Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is preparing for the expansion of its terminal building, which will see it add an extra three gates and four aircraft parking positions. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the airport said, “Belgrade Airport, the company operating Nikola Tesla Airport, is planning to expand its infrastructure in preparation for the upcoming EXPO 2027 specialised exhibition. The expansion will include the construction of three additional departure gates and four new aircraft parking stands. We are working closely with the grantor of the concession and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure to secure all the necessary approvals so that construction can begin on time”. It added, “Belgrade Airport is also in active discussions with the EXPO 2027 organising committee to coordinate the best approach for branding and promoting the event throughout the airport.
The addition of gates C15 - C17 will add a further 18.353 square metres to the C wing of the terminal for a total size of 45.298 square metres. As part of its ongoing expansion and overhaul so far, the airport has increased its size by an extra 39.300 square metres to 93.651 square metres and added an extra twelve gates for a total of 31, as well as eleven new parking stands for a total of 38.
In addition to the planned expansion, the airport is continuing efforts to enhance the passenger experience through new food and beverage outlets and other terminal upgrades. Long-delayed construction is now underway for several new cafes on the ground floor of the Central Processor building, along with additional retail spaces. Work is also nearing completion on new restaurants in the departures area.
Furthermore, the airport has introduced a new automated taxi receipt system. Passengers now use a self-service machine to generate a receipt, which they then present to the driver at the designated taxi stand before boarding a vehicle. The move aims to further reduce the presence of unlicensed taxi drivers, who continue to roam in the arrivals area, and to eliminate the previously unreliable manual receipt process. Three machines have been installed in the baggage claim area, with an additional unit located in the arrivals hall.
So after this expansion, where to go? To the opposite side?
ReplyDeleteSeems so.
DeleteIf they are smart, they should build new cargo location and move existing one. Also move business jet positions somewhere else. Then build couple more A gates there.
DeleteOr just clear everything around the B platform and build a satellite terminal there.
DeleteWon't happen because of the maintenance hangers there. And they will build the Air Serbia hangar there too.
DeleteI know but it's idiotic to put everything so close to the terminal. There is so much empty space towards the Bezanija graveyard. BEG should just get that land and move all maintenance facilities there.
DeleteThey can't just keep expanding the C-corridor. They need to build terminal space and gates in a more efficient way.
DeleteNemjee you are right. They just do now want to pay for building new hangars.
DeleteDark, dark, dark
DeleteTreba premestiti kargo i onda produziti A stranu da dotakne novu zeleznicku stanicu, nema smisla da je staniza udalhena 500m od zgrade
Delete@Anonymous 14:11
Delete+1.000.000
Can someone tell me if there are plans to open a direct link between the A finger and the passport control in Arrivals? I feel awkward every time I disembark a plane at A and I know that passport gates are right below me, but I need to walk all the way to C and then back to where I came from. Adding one escalator to get the arriving passengers directly to the passport zone downstairs cannot possibly be that complicated.
DeleteIt is complicated as there is no space to put them. Or you expect and escalator to go through passport control?
DeleteFinally. So in total 72 gates + parking positions?
ReplyDeleteA gates: 1-10
DeleteC gates: 1-17
Bus gates: A7a, A7b, C10a, C10b, C10c, C10d, C10e
Domestic gates: A11
In total, 27 airbridge gates, 7 bus gates, 1 domestic gate
Additional parking spaces: B1-10, E1-4, C18, F1-2. In total 17 more remote stands.
DeleteA grand total of 46 parking stands on jetbridges and remote stands, needless to highlight, they arent all usable simultaneously.
DeleteIm not counting the F and W apron stands as those arent parking positions but de-icing positions
Sorry, I don’t get it . How many planes will be served at the same time when these works will be finished?
