In 2012 80 000 passengers passed through the International Airport in Mostar, which is very close to its pre-war number of 86 000, said for ”Oslobođenje” the manager of the Airport Mostar Marin Raspudić.
Raspudić added that in 2013, there will be 35% more passengers than in 2012, which will be the largest number since the opening of the airport in 1965, and since the airport became its alternative to Sarajevo International Airport.
”We are preparing for 2012/2013 season, and we are discussing how to solve the possible problem because the main terminal has become too small for the number of passengers, so we started preparations for introduction of better service, more counters, and better space for customs and border service. Apart from our regular airline operators, who come from Italy, new ones will also come. With current capacities we can work until 2015, but by that time we should expand the Airport Mostar, in particular parking positions, terminal and navigation” , said Raspudić.
Although the balance sheet for 2012 hasn’t been finished yet, Raspudić said that the financial results of the airport are excellent, and that all the obligations to employees and the state were fully met.
”Now we need a wide support from the city of Mostar, HNK and FBiH, because it is very clear that this airport has a future and is a significant one, like the ones in Sarajevo, Dubrovnik and Split”, said Raspudić.
According to him, BiH should prepare a better tourist offer, in order to expand the air traffic in Mostar. Tourists, who use this airport, primarily visit Međugorje, Mostar, Sarajevo, Blagaj, Neum and Buško Lake.
Accelerated development of Mostar aiport could soon be the driver of employment in BiH, because it needs engineers of air traffic. Raspudić said to BiH institution that the money BiH can make on tourism should not go into someone else’s hands and that further investment are needed in the tourist sector.
