Belgrade Airport expansion masterplan unveiled


The largest development project in Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport’s history, headed by operator VINCI and its partners, is under way with the aim of creating a “future hub in South-eastern Europe”. More than 730 million euros are being invested over the 25-year concession period to raise the airport's quality of service. The majority of the work is currently in full swing, with construction on schedule despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The first full renderings of the completed masterplan have now been unveiled, including the phase 2025 (phase one) and phase 2030 (phase two), although the majority of the work will be completed by the end of 2023. The first phase includes the addition of an arrivals gallery on the roof of the existing terminal, the construction of a new boarding pier with three Multiple Apron Ramp System (MARS) contact stands and the refurbishment of the existing facility with a new central security screening area. The second phase is a major extension of the passenger processing areas such as check-in, security screening, duty free and baggage delivery which will require the redesign of the access roads.





Commenting on the airport’s development, its General Manager, Francois Berisot, said, “Modernisation works, carried out by VINCI Construction Grands Projects through its subsidiary VINCI Terna Construction, have been ongoing without major disruptions, even during the state of emergency in 2020, in accordance with all the recommendations and prescribed preventative health and safety measures. Further works are being carried out in parallel at several locations, which include the expansion of the terminal, a new secondary runway and additional taxiways, additional aircraft positions for parking and for de-/anti-icing winter operations, additional car parking spaces and new access roads. While construction of a new bus gate has already been completed, the majority of works will be carried out within the next three years. They will increase the airport’s capacity and improve the comfort and experience of our passengers and all users of the airport”. Mr Berisot added, “We recently completed works on the upgrade and modernisation of the entire central area on the boarding level within the terminal. The new area includes an expanded and modernised duty-free shop, as well as the Tesla Square, which now offers a relaxation zone and a variety of new commercial content. Passengers can already experience continuous improvements in comfort and in the look and feel of the airport”.




The construction of the inserted runway is currently in full swing. It will replace the existing one during its upcoming overhaul, after which the inserted runway will be used as a parallel taxiway and backup runway if the need arises. The inserted runway is being built in close proximity to the existing one (190 metres apart). As a result, extremely precise working procedures have been implemented in agreement with the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate to ensure that work can take place without disrupting air traffic. The overhaul of the existing main runway will commence upon the completion of the inserted runway. The inserted runway is expected to be completed in October or November of next year at the latest. It will be linked to the runway through a new system of taxiways, including four rapid exit taxiways (RETs). The current runway lighting systems will be replaced with LED lighting. The Serbian government requested for the construction of the inserted runway as part of the terms of the concession.





Another development taking place is the construction of apron E, located across from the cargo terminal. It is the first phase of the apron extension boasting nearly 25.000 square metres. Work began exactly a year ago and its extension will allow for the upgrade and optimisation of aircraft handling capacities at remote stands, the handling of three aircraft with a wingspan of up to 36 metres, an internal road, as well as ground handling equipment areas. The apron has its own lighting system and retention for drainage.

The construction of a new energy plant for the production and distribution of heat and electricity is underway, which will switch from heavy fuels to more environmentally efficient energy sources and reduce emissions. A 1MW solar farm, composed of 3.000 photovoltaic modules, will also be installed this year and will be able to supply the airport with around 1.200.000 kWh of clean energy per year, which is equivalent to the consumption of eighty households. This sustainable project will reduce 875 tons of CO2 per year from the airport’s carbon footprint. Furthermore, work on the construction of new solid waste processing plants in the airport’s public and airside area are on the way, as well as a wastewater treatment plant.

Belgrade Airport has also completed work on a remote parking facility located east of the existing cargo terminal. The remote car park stretches over 36.400 square metres and provides additional parking capacity for passengers (mid and long-term stay), rent-a-car, valet parking and staff parking. Furthermore, it will accommodate taxi drivers who will then be called up to the terminal building upon the arrival of incoming passengers. The car park has the capacity for some 1.500 vehicles, of which 809 will be reserved for travellers, 330 for staff, 265 for rent-a-car and 109 for taxis. It is equipped with lighting, video surveillance, electric vehicle charging stations, car wash, as well as a modern access control system. Passengers who park their cars here will be transported to the terminal building by the airport shuttle bus which will be circulating between the terminal and car park. It will be opened once passenger traffic, currently impacted by Covid-19, begins to pick up and work on the curbside area in front of the terminal begins.

