Belgrade Airport sees record September

NEWS FLASH


Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport registered its 27th month of consecutive passenger growth in September by handling 577.651 travellers, up 1.8%. The number of aircraft movements stood at 5.744, representing an increase of 1.1%. The results mark the airport's busiest September on record, despite its closure for half a day during the month. During the first three quarters, the airport welcomed 4.401.028 passengers through its doors, up 6%. It welcomed its four millionth passenger of the year on September 9, some two weeks ahead of 2017. Belgrade Airport's General Manager, Saša Vlaisavljević, said recently, "We are strategically focused on the continuous improvement of our business. Today, Nikola Tesla is the leading airport in the region. In the last few years we have handled a fifth of all passengers using airports in the region of the former Yugoslavia on an annual basis. We are anticipating another record year by handling between 5.8 and six million passengers".

MonthPAXChange (%)
JAN333.989▲ 1.3
FEB297.430▲ 5.3
MAR366.099▲ 6.5
APR447.681▲ 7.5
MAY479.384▲ 10.8
JUN539.169▲ 6.4
JUL670.354▲ 6.4
AUG689.271▲ 7.5
SEP577.651▲ 1.8

Comments

  1. I expected growth to be stronger but then again September seems relatively strong.

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  2. Disastrous result in my opinion. I expect the same until the end of the year.

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    1. Growth is a disastrous result?

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    2. One month is not a long enough period to have any conclusion. If the whole quarter is gonna be like September then you can say that is not good. This is the comparison with the same month last year and this can just indicate that last years September was very strong. Let's see results until the end of the year and then say something.

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    3. BEG growth depends greatly on ASL.
      Since ASL is stagnating instead of growing it is only logical that the airport's statistics won't be great either.
      This trend is more obvious outside the summer months when foreign airlines and charter traffic naturally decreases.
      If ASL starts growing again in the future so will BEG.

      Just my2cents

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    4. The main issue is that JU has not been adding planes so it's growth is rather limited. It also doesn't help that it started retiring its 733 fleet.

      As for foreign airlines, they are actually adding flights this winter season. They are catering for the growing needs of the local market... since JU can't.

      I mean what more is there to say when RO operates more flights to OTP than JU does.

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    5. RO is probably a larger airline now than JU. They keep growing despite the low cost and legacy competition in OTP.

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    6. @ nemjee

      I dont think its a lack of aircraft thats mainly the problem, but rather a fleet thats not quite cut out for JU. Inadequate ATR count and too many A319's that they obviously struggle to fill on top of their incompetance to sell their overpriced and ever changing product. Not to mention the large jump in capacity between a limited ATR and the A319.

      As for RO, they may have more frequencies but I believe its JU that still offers more seats between the 2 cities.

      @ anonymous 22,45

      RO has more aircraft yet 300.000 less pax, on top of a larger deficit (-37.7 million Euros in 2017) in an market that has had massive growth and in the EU for 11 years, as well as being in an alliance (SkyTeam) and using a much stronger FF program (Flying Blue). JU is far from perfect but not as bad as RO.

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    7. RO this year probably closed the gap in pax numbers with JU. Might have even surpassed it.

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    8. I highly doubt they added 300.000 passengers.

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    9. JU is going to fly fewer passenger this year than it did in 2017.

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  3. I expected stronger growth with all the increases across the board, what happened?

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    1. Few things happened which prevented growth to be bigger. Just that one day when airport was closed and many flights diverted or canceled caused the drop of almost 2%. Also, forced termination of flights from two Iranian carriers whose had I think 5 weekly flights with widebodies cause drop of almost 1%.

      If there are no more surprises like this two it is possible that BEG will maintain growth of 4%-6% until the end of the year.

      If you are expecting growth of 15% then that is not realistic without the big addition of new routes and a significant increase in frequencies on existing routes.

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  4. So 1% growth is similar to that of LJU. I think BEG is running out of resources and begins to lack demand. This is one of the lowest percentages I have ever seen.

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    1. Growth is 1.8% not 1%. If that's the lowest percentage you have seen then what did you see in January?

