Belgrade Airport completes terminal overhaul


Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has completed a multi million euro upgrade of its Terminal 1 building which includes the addition of 33 check-in desks, eleven retail desks, commercial areas, oversized baggage check-in, a new baggage sorting facility and an additional 475 square metres of space. This will result in an increase in capacity from the current 5.5 million passengers per year to seven million. Last Friday, the airport put into use one of the overhauled areas for check-in purposes (dubbed Terminal 2b, check-in 400), which was formerly used as the arrivals area for domestic flights. On the other hand, the finishing touches for the remaining upgraded facilities within Terminal 1, which will also feature open views of the apron, are being carried out. The official opening of the overhauled terminal is expected in the coming weeks. The upgraded facilities also feature five self check-in desks and two self bag drop-off points, the latter being situated in the check-in area 600. While not officially confirmed, it is believed that the overhauled terminal will be used by foreign carriers, while Air Serbia and Etihad Airways Partners would gain exclusive use of Terminal 2.

Click images to enlarge

   

General Manager, Saša Vlaisavljević, previously noted that the ongoing expansion and overhaul of the airport's facilities will have it fully prepared to welcome its second long haul flight, from Beijing, which is to launch during the third quarter of the year. "We are expanding capacity because there is a real need for it. Once the reconstruction of Terminal 1 is completed, we will have 33 new check-in desks, including 28 standard ones and five self check-in counters for passengers to use at their disposal. The new check-in desks will be connected to the new baggage sorting facility". The airport had previously overhauled the first floor of the Terminal 1 building and put it into use in 2015.

   

Further investment into Terminal 1 is expected by the end of the year. The airport plans to begin construction of an open air observation deck, which should be located within the premises of the T1 building, Furthermore, it will complete the overhaul of its "A" departure gates. Although the gates are jointly shared by both terminals, the "A" gates are considered to belong to T1 as they were part of the original building when it was opened 55 years ago. While almost all gates have been renovated, four remain untouched since the early 1980s. The project will include the overhaul of 2.640 square metres and the construction of an additional 6.360 square metres of space, which will take in 800 square metres of retail areas. The work will encompass the installation of five new jet bridges, with the last gate to cater for wide-body aircraft. Moreover, an additional two ground floor gates will be opened from which passengers will be bussed to their aircraft at remote parking positions. Meanwhile, the Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency (SMATSA) has completed tender procedures for the preparation of technical documentation for the construction of a four-level 75 metre new control tower. The project also includes the construction of a two-level flight control centre, which will be linked to the tower. SMATSA anticipates for construction to take three years to complete.

     

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:03

    Looks good. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:56

      So when airport is fully revamped capacity should increase to what 10 million ?

      Add planned 11000sqm extension with 4 additional passenger boarding bridges, and capacity could be in the region of 12-13 million?

      Overall, the terminal will be what, 50000sqm, all in. 33000sqm + 11 000sqm + revamped 6000sqm ???

      I guess, Belgrade airport by size would overtake 41000sqm Skopje airport and Future 47500sqm Split airport.

      However, Zagreb will extend its lead, once the terminal hits 8 million pax, from 65800sqm + 6700sqm to eastern pier + 10500sqm = 83000sqm.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:04

    Nice but I would prefer that they spent money on the plan to extend the C concourse like they announced 2 years ago. What's happening with that anyway?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      They got the project and documentation approved but they never started tendering for construction. I assume they are not doing it because of the concession.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:05

    Can't wait until they open the one with airside views :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:08

    The rumour is that they will place the observation deck above C gates. I like the new look.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:28

      Yes, apparently above C1/C2. It should be opened by the end of the year.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:54

      That would be fantastic because then the deck would have direct view of the runway.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:08

    Does Air Serbia really need all of T2?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:10

      Yeah why would they need so much space.

