Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is finalising the existing phase of its expansion, with the opening of its overhauled runway and new duty free shop in the coming weeks, as well as the installation of passport eGates for automated border control. It comes as operator VINCI secured an additional year and a half on its 25-year concession of the airport, as part of force majeure compensation resulting from operations which were severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Similarly, as previously reported, the Macedonian government extended TAV’s concession of its airports by two years, while the Croatian government wrote off over fourteen million euros in concession fees for Zagreb Airport’s operator.
Commenting on the airport’s upcoming developments at the Southeast Europe Aviation Summit last week, General Manager, Francois Berisot, said, “What is ahead of us this year is a very large step of our development, which is mainly inside the terminal. In the next two to three weeks you will see, if you fly, a brand new duty free shop, which is three times the size of the existing one. In the coming months, in the central zone, we will implement the VINCI concept, which will dedicate a different experience depending on the zones and areas inside the terminal. The deep and full reconstruction of the existing runway is almost complete, and we will reopen it in the coming weeks. Belgrade Airport will enjoy having two fully operational runways”.
The 3.400-metre runway, built in 1962, has been completely overhauled and layered with high-resistance concrete, specially developed for the project, to improve its weight-bearing capacity. It features a new drainage and LED lighting system, as well as a new system of taxiways, including four rapid exit taxiways (RETs), which will enable aircraft to turn off at higher speeds than regular exit taxiways thereby minimising runway occupancy times.
The Serbian government recently acquired new passport eGates which will be installed in June. “Passengers will no longer have to wait at the passport control booths and will be able to pass through the eGate where they only have to scan their passport and face and pass automatically, which is four times faster than usual. The eGates will arrive by June and will be in use for peak season”, the Serbian Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, said last week.
He seems to mention that both runways will be operational at the same time which I don't think will be the case.
ReplyDeleteNoticed that too. But I don't think both can be used at the same time since they are too close to each other.
DeleteI still think that they should have built the new runaway further away from the existing so that both could be used simultaneously.
DeleteIt would make more sense, but I'm not sure there is space anywhere else.
DeleteThere is space on the opposite side of the Surcin-Highway road, behind the aviation museum. However, the VINCI is not obliged to install second runway, so we might expect it only once the concession is over, not before 2045.
DeleteMinimum distance between runways is 700
DeleteMeters, so no way it may be used simultaneously
It is possible that they plan to them at the same time but just alternate between them. Is that even possible?
DeleteThat's also not possible, 210m has to be minimum distance. We will have to wait on the second independent runway.
DeleteBy the way, this picture shows the plans where the second runway will be located (blue area).
https://beobuild.rs/shared/Aerodrom-Nikola-Tesla-PDR%20namena01.jpg
I doubt that I will see a new runaway in BEG that can be used simultaneously with one of the existing ones during my lifetime. And I'm 35 years old.
DeleteTo be honest, it is not needed
DeleteI guess they meant that second runway can be used in case first one becomes inoperative or needs repairs.
DeleteI am sure in 5 years time the Surcin “wild town” will encroach on where the real second runway was meant to go. Surčin and Radiofar were nowhere near airport on opening. The so called second runway is actually just a fancy taxiway. I doubt in an accident on the main runway it could even be used because of the risk of debris etc. Is Batajnica or INI the official diversion or is it Timisoara. Used to be Osijek during YU days because I remember in the 1980s when runway wad resurfaced, JAT planes landed there.
DeleteSure, they didn't do the math, and invested tens of millions just for cosmetics...
DeleteMoney would have been better spent on true second runway. Would have cost the same to build. I guess Vinci/Serbian government did not want to pay the landholders for expropriation. Would have truly created a future global hub. Now current airport will be built out and they talking about new airport deeper into Srem towards Croatia.
DeleteIt has nothing to do with Vinci. Serbian government made it the concession tender requirment for the operator to build an inserted runway. No matter who won, this inserted runway would have been built.
DeleteThe question is why when all BEG strategic plans since the 1960s and 1980s contemplated true independent second runway.
DeleteJust a question for Anon at 1359
DeleteOn what logic and math is your statement based? You say a "true" second runway would have cost the same but in the same sentence you say you guess they didnt want to pay for the land? By that logic it would have cost more only for that land... and lets not forget new runway has to be connected with old runway and twys and teeminal building.. so add that also.. and now tell me it wouldnt have costed more.
Would planes take off starting from halfway on the runway?
