Sarajevo Airport begins terminal overhaul

Sarajevo Airport to expand capacity

Sarajevo Airport has begun upgrading its terminal building in a bid to increase capacity and improve services. "These upgrades are aimed at boosting capacity at check-in, passport control and the departure gate", the airport's spokeswoman, Belma Čureković, said. The airport also plans to add extra carousels in the baggage claim area. "With this expansion we will be able to handle an even greater volume of passengers", Ms Čureković adds. Over the past three months, Sarajevo Airport has begun tender procedures for the purchase of new check-in desks and passport booths, a Departure Control System (DCS), which automates airport management operation processing for airlines, as well as new LED lighting equipment for its runway and taxiways. As a result, the airport expects to minimise power consumption and lower maintenance costs. The upgrade includes a complete exchange of all existing halogen lights for taxiways Alpha, Bravo and Charlie to LED lights. Furthermore, the Category II system should be fully replaced. Despite the installation costs of LED airfield lighting, which tends to be higher than halogen, the advantages make the investment worthwhile. Sarajevo Airport expects to benefit from fewer field inspections, expansive lamp fixture durability, and higher winter operations efficiency, which are key factors for its performance and long-term goals.

During the year, Sarajevo Airport will also begin work on the construction of a rapid-exit taxiway in order to allow aircraft to leave the runway at higher speeds, permitting another to land or depart in a shorter space of time. Furthermore, the apron should be expanded to allow for a greater number of aircraft to park. In 2017, Sarajevo Airport plans to begin work on upgrading its runway as well as its taxiways. Some two years ago, the airport intended to overhaul its old terminal (A) building, currently used for administrative purposes, and turn it into a low cost terminal. Work was scheduled to begin last year and was to be completed in 2016. However, the project has been delayed, although Ms Čureković notes that upgrades are currently taking place inside the building, without going into further details.

In 2012, Sarajevo Airport cancelled plans to expand its passenger terminal, despite receiving a 25 million euro loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to do so. According to then General Manager, Ivica Veličan, there was no need to expand the terminal since it is yet to reach its maximum operating capacity of one million passengers per year. The project involved expanding the building by 7.000 square metres, the construction of a new apron and the overhaul of existing jetways. The final price tag of the project was estimated at 32 million euros. Sarajevo Airport welcomed a record 772.904 passengers last year.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:13

    If your capacity is 1 million and you are handling around 800,000 then you should definitely start thinking about expanding your terminal. This is just applying some lipstick.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:14

      I agree but first thing SJJ is responsible and professional management.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:29

    Good news for Sarajevo. Is LED lighting standard at airports?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:08

      LED is not a mandatory solution, many airports are using halogen. But all airports across the world is moving to LED due to cost savings. Higher initial investment but a payback of 3-5 years. Sarajevo was the first in the region to start moving to LED.
      All others are following.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:45

    Are there any plans to privatise or put this airport up for concession?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:47

    This year they managed to bring Qatar Airways and Air Arabia, as well as chase away CSA because they didn't want to open the airport a few hours earlier. That said, I really think they need to work on bringing a LCC to SJJ that could even base an aircraft there. Without a national carrier its the perfect market.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:24

      Fees too high for low cost to base plane in Sarajevo. Do you really think Wizz Air would have chosen Tuzla over Sarajevo if it wasn't.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:12

      Weather could also be problematic during winter.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous12:23

    Good work Sarajevo.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous15:24

    Have they given up on those plans to build a new airport in Sarajevo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:35

      What on earth would they need a new airport for?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous00:47

      Bad weather conditions in the sarajevo valley during the winter you idiot, you're on an aviation blog and not aware of the problem sarajevo airport has with fog.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous18:53

    Some news about balkan airlines group (Air Bosna etc.)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:28

      I don't think that project was ever serious.

      Delete
  8. OT: OU je pojacala liniju Zagreb-Amsterdam. Cijeli ovaj tjedan lete i na popodnevnoj liniji.
    Tako sada iz Zagreba sa Amsterdam lete 3 rotacije dnevno;
    OU u 8:25h s airbus a319

    KL u 11:55h s boeing b737-700

    OU u 14:50h s polaskom iz Zagreba s airbus a319

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:42

      Razlog je otkazivanje Brisela.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:46

      "S obzirom da je zračna luka Bruxelles i dalje zatvorena te zrakoplovi Croatia Airlinesa još neko vrijeme neće moći prometovati za/iz te zračne luke (čak i u slučaju otvaranja za promet u limitiranom opsegu), prisiljeni smo otkazati sve redovite letove Croatia Airlinesa između Zagreba i Bruxellesa do 15. travnja 2016. g. Putnicima se nudi mogućnost promjene karata i povrata novca, a zbog povećanog interesa uveli smo i dodatne letove za i iz Amsterdama".

      Delete
  9. Anonymous20:00

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:00

      OT
      OK ce sa svojim ATR 72 1 pw Sub obavljati BWK letove iz INN umesto OS letovi pocinju od 28.05 i traju do 24-09 .
      I QS letece 1 pw Pon od INN za DBV verovatno sa 738 , letovi pocinju od 16.05 i traju do 12.09 .
      OS ce da leti za ZAD 1 pw Sub sa Q400 od 18.06 do 02.07 .
      INN-NS

      Delete
  10. Anonymous23:27

    Iranian tourists are flocking to Belgrade.

    http://www.b92.net/biz/vesti/srbija.php?yyyy=2016&mm=04&dd=03&nav_id=1115481

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous23:50

      Nadam se da ce posle toga neka velika Iranska Kompanija da uspostavi letovi ili ASL.
      INN-NS

      Delete

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