponikve Airport it's cargo base for western Serbia region. The total reconstruction is expected to be completed in September 2006.
Service
The management of Užice-Ponikve Airport confirmed interest of low cost, scheduled and chartered airlines.
