Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Encyclopedia
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is Serbia
's busiest airport
, also known as Surčin
(Сурчин), after a nearby Belgrade
district.
Named after Nikola Tesla
, the airport is situated 12 km (7.5 mi) west, of central Belgrade, in the Municipality of Surčin, surrounded by Syrmia
's fertile lowlands. Passengers on the right hand side of planes descending from the east have a view of downtown Belgrade, especially the districts of Čukarica
and Novi Beograd
. In the past, when weather conditions were poor, aircraft were diverted to Niš Constantine the Great International Airport
, which is 230 km (143 mi) south.
However, since late 2005 a CAT IIIb runway system has been introduced and aircraft can land and depart in the heaviest of fog, which in past years led to the airport’s closure in late December and early January.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is managed by the government-owned company Public enterpise “Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd”. The company is a profitable public enterprise in Serbia with a recorded profit of 21.5 million Euro
s at the end of 2010.
National flag carrier
Jat Airways
uses Belgrade Nikola Tesla as their hub airport. It is also one of the hub airports for low cost airline Wizz Air
. Aviogenex
charter airline, VIP airlines Air Pink
, Jat Airways AVIO taxi
, Prince Aviation
and Pelikan Airways also call the airport their home.
In recent years, the airport has transformed itself into a transit destination for the former Yugoslav region with regular transit passengers coming from Bosnia, FYROM and Montenegro.
(today known as Jat Airways
) started taking off from the new airport. The airport's landing strip consisted of four grass runway
s between 1,100 and 2,900 m (3,609 and 9,514 ft) long. The project for reinforced concrete
hangar
was made by Serbian
scientist
Milutin Milanković
, known more for his theory of climate change
. A modern terminal
building was built in 1931, and in 1936 poor visibility conditions landing equipment was installed.
Besides Aeroput, Air France
, Deutsche Luft Hansa
, KLM, Imperial Airways
and airlines from Italy
, Austria
, Hungary
, Romania
and Poland
also used the airport until the outbreak of the Second World War
. Starting from April 1941 German
occupation forces used the airport. During 1944 the Allies bombed it, and in October of same year the German army destroyed the remaining facilities while withdrawing from the country.
and Yugoslavia
as part of the Allied war effort.
Civil transport by Air Force cargo planes via this airport was renewed at the end of 1945. At the beginning of 1947 JAT Yugoslav Airlines and JUSTA took over domestic and international traffic, and from 1948 the first aircraft from West European airlines started to land in Belgrade.
Constant traffic increase and the appearance of passenger jet planes demanded a significant airport enlargement. In the meantime there was a plan to build a residential and business district called Novi Beograd, where the airport was located. Thus, it was decided that a new international airport should be constructed near the village of Surčin. The last flight to depart from the old airport was at the beginning of 1964.
The new location for the airport was on the Surčin plateau 12 km (7 mi) from Belgrade's city center. Thanks to the original planners' vision, two conditions for the airport's development were fulfilled: a location was chosen which met the navigational, meteorological, construction, technical, and traffic requirements; and the special needs for the airport's long-term development were established.
Experts from the Serbian City Planning Bureau, with the architect Nikola Dobrović at the helm, made the preliminary plans for the new airport. The development and realization of the idea was taken over from 1953 onwards by the Civil Aviation Department (later Federal Department for Civil Aviation) whose experts, with engineer Miloš Lukić as team leader, finished the general airport plan for one runway, appropriate taxiways, and a terminal complex in 1957. Building of the new airport started in April 1958 and lasted until 28 April 1962, when it was officially opened by President Josip Broz Tito
.
During that period a 3,000 m (9,843 ft) long runway was built with the parallel taxiway and concrete aprons for sixteen planes. The passenger terminal building occupied an area of 8,000 m² (2 acre
s). Cargo storage were also built, as well as a technical block with the air traffic control tower
and other accompanying facilities. Modern navigational equipment was installed, earning the airport the highest international classification according to the International Civil Aviation Organization
.
and the United Nations
sanctions imposed on the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
. The sanctions also included a ban on air travel. The airport had minimal passenger movement and many facilities were in need of attention.
