New terminal to open in September

Construction of Skopje’s new terminal continues
Skopje’s shiny new passenger terminal is scheduled to open on September 8, more than a month ahead of schedule. The new multi million Euro terminal will be officially opened on September 8, on Macedonia’s Independence Day public holiday. Originally, the building was to open its doors on October 20, in time for the 2011/2012 winter season. The airport’s operator, TAV Airport Holdings, has plans to turn Skopje into a regional leader. Besides the new terminal, the airport’s runway has also been extended so it can handle larger aircraft. Currently, construction of the first of six air bridges has begun.

The new terminal at Skopje Alexander the Great Airport is ten times the size of the current terminal building. It stretches over two levels and 40.100 square metres. It will have the capacity to handle 6 million passengers per year. TAV has recently negotiated for Wizz Air to begin flights to the Macedonian capital and attracted Niki as well. It now hopes to lure Lufthansa to begin flights to Skopje. TAV is also vying to construct Zagreb’s new terminal. It has been shortlisted although the final decision on who will build Croatia’s biggest infrastructure project will be known in several months.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:04

    Gosh... how many announcements just for one terminal? I know it's big news but I am sure that there are far more interesting news out there.

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  2. Anonymous09:17

    If you don't like it hater, you do not really need to read it and post here something that is not absolutely related to the topic.

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  3. Anonymous09:25

    hahahah I am not a hater, I am just bored that they keep on reporting so much on an airport that has no importance in Yugoslavia. It would make far more sense to report on Pristina and not on Skopje.

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  4. Anonymous09:40

    You just once more confirmed what I said previously.
    Go here :) http://exyuaviation.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-start-for-new-pristina-terminal.html and post as much as you want, but do not post anything here cause seems like you have nothing to say related to the topic.

    Anyways, this is great news for Macedonia and Skopje and I believe TAV are doing a good job. But we shall wait I believe till next year some time in order to see the real privileges this new terminal, longer runway have to offer.

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  5. Anonymous10:49

    I am happy for Skopje, but I think the terminal is oversized for this country. To become a regional leader, you need: a strong national carrier, lots of local and transit traffic, strong economy and tourism and a big market. None of this is the case. I am afraid that local megalomania ( see Skopje 2014 project on skycryper city ) met turkish economical expansionism.

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  6. Anonymous10:58

    Very wrong very wrong :)
    I am literally disgust of the jealousy here, that at least Macedonia and its capital city of Skopje have started improving step by step. I don't see what is so bad about it?!
    First of all 80% of the comments about Macedonian aviation are so negative..and all of you "experts" here that talk only crap but nothing else. And the funniest part is that neither the airport is fully done nor Skopje 2014 and you already predicted the future about it. Just relax guys and let the time tell you the real answers. To all the "experts"

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  7. Anonymous11:14

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  8. Anonymous11:24

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. Anonymous11:25

    It's nice to hear that, but in my opinion this is the waste of money.!!! I am looking forward but i am not sure that Macedonian airport can handle 6.ooo oooo passenger per year, we both know that Belgrade nearly can beat 2.700.000 passengers, this year will be better but for Skoplje in the far futur..:/ Also is fine when you see that little ex Yugoslovian contry is slowly but for sure puttig on right way .:)) Greetings

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  10. Anonymous12:32

    Greetings from Skopje.

    and thanks for your support

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  11. Well, there is something we have to ask ourselves here, can Skopje airport finance such an airport with the current number of flights?
    Yes, it's nice that there is Wizz Air and Niki but we have to understand that neither airline operates daily. Niki doesn't even send their A320 down to Skopje but their E190 twice per week.
    In addition to that other airlines operating into the city use rather small aircraft during certain waves, while out of these waves the airport is rather quiet.

    Something doesn't add up here. I fear that they might raise the fees in order to break even.

    They have a long way to go in order to justify such a big terminal, which will be bigger than Belgrade whose capacity is 5.000.000.
    However Belgrade is reporting average monthly growth of 22%. On the other hand Skopje has only two airlines operating there that can be considered as legacies, Austrian Airlines and Turkish Airlines.
    I don't know but I am sceptical about the future of this airport...

    **A message to all the people who believe that every thread on Skopje becomes hate heaven, please stop bitching and defend your country with arguments and not with lame insults. Also, look at the thread from yesterday when Montenegro was trashed, or the previous threads where Jat or Croatia Airlines were trashed.
    So stop repeating yourselves every time there is criticism related to your country!

    peace out.