      Delete
    2. I think under purchase agreement between EY and Serbia there is a condition granting JU exclusive right to use one of the terminals. so I guess T1 was too small for them. it is just the question of what does exclusive right to T1 means? will JU get all of the retail space as well or just the check-in counters.

      does JU really needs it? well in the last couple of years it had 50+% share on the airport, so they might need that much if they were growing, which they are not :/

      anyhow, now there is enough quality space for everybody and no one would be impaired if it got check-ins on T1 which is now light years apart from T1 3y ago

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:06

      They will be getting only check in counters but the last check in counters, closest to the new 400-410 check in desks will also be used by foreign airlines if there is a need.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:29

      If Etihad wants a new terminal for Air Serbia they should build them one!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:41

      Wasn't the original plan for Air Serbia to take T1?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:26

      I'm not sure if the part of the deal of Air Serbia getting a terminal is applicable anymore. In the agreement between Etihad and GoS this was meant to happen in 2014 and it didn't so...

      Delete
  6. Prelepo izgleda i mislim da su uradili fantastičan posao sa renovacijom.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:11

    It looks really great.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:13

    Congrats BEG. Looks modern.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:14

    It looks reallh good! I like it! Once the refurbish those gates remaining A gates, the airport will be good for the next 10 years i think.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:14

    Why are they doing all of this is the airport will be given for concession. What's the point in wasting all this money?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Apart from the fact that the concession tender can be cancelled at any point if the state finds that the bids are unsatisfactory, by investing in infrastructure now that they can also raise the concession fee. Also they obviously have some planned investment schedule which is not impacted by concession or anything else.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:24

      But you really got to wonder what is the point of the concession. If the airport can expand without taking loans, like it is, why would you need foreigners to come in?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:30

      They said that the planned future investments are too expensive and that the airport would not be able to finance it on its own. That's why they need a partner.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:34

      ^^ That is the PR reason. The real reason is that the government has a deal with IMF and have to sell state owned companies to be able o get money from them.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:19

    I'm glad they will finally do up those A7-A10 gates. They look horrible and are the only part of the airport left with the black rubber floor

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:01

      It's actually A6 - A10

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:12

      Amen. The remotest gates (A8-10) are ugly, cramped and uncomfortable as a gate can get.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:21

    Really like the detail of the integrated logo in the seating area at check in. I still hope they will expand the C gates like they planned.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:26

      Me too, looks nice :)

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:22

    When will construction of the new control tower begin? Three years for construction seems a bit long. I mean it's a control tower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:25

      I think in Q4 this year.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:22

    So A10 and the C gates will be able to handle wide bodies. Nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      When they finish that I'm pretty sure they will dump Wizz onto remote stands. Wizz Air uses those A7-A10 gates. But when they do them up I doubt they would allow them.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:37

      If Wizz Air pays to use the air bridges at BEG then I don't see why they would put them at remote stands. Since they use the air bridges at the moment I assume they do pay for the,.

      Delete
    3. Nemjee09:40

      Wizz Air doesn't use the airbridge, they are just parked next to it. Even though the aircraft is connected to it, you still use the stairs, walk over the tarmac and then board the plane through the stairs. So in a way it's a waste of an airbridge.

      They should just move them to the B platform.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:43

      That is such a waste of space. Why on earth do they connect the planes with the airbridges if they are not used?

      Delete
    5. Nemjee10:10

      I think only those who buy the priority pass get to use it. Also, I think BEG allowed them this because they didn't have the need for all those air bridges in the past. With BEG traffic increasing I am sure this will change, especially around noon.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:30

      That's rubbish; anyone sitting in the front half of the plane uses the airbridge and anyone in the rear half walks down the stairs to the rear door.

      Delete
    7. Nemjee11:51

      That wasn't the case when we flew to LCA.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous20:22

      OK but I regularly fly with Wizzair out of (and to) Belgrade and boarding has always been in the manner I posted above.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous22:33

      Wizz uses bridges, Mostly old A's but once when I flew we departed from aircraft over refurbished A5. I also saw Lufthansa and some other legacy carrier on those old gates...

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:23

    They've done a good job.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:27

    They should now replace the T2 check in desks to match the ones in T1.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:35

      Why would they waste the money? T2 check in is good.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:49

      so they can be uniformed across the airport.