With a change in government and international sentiment, normal air traffic resumed in 2001. A few years later the airport’s terminal 2 underwent a complete reconstruction.
The runway, which is now CAT IIIb, was upgraded in October 2005, as part of a large renovation project. CAT IIIb is the latest runway system giving aircraft the security of landing during fog and storms.
A countrywide petition was signed to have the name of the airport changed to Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport. Nikola Tesla
was a Serbian American inventor, generally considered one of the world's most important electrical engineers.
The proposal was accepted by Aerodrom Beograd a.d., the state-owned airport authority, and received approval by the Ministry of Capital Investment, and finally the Serbian Government
on 2 February 2006. On 10 July 2006, to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth scientist
Nikola Tesla
, a monument was erected near Terminal 1. The monument is 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in) high and weighs 1,000 kg (2,205 lb
).
In 2006, the airport served a total of 2,222,455 passengers, which represented an increase of 9% over 2005 figures. After 17 years, the airport served its 2,500,000th passenger on 28 December. The official total number of passengers served for the full year of 2007 was 2,512,890.
In August 2007, the management of the airport announced that within the next 4 years Terminal 2 gates will be expanded as well as parking spaces for aircraft. Terminal 1 and 2 would be connected as well.
In 2008, the airport served a total of 2,650,048 passengers, which represented an increase of 5% over 2007 figures. The airport experienced its best month in May 2008 due to the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
being held in Belgrade. Those record figures were however outnumbered at the end of 2010 with 2,698,730 handled passengers.
The construction of the airport control center was completed in 2010 and the EU initiative to regionalize airport controls will begin implementation in 2012 at the earliest date.
In February 2011 Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport shares began trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange
.
in 2006, the gates of the terminal have been used for international flights by both international and domestic carriers.
From January 1, 2010, Terminal 1 is fully operational and used mostly by low cost and charter airlines.
Terminals 1 and 2 are located next to each other and are connected through a hallway. Terminal 1 contains 8 gates, A1-A8. T1 has restaurants "Aviator" and "Boeing", the "Business Club Lounge" and shops.
The terminal went through a major renovation in the 1980s when air bridges were added to connect passengers to the aircraft. Minor renovations were done in 2002.
In 2011, it was announced that the C platforms (T2 gates) will be expanded and this would be the highest priority investment for the airport. The expansion will cater for the growing number of passengers passing through the airport. The airport also announced to increase parking space for some gates in order to make room for larger long-haul planes, such as the Boeing 747
and Airbus A380
.
Cargo airlines serving the airport (as of October 2011):
Source: Official website
In April 2007 the airport also introduced the latest technology for explosive and narcotic detection.
These units are implemented at the airport itself, as well as at the customs and border checkpoints and other facilities and locations of security interest.
Each international passenger must pass security and passport control before entering the departure lounge. Passengers are again screened and carry on luggage is scanned at the gate, prior to entering the aircraft.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has a Rescue and Fire Service, which in 2007 received internationally recognized certificates. All members of the fire service unit underwent training at the U.K. International Fire Training Center run by Serco. This has led to praise by the IATA and ICAO organisations.
Since 2003 airport security has been further increased. The airport relies on the Serbian Police and Serbian anti-terrorist squad for patrolling the airport and can call in the Serbian Army
. In August 2007 the airport prohibited cars parking next to the airport terminal, instead they have to use the car park provided, as a result of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack
. All parked cars in restricted zones will be towed away and the owners will receive a fine.
In late 2007 the airport received technology from Israel
which provides the ability to monitor the 20 km radius
around the airport.
Nikola Tesla Airport also has a VIP lounge, with separate check-in and passport control facilities, which was built during the 2004-2006 terminal 2 reconstruction. The lounge consists of three parts - the first part for leisure, second for television crew and press conferences and a third part is a presidential suite. The lounge has a total surface area of 500 m². The lounge is also used as a press centre upon the arrival of VIPs.
