Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport saw its passenger numbers bounce back during the first month of the year, handling almost two and a half times more travellers than in January 2021, however, figures were still down 31% on the pre-pandemic 2019. The airport welcomed just over 239.000 passengers last month. Commercial aircraft movements reached 87% of pre-pandemic levels and were up 89% on last year. The figures were achieved despite a number of countries reintroducing travel bans and entry restrictions for Serbian nationals last month due to surging coronavirus cases. The airport, which handled 3.286.295 passengers in 2021, previously estimated it would welcome five million travellers this year, while pre-pandemic passenger numbers would be achieved in 2023.
Seat capacity for the coming summer season indicates Belgrade Airport is approaching pre-pandemic levels. At this point, data shows the airport will offer more capacity this year to several markets compared to the pre-Covid 2019. These include Germany, Turkey, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, the United Arab Emirates and Spain. This summer season will see Air Serbia significantly expand its route network while foreign carriers will also be adding flights. They include Aegean Airlines, Eurowings and Wizz Air, which will be introducing new routes, while others, such as Turkish Airlines, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines and Flydubai, will increase frequencies on existing services. Furthermore, Luxair, AnadoluJet, Eurowings, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and KLM are set to operate their first full summer in Belgrade.
The traffic recovery is taking place against the backdrop of a comprehensive expansion of the airport’s infrastructure. “The most important work includes the expansion of the existing terminal, the inserted runway, additional aircraft parking, new de-icing platforms and car parks”, the airport said, adding that with the opening of the first phase of the newly expanded C pier, which is expected in the coming months, it will boast eight new gates with boarding bridges and five new bus gates. The airport is also in the process of finalising work on central security screening, which will eliminate individual security checks at each gate. New screening equipment manufactured by Spain’s Detektin has arrived and is being installed for deployment in April. It will be used at the new cetralised security check. Furthermore, the construction of a third floor, which currently spans across the extended C pier as well as part of the A pier, is now progressing above the original C pier building. Work on the expansion of the airport’s ground floor is also in full swing. Upon its completion, it will boast 100 check-in desks, new restaurants, bars and shops.
Good result all things considered
ReplyDeleteAnd some were saying it wouldn't reach 150,000
ReplyDeletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2022/02/zagreb-airport-sees-january-recovery.html
It was their wishful thinking!
DeleteSo it handled more than 150,000 passengers in January. Bravo Belgrade!
DeleteI said it would reach 350.000.
DeleteGood news is that BEG outperformed SKG in January.
DeleteNice. I expect traffic to pick up much more as Europe starts lifting all restrictions. Big boost will be Switzerland ending all Covid measures today. It no longer even requires you to be vaccinated to enter.
ReplyDeleteSwiss will probably add more flights.
DeleteGreece was the first to remove PCR requirement before entering the country. Then France did the same for the vaccinated, then Switzerland and now Austria is removing all restrictions from March 5th. Hopefully all these markets recover soon.
DeleteYes, but Greece still requires you to be vaccinated, while Switzerland no longer has that requirement. Norway this week also lifted absolutely all Covid measures and you can also enter unvaccinated under same rules as before Covid.
DeleteNice! Do you have a link to send me for Switzerland as I would like to send it to some friends and I can't find anything online.
DeleteHere you go: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/das-bag/aktuell/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-87216.html
Delete"Changes to entry rules
Health-related measures for persons entering the country are to be lifted. It will no longer be necessary to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test or complete an entry form."
Swiss
DeleteWeek starting 21.02: 12 flights
Week starting 28.02: 14 flights
Week starting 07.03: 14 flights
I was looking at fares and for ZRH-BEG they are quite high for the next 10 days. I guess they are going to be upgrading quite a few A220 flights to A320. Hopefully JU responds soon as well otherwise LX will take away quite a few passengers especially since they have a very good schedule to/frm BEG.
UK will also be lifting all requirements soon.
DeleteExcept visas :D
Delete@9.15 I think they will very soon add more flights. The ending of Covid measures were just announced yesterday without any prior indication so people will now rush to book tickets.
DeleteIndeed though Swiss immediately boosted BEG after Switzerland lifted PCR test for entry. Maybe they knew the government was going to lift all restrictions so they prepared themselves. Of course, LX has an advantage because it has a more efficient and economic plane on the route.
DeleteLet's also see if the ending of all restrictions in Norway has an impact on the number of flights between Oslo and Belgrade.
DeleteGermany may lift many requirements on 20.3.
DeleteDoes anyone know if lifting travelling limitations also includes cancelling of all quarantine rules?
I don't know about Germany but in other countries that have lifted requirements, all measures were dropped including quarantine and vaccine mandates. I think most European countries will follow the same pattern.