      Delete
  17. Can you now check in and print boarding passes for Air Serbia flights on those machines? They used to be for other carriers only.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      No, I think Air Serbia will be buying its own check in machines.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:40

      For now Air Serbia has check-in ambassadors. They stand in front of check-in and help you do it online.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:37

    So when the additional 2 ground gates are opened there will be a total of 20, am I right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:41

      Yes. 16 gates with jetbridges and 4 on the ground floor.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:59

      You forgot bus gate C7

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:13

      ^True so 21 in total.

      Delete
  19. Nemjee09:43

    I passed through T1 last night and it looked really nice, a massive improvement compared to what we had before. The whole area is bright and modern looking. Really nice job.

    Btw VCE-BEG 61/64 passengers. From what I could there were 20 connecting passengers, mostly going to Greece and Russia and a few to LCA which, from what a friend told me, returned 100% this morning with 6/8 in business class.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:47

      Thanks for sharing Those are very good loads. Good to hear. Looks like they selected a good route.

      Delete
    2. Nemjee10:08

      Btw the whole Venice region is covered with their ads which was a nice change. I guess that's why the route is popular with Italians.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:23

      After the end of the AUH route they should look into increasing frequencies to destinations such as Russia, Greece, Cyprus etc. where there is year round demand for travel.
      From many people's accounts these flights are full and not just during peak season.

      Just my 2cents.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:50

    Good job Belgrade it looks really nice. Thumbs up.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous09:51

    How many check in desks do they have now? 60?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous09:54

    I hope some new airlines will accompany the updated infrastructure :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:18

      Except for Hainan there is nothing new announced.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:24

      Al Masria starts flights in a few days. Ellin Air, Transavia and Atlas global all started flights this year and Wizz based a second plane. That's pretty good in a year.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous10:05

    It would be really nice if they brought back the fountain which used to be in the middle of T1 where there was an open roof.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:13

      Found it in the vintage photos

      http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U-RCKc50P0o/UV7DKNnwvZI/AAAAAAAAIqE/eao3GftAXMk/s1600/t11964.png

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:22

      That would be really cool!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:27

      Absolutely agree! +1

      Delete
  24. Anonymous10:10

    Renowned advertising agency McCann has a slogan Truth Well Told. Airport is on a massive PR roll to spread the news of recent renovation, so the „well told“ part is covered. Let’s see if they deliver the „truth“ part:

    In April 2015 Belgrade airport announced two year plan to upgrade and expand the airport:

    https://s7.postimg.org/b3ek2nl0b/plan_razvoja_beg_2015-2017.jpg

    They didn’t complete half of what they promised. Terminal 1 reconstruction is only half way done, as most the important part – refresh of old A gates, didn’t even get started.

    When we look at the financial side of what has been done so far, results are even worse. Less than a third of all investment by dollar value is completed as mostly cheaper, low-hanging projects were done so far. New official gate D was estimated at about 500k eur and deicing platform at 3,5mil eur. Projects that didn’t get done are a lot more expensive, such as old A gates refresh, new fire station (est 8 mil), extension of C concourse (est 15 mil) and runway overhaul (est 45 mil eur). All the figures were taken from links:

    http://bit.ly/2r3nryQ

    http://bit.ly/2shf82n

    Circumstances may have changed and growth slowed, but not enough to justify this reduction. Airport only delivered small portion of project value they committed to deliver two years ago. When you consider new tower that was originally planned to be completed in 2014 and one terminal to be handed over to Air Serbia in 2014, things looks far from truth. Concession and new professional, accountable management are long overdue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:17

      I agree that this is why we need a concession partner that will be able to handle all those major investments, although the control tower is being financed and organised by SMATSA, not the airport.