–Šid
highway (E-70
) via a nearby interchange.
There are car rental
agencies in the Arrivals Hall.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
's busiest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, also known as Surčin
Surcin
Surčin is a neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is the youngest of Belgrade's 17 municipalities, as it split from the municipality of Zemun in 2003. Surčin municipality has 38,695 residents while Surčin town itself has 14,292...
(Сурчин), after a nearby Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
district.
Named after Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, the airport is situated 12 km (7.5 mi) west, of central Belgrade, in the Municipality of Surčin, surrounded by Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
's fertile lowlands. Passengers on the right hand side of planes descending from the east have a view of downtown Belgrade, especially the districts of Čukarica
Cukarica
Čukarica is an urban neighborhood and one of the 17 municipalities than constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Neighbourhoods :...
and Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd or New Belgrade is the most populous municipality that constitutes the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is a planned city, built in 1947 on the left bank of the Sava river which was previously an uninhabited area, opposite of the old Belgrade...
. In the past, when weather conditions were poor, aircraft were diverted to Niš Constantine the Great International Airport
Niš Constantine the Great Airport
Niš Constantine the Great Airport , is a Serbian airport that serves southern Serbia and the city of Niš. The airport, which is named for Constantine the Great, is located from the Niš city centre and is Serbia's second international airport.- History :...
, which is 230 km (143 mi) south.
However, since late 2005 a CAT IIIb runway system has been introduced and aircraft can land and depart in the heaviest of fog, which in past years led to the airport’s closure in late December and early January.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is managed by the government-owned company Public enterpise “Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd”. The company is a profitable public enterprise in Serbia with a recorded profit of 21.5 million Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s at the end of 2010.
National flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
Jat Airways
Jat Airways
Jat Airways is the national airline of Serbia and the former national airline of Yugoslavia, and has its head office in the Jat Airways Business Center in Belgrade. It was established in 1927 as Aeroput, making it currently one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation...
uses Belgrade Nikola Tesla as their hub airport. It is also one of the hub airports for low cost airline Wizz Air
Wizz Air
Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Kft. is a Hungarian low-cost airline with headquarters in the Airport Business Park C2 in Vecsés, close to Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, Hungary. The airline typically uses secondary airports serving many cities across Europe.- History :The airline was...
. Aviogenex
Aviogenex
Aviogenex is a charter airline based in Belgrade, Serbia. It operates regular and ad hoc charter flights, and wet-lease services, worldwide. Its main base is Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.-History:...
charter airline, VIP airlines Air Pink
Air Pink
Airpink is a private business jet charter airline based in Belgrade, Serbia. It was founded in October 2004 as part of Pink International Company owned by Željko Mitrović. Its main base is the Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport. Airpink employs 8 captains, 6 first-officers and 4 flight...
, Jat Airways AVIO taxi
Jat Airways AVIO taxi
Jat Airways AVIO taxi is a taxi airline company in Serbia with bases at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and Vršac Airport...
, Prince Aviation
Prince Aviation
Prince Aviation is a VIP airline in Serbia. It was founded in 1989. Its main base is the Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport in Belgrade.-History:...
and Pelikan Airways also call the airport their home.
In recent years, the airport has transformed itself into a transit destination for the former Yugoslav region with regular transit passengers coming from Bosnia, FYROM and Montenegro.
History
Belgrade's first international airport (also known as Dojno polje Airport) was opened on 25 March 1927 on the territory of today's Novi Beograd. From February 1928, aircraft owned by the first local airline AeroputAeroput
Aeroput was the national airline of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which was founded on 17 June 1927 in the palace of the Adriatic and the Danube bank in Belgrade as Drustvo za Vazdusni Saobracaj A D – Aeroput ...
(today known as Jat Airways
Jat Airways
Jat Airways is the national airline of Serbia and the former national airline of Yugoslavia, and has its head office in the Jat Airways Business Center in Belgrade. It was established in 1927 as Aeroput, making it currently one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation...