DeleteThey will be adding 3 gates with jet bridges and 4 bus gates, for an addition of 7 gates. In total that will be 39 gates (A1-11, C1-17, A7a, A7b, C10a-e, C15a-d, or associated to some other new gate)
DeleteThanks, but JU already have 37 planes. Next year probably over 40. Not enough even for full AirSerbia wave, not to mention other companies
DeleteTirana shows that with bus gates a lot of capacity is possible, so Tesla needs more of them!!! Also there is space for 3-5 gates on the A side.
DeleteNot just Tirana but Athens as well. They have so many bus gates and remote stands. All airlines, Aegean included, are using them on a regular basis.
DeleteBus gates are fine if weather is generally good and pleasant.
DeleteIf temperature is close to 0 °C and you get plenty of rain or snow then you absolutely need a jet bridge gate.
I remember back in 2008 we were flying KBP-LCA on Aerosvit. It was in the middle of the winter and the flight was at around six in the morning. It was no fun but the bus had good heating. Bigger problem were the stairs as they had a lot of ice. If you clean them well then there shouldn't be any problems.
DeleteNeeds more than just the extra 3 gates. Can't just keep extending the C pier, they need to start building on a new patch of land and build another terminal there.
ReplyDeleteNext expansion will most likely be on the other side of the C wing
DeleteThat does not make sense at all. Only if there are no other options.
Delete@9:03 do you mean gates on the other side of the C wing? Where the old planes were supposed to be parked or on the other side near terminal A?
DeleteThere is no enough interior space for such expansion.
DeleteThe next expansion needs to be on the patch of land near terminal A
DeleteThat means to demolish old ATC tower?
DeleteATC tower is not on the way of expansion and it would be stupid to demolish it
DeleteThat is going to be one long walk down th C corddior.
ReplyDeleteTrue dat.
DeleteThis is nothing compared to the corridor distances one has to cover at some other major airports globally. As long as there are travelator tracks, this is the new norm at any significant airport.
DeleteDifference is they have travelators or interterminal bus or rail lines.. BEG is not that big we have to be realistic. As Nemje wrote, satelite terminal at B would be great.
DeleteAnonymous 10:55
DeleteBEG is not IST or ATL!
An airport of its size shouldn't have to be able to expand only by building longer and longer corridors.
The place is badly designed to even handle 6-7 million pax a year.
Finally smart move to fix the issue with illegal taxi drivers!
ReplyDeleteEspecially since the person giving out the receipts used to be cohorts with the illegal taxi drivers and was never sitting at the booth. This will go a long way.
DeleteIndeed, a great solution.
DeleteIf only Uber / Bolt were available, we would not have to rely on the taxis...
Something tells me machines will be INOP very often ;-). You could never underestimate illegal taxi drivers.
DeleteHow exactly are they going to enter the baggage claim area? If you read the text, it says three of these kiosks are in the baggage claim area.
DeleteThey could pay airport personnel, security or even police men to mess with the machines.
DeleteThe ...entrepreneurial spirit of the Balkan taxi driver is unmatched!
Very difficult to do in that area.
DeleteThe area within airport is not important. The part of the World is!
DeleteWhich part?
Delete^ Balkan peninsula.
DeleteThat greenery goes a long way. Looks much better
ReplyDelete+1
Delete+1
DeleteBEG needs more remote parking positions as well.
ReplyDeleteWell they are adding another 4 from what I understand.
DeleteI understood that 3 out of 4 new parking positions will be at jetbridges.
DeleteMy guess is that they will have three parking positions next to the airbridges and then on remote stand next to them. Hopefully it will have a bus gate next to it so that passengers can walk to the plane.
Delete^ What Nemjee wrote is also Ryanair's prefer method.
DeleteThe only problem is that airlines who are forced to pay for using a jetbridge or a bus complain to the airport about those who just have their pax walk to the aircraft.
Well this remote parking position might be exclusively given to LCCs such as Pegasus, easyJet and Wizz Air.
DeleteAny update on JU's new lounge?
ReplyDeleteHopefully it will be operational for the EXPO but it should already have been open.
Two weeks ago
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/06/air-serbia-readies-for-loyalty-overhaul.html
^ The CEO didn't give any specific timeframe on when they will be granted permission to start construction of the lounge or when it will open to passengers.