The project also includes the construction of a new firefighting station, airport administration building (NAAB) and maintenance workshops. The new administration building will be a five-story structure with a basement level composed of offices and services for the airport administrative staff.






VINCI experienced some initial difficulty with the entire project as it needed to obtain precise information on the state of existing infrastructure both for the terminal and for the existing runway. The current runway dates from the 1960s, and underwent a number of surface overhauls up to 2005. Additionally, during the study and project phases, night tests were carried out. “A precise knowledge of the condition of existing infrastructure is vitally important, as this affects the structuring of our redevelopment work. The Building Information Modelling method (BIM) was very useful for the design and phasing of terminal works”, VINCI said. It added, “These works are also characterised by exacting environmental requirements. The excess soil generated by excavations for the new runway will be reused for landscaping on the airport site, thus minimising the flow of heavy goods vehicles”.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    wow looks great in my opinion

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    Finally we see what it will look like :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    I really like it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:04

    Great to see so many projects and that they are all on schedule. Good work.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous09:05

    Nice. It really well be a transformation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:06

    "The Serbian government requested for the construction of the inserted runway as part of the terms of the concession."

    Why am I not surprised

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:17

      You never are surprised when it comes to the inserted runway.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:29

      What a stupid idea.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:32

      I don't think it's a stupid idea. They need an alternative runway while they do work on current runway. The alternative would be to close the airport. Once the runway work is completed they will have a new parallel taxiway which can be used a runway in case it is needed (remember when that Egypt Air plane was stuck on the runway for hours).

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:36

      That happened like once in 50 years.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:39

      Well then you don't need a second runway either.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:43

      You need a second runway either way to reconstruct to current one if you don't want to open a BUD-like temporary tent terminal in BJY.

      There are no even customs there.

      Hence, it would be logical to make it so that it can be operational regardless of the current one.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:51

      Guys, please don't forget that it doesn't happen ever 50 years but every 20 or so. BEG did it in early 2000s and most traffic was moved to Batajnica. It was a living hell even with much less traffic than what we have today.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:00

      Runways can easily be renovated during the night, part by part. Sure, it takes a long time, but it's much cheaper than building an entirely new runway with all the infrastructure that comes along with it (lighting and navigation equipment).

      Inserted runway for a small airport the size of BEG is insane.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:01

      No, some runway renovations can't be done over night. What are you going to do when you come to the central part of the runway

      Delete
    10. Anonymous10:24

      Superficial repairs can be done at night time however the BEG runway needs to be fixed from its foundations.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous10:29

      Do it like they did in LJU a decade ago. Close the airports for 10 days and move critical part of operations for those 10 days somewhere else.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous10:29

      That's the worst thing you can do. Also these repairs can't be done in 10 days.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous10:30

      Why does it bother you so much if they build an inserted runway? This way you get a parallel taxiway and a overhauled runway without closing or shutting down the airport.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous10:35

      Because it's insane cost for nearly zero benefit. Also, BEG already has a parallel taxiway.

      Delete
    15. Anonymous10:38

      How do you know the cost and why do you care if a private company decides to do it that way? Also, you believe your suggestion of closing the airport for a month (ten days is not realistic in the best of cases), shutting down retail, moving key services, moving equipment, improving facilities at the alternative airport, singificantly reducing flights since alternative airport can't handle the same amount of traffic, no cargo flight would be free of charge and without cost?

      Delete
    16. Anonymous11:00

      No, what we're saying is that a new parallel runway coupled with land expropriation would have been a much better idea in the first place.

      Delete
    17. Anonymous11:02

      No problem, although I assume you would be the first to complain why tens of millions were used for the land expropriation, as they have been so far.

      Delete
    18. Anonymous11:41

      Who sold that land in the first place?

      Delete
    19. Anonymous11:57

      Private owners sold that land. It wasn't government owned.

      Delete
    20. Anonymous12:40

      So it was a mistake in the first place that that land wasn't reserved for airport expansion.