      Delete
  25. Terminali 1 i 2 su kompletirani tek kada se zamene stari avio mostovi, zapadni deo terminala Jedan. Zavrsi patforma za posmatranje, observation platform. Naravno i javno objavljno produzenje zgade na C platformi.
    Istina, Nikola Tesla Aerodrom nemoze se racunati u prave Evropske aerodrome ako se ne napravi treci Terminal, druga pista, novi Kontrolni Toranj, hotel sa tri i cetiri zvezdice. Potpuno redizajniranim putem i prilazima terminalima. Novim vise spratnim auto parkingom. Novom kontrolom taksi sluzbe... Poboljsanje rulne staze i dogradnja rapid exit linkova. Poboljsanje sistema komunikacione mreze. Podizanje aerodroma na nivo 4B. Naravno to ce sve biti moguce i vise od ovoga dolaskom koncesionara. Bez njega sadanjim tempom ulaganja
    To nebi bilo moguce. Sa "nasim tempom, nasom dinamikom", to u iducih 35 do 40 godina ne bi bilo moguce. Ako se ne uklapa u drugacija posmatranja, Beogradsku vazdusnu luku ipak nije moguce u razumnom roku do deset godina izgraditi bez koncesije... Ima ljudi koji misle da nam takav aerodrom nije potreban. Ima ljudi koji takodje smatraju da ni auto putevi ne trebaju. Svakakvih ljudi ima. Zivot i razvoj idu napred.
    Iz zimskog Sidneja,
    Rodney

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:56

      Koji ce im visespratni parking kada ni sadasnji nisu popunjeni? U zagrebu su Francuzi potpuno zahebali domacine imaju vise sirokotrupnog prometa no sto im zgrada dopusta. Takvi su koncesionari.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:01

      Treba napomenuti da BEG ima visespratni parking. Ali je skup.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:41

      This is one of the better comments by Rodney in months. Only his direct opinion, without all the fluff. And I agree, BEG needs a concessionaire asap.

      Delete
    4. @Radovan Maeinkovic +1

      Delete
    5. Alen Šćuric Purger23:09

      Kad su dva širokotrupca u Zagrebu (Emirates + Air Transat ponedjeljkom i srijedom, te Emirates + Korean) onda je Emirates na gateu 8, a ostali na gateu između 5 i 6. Istovremeno se normalno koriste 4 i 7.

      Delete
  26. Anonymous10:37

    In my opinion they need a foodcourt. The couple of restaurants and the Hleb & Kifle bakery is hardly enough.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:43

      Agree about the food court. A cafe and a Hleb & Kifle bakery really isn't good enough especially with more and more transfer passengers using the airport and spending a few hours in the transfer zone. Duty free zone I think is fine. Its quite large plus there are several other stores as well including a few branded shops.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:47

      Glupost. Ima recimo na terminalu 4 na jfk i uglavnom poluprazan. Pre im treba jedan malo bolji restoran od budjavih fast fudova kao hleb i kifla.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:51

      Storage lockers for baggage would also be a good idea for people with long transfer times.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:56

      You can't have the storage lockers as long as the transit area is un-secure, ie, as long as security checks are performed at the gate.

      Delete
  27. Looks really good

    ReplyDelete
  28. Looks nice, love it!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous10:54

    Good it was about time they did something with that outdated terminal. Going from T2 to T1 was just like entering another dimension.

    ReplyDelete
  30. JU520 BEGLAX11:05

    Nice job! Congrats to BEG AP

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous11:14

    And what will happen with much needed runway overhaul?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:26

      Supposed to start this year

      "Traffic will not be disrupted during this period because we will undertake the overhaul in the most risky but modern way, similar to what the airports in Frankfurt and Zurich have done. Work will be carried out between midnight and 05.00 in the morning. This sort of reconstruction is the most demanding", Mr Vlaisavljević told the "Novi Magazin" weekly. He added, "Currently, Chisinau Airport is undertaking a similar project and we will send our teams to review the work being done there".

      http://www.exyuaviation.com/2016/12/belgrade-airport-outlines-plans-for-2017.html

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:48

      In the remaining 5 and a half months of 2017 airport will complete current T1 overhaul and it will also complete runway overhaul, complete A gates refresh and build observation deck. They could not do it in the past 2 years but will now do it in 5 months? LOL ha ha ha so funny!