) started taking off from the new airport. The airport's landing strip consisted of four grass runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s between 1,100 and 2,900 m (3,609 and 9,514 ft) long. The project for reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
was made by Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
Milutin Milanković
Milutin Milankovic
Milutin Milanković was a Serbian geophysicist and civil engineer, best known for his theory of ice ages, suggesting a relationship between Earth's long-term climate changes and periodic changes in its orbit, now known as Milankovitch cycles. Milanković gave two fundamental contributions to global...
, known more for his theory of climate change
Milankovitch cycles
Milankovitch theory describes the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements upon its climate, named after Serbian civil engineer and mathematician Milutin Milanković, who worked on it during First World War internment...
. A modern terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
building was built in 1931, and in 1936 poor visibility conditions landing equipment was installed.
Besides Aeroput, Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, Deutsche Luft Hansa
Deutsche Luft Hansa
Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. was a German airline, serving as flag carrier of the country during the later years of the Weimar Republic and throughout the Third Reich.-1920s:Deutsche Luft Hansa was founded on 6 January 1926 in Berlin...
, KLM, Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
and airlines from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
also used the airport until the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Starting from April 1941 German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation forces used the airport. During 1944 the Allies bombed it, and in October of same year the German army destroyed the remaining facilities while withdrawing from the country.
Belgrade Airport after World War II
The airport was rebuilt by October 1944 and until the end of the war was used by the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
as part of the Allied war effort.
Civil transport by Air Force cargo planes via this airport was renewed at the end of 1945. At the beginning of 1947 JAT Yugoslav Airlines and JUSTA took over domestic and international traffic, and from 1948 the first aircraft from West European airlines started to land in Belgrade.
Constant traffic increase and the appearance of passenger jet planes demanded a significant airport enlargement. In the meantime there was a plan to build a residential and business district called Novi Beograd, where the airport was located. Thus, it was decided that a new international airport should be constructed near the village of Surčin. The last flight to depart from the old airport was at the beginning of 1964.
Construction of new airport
During the first years of the development of postwar Belgrade, construction of the modern airport became a social and economic priority. Basic studies and engineering research started in 1947, and became part of the 1950 General City Plan. This document defined the future or air traffic and the role of Belgrade's Airport within the Yugoslav and international air network.The new location for the airport was on the Surčin plateau 12 km (7 mi) from Belgrade's city center. Thanks to the original planners' vision, two conditions for the airport's development were fulfilled: a location was chosen which met the navigational, meteorological, construction, technical, and traffic requirements; and the special needs for the airport's long-term development were established.
Experts from the Serbian City Planning Bureau, with the architect Nikola Dobrović at the helm, made the preliminary plans for the new airport. The development and realization of the idea was taken over from 1953 onwards by the Civil Aviation Department (later Federal Department for Civil Aviation) whose experts, with engineer Miloš Lukić as team leader, finished the general airport plan for one runway, appropriate taxiways, and a terminal complex in 1957. Building of the new airport started in April 1958 and lasted until 28 April 1962, when it was officially opened by President Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
.
During that period a 3,000 m (9,843 ft) long runway was built with the parallel taxiway and concrete aprons for sixteen planes. The passenger terminal building occupied an area of 8,000 m² (2 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s). Cargo storage were also built, as well as a technical block with the air traffic control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
and other accompanying facilities. Modern navigational equipment was installed, earning the airport the highest international classification according to the International Civil Aviation Organization
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
.
2000 - 2011
The airport stagnated during the 1990s after the outbreak of the Yugoslav civil warsYugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions imposed on the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. The sanctions also included a ban on air travel. The airport had minimal passenger movement and many facilities were in need of attention.
With a change in government and international sentiment, normal air traffic resumed in 2001. A few years later the airport’s terminal 2 underwent a complete reconstruction.
The runway, which is now CAT IIIb, was upgraded in October 2005, as part of a large renovation project. CAT IIIb is the latest runway system giving aircraft the security of landing during fog and storms.
A countrywide petition was signed to have the name of the airport changed to Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport. Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
was a Serbian American inventor, generally considered one of the world's most important electrical engineers.