      Delete
    21. Anonymous13:26

      Even if that land was no sold there would be still limited space due to the expansion of the Serbian capital city.

      Delete
    22. Anonymous14:04

      I'm sure that 'pansion za pse' Vuff can be moved to another location.

      https://goo.gl/maps/TPn4oPCCvvHsTpf17

      Delete
    23. Anonymous14:04


      The amount of space around the airport is HUGE and waaay bigger than some other airports in the world or Europe which feature two or more runways.

      This inserted runway is a purely stupid stunt which will force Serbia later to build a second runway on its own expense

      Delete
    24. Anonymous14:08

      The space is limited but it's more than enough.

      Delete
    25. I agree with the last two Anons.

      Delete
    26. Anonymous06:55

      It's not enough because there isn't enough room at the ends of the runway, you need to secured another 75 meters of empty space which BEG doesn't have. What they can do is tilt it, not make it parallel but then that would restrict air corridors when both are used simultaneously. Guys, there is a reason why they are doing it like this.

      Delete
    27. Anonymous09:04

      The second runway doesn't need to be >3.500m.

      It could be 3.000 or 2.500m like at BUD.

      That's more than enough.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:06

    Finally centralized security and divided incoming/ outgoing pax.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      +1

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:13

      It is really needed. Current method of doing security at gate creates unnecessary lines and congestion.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:18

      For me the best thing is that they will build that entire new area for chceck in. I assume that means no more check in scattered at random places across the building.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:43

      ^Agree. This will be a big change. It means that the access road to the airport will have to be moved and the arrival one underneath too. And finally after 40 years the airport will look different from the outside

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:08

    The thing I like the most is the massive park in front of the airport :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:08

    Only Air Serbia and Turkish Airlines on the renders. Is VINCI trying to tell us something?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:12

      There is also Swiss.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:14

      On the first photo there is also Wizz Air and easyjet.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:18

      Hopefully that means TK widebodies will finally get the green light from Air Serbia... oops... I mean the Directorate.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:19

      I really wouldn't read too much into airlines on renders. Tuzla had an A380 on its renders :D

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:14

    So the duty free renovation and central area renovation they did is just temporary?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:14

    Interesting they remodeled the duty free quickly enough but they can't open the lounge for some reason for months now...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Because they don't need it right now, the JU one is spectacular and airlines can use that one like QR and FZ are doing now.

      Delete
    2. Vlad10:06

      Yeah, but if you fly J on any other airline than JU/FZ/QR, you're basically left without a lounge.

      To be fair, most other European airports did the same.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:30

      Yeah, pax should complain to the specific airlines then.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:14

    Why didn't they simply build a new runway on the other side?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      Because houses were built in recent years and it would make it difficult for planes to land. They also built the Belgrade ring on the other side.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:20

      There is probably land ownership issues.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:24

      You mean it will easier to build a whole new airport rather than to destroy some houses and expropriate some land?

      This is purely a waste of money.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:25

      You can't just destroy houses and declare the land you own. Jeez.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:26

      My friend, even if you destroy a few houses (not illegal ones btw) you are still going to face problems with where to build other things in the future. This is strategic planning and thinking, you should look it up.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:40

      There is a huge area where you can stack two current airports between the airport road and the ring road.

      Please don't tell me stories.

      The way i see it, Vinci is the only real winner of this since in the future this inserted runway will be useless.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:53

      My friend, I have to tell you stories because you are obviously not familiar with regulations. You do know that you have to have a certain mimum of space between the runway and objects around it, including taxiways. A runway is not a small thing you can fit just about anywhere. You need to have a lot of empty space on both ends which you no longer would.

      If you think you are so right why don't you sue them? Present your spiffing idea and force them through a court case to make it happen. You would have my full support.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:26

      Actually, there was an existing master plan from 2010 putting the parallel runway exactly in that location.

      So how come space disappeared suddenly?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous10:59

      Because that was 11 years ago. The land around the airport wasn't owned by the airport, it was sold off since then. Did you know that the land on which the terminal expansion is happening now didn't belong to the airport? BEG had to buy it for €42 million.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous11:08

      Are you serious?

      So who allowed those land sales at such a strategic location?