Delete@20.26 - you would not need to connect new runway to old runway. That’s the point. They would have been independent and the connection to the terminal would have been near the cargo center. The physical cost of a runway, metre for metre should have been the same because building materials cost the same. The other side of the airport are completely flat cornfields. As it would have been a greenfield, it is quicker and easier than having to work around existing ground infrastructure. Ask any infrastructure engineer. Building the inserted runway was a lot more disruptive to existing ops than building on other side of airport.
DeleteNo need for connections btw rwys? Show me the airport in the world with that setting. 😂😂 What no connection with terminal also? And access roads? New terminal is not needed, pax will be thrown in the corn field 😂😂😂
Delete@9.30, you would connect the 2 runways indirectly via the apron in front of the cargo centre. You don't connect 2 runways. That stops independent runway operations. Are you seriously saying that you never ever seen the plans which Aerodrom Beograd published before the concession. These plans have been around since the 1960s. Even as recently as 2019, this was the plan. See https://www.b92.net/o/biz/vesti/srbija?yyyy=2019&mm=01&dd=21&nav_id=1496183
DeleteDude, maybe we dont understand each other. Connections btw rwys are done via twys. As it is shown on your example you have provided. See all these green surfaces.. only that on the bottom is rwy everything else are twys and apron and all are connected with old rwy and old terminal. That means all of that would have cost 3 or 4 times more than this inserted rwy. Do you understand now.
DeleteAnd your source that it would have cost 3 to 4 times of an inserted runway is? You did not need all of the connections, just a single one as the 1987 plan contemplated. Anyway, I am done Dude!
DeleteDont be so pissed off because i ve proven you wrong. It is not only one connection you see all those twys.. and new terminal building and apron.. it is minimum 3 to 4 times more expensive.. dont need a source it is pure logic.
DeleteFinally the egates. Will they be on departure or arrival? Or both?
ReplyDeleteEU passport holders shouldn't be allowed to use them since Serbs are not allowed tyo pass through EU airports from those.
DeleteE.U passports are more secure. A lot of Serbian passports have been obtained illegally, so need extra checks.
Delete^ I'm sure you know...
DeleteI was pleasantly surprised that we can use egates at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha airports.
@09:17
DeleteI seriously doubt there are more Serbian passports obtained illegally compared with Bulgarian, Romanian or Maltese...
Remember that the sort of people who pay money in an envelop want an EU passport a lot more than a Serbian one.
@anon 09.09
DeleteFully agree. I'm already annoyed that the segregation at passport control into Serbian and other passports is not respected. Some measure of reciprocity needs to exist.
@ 9:43
DeleteNot if you want to be a serious HUB and gain new (EU) clients.
You can use egates at Paris CDG with Serbian passport.
Delete@9.48 #1
DeleteFirst of all, connecting passengers don't go through passport control (so the HUB point is moot), and secondly, are you seriously suggesting that the availability of eGates will somehow impact the number of EU passengers coming to BEG?
@9.48 #2
Only when exiting, not when entering France.
I think the egates will only be available for Serbian citizens, at least in the beginning.
DeleteI'm sure they will make decision on security control based on what the average Vladimir wants! Or maybe not.
DeleteJust entered France through CDG yesterday and you cannot enter through eGates with the Serbian passport
DeleteAll biometric passports may use egates
DeleteBut we'll continue to be treated in Europe as 2nd class travelers just because we are not part of the Schengen zone.
DeleteI fully agree that there should be reciprocity against EU passport holders.
Serbian legislation had to be changed in order for the egates to be used. So I don't think it has anything to do with treating someone as 2nd class but it has to do with legislation. For example South Korean citizens can use egates at EU airports.
DeleteSerbian legislation is only valid on the territory of Serbia. Therefore, it cannot be the blocking point for Serbian citizens using other countries' eGates.
Delete12:14
Delete+1000
If we were in Schengen, we would not need any passports to enter EU or other Schengen countries like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
DeleteBut we are not in Schengen, it is not up to us to be in it and seems like we won't be part of it for a long time of ever.
DeleteSo we must demand equal treatment for Serbian passport holders in Schengen countries airports like the one we are giving to EU passport holders in BEG.
You don’t need to be in EU to be in Schengen. Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are all Schengen but not EU. It is a different arrangement.
DeleteAnd Ireland is EU but not Schengen
Delete@13:34 nobody here said it is. Who are you responding to?