      Delete
  32. Anonymous11:25

    This is all great but they are running around 2 years behind schedule on all major projects.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous11:40

    Somehow I doubt they are making all these improvements for T1s biggest user Wizz Air. So I assume there is a catch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:48

      They are not making it for Wizz Air, they are making it for all foreign carriers. Did you read the article? Obviously the current system of T1 being used for low cost and charter flights will no longer be applicable, and Aviolet will also move to T2.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:22

      Thanks. I seem to have skipped that part.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous11:55

    It's almost midday and I am surprised that the traditional debate about BEG needing a second runway hasn't started yet :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:47

      lol I think all has been said on that topic.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:53

      My opinion has not changed ever since, BEG really needs a second runway. In 10 years, the traffic will be 15 million and you will remember my words, ok?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:21

      But where can they place a second runway.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:21

      Parallel to the current one. There is more than enough space.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous15:55

      There is enough space but ZERO need for it.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous17:05

      Why zero? Please give us your arguments behind this.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous17:58

      Arguments are needed FOR something, not AGAINST something.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous18:27

      My argument is that BEG's foretasted traffic for the next 20 years at least does not warrant the construction of a second runway.

      Delete
    9. Are you being serious with the 2nd runway??! Belgrade will need at least another decade to maybe reach 10-12 million pax. And before that, discussing a second runway is ridiculous. Nikola Tesla needs a lot of infrastructure, but runway ain't it. Dubai and Heathrow are airports with over 40-50 million pax annually and they have 2 runways. Doha too. And American airports like Chicago, Denver or Dallas, with 6 or 7 runways are pure nonsensical extravagance and over-indulgence.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous23:00

      +1
      London Gatwick with only one runway serves 43-45 million a year and rising!

      Delete
  35. Anonymous12:19

    Whatever happened to the whole "Airports of Serbia" thing? They created a public enterprise, employed a few people for absolutely nothing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:30

      They established the company last year but it doesn't include BEG. As expected, it is a waste taxpayer's money.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:51

      Well the government expects the future concessionaire to build a new runway.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:21

      They are living in dream land.

      Delete
  36. Anonymous12:36

    It looks nice. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous12:46

    Good use of space and I'm glad they finally reopened the "Terminal 2b" zone after so many years.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous13:05

    What is happening with the concession process? When are they going to announce who made bids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:18

      Look it up. They will announce the companies that qualified to submit binding bids next week
      http://www.exyuaviation.com/2017/06/belgrade-airport-to-announce-nonbinding.html

      Delete
  39. Anonymous15:20

    When you compare the airport to 10 years ago it is completely unrecognizable. Both terminals!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous02:31

      Gate A10 is totally recognizable not just from 10 but from 30 years ago!

      Delete
  40. Anonymous15:24

    The only thing left to do to have the complete T1 and T2 done now is just the A6-A10 gates. Then they can start thinking about expanding T2 like they planned with 4 additional gates.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous16:03

    Very nice work , now please work with the outside , it looks so early 80's.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous17:23

    BTW these days BEG is seeing sharp passenger growth coming from foreign airlines, some 25 to 30%.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:58

      Serbia vs Wales

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:09

      More than 2000 fans of Wales.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:57

      Did they come on charter flights or scheduled services into BEG?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous22:02

      scheduled services, no charter flights. Only Wales football team charter flight 737-300 Titan Airways

      Delete
  43. Anonymous19:36

    OT: Eurowings will start two weekly Duesseldorf-Sarajevo flights from WTT. Flights will be operated by Air Berlin's A319 on Thursdays and Sundays.
    EW 9944 DUS-SJJ 09:10-11:05
    EW 9945 SJJ-DUS 11:55-14:00

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anonymous19:40

    Well, well. So ZAG and BEG can now be proud of their terminals. Great great. By 2020 LJU will have a new one too.
    INI - refurbs
    PRN - runway extension
    SKP - shiny low-cost airport

    All good news really.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What about Dubrovnik and Split?

      Delete
  45. Anonymous03:28

    Why make all these upgrades and spend so much during a tender process and inevitable sale, am I missing something here?

    ReplyDelete

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