      My Goodness.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous11:58

      That land was privately owned, the government can't just steal land from people, this isn't Communism.
      The government never seriously considered expanding the airport so they never rushed to buy the land from people.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous12:29

      Didn't various people comment that there are currently noise issues in the neighbourhood?

      Delete
    13. Anonymous13:52

      The land was planned for 2nd RWY and that land was owned by airport as government entity and Republic/City. Since 1990`s that land was illegally given away or was ``missed`` by government oversight. It is like half of Belgrade that was built on ``green areas`` or places where building is forbidden. But, as soon as city or republic starts to collect taxes on propriety, that propriety is ``legal`` as per Strasbourg Court (international court of Council of Europe, i.e. Court for European Convention on Human Rights).
      Note that ``someone`` made street of 500-600m in that area during weekend... Also, several homes were made during New Year and Christmas holidays...
      (as on banks of rivers...)

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:20

    Ex-YU region will finally get an airport with major infrastructure! This is huuuge! Good job BEG, JU, Wizz and of course the Serbian government.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:33

      What does Wizz have to do with it?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:35

      It's introducing more new routes from Belgrade this summer than the national airline, helping with recovery.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous06:57

      Plus I'm sure they are going to be bringing back the third plane really soon. Hamburg, Oslo, Heraklion and Santorini are great proofs of their commitment to the Serbian market.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:22

    I love it!!! It’s really nice and I would like to visit it but I don’t understand this at all. Why is there going to be phase 2 in 2030 if they are going to open new airport in 2035?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:23

      The year in the phase indicates when it is going to be completed.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      It looks like they will build new check-in building in phase 2 which means by 2030.

      Delete
  15. I like those renders with 3 or 4 I think wide bodies of Air Serbia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      I think that's going to happen sooner rather than later. Civil aviation is a geopolitical tool and Serbia has decided to make the most of it.
      Look at how important global connectivity is to various countries. Serbia needs it in order to make its economy more competitive.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:34

    Ok, are we doing reconstructions of current airport or we are making a new one? :)
    This concession is up to 2043, masterplan with new airport is up to 2035. We also have plans for additional terminal and runway for current airport to be built after or at very end of concession?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:36

      Where did you read that there are plans for additional terminal and runway at the end of the concession?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:32

      Nowhere ofc, he’s just writing random jabber.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15:04

      Here it is:
      https://www.b92.net/biz/vesti/srbija.php?yyyy=2020&mm=01&dd=19&nav_id=1643755

      Podizanje druge poletno-sletne staze, novog putničkog terminala i pratećih tehničkih i servisnih sadržaja predviđeno je tek posle 2043. godine, kada Vansijevo upravljanje aerodromom prestaje.

      Gradski urbanista Marko Stojčić objašnjava da do 2043. gidine koncesionar i Vlada Srbije očekuju 15 miliona putnika godišnje, što je trostruko više nego danas i ta brojka govori o potrebi da se gradi druga pista i novi kompleks aerodroma. On kaže da će koncesionar, kako bude rastao broj putnika u naredne dve decenije, dograđivati objekte za terminal i infrastrukturu.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:35

    This is awsome. It would be even more awsome if get some new airlines BEG flights announcements.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:38

      You have so many for this year already. Skyup, Luxair, KLM, Ellinair, Eurowings and new routes by Air Serbia (Geneva), Wizz Air (Oslo, Hamburg, Santorini, Heraklion), Aegean (Heraklion, Rhodes) and Nordwind (Moscow).

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:45

      I said new announcements :) I mean, all arrivals set for this summer seasson are great, but why not few more?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:00

      All this smells like Wizz Air will be bringing back the plan for the third aircraft. Maybe not A321 but for sure A320.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:11

      Thats what I think too. Also, I would like to see Mahan back, it is great to have connection with IKA. I hope that EK and BA will give BEG chance finally.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:25

      I don't think BA will be back. Serbs need a visa, our diaspora is not big there and economic activity between the two countries is not great. I think it will be JU and W6 who will rule over this market.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:33

      Travelers from PRN also require visa and it didnt stop BA to fly there. I think that BEG has great opportunity to position itself as city break location, Brits would like clubs and night life in Belgrade.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:35

