Belgrade Airport completes terminal upgrade

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has completed the first phase of a multi million euro overhaul announced in April, which envisages an increase in capacity and revenue by 35%, as well as the addition of four air bridges. Last week, the airport completed the first phase of the refurbishment of its Terminal 1 building, built in 1962, and used primarily by low cost and charter carriers. Passengers checking in at Terminal 1 will now be separated from those using the busy Terminal 2 building and will pass through separate passport and immigration control into the shared departures area. Work on the refurbishment of the terminal will continue throughout the summer with the addition of commercial space. A total of 5.000 square metres are expected to be refurbished in the terminal by the end of September at a price tag of 2.16 million euros.

Commenting on the project, the airport said, “The new passport and immigration control is primarily aimed at passengers checking in at Terminal 1, but it will also have the ability to handle a portion of passengers who are using Terminal 2, which will ease congestion. Additional commercial space will be opened, which will increase revenue from non-aviation related services”. The area connecting Terminals 1 and 2 will also be reconstructed, while work on a dedicated Air Serbia Business Class Lounge has begun and will be located in the departures area.

The largest portion of the forty million euro project involves the expansion of the Terminal 2 building by 11.000 square metres, which will include the addition of four air bridges with the capacity to handle four narrow-body or two wide-body aircraft. The new area will include 3.000 square metres of commercial space, with work expected to be completed by mid-2016. The project also entails the construction of a 3.55 million euro de-icing platform, which will have the ability to handle aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. An additional 20.500 square metres of jetways and platforms will be constructed to cater for the de-icing area. Construction is expected to start this year. Finally, a new staff building, costing 550.000 euros is planned for completion in 2015, while a fire and rescue base, costing eight million euros, will be finished by 2017. In 2016 and 2017 the airport will overhaul its runway to the tune of 45 million euros. All of the construction work is being financed from the airport’s own funds. Belgrade Airport expects to handle its five-millionth passenger in December this year.