The proposal was accepted by Aerodrom Beograd a.d., the state-owned airport authority, and received approval by the Ministry of Capital Investment, and finally the Serbian Government
Government of Serbia
Officially the Government of the Republic of Serbia is the executive branch of government in Serbia.-Current government:The current government was elected on 7 July 2008 by the majority vote in the National Assembly of Serbia and restructured on 14 March 2011...
on 2 February 2006. On 10 July 2006, to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, a monument was erected near Terminal 1. The monument is 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in) high and weighs 1,000 kg (2,205 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
).
In 2006, the airport served a total of 2,222,455 passengers, which represented an increase of 9% over 2005 figures. After 17 years, the airport served its 2,500,000th passenger on 28 December. The official total number of passengers served for the full year of 2007 was 2,512,890.
In August 2007, the management of the airport announced that within the next 4 years Terminal 2 gates will be expanded as well as parking spaces for aircraft. Terminal 1 and 2 would be connected as well.
In 2008, the airport served a total of 2,650,048 passengers, which represented an increase of 5% over 2007 figures. The airport experienced its best month in May 2008 due to the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Eurovision Song Contest 2008
The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the Contest. It was hosted in Belgrade, Serbia after Marija Šerifović won the 2007 Contest in Helsinki, Finland. This year was the first contest to have two semi-finals which were held on 20 and 22 May, and the final held on 24 May 2008...
being held in Belgrade. Those record figures were however outnumbered at the end of 2010 with 2,698,730 handled passengers.
The construction of the airport control center was completed in 2010 and the EU initiative to regionalize airport controls will begin implementation in 2012 at the earliest date.
In February 2011 Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport shares began trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange
Belgrade Stock Exchange
The Belgrade Stock Exchange is a stock exchange in Belgrade, Serbia.-History:The first ideas about establishing an institution which would control the movement of the value of money appeared in Serbia in the 1830s. The Serbian Trading Association, important for the development of the entire...
.
Terminals
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has two terminals, with a reconstructed Terminal 2 opened since 14 May 2006.Terminal 1
Terminal 1 (T1) was the original and the only terminal when the airport was opened. The terminal handled domestic flights during the SFR Yugoslavia. Since the dissolution of the Union of Serbia and MontenegroSerbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
in 2006, the gates of the terminal have been used for international flights by both international and domestic carriers.
From January 1, 2010, Terminal 1 is fully operational and used mostly by low cost and charter airlines.
Terminals 1 and 2 are located next to each other and are connected through a hallway. Terminal 1 contains 8 gates, A1-A8. T1 has restaurants "Aviator" and "Boeing", the "Business Club Lounge" and shops.
The terminal went through a major renovation in the 1980s when air bridges were added to connect passengers to the aircraft. Minor renovations were done in 2002.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 (T2) was constructed during the 1980's for the airport's growing passenger numbers. After 2 years of reconstruction, T2 reopened in May 2006 with 33 check in desks. The terminal has a capacity of 5 million passengers. The arrivals and departures areas of the terminal were completely reconstructed. The terminal has six gates, C1 to C6. The terminal contains airline offices, transfer desks and various retail shops.In 2011, it was announced that the C platforms (T2 gates) will be expanded and this would be the highest priority investment for the airport. The expansion will cater for the growing number of passengers passing through the airport. The airport also announced to increase parking space for some gates in order to make room for larger long-haul planes, such as the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
and Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
.