      It has 5 BA flights per year

      Delete
    8. Anonymous11:00

      Exactly 5 BA flights per year to PRN. In BEG JU has daily flights in winter, 9 in summer. Wizz is either 4 or 5 weekly on A321.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous06:58

      Vinci should be more than happy with their situation, especially since NYO which they own is about to go bankrupt. RIP

      Btw Finnair published its March numbers and their LF to JFK was just 5%! BEG should be so happy that JU is thriving and making a killing on the route.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:43

    This new passenger building is now scheduled in Phase 2, meaning it will be built by 2030. What a disappointment. Nine more years with current terminal!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:45

      No you completely misunderstood. The first part of the terminal expansion will be finished in a few months. Then they will start second phase of the expansion which will be completed in a few years.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:53

      No you missunderstood. New checkin building will be built by 2030.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:54

      BEG absolutely needs that extension. In 2019 for the first time ever BEG experienced slot issues. This will relieve some pressure and will enable the airport and all airlines who are flying there to live long and prosper.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:34

      I’m pretty sure COVID-19 has revealed slot issues.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:59

      He's talking about 2019, not 2020. Also this year we have seen a positive trend at BEG meaning that next summer we might be back to slot restrictions from 2019. No h8 plz.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous09:49

    Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous09:50

    It will certainly be some exciting times for BEG in terms of infrastructure and development.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:06

    Thank you for the report. Good to finally get some sense exactly what they are doing. I'm really surprised there are so many active construction sights since only the terminal one is visible from the highway. Great work. I think this project is exactly what Belgrade needs. It's not megalomaniac but perfectly suits the airport's needs in a very short period of time and leaves more room for even further expansion down the line.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous10:14

    Good to see that the new gates will be able to handle widebodies.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous10:16

    Great job, BEG!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:19

    The new administration building will blend well with the new control tower.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous10:58

    Airport hotels, rail/metro link.... this is super important. Currently, those two essential features are missing especially when you have late arrivals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:59

      Airports rarely build hotels.

      Delete
  26. Hvala na najopsirnijem prikazu trenutnog i nastavka buducih radova na razvoju ove primarne vazdusne luke Srbije. I sire. Mnogi su mnogo sta ovde napisali
    prije mene. Srbiji je neizostavan brzi razvoj aerodroma. Pored Nikole Tesle, tu je razvoj buduceg
    Novog aerodroma kod Nove Pazove. Dogradnja Niskog Terminala, Kargo Centra, piste i Kontrolnog Tornja... Gradnja Nove piste, Kargo Centra i Bezcarinske Zone izmedju aerodroma i Moravskog Koridora na aerodromu Morava Kraljevo. Osposobljavanje Novosadskog aerodroma. Uzickih Ponikvi, Krusevacke Rosulje...
    Aerodromi Srbije jesu oltar za razvoj Srbije danasnjice i Srbije sutrasnjice.
    Ko veruje, moze, taj i svara.
    Dansnja prica o projektu na Aerodromu Nikola Tesla
    Radovan.
    jeste pocetak Nove srednje razvijene Srbije u Evropi.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous11:31

    Has any decision been made what will happen with the current control tower?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:34

      SMATSA will have to decide that. The tower is not actually owned or operated by the airport.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:40

      Ah interesting. Thanks

      Delete
  28. Anonymous12:59

    This investments are never worth 730 Milllion Euro, likely a third of that, about 250 Million!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15:39

      lol

      Delete
    2. Anonymous17:13

      Let's start counting:
      - Extension of the C-terminal max. 100M
      - Refurbishing of the old terminnal max. 50M
      - New inserted runway max. 50M
      - Side-works max. 50M

      Where the hell you think they spend the rest (hotel and control-tower are not part of the project!)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:15

      Hahaha love your creating accounting. Good thing you know the prices. Too bad you didn't count everything that is being built. Stop embarrassing yourself.

      Delete
  29. Anonymous15:39

    Really like it. Looks good

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous16:12

    How about the observation deck?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous17:10

    I thought that there is going to be a totally new airport built - or are they going to make all these investments into the current facility, only to knock it all down in 14 years from now? Hmmmm...

    ReplyDelete