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    2. Would probably be 2% without the runway closure. Modest growth, but still a growth. It is time for VINCI to take over, so we see what they do.

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    3. You CAN'T compare an apple with a pear.
      January is low season, while September is still high season.
      Charter season and emigrants going back to where they live.

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    4. BEG is losing steam as with all the new arrivals growth remained unchanged. It's natural for an airport to reach its limits. I predict 3% growth until the end of the year.

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    5. Well, Vinci must do a very serious job and meet their 12 million passenger goal. Also, BEG must consider the SKP model. The only airport in ex-YU with the largest 321 W6 capacity.

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    6. Growth of 1,8% out of 350-500k pax (BEG) a month is very different than growth of 3% out of 100-200k a month (LJU)

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    7. 200k difference is not such a significant figure of a city that has the entire population of LJU.
      Slovenia with its size puts the other regional airports to shame.

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    8. The gap between Belgrade and all other ex yu airports is getting bigger and bigger.
      That's how Belgade is losing its steam

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    9. BEG limits are already being seen. Larnaca and Red Wings, Hamburg, LTN 2 weekly.
      I also don't see a possible domestic route to Novi Sad or INI.

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    10. And what about LO, OS, SU, EY... all adding flights? Are they adding flights because there is no demand or...?

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    11. Wonder if you guys heard about YYZ starting in January ?

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    12. What about Larnaca?

      Larnaca is staying on JU. Wizz has cancelled Laranca from pretty much elsewhere.

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    13. @ anonymous 17,13

      I dont recall any mention of domestic flights to Novi Sad, which btw doesnt have a proper airport.

      @ unknown

      JU isnt starting YYZ in January, not sure where you go that from.

      In my opinion, they should of announced, scheduled and sold tickets for YYZ by June, for a start in early December. JFK is not more than 4 pw allowing for 2 pw to YYZ in the slow months. Rumour has it that JU have 4 slots in YYZ, for which they could by Summer 2019 bring in another A330, boost YYZ frequencies, using spare time for bulk routes such as AYT which takes 2 aircraft minutes apart in a period they need aircraft the most. They cancelled GVA this summer due to a lack of aircraft.

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  5. No chance for BEG reaching 6 million passengers this year.

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    1. Only too big optimists expected that BEG will reach 6 million this year. Others, more realistic was expecting between 5.6 and 5.8.

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  6. If you ask me, they have found a concessionaire just in time - they are no longer to grow in large numbers. Vince will be able to pick up the pace.

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    1. Vinci is not picking the pace. It's the airlines that are there and those that they'll bring.

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    2. If the French start attracting foreign airlines and especially low cost ASL will suffer.
      They need to help ASL first to grow, then the airport numbers will grow.

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    3. @ anonymous 22,57

      I think the focus in JU has been to reduce the deficit and boost CLF with existing capacity which after 5 years isnt where they intend it to be (80% and above). 2017 showed that theyre doing better and 2018 although I expect will still be in the negative figures but will not be as bad as previous years, on top of replacing expensive subleased A319's for cheaper ac from Rossiya.

      A320 leases is said to expire next year, where I would think is when the first of the A320neo will begin to arrive and not this year as they previously said it would.

      Vinci has said that there will be nice surprises from JU soon. EY management is leaving, and the Serbian Government isnt denying the 'support' to JU for 'developing tourism'. JU has talked on adding new destisntions to their network (YYZ, IKA, RJK, KRR, GVA, TSE, PRN) on top of talks with/for BWK, OMO, OMR, INI, CAI.

      But I dont think growth will mainly be from JU as with Vinci I expect U2 to expand more as we saw this year on top of possibly another airline joining the list in BEG.

      Having said that, I think 2019 might be a year where we see JU grow, but not as big as when they rebranded to Air Serbia.

      @ anonymous 22,52

      I think BEG could do better, theyre not getting the full potential of the traffic thats coming into the region (exYU), however having a domestic carrier that has been poorly run is not something Vinci can change.

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  7. I havent been on here for about a year but great to see that the BEG bashing hasnt stopped..... Great result well done

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