DeleteIt is not them that need to be granted a permit but the airport. How can he know when the airport will be granted a permit? That's why he doesen't say when it will be completed because it depends when the airport is given a permit. It says it will take 3 months to build the lounge once the permit is given. It's the same situation with the ticketing office at the airport. it is fully completed already for 2 months but can't open until airport gets operating permit for it.
DeleteDoesn't the CEO of the main airline of the airport speak with VINCI management or with the ministry on when he will be allowed to start building the airline's long delayed new lounge?
DeleteDon't they have an idea what specific things need fixing and what steps need to be taken in order for the permits to be given?
This is hurting the airline and its premium pax.
They obviously talk but the airport doesen't know either. The ministry issues permits and since the accident in Novi sad, permits are taking months and months to be issued. I'm sure he knows better than you when the lounge work will begin but I'm guessing that exactly because of people like you he won't say it publically.
DeleteGuys if this was 3-4 years ago I'm pretty sure permits will have been given for all of this things. Lounge, ticketing office, cafes whatever. But after the Novi Sad collapse everyone wants to be extra careful and 110% sure before signing any permits.
DeleteThe airline and the restaurant businesses pay the price for something they are not at fault at all.
Just my2cents
@Anonymous 09:26
DeleteI agree that the Novi Sad situation has made things extra complicated but there is no need to attack me saying that anonymous posters in a blog are the reason a CEO doesn't give info when the lounge opens.
The party mainly at fault is VINCI.
DeleteIf they had gone through all the design, inspection, documentation process 100% correctly the ministry would have an easier job giving permits.
With the current political situation things became extra difficult.
It has nothing to do with the Novi Sad tragedy. VINCI screwed paperwork way before that. Due to that, permits for each outlet must be obtained through a process as if the outlet was built from scratch and not being inserted into an already built object.
Delete^ SMFH
DeleteAnd VINCI was given the concession exactly because it has experience running airports and building new terminals...
Vinci has so far been a horrible "host" at BEG. They got adjusted to some of the worst practices in Serbia, building without proper permits being one of the first. Air conditioning system installed is horrible, I flew last week and I was boiling inside the building. I feel for the ground staff having to work in such conditions daily.
Deletelol how many Kafeterija's are they going to have on the ground floor? From what I can count that's 3. Although the last one pictured looks like it will have a pattio too which is good.
ReplyDeleteThis will be enough only for 2026, if it will be completed
ReplyDeleteIt will be completed by the end of 2026.
DeleteIf they want to expand correctly they need to do the C terminal expansion and starting one near terminal A very soon...
Delete@09:12
DeleteAgree 100%
Thank you for the update
ReplyDeleteСело гори а баба се чешља.
ReplyDeleteWhile the airport management is dreaming of Expo 2027, their airport facilities are already nearing capacity. Just look at what is happening in the evening. LH x2, OS and KL are parked by default on the remote stands because there are not enough gates in the evening/morning.
I even noticed JU planes being parked there from time to time. Same with Wizz Air.
Are they not aware of this since they are not rushing to expand their facilities? BEG needs a clear development strategy but I doubt we will get it from the same team which has no problem running such an airport lounge.I was there last week and it's absolutely horrible. The staff working there is also extremely unprofessional. I was sitting there having coffee and this guy working at the reception came in, reached for a few pieces of salami with his hand and put it in his mouth. He then turned around and went back to the reception desk. I guess this was part of the training he received from the airport.
BEG has been recording steady growth since covid ended. They should have known that eventually their facilities won't be able to cope with the rush hour traffic.
Air Serbia might not be perfect, but compared to BEG, they are in a whole different league. That said, I doubt anything will change at BEG. If this growth continues into 2026 then we might see serious traffic restrictions during busy times.
I think KL, OS and LH are getting remote stands in the evening because Air Serbia takes up all gate position except A10 in the morning wave.
DeleteThe new terminal VINCI built was already too small from the moment it opened.