Delete@13.38, responding to post from 13.31 which spoke of reciprocity with EU passport holders not Schengen zone passport holders.
Delete@Anonymous 13:31 - " it is not up to us to be in it (Schengen)" --> Yes it is and the Serbian government knows exactly what those requirements and standard are. Whether you want to implement them or not, that's completely up to you. Slovenia and Croatia are a proof that it can be done.
Delete13:54 so you are arguing with someone who said EU instead of Schengen zone? 😆
Delete@14:32 because we should be stopping all Schengen zone passport holders using the BEG egates not just EU ones until reciprocity. Serbian passport holders need to line up in “Other” physical queue in EU airports. Give preference to countries like UAE and Qatar who respect Serbia’s passport.
DeleteAnonymous09:17 People can literally buy a citizenship of some EU countries like Cyprus, or put false claims on their origin to get a Romanian, Bulgarian or Hungarian passport. So making such claims are not only false, but highly offensive.
DeleteI would like to see those gates work only for domestic citizens and that every foreigner should get an actual border police check.
@17:55
DeleteExactly!
Bravo Vinci! 🇫🇷
ReplyDeleteIs it just me but I feel tge Serbian could have done all of this on their own had they had political willpower. It was the same with JAT. They refused to invest a single dinar until Etihad came along. Now investing in abd supporting Air Serbia (rebranded JAT) is now seen as being of economic importance to the whole country. Why does foreign “strategy” seem better than what local management knew all along but could not execute on because of lack of Government funding. I am sorry but Vinci has done nothing special here. They are just putting lipstick on a beautiful girl.
DeleteIt's just you. Explained a billion times why those choices were made. Try internet search.
DeleteI was at the airport the other day and could see that the new duty free shop was being set up.
ReplyDeleteWhen do they plan to open the new smaller shops?
ReplyDeleteHopefully soon. It has been over a year now!
DeleteAgree. New C concourse still has only one F&B store.
DeleteIs there a timeline to report on when the new JU lounge will open?
ReplyDeleteI think at the end of this year
DeleteNot surprised about concession extension. But better to give extra year then allowing them not to pay concession fee.
ReplyDeleteThe extra 1.5 year of concession is A LOT MORE valuable than 14 million Euros for example.
DeleteThat was just state aid ZAG got. They also didn't have to pay for their fee for almost a year.
Delete@09:28 No it wasn't! Read the article before commenting on it.
Delete"Similarly, as previously reported, the Macedonian government extended TAV’s concession of its airports by two years, while the Croatian government wrote off over fourteen million euros in concession fees for Zagreb Airport’s operator."
"The European Commission this week approved a 14.3-million-euro state measure in favour of the operator of Zagreb Airport, the Zagreb Airport International Company (ZAIC), noting it is in line with European Union state aid rules. The measure aims at compensating the airport’s operator for the damage suffered during the period between March 19 and June 30, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the travel restrictions imposed by Croatia and other countries to limit the spread of the virus. As a result, Zagreb Airport experienced a steep decline in aircraft and passenger traffic, which resulted in major revenue losses. The public support will take the form of a write-off of the concession fees."
Delete^^^
DeleteExactly.
"The public support will take the form of a write-off of the concession fees"
Nice. What happens to the current duty free. Will it be combined with the new one?
ReplyDeleteI think it will be cleared to become part of the Central Zone.
DeleteAnd the central zone will also be shops and cafes
DeleteThis will open up the airport nicely. The whole area after security will become a duty free. Hope they build one on arrivals too where they are currently doing construction.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhat is the point of these TO AVOID D.F. shops when prices are higher than in any city store?
DeleteEvery international hub airport has duty free shops. Prices are set for not to compete with stores in the city, as transfer passengers won't leave the airport and travel to the city in order to save 10 eur on the same product.
DeleteBEG duty free also has quite a few exclusive products that you can't buy in any other store in Serbia. Mostly in regards to range of candy products. It even has a part of the duty free store which states airport exclusive products.
DeleteThey have managed to do the runway reconstruction relatively quickly. Within a year. Considering they completely razed the runway and put new concrete.
ReplyDeleteTrue, a complete renovation of the runway foundation was done.
DeleteTime will tell how solid this work was performed. T2 C concourse was done fast too but now leaks every time tjere is a rain.
DeleteActually it does not leak there at all. There were leaks in A concourse and C concourse until C6 as a whole floor was being built above it. It has since been fixed and there are no leaks anymore. I understand the need to complain and spit at everything, but get your facts straight first.
