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Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport

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Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (Serbian, Аеродром Београд - Никола Тесла / Aerodrom Beograd - Nikola Tesla) (IATA: BEG, ICAO: LYBE) is Serbia's busiest airport, also known as Surčin (Сурчин), after a nearby Belgrade suburb.

Named for Nikola Tesla, the airport is situated 12 km (7 mi) west of central Belgrade, in the Municipality of Surčin, surrounded by Vojvodina's fertile lowlands. Passengers on the right hand side of the planes descending from the east have a spectacular view of downtown Belgrade, especially the districts of Čukarica and Novi Beograd. Weather seldom diverts aircraft, however, when landing in Belgrade is unsafe, the planes are diverted to Niš Constantine the Great Airport, which is 230 km (143 mi) southward.

National flag carrier Jat Airways and charter airline Aviogenex use Belgrade Nikola Tesla as their hub airport. VIP airlines Air Pink, Jat Airways AVIO taxi and Prince Aviation also call the airport their home.

Nikola Tesla airport served just over 2 million passengers in 2005, while increase of 12% is expected in 2006. [1]

History

Belgrade's first international airport (also known as Dojno Polje Airport) was opened in March 1927 on the territory of today's Novi Beograd. From February 1928 planes owned by the first local airline Aeroput (Jat Airways) started taking off from the new airport. The airport's landing strip consisted of four grass runways between 1,100 and 2,900 m (3,609 and 9,514 ft) long. A modern terminal building was built in 1931, and in 1936 equipment to enable aircraft to land in poor visibility landing was installed.

Besides Aeroput, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways and airlines from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Poland also used the airport until the Second World War. Starting from April 1941 German occupation forces used this airport. During 1944 the Allies bombed it, and in October of same year the German army destroyed the remaining facilities while retreating.

Belgrade Airport after WW2

The airport was rebuilt by October 1944 and until the end of the war was used by the Soviet Union 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 Airways and JUSTA took over domestic and international traffic, and from 1948 the first Western companies' planes started to land on this airport.

Constant traffic increase and the appearance of passenger jet planes demanded a significant airport enlargement. In the meantime there was a plan to build Novi Beograd on this location, and so it was decided that a new international airport should be constructed near the village of Surčin. The last flight from the old airport was at the beginning of 1964.

Construction of a new airport

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Opening of the newly constructed Belgrade Airport by President Josip Broz Tito in 1962

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 of undeniable historic importance for Belgrade clearly defined the future or air traffic and the role of Belgrade's Airport within the Yugoslav and the international air network.

The new location for the airport was on the Surcin plateau 12 km (7 mi) from Belgrade's city centre. Thanks to the original planners' vision, two important preconditions for the airport development were fulfilled: a suitable location was chosen, which met all the navigational, meteorological, construction, technical, and traffic requirements; and the special needs for the airport's long-term development were established.

The Serbia City Planning Bureau experts, with the architect Nikola Dobrović at the helm, made the preliminary plans for the new airport. The development and realisation 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 a 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 till April 28, 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 appropriate concrete aprons for sixteen planes. The passenger terminal building occupied an area of 8,000 m² (2 acres). Cargo storage was 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 Organisation.

2005 and beyond

The runway is now CAT IIIb, 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. Although this system was fully installed it is not fully operational since it was never licenced by responsible authorities.

A countrywide petition was signed to have the name of the airport changed to Belgrade Nikola Tesla International Airport. Nikola Tesla was a Serbian inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer.

The proposal was accepted by Aerodrom Beograd P.E., the state-owned airport authority, and received approval by the Ministry of Capital Investment, and finally the Serbian Government on February 2, 2006. [2]

On July 10, 2006 to mark 150 years since the birth of Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla, a monument was erected near Terminal 1. The monument is 3.10 m (10.17 ft) high and weighs 1,000 kg (2,204 lb).

Terminals

Belgrade Airport has two terminals, with a reconstructed Terminal 2 open since May 14, 2006.

Terminal 1

Terminal 1, which handled flights by domestic airline companies, is the smaller, older terminal that went through minor renovation in December 2002. On July 10, 2006, it was closed for reconstruction and the addition of modern equipment. The terminal's old equipment will be relocated to Bor Airport. All arrivals and