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  12. Anonymous13:37

    @Nemjee

    you must be a bigger expert then TAV, jebote

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  13. I have not mentioned a single time that I am a greater expert than TAV, HOWEVER what any person with an IQ above 50 can realize is that this is too much for a city like Skopje that handles mostly regional aircraft. Who is going to buy in the shops that they are going to have inside? A bunch of people travelling on the morning flights, or a few in the afternoon? Sure. What happens when those flights leave and silence sets in? Go to the site of the airport and you will see how busy it is.

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  14. Anonymous14:06

    lolz why is mostly serbs (like Nemjaa) whining here about that new terminal in Skopje

    its not doing you any harm buddy.

    how many times should be said thats a private investment and they can make it as big as they want. get over it.

    this blog/forum is full of nationalists bores

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  15. First of all, learn how to read since my nickname is NemjEE and not Nemjaa.

    Second of all your argument is totally sad and pathetic and totally proves my argument that when it comes to defending the new Skopje terminal you guys have no valid arguments. In conclusion THERE ARE NO SANE ARGUMENTS TO DEFEND OR JUSTIFY SUCH A TERMINAL.

    Also, may I remind you that this is a public blog where we are all allowed to express out opinions. The fact that you are bothered that I do not share the same views as you is a completely different story.

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  16. Anonymous14:33

    @ Nemjee

    I agree with you one million percent. Ok guys, SKOPLJE. Think..... polako ok slow it down and think. Transit hub? Do you really see people transiting through skoplje instead of Belgrade? Belgrade has a more geographical location in Europe.... in old times people used to fly from New York to Beijing with JAT with a change planes in Beograd I believe. Skoplje does not have enough citizens, and wealthy citizens to get this going. This is a FACT. This terminal Skoplje will be able to live for a longgg time. Ok you have this huge terminal bigger than BEG's, but only 6 jetways which we will see how much that comes in use. BEG I can tell you has farrr over 6. Skoplje cannot compete with Belgrade, what so ever. Just for these charter flights to get going and soon enough if not JAT or any new Serb national carrier, then an American carrier to start up flights to Belgrade from at least Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Toronto. Few years ago they were looking to start flights from Beijing to Belgrade, one of the Chinese carriers. Same with Mid-Eastern carriers and one in Cuba. All best to Skoplje, I hope it grows as much as it can aand represents that amazing country. :) But Serbia is getting much needed terminal expansion, and in future again will need huge one probably with new Terminal 3 and new runway.

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  17. Stefan14:39

    Ok I’m Serbian and I simply can’t comprehend why some Serbs here are whining about this. You are probably the same people that said that Zagreb shouldn’t build a new terminal because Belgrade is the bigger city. That’s all good and well but that doesn’t mean that other airports should close their doors or transfer there pax to Belgrade or not develop. I think this project is nice and is a huge improvement on the current terminal. TAV is the one spending their money and like someone said it’s a private investment so they can build a rocket ship if they want. If any airport should feel threatened by this development its PRN, then again they will also be developing their terminal soon.

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  18. Anonymous15:10

    Aleks Nikolic, nobody said here that Skopje can compete with Belgrade, but you serbians come up with those statements and honestly you look terrified and frustrated but you should not be. I completely agree with the comment above me.

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  19. here some facts from TAVs webpage

    SKOPJE ALEXANDER THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MACEDONIA)

    FACTS & FIGURES

    TERMINAL DESIGN CAPACITY: 3,000,000 PASSENGERS PER YEAR
    TERMINAL BUILDING AREA: 40,000 m²
    RUNWAY EXTENSION: 38.100 m²
    NEW APRON AREA: 25.000 m²
    ACCESS ROAD AND ROUNDABOUTS: 44.400 m²
    CAR PARK AREA: 42.500 m²
    PASSENGER BOARDING BRIDGES: 6 UNITS
    ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING: 5.000 m²
    CARGO BUILDING: 40.000 TONS/YEAR

    haters please cool down

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  20. Straya15:54

    Yeah, I simply do not see the necessity to whine, okay whatever it is their country, and they can manage it quite fine. Only time will tell, I hope that Skopje gets more and more flights, and all the best from Belgrade.

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  21. AirKoryoTU-20415:55

    @SKP new terminal
    Nice, looking good. Hope to see some proper services arise for the small nation. All the best.

    @AleksNikolicUSA
    Well obviously SKP isn't looking to compete rather establish itself and operate routes directly from SKP rather than via BEG etc. But your information about Chinese carriers and even Cuban carrier flying to BEG, just a bit far fetch at the least. Keep thoes statments to yourself I reckon because it does make you look like you've got no knowladge of the aviation market at all.