Delete@16:22 Time will tell how solid this work was performed.
DeleteAre you okay? Runway currently in use has been built by them and you are questioning if renovaton of the old one will be solid?? Some people need to take care of their health before posting here.
Will the runways remain 12L/30R and 12R/30L?
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteWhat's the current airport capacity? And is there a planned capacity?
ReplyDeletePlanned capacity is 15 million.
DeleteWhat is that Star Alliance plane on the photo? Anyone know which airline?
ReplyDeleteIt's an Embraer so it is LOT.
DeleteIt is not embraer, so it is not LOT. It’s some plane from the A320 family, the ceo version.
DeleteThank you
DeleteAustrian
DeleteA319
DeleteNice. Can't wait for it to be finally completed.
ReplyDeleteAll these new technologies are very interesting and very effective but however, the airport should open more slots for passport control as you could see yesterday. However it would be ideal to make an expension on the sites for devices in rest, for example to build a place for that purpose.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering where they will put these egates.
ReplyDeleteAnd will they be available both for arrival and departure?
DeleteYes. There will be five egates on arrival and five on departure.
DeleteI don’t think 5 gates will make any impact. Most airports have at least 20
DeleteNot true. BUD has 2, SIN 8.
DeleteDubai on departures has 7 in terminal 1 (foreign airlines). All these airports are significantly bigger than BEG.
DeleteDublin has 25.
Delete^ It also had 32 million passengers last year.
DeleteBut UK traffic does not count as they are part of the Common Travel Area so no passport control. The point I am trying to make is if you are country like Serbia where every flight needs a passport, then you need mire capacity at the passport control. Last year I waited 2 hours because only 3 passport booths were working. BUD does not need it because most of their flights are intra Schengen so could get away with 2 apparently.
DeleteNot true, there is passport control on all flights landing in Dublin, even on the domestic ones. On the other hand, there are no passport controls on the departing flights, regardless of the destination.
DeleteYou don’t need a passport to enter Ireland if you are from the UK, ie a UK citizen.
DeleteYes, but you still need to go through the passport control.
DeleteWe need more restaurants
ReplyDeleteBelgrade airport needs even one proper quality restaurant. Quality of course being subjective but Belgrade is full of great places fo eat and drink and yet the airport seems so depressing.
DeleteWe need McDonalds.
DeleteFuj.
DeleteAnd Starbucks (Старбакс)
DeleteНадам се да ће излази на писту да се разликују за два карактера да не би долазило до грешака пилота - А1, Б2, Ц3...
ReplyDeleteWhat?
DeleteВот?
DeleteДа не би дошло до поновне грешке Д5/6/7...
I hope new shopping area and their Vinci area will be nice as that is what is lacking now. Also there are many empty places along C and A gates that can be filled by at least some shop. Now it looks like permanent construction with those wide signs. Right now it still lacks the 'flow', so I hope with these new developments airport will have a 'complete' look.
ReplyDeleteWill they remplace the current A gates into glasses ones ?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the rent a car agencies? Where will they put them at the end?
ReplyDeleteBy far the ugliest airport in the region! Vinci is doing such a bad job from a design point of view:(
ReplyDeleteI think few people care whather you find something pretty or not.
DeleteThe building isn't ugly at all, especially when approaching it. It is a modern glass building and is rather huge due to the size of the C concourse. It is not some architectural marvel but it is far from ugly.
DeleteIs the new duty free opening date already sety? I travel 01. And 09.05 to and from BEG and I hope to get a chance to experience it. Otherwise, I would have to wait 6 more months. 🥴
ReplyDeleteThey say 2-3 weeks. The announcement was made last week. I hope for your sake they do. I think by 9 May it is possible. I was at the airport 2 weeks ago and they were already setting up the duty free with counters, lights were installed, shop panels were also being set up.
Delete🤞🏻
DeleteSome air conditioning in the terminal would be nice... It gets really hot inside
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhat's missing for me is dealing with the lines at passport control during hours when a lot of planes arrive. Like from 4:00 to 6:00. I recently stood in line for an hour in a stuffy hall. They also don't ventilate the passport control halls and the part where Wizz Air planes board.
ReplyDeleteAlways 2 or 1 opens on passports controls, both departure and arrivak
DeleteWhat is the main purpose of the second runway if it can't be used simultaneously? Smells fishy
ReplyDelete