Scheduled
The following scheduled passenger airlines use the airport:Charter airlines
Cargo airlines
Statistics
| Year | Passengers | Change | Cargo (t) | Change | Aircraft movements | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1,621,798 | 6,827 | 28,872 | |||
| 2003 | 1,849,148 | 14% | 6,532 | 4% | 32,484 | 13% |
| 2004 | 2,045,282 | 11% | 8,946 | 37% | 36,416 | 12% |
| 2005 | 2,032,357 | 1% | 7,728 | 14% | 37,614 | 3% |
| 2006 | 2,222,445 | 9% | 8,200 | 6% | 42,360 | 13% |
| 2007 | 2,512,890 | 13% | 7,926 | 3% | 43,448 | 3% |
| 2008 | 2,650,048 | 5% | 8,129 | 3% | 44,454 | 2% |
| 2009 | 2,384,077 | 10% | 6,690 | 18% | 40,664 | 8% |
| 2010 | 2,698,730 | 13% | 7,427 | 11% | 44,160 | 9% |
| 2011 (01.01.-31.10.) | 2,691,836 | 16% | 6,354 | 12% | 38,198 | 2% |
Source: Official website
Security
In 2007 the airport followed the example of the EU and introduced security measures which limit the amount of liquids allowed to be carried on board the aircraft.In April 2007 the airport also introduced the latest technology for explosive and narcotic detection.
These units are implemented at the airport itself, as well as at the customs and border checkpoints and other facilities and locations of security interest.
Each international passenger must pass security and passport control before entering the departure lounge. Passengers are again screened and carry on luggage is scanned at the gate, prior to entering the aircraft.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has a Rescue and Fire Service, which in 2007 received internationally recognized certificates. All members of the fire service unit underwent training at the U.K. International Fire Training Center run by Serco. This has led to praise by the IATA and ICAO organisations.
Since 2003 airport security has been further increased. The airport relies on the Serbian Police and Serbian anti-terrorist squad for patrolling the airport and can call in the Serbian Army
Serbian Army
-Objectives:The Serbian Army is responsible for:* deterring armed threats* defending Serbia's territory* participation in peacekeeping operations* providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief-Personnel:...
. In August 2007 the airport prohibited cars parking next to the airport terminal, instead they have to use the car park provided, as a result of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack
2007 Glasgow International Airport attack
The 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack was a terrorist attack which occurred on Saturday 30 June 2007, at 15:11 BST, when a dark green Jeep Cherokee loaded with propane canisters was driven into the glass doors of the Glasgow International Airport terminal and set ablaze...
. All parked cars in restricted zones will be towed away and the owners will receive a fine.
In late 2007 the airport received technology from Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
which provides the ability to monitor the 20 km radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
around the airport.
Lounges
All passengers flying business class (except Lufthansa business class passengers) on a flight from Belgrade may use the airport lounge named “Business club” located in the transit area near gate A5. The capacity of the lounge is 45 people. Free drinks, food and appetizers are offered. The meals are prepared by the “Boeing” restaurant located next to the lounge. Passengers receive an invitation to the lounge at check in.Nikola Tesla Airport also has a VIP lounge, with separate check-in and passport control facilities, which was built during the 2004-2006 terminal 2 reconstruction. The lounge consists of three parts - the first part for leisure, second for television crew and press conferences and a third part is a presidential suite. The lounge has a total surface area of 500 m². The lounge is also used as a press centre upon the arrival of VIPs.
By car
Belgrade Airport is connected to the BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
–Šid
Šid
Šid is a town and municipality in the Srem District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Šid town has a population of 16,301, and Šid municipality 38,921.-Name:...
highway (E-70
E70 in Serbia
The part of the European route E70 in Serbia spans approximately . It crosses the country from east to west, starting at Batrovci border crossing with Croatia and ending with Vatin border crossing with Romania...
) via a nearby interchange.
There are car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
agencies in the Arrivals Hall.
Awards
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport was awarded the "Euro Annie award for the airport that has attracted the most new airlines during the 12 month period analysed (August 2010 v August 2009)." by anna.aero. Despite losing Olympic’s service to Athens, the airport attracted 10 ‘new’ carriers, at least compared with the previous year, making a net gain of nine carriers. The interest in the Serbian market and its largest airport can be presumed to be linked to the fact that Serbian nationals no longer need visas to travel to the Schengen Area, which is formed of the majority of European states.See also
- List of airlines of Serbia
- List of airports in Serbia
- Museum of Aviation in Belgrade
- List of the largest airports in the Former Yugoslavia