DeleteLX's disadvantage is fact that almost every flight is delayed from Belgrade.
DeleteSeems like DY is gearing up for a fight. End of March they are planning on boosting BEG from 1 to 3 weekly flights and then from May they are adding a 4th flight.
DeleteJU stays as two weekly and Wizz plans to resume flights from 10.04.
I think Wizz can't resume many flights earlier. They just have a call for crew in Belgrade meaning they don't have enough staff to respond to growing demand. Bad planning as usual.
Is LX really delayed? I follow BEG on FR24 and haven't noticed they had many delays?
DeleteI think February will not be that good but March should explode. I see that airlines are already ramping up their presence in Belgrade especially Lufthansa Group. Also on the 27th Air France is returning to Belgrade which is good.
ReplyDeleteAll things considered, seems like Wizz Air is struggling with all competition. Only goes to show how difficult their life is when they have to compete with others under the same conditions.
Based on what did you draw your conclusion about Wizz Air?
DeleteBased on the fact that they once again delayed the resumption of most of their flights which were suspended? HHN, BLL and BCN were all supposed to be resumed in February and now only BCN is operating. HHN was even moved to April.
DeleteThey seem to be struggling in many markets at the moment.
DeleteI don't think February will necessarily be that bad. It will certainly be better than last year. There was also quite a big surge in travel this week because of public holidays and school holiday.
DeleteI'm hopeful there will be a few more routes from Wizz considering they have a third plane in BEG now.
DeleteYes but they revised their schedule so now BSL-INI is operated by a BEG based plane in stead of the one from SKP as was the case in the past.
DeleteAir France returns in May.
DeleteSo AirCairo has been blocked officially?
ReplyDeleteNo, it has not been blocked.
DeleteThey still haven't scheduled the new flights.
DeleteI'm excited for the opening of the extended pier and also finally centralized security. It will be more efficient than at the gate.
ReplyDelete+1
DeletePlus with new facilities they can focus on fixing older parts of the terminal, especially A6 to A10
DeleteIs 5 million passengers realistic for this year?
ReplyDeleteNo one can say anything with certainty anymore but if these trends continue and the world continues ending Covid restrictions, it will probably be above 5 million.
DeleteThere will be more new airlines coming to Belgrade this summer. Talks in progress.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed
DeleteMaybe Brussels, Iberia, TAP... Didn't CEO of BEG say that they negotite with SN?
DeleteI do not think British or SAS would return to Belgrade soon.
I think that TAP is much more likely, JU seems to be struggling with BRU flights for years, they even stopped flying there in Feb, especially since SN network is rather limited compared to KL or LH, so they will have no transfers to go after.
DeletePlus SN isn't doing that well financially, I doubt they need an adventure like BEG where the market is small and they have JU to compete with.
DeletePersonally I would love to see SK from CPH or AY from HEL when China opens up or maybe even LY's return.
Anyone know if JU is planning any increases in March?
ReplyDeleteI know they are increasing LCA from 2 to 3 weekly and then from the 28th 4th weekly is being added.
DeleteFrom 12.03 the night flight on Fridays is being brought back which is good for transfers.
The routes that were suspended in February - Thessaloniki, Sofia and Brussels are being restored.
DeleteI wonder when FRA with JU will have again daily flights.
DeleteHopefully soon and let's hope HHN flights don't affect them much.
DeleteLJU is also boosted in March
Deleteanon@11:52 boosted! quite a statement.
DeleteWell they plan like 8 weekly which isn't that bad.
DeleteAnyone know when the new ATR is entering service? It's been almost three weeks.
ReplyDeleteMarch. By that time more will arrive.
Delete"March. By that time more will arrive."
DeleteKoliko pametnjakovića i sveznalica ovde... Odleteo danas za Tiranu kao JU212
Any idea how Anadolujet is performing on their new route to BEG?
ReplyDeleteI don't know but it seems flights from Turkey are generally performing well. TK again sent A330 to BEG yesterday. Third week in a row it is sending a widebody on BEG route.
DeleteNice. I notice they usually send the A330 on Wednesdays.
DeleteI don't think ESB does that well since last Sunday they canceled the flight. However looking at their fares from March and April situation seems to be better.
DeleteA flight can be cancelled for a huge range of reasons.
DeleteYes but in February we all know what it means.
Delete@9.47
DeleteAnd also we will now have Aeroflot with A330 each weekend.
Also I think from March they are going to send the A330 on Thursdays and Saturdays. Of course, it's silly that they have to do this because of Russian restrictions. I am sure they would have double daily by now.