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  22. Anonymous17:29

    @ Nemjeeeeeee IIIIIImje and Anonymuuuuus

    Fact 1. Skopje will have the best airport in ex-yu (maybie after Dubrovnik) in 3 months
    Fact 2. Not only a cent was given from the state budget for the airport.The size and the amount were determined for the first time for such infrastructure project in ex-yu by an independent and high-professional company TAV, which manages the airport in the one of the fastest growing countries in the world Turkey and probably one of the rare countries which has profitable airlines
    Fact 3. The only megalomania here is the serbian one.People get out of the box!!Milosevic era is gone-noone thinks Belgrade is the center of the world or the region:-)If speaking about regional centers here are Sofia-EU member and Istanbul the fastest growing country

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  23. Anonymous17:35

    To AirKoryo TU204

    BRAVO!!!For the first time you are positive when it comes to news about macedonian aviation!!
    This is the hit of the month:-)
    You made my day!!

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  24. hmmm, I guess all the Balkan's mentality is coming out here. I am reading the news on this blog every day, since they seems to provide an update of all the things happening in ex-yu aviation on time and in good manner. I am happy for all the good things happening and moving forward for all the airports in ex-yu, without worrying that ZAG will have new terminal or BEG have 25% increase of passengers. That's all good for the region, that means that the things are moving in good direction. When the airports in Macedonia were "sold" to TAV I wasn't optimist at all that they will change a lot of things, but they are proving me that I was wrong these days. For someone who is traveling relatively often, and in the last couple years mostly using SKP for my point of departure/arrival, I was feeling really bad everytime I was using the airport, because that terminal wasn't looking at all as a proper terminal, more like some airport terminal in some third world country, not as a terminal building for a country which is striving to be a modern European country. And I completely support the decision from TAV to build little bit larger then usual terminal for the amount of traffic SKP currently have. No one doesn't know what the future holds, and no one can guess if the number of passengers goes up or down. Yes, all the airports in the region need to compete between them, that way they can increase the passenger number and the revenue will go up. Larger city in terms of population doesn't mean by default that needs to have more passengers. Companies like TAV, they make more profit from having more passengers, and they'll do everything they can to get more airlines to the airport. I can say that no one should be jealous about that kind of things. Our region is the one with the lowest number of lowcost flights in Europe, why the people from all the other countries can go to London or Valencia for 5 euros, and I need to pay lot more. Leave the nationalism on the side and go drink skopsko tonight and cheer up the new terminal in September :)
    Pozdrav

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  25. Anonymous20:08

    @AirKoryo,

    I still dont trust you. You are a cheap theif!

    From your Macedonian friend in Melbourne.

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  26. Purger20:08

    SKP and Macedonia congretulations.

    TAV is one of the best companies in ariport management, and they for sure know what they do.

    Now SKP realy have future.

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  27. Anonymous20:21

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  28. Random anonymous talking about TAV and the profitability of Turkish Airlines.

    Like I said in my previous posts and I will not repeat it again, I think that the airport is way too big for the number of operations it has at the moment. This might lead to a fast increase in taxaes and charges at the airport in order to cover the expenses of operation this 'super airport'. The fact that the government didn't give a single cent can only come as leverage to TAV to defend its position at overcharging at the airport. Anyway as I and several other people on here mentioned, time will tell.

    As for that rare countries that has an airline that makes a profit, well just in Europe you have Olympic Air, Aeroflot, Finnair, Lufthansa, Lot, KLM, SN Brussels, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Swiss... all which report profits. I recomend you reading a bit more before stating things on here.

    As for TAV and their operations, if there is anyone that doesn't know how to manage an airport than it is the Turks. Go to Ankara or Istanbul and you will know what I am talking about.

    Still good luck to you all with the new terminal!

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  29. Anonymous20:23

    Many people think BEG is becoming regional hub, soon getting flights from chicago this summer and cleveland (USA) next summer probably if not earlier. More internarional along with transatlantic flights are/ will be coming to srbija as the country is pulling itself from the dust. Sofia i believe does not have Transatlantic flights. You are blind if you do not see the progress in Beograd.

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  31. Anonymous21:18

    I'm really hoping that SKP will get more flights!

    Pozdrav iz Vranje

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  32. Anonymous21:31

    Off topic: Malev sent a b738 to Belgrade today!!!

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  33. Anonymous21:37

    Aleks, I was in Belgrade 10 days ago after some 22 years. If that city is making progress that you was in stone ages two years ago. Sofia, Bucharest and even Havana is another planet for Belgrade.

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  34. Unfortunately their seems to be more interest in nationalistic catfights than the topic at hand so commenting has been locked.

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