TRIP REPORT
The journey began on April 21 with an early drive from central Belgrade to the airport. I parked at Tesla Parking; despite claims of 90+ available spaces, the lot initially looked full. That impression didn’t last long - a spot opened up just in time to catch the shuttle to the terminal.
The shuttle itself was packed, mostly with airport staff. Along the route, construction stretched almost the entire way. It looked substantial enough to suggest something more permanent - possibly a future rail link, though that remains speculation.
I reached the terminal around 6:30 a.m. to find it unexpectedly empty.
Airside in the early morning felt almost dormant. Swiss had two check-in counters open, one for business and one for economy, although the screens above the latter were oddly showing only commercials. With no queue, the process took less than a minute.
Upstairs, both border control and security were equally quiet. Two passport booths and four security lines were open, yet there was no waiting anywhere. From entrance to airside took under 15 minutes.
Periodic announcements about unattended baggage echoed through the terminal, fitting with the airport’s “low-noise” concept. The atmosphere could just as well be described as “low-smile” - staff were serious, but consistently professional. At that hour, efficiency matters more than charm.
The Dufry lounge, accessible via cardholder benefits, provided a quieter place to wait. It feels frozen in time - largely unchanged for years - but still preferable to the main terminal. Food was acceptable, drinks slightly undercooled, and the chairs worn but comfortable. The main drawback was the lack of working power outlets near the seating area.
Boarding took place at gate A9, conveniently close to the lounge. The first aircraft of the day, an Airbus A321neo, was nearly full. The window seat offered little in return, as most of the flight remained above dense cloud cover.
Before departure, the cockpit warned of possible delays due to unfavourable winds in Zurich - up to 10 minutes expected.
The flight itself was uneventful, which is ideal. The only anomaly came from the overhead displays, which showed clearly incorrect information - at one point suggesting four and a half hours remaining near Zagreb, and later two hours to cover barely 100 kilometres.
Landing in Zurich was smooth, with only a minor delay. The aircraft offered USB-A charging, though it turned out to be incompatible with the cable I had on hand. Disembarkation was via jet bridge at a D gate, followed by a walk toward the A gates for the connection.
At passport control, there was a small surprise: the officer turned out to be of Serbian origin, and the interaction continued in Serbian. Still, not quite as unexpected as a previous experience in Düsseldorf, where a border officer of African-European background opened in Bosnian - later explained by family roots.
As Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, entry required a four-finger scan of the right hand. Some passengers were also asked to take a photo, likely first-time registrations. The line moved quickly, mostly consisting of American travelers.
The next gate was easy to locate, leaving enough time to recharge my phone at a functioning outlet.
The second leg, operated by Helvetic Airways with an Embraer E195 (E-Jet E1), required a bus transfer. The flight was again almost completely full, and once more the window seat offered little, with cloud cover dominating the view.
Due to unusual easterly winds in Zurich, airport capacity had been reduced, causing a short delay. Takeoff was somewhat turbulent, with noticeable lateral movement and wing flex until climbing above the clouds. After that, conditions stabilized and the remainder of the flight passed smoothly.
This aircraft provided both USB-A and USB-C ports, solving the earlier charging issue.
Neither flight offered Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment, but both included a small bottle of water and Swiss-branded chocolate in economy.
Arrival in Hanover was straightforward. As this was a Schengen flight, no additional checks were required. Baggage delivery took some time, marking the final step of the outbound journey.
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| Hanover Airport corridor to train station |
The return began on April 23 from Hanover city centre. The S5 train from the main station reached the airport in about 20 minutes, at a cost of €4.70 - reasonable for the distance and convenience.
From the airport train station, it was a short walk to Terminal A. After a brief wait at security, I was quickly through and at gate A04 for the Swiss-operated Airbus A220-300 to Zurich. As expected within Schengen, there was no border control.
Looking for breakfast, I went in search of food airside - something I usually try to do while travelling. Options near the gate were extremely limited. One small café-bar served the entire area, with a queue already forming. With no alternatives, I joined and eventually ordered a mortadella focaccia and a Coke Zero for €10.20.
The nearby restroom, while conveniently located, suffered from a persistent and unpleasant smell that affected the entire area.
Our aircraft arrived around 09:00, followed immediately by an announcement that the flight was fully booked and that volunteers were sought to check in cabin baggage.
In reality, the plane was not completely full - a few seats remained empty. This was my first time flying on an A220, and the overall impression was very positive. The cabin felt spacious and airy, and noise levels were noticeably lower than on other aircraft I’ve flown. That said, there were no power outlets, no Wi-Fi, and no in-flight entertainment. Service was minimal, consisting of a bottle of water and chocolate.
During the flight, an issue developed with the PA system. It began with loud white noise and later degraded into barely audible announcements.
Before landing, connecting-flight information appeared on the overhead displays. We were expected to arrive at Terminal 1 with a bus transfer, and my onward connection to Belgrade was initially listed at gate D39, later updated to D35.
Border control was quick. Interestingly, this time there was no fingerprint scan or photo required.
The final leg, Zurich to Belgrade, was operated by Air Baltic using an Airbus A220 and departed with a delay of roughly 15-20 minutes.
There were no power outlets on board, but this was offset by a pleasant surprise - free Starlink internet. Performance was genuinely impressive; streaming and handling messages simultaneously worked without issue.
The effect was almost hypnotic, and much of the flight passed in a blur. Service remained consistent with previous legs - a bottle of water and Swiss-branded chocolate - though the seats were noticeably more comfortable.
The flight was full.
Arrival in Belgrade was approximately 30 minutes behind schedule. The aircraft parked at a more distant gate, with assistance available for passengers with reduced mobility. A brisk walk led to border control, where a short queue cleared in under 10 minutes.
Baggage delivery was quick, bringing the trip to a smooth and efficient conclusion.
Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com
Very nice report. The point about the Tesla parking lot is particularly interesting. Since its opening, they have significantly changed the concept. Currently, parking costs 500 dinars per day. Compared to other airports, that’s still not very expensive, but it’s no longer possible to reserve a parking space online in advance. This can be a problem, especially in peak summer, if I have about an hour’s travel time to the airport and then can’t park because it might already be full. Additionally, they should provide dedicated parking spaces for their own employees
ReplyDeleteThe rail link is under constrcution. Nixe report thank you!
ReplyDeleteI personally like the redesigned area at BEG. It's not wow but much better given the outdated terminal design with low ceilings. Great to see full flights to and from BEG.
ReplyDeleteHow come you didn't fly directly with JU to HAJ?
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia only fly twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. The report said he flew on April 21 which was a Tuesday. So if one needs to be there on a Tuesday one doesnt fly JU. Simple.
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