Delete42 commercial departures today. Not bad for pandemic February.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Good result.
ReplyDeleteDefinitivno Aerodrom Beograd postaje aerodrom dvadeset prvog veka za Srbiju. Veliki je minus ovog aerodroma ako ne izgradi terasu za posetioce i entuziaste aerodroma i avijacije. Kako moze Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd se porediti sa znacajnijim aerodroma bez terase za onlookers...
ReplyDeleteČika Rade bi da ima vidikovac. Niste jedini, to je sigurno. Al' da je baš velki minus? Pa možda i jeste.
DeleteNeka bude kako biti mora. Ponovo svedocim da sam doletao do 176 aerodroma na svim kontinentima. U zadnjih 52 godine. Aerodrom Morava Kraljevo, kada uzletim sa njega bice mi
Delete177. Zbog svedocenja utisaka sa aerodroma sam
Pomenuo "vidikovac" na Tesli. Ipak meni ostaje
minus, jer nisam objektivan...
Vama postovani Anon 15:16 i buducem Srpskom
Habu, postovanje i svaki napredak.😀🛫🌐🇷🇸✈
Rodney 🛫
Hvala Čika Rade.
DeleteLooking at Norwegian's website I noticed they are picking a fight on ARN-BEG as well. From May until the end of the summer season they are going to be flying twice a week!
ReplyDeleteWhat you mean picking a flight?
DeleteFighting for their share of the market. They were always the weakest on Stockholm-Belgrade.
DeleteTrue, thanks.
DeleteHow did Sofia and Tirana perform in January? Would be interesting to compare.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about January but in 2o21 in TIA, JU had an average LF of 48% which was the lowest of all airlines operating there. This January definitely hasn't been much better considering how many flights they cancelled.
DeleteSo are these new additions by foreigners this summer?
ReplyDelete1. FZ goes double daily from DXB
2. TK adds third daily from IST
3. Air Cairo to launch CAI and SSH
4. Aegean, scheduled flights from RHO and HER and more capacity
5. Red Wings ROV flights
6. KLM 14 weekly
7. DY boosts OSL and ARN
8. Wizz adds FCO, BCN, HHN, Vaxjo, NCE and FCO
9. EW launches DUS
TK going from 14 to 21 flights is a nice boost.
DeleteIt's also good for JU because they have a codeshare so they can offer connections on flights that can't make it onto their own flight.
DeleteI like the variety of airlines.
DeleteWould be fantastic if they could handle similar numbers to 2019 this year.
ReplyDeleteImpossible this year.
DeleteI think BEG will be close but not a pre pandemic levels this year (passenger wise I mean).
DeleteLet's wait and see.
DeleteNice pic! :)
ReplyDeleteGate A2
DeleteNice to see the airport returning to life.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as covid is over BEG will see a big increase in traffic.
ReplyDeleteEvery airport will.
DeleteBEG will see proportionately more than ex-yugo airports because of transfers.
DeleteNice to see UAE market above 2019 levels even though we had Etihad flying back then.
ReplyDeleteEXPO... Last night, two charters from DXB, gates D4&D5: at 21.30 and 20.00 respectively.
DeleteIt's not about expo. Flydubai is flying 10 weekly and will go double daily after Expo ends. It has to do with the fact that Dubai became extremely popular with Serbs in 2020 when we could travel no where in Europe but the UAE opened its doors.
DeleteI think people from eastern Europe generally like Dubai. Just look at how many flights there are. Also the route is within the range of narrowbodies so fares have melted away. Wizz entering the market has also helped in reducing prices.
DeleteSeems like things are looking up for BEG.
ReplyDeleteSo my guess is Air Serbia had around 120,000 passengers in January (from/to Belgrade).
ReplyDeleteSounds about right.
DeleteYes, they probably had around 50% share.
DeleteAnyone know what was the busiest route?
ReplyDeleteAegean needs to go daily, their Middle East network will attract many transit passengers from BEG and Serbia in general.
ReplyDeleteHave they ever operated daily flights to BEG?
DeleteOh yes.
DeleteNope, Aegean has never had daily flights to BEG. Best they had was 6 weekly.
DeleteGreat results for BEG
ReplyDeleteAnyone have any idea how INI- BEG is performing?
ReplyDeleteThey need more flights to the Middle East, especially Kuwait and Riyadh in SA.
ReplyDeleteI hope Belgrade is next for Flynas and Jazeera Airways.
These two airlines already have a presence in the region and Belgrade would fit in perfectly.
I see that from tonight JU is resuming night flights to Moscow, flight departs at 23.40. I wonder if this means that they can't compete for locals so they are going after transfers?
ReplyDelete