Belgrade Airport emptied and flights cancelled after staff blunder

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport was forced to empty its entire terminal yesterday afternoon after passengers on an arriving Air Serbia flight from Skopje were bussed from a remote stand to the wrong gate and mixed with departing passengers. In line with rules and regulations, all passengers inside the terminal that had passed through security were forced to do so again, causing significant queues, both at passport control on arrivals, as well as the centralised security check area for departures. As a result, seventeen flights were severely delayed yesterday evening, while eight were cancelled, which had a knock-on affect on departures this morning. All operations were brought to a standstill for over three hours.

In a statement on its social media channels yesterday evening, Belgrade Airport, said, “Due to an error in the mandatory passenger movement at the airport terminal, the Ministry of the Interior is carrying out an emergency security check of the building which will lead to potential delays on a certain number of flights in the evening and morning waves”. Air Serbia, in its own statement, was more critical, noting, “Due to an error in monitoring the regular flows of incoming passengers by the competent services at Belgrade Airport, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia ordered an extraordinary inspection of the departure terminal”. It added, “Air Serbia regrets any inconvenience and thanks passengers for their understanding. For those on flights whose departure time has been delayed by more than two hours, the Serbian national airline will provide refreshments, and all those who have lost their connections will be rerouted by the company onto alternative flights”.

Commenting on the matter, the Assistant to the Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Verica Ječmenica, said, “Passengers who arrived at 16.16 from Skopje were bussed to the wrong gate, entered the transfer zone, and mixed with passengers that had passed through security. Upon the request of the operator [VINCI], at 17.22, the Ministry of the Interior halted passport control operations for departing passengers”. She added, “The Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure has ordered a full investigation to take place, after which it will initiate proceedings against the operator and those responsible in line with the Air Traffic Act. The public will be informed of the outcome. Airlines that have suffered damages will have to resolve their claims with the airport operator which is responsible in this matter”.

The blunder caused by staff and poor coordination comes just over a week after the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate undertook an investigation into delays and flight disruptions at Belgrade Airport that occurred earlier this January following several days of mild snowfall and subzero temperatures. The regulator blamed the airport operator, VINCI, for failures to take appropriate measures, primarily regarding de-icing services. VINCI has frequently been on the receiving end of criticism for its ground handling activities in Belgrade, including frequent delays over the previous summer when it was ill-prepared for the record volume of traffic. In addition, notable delays were previously caused when the airport’s baggage belt malfunctioned, and when a construction worker accidently cut power supply lines at the airport. 

Despite the opening of new facilities over the past two years, passengers have been increasingly voicing their dissatisfaction with the airport operator over rude ground staff, the quality of the construction work, cleanliness, lack of food and beverage options, limited opening hours of lounges, retail and F&B outlets at the 24-hour operational airport and unlicensed taxi drivers roaming its arrivals hall.