DeleteNemjee I'm pretty sure the staff working on the JU lounge are JU personnel trained by the airline.
DeleteAlmost all over the world airport operators like VINCI are not responsible for the personnel airlines have in their lounges.
^ I believe he was reffering to the Belgrade Airport lounge and not the Air Serbia lounge. Actually he speciifically says BEG lounge. And anyway the ones working at JU reception are all women.
DeleteI lolled at what Nemjee wrote about the lounge. So wrong but not unexpected knowing the people that work there,
Indeed, it was the BEG lounge. The one you access by passing through that dirty, narrow corridor. Feels like a Срећни људи set which was not modernized or fixed since filming ended in mid-1990s.
DeleteI honestly don't understand how no one felt the need to fix it or at least to clean it up a little bit.
As for the gate space, that's what I am talking about. So this summer we are already experiencing serious gate shortage. What will happen next summer if this growth continues? Will they block new flights during the morning rush hour?
@Nemjee +1
DeleteThey will force airlines to fly earlier or later which will really mess up connections.
In meantime Venice airport with 9 gates handles 12 milion passengers.
Delete@11:23
DeleteMLA has 80% of BEG's traffic yet not a single air bridge. Same story with Venice. BEG is a HUB airport, VCE and MLA are leisure / P2P.
They don`t have waves at Venice, it`s apples and oranges. But I think that was more or less the way they planned the expansion here...
DeleteExactly plus in places like VCE, MLA or even LCA, it's not about waves but rather days. Those airports tend to be extremely busy on certain week days. That said, tourists are more or less flexible so they don't care if they land at 08.00, 13.30 or 15.00. Those airports can afford to spread their traffic throughout the day.
DeleteThey will expand C wing until it loops back to A wing.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Post of the day!
DeleteWell, I mean...C wing could theoretically go all the way to the highway with some angles so it does not affect runway/deicing operations...
DeleteC wing will soon end up in Tivat so no reason to fly.
DeleteIt is now clear that "budženje" of the existing terminal building was sensless and short-sighted in operational terms, let alone the awful aesthetics. It is simple: they should`ve built the entirely new terminal 3 planned for long decades, with the second parallel runway. I believe there is not going to be any smart solution now.
ReplyDeleteExactly and that is why the best solution would have been to build a satellite terminal next to the B parking positions. Of course they messed this up when they allowed for new maintenance hangars to be built there. Of course this is not the end of the world but this space would have been ideal for such a project. Serbs and long-term planning do not get along.
DeleteIzgled i funkconalnost Beogradskog Aerodroma nikada bolji. Ipak EXPO27 ce biti vise od preopterecenja Nikole Tesle. Ostaje nada za gradnju Novog Medjunarodnog Aerodroma.
ReplyDeleteSto ce resiti pŕobleme u svakom pogledu sa postojecim aerodromom. Ogranicenog masovnom divljom, van zakonitom gradnjom naselja. Koja okruzuju sa tri strane.
Divlja gradnja i divlji taksisti su do sada bili "zakon".
Za Expo se ocekuje min 3 mil posetioca(verovatno i 4) u svega 3 meseca. To znaci u proseku 60.000 putnika DNEVNO! Sada je u spicu sletelo 148 aviona za jedan dan. Za vreme Expoa ce biti barem DUPLO vise. Udarnim danima i preko toga
DeleteWell, they can activate Batajnica for the occasion - which already happened for the Non-aligned nations` summit of 1961 :)
DeleteNo, they should build extra 20 parking stands for bus terminals somewhere
Delete@anon 10:43
DeleteMislim da žestoko precenjujete broj putnika za EXPO. Ovo ipak nije veliki, pravi EXPO već specijalizovana izložba, čini mi se sport i kultura, tako nešto. Ako bude i trećina od tih 3-4 miliona biće dobro. Pa za toliko gostiju ne postoje ni smeštajni kapaciteti u Beogradu i okolini.
I ja nisam ocekivao, Na prethodnom specijalizovanom Expou u Astani 2017. je bilo 4mil posetioca. Beograd je geografski pristupacniji, ocekuje se vise izlagaca i samim tim i vise posetilaca. Od tog broja, barem 3 mil ce doci avionom
DeleteДа али се може десити да ће велики број посетиоца бити из региона и да ће они доћи колима или неким другим видом друмског превоза.
DeleteThe taxi machines are indeed great news! Especially because, as someone mentioned, the persons working in the booth are part of the mafia and never present. The whole process of getting a taxi in BEG is (or let's hope, was) disgusting and embarrasing.
ReplyDeleteHowever, they seem to have increased the prices. As of today, if you go to Stari Grad by the meter, is comes out to around 2500, while with this system you get to pay 3500. I'll keep doing what I was always doing: go upstairs to arrivals, find a taxi which drops someone off and ask them to take me to town by the meter. They are more than happy to, I usually find a cab in less than 5 minutes.
The prices from the airport are fixed and this has been the fare since 1 January. Yes, it is somewhat cheaper when it is metred.
DeleteIn Belgrade taxi from the airport costs more than in Istanbul while the distance is 4x less! Two times more than in Moscow where the distance is 3x less. BEG = Horrible prices and drivers!
Delete^ this has nothing to do with the airport but with the city.
DeleteSo they will expand on this black/tin foil ugliness even further? Nice. The only normal thing they did is get that taxi kiosk going, but it is worring that the state has no power to deal with unregistered taxies and just does workaround them instead of eliminating them for good.
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteTaxis are registered, but they charge much more than regular taxi prices. They could solve the problem within 45 minutes, if they want. They should just tow their cars, parked all around parking exits
Delete^ You seem to be confused. Taxi prices from the official taxi rank are fixed prices. This is legislated by the city as are the prices of the jounrey depending on the duration. These fixed prices are slightly more than what you would pay if it was a metred ride, which you take to the airport. However, it is not "much more". Regular price from city centre to the airport 2,700 RSD (on workday outside of evening hours without tip). Regular price from airport to city centre is fixed at 3,500 and you are not expected to tip as the price is fixed. That is 800 dinars more or 7 euros more.
DeleteThis has nothing to do with unlicensed taxi drivers who can't enter the airport permiter with their cars, precisely because there is an official taxi rank now. Every taxi driver that enters the airport premises is registered and can only leave the permiter if they are registered. That's why the unlicensed taxi drivers stand in the arrivals hall. In hope they find someone and then you have to walk with them to their car which is outside of the airport permieter. They are certainly not going to charge you 3,500 to the city but much much more.
I completely agree that this is a problem, but I do not understand which normal person agrees to go with someone yelling "Taxi". Unlicensed taxi drivers at airports are a problem at many worldwide. Even at New York JFK. Even in Dubai. You are supposed to have common sense and not be dumb enough to accept a ride like that. Especially at BEG where there is signage and even leaflets letting you know how to catch a normal licensed taxi.
More construction work, more corruption. Everything is ad-hoc, dictated by the needs to cover the expenses of the EXPO and other debt growing government operations. On top of that, during the construction one can always make excuses not to fix all the obvious existing problems at the airport - from terrible positioning and state of the toilets, horror business lounge, low ceilings and deficit of natural light, shortage of parking positions, never-ending saga of taxi robbers, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou have obviously NOT been at the airport for a very long time. Toilets are all clean and unlike before there are many toilets across the airport. It has been written many times that the current lounge will be closed and moved to the current Air Serbia lounge. As for those obsessed with low ceilings in one part of the terminal, I suggest you travel more, especially in Europe to compare the cielings.
DeleteWell, I`m so sorry, but I am not getting along with "dunđeraj" and "skarabudževina" as the norm for public objects of such magnitude and importance. That is a third grade reasoning.
Delete@Anonymous13:03 so you haven't been at the airport for ages, but here you are, commenting about toilets and other things.
DeleteI`ve been there on Saturday, 21 st. I was not commenting on toilets, but on the terminal`s overall ugliness, which is outstanding.
DeleteYes you were commenting about toilets, complaining about "state of the toilets". They are actually rather clean and are cleaned every half hour. There are now numerous toilets, unlike before when there were just 2 in the departures area. And in fact another set of toilets is about to be opened opposite A3. So there will be even more.
DeleteBeauty is very subjective. Most likely, you would have been unhappy with whatever they built.
I was not, the original comment was not mine. I also support Expo.
DeleteBeauty is not subjective, aesthetics are dealing with objective cathegories, that`s what they teach you at art schools.
And the last sentence says much about you, dude.
I love how everyone has some issue with the airport and think it is glorious everywhere else. FYI, Frankfurt Airport is infested with rats. You can see them running down the passenger terminal around the restaurants as well as the Lufthansa lounge. This issue is getting worse and has been present for years but the management could not care less.
DeleteIn Barcelona, at Terminal 2 there is a criminal gang from Albaania operating in front of the terminal where they rob people as they step out of the arrivals area when you are about to step into the taxi. And guess what? When you go to the police (located in the other terminal) they shrug, knowing full well there is a whole syndicate operating but they could not care less.
Bottom line, both JU and BEG are much better than what they used to be during early 00s. Could have BEG be done better, sure it could. Many different issues, delays, etc. But as the new shops/restaurants/ greenery are finally coming, there is a chance we could see some 'design flow' finally and not complete miss-match we have seen with constant 'contraction work'. If they light up with modern stuff Tesla Square it could nicely flow from Duty Free and travelers will see that, add few restaurants/coffee places on C and A piers and then we have something decent. I agree, it took forever. As far as capacity and EXPO, it's gonna be tight in 2027.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, BEG should build new terminal like ATL has. They should replace JAT tehnika, and MUP and build new gates whenever they need expansion. That will secure another 10-15 years of consistent building and expanding capacities. Reaching new terminal would be by driverless train underground. That can also open the room for expanding with T3 or T4 (call it however you want) on the other side of the road when new runway is needed.
ReplyDeleteAnd when the time comes for expansion - the one from the end of your post that includes new runway - what do you with a 20-million like capacity airport that has just been built? Brand new temninal would go to Air Serbia and legacies, while all of the old facilities will serve... low cost? That is completely unsustainable, it is a financial Chernobyl, but what the hack: "Samo nek se gradi" - "Let it build". Instead, new terminal and paralel runway should have been built write away, and that was the only viable option. But then we`d get less cash from Vinci (big deal, as in the end, the current option will prove much, much more costly).
DeleteWhat about Dublin airport that served a bit less then 33million passengers in 2019 with only one runway? The new runway was opened in 2022.
DeleteAs you may not read the comment, it was not said to be built in few years and expect to have everything at the same time in use, but in phases. To se zove planska gradnja, a ne “Samo nek se gradi”. Lp
C-dobanovci, and in next expansion till C-ugrinovci
ReplyDeleteJust open those restaurants and stores already, move car rental counters back inside.
ReplyDeleteYou can bring whatever taxi confirmation you want. You will still be subject to anarchy. Early June, we picked up the "voucher" and went to the official taxi line. The driver takes us in, takes the voucher and demands a higher price, claiming (falsely - by a good distance) that our destination is in the next higher zone. We threaten to call inspection, he starts driving the car. While driving along the airport access road, he threatens to kick us out of the vehicle - right there, on the road, and we have a 5-year old with us - if we refuse to pay the higher price. Upon exiting the taxi at our destination, we pay the higher price and take the photos of the taxi company/number and the registration plates. Airport now claims that this vehicle was never supposed to be in the official line, but of course they won't lift a finger about this. For example fire/sanction whoever (for a bribe) let this a*****e in? Or review the camera footage from when the vehicle entered the secured area? So many things they could do but won't because, of course, A knows B and B knows C and that's all that matters. It's all a sham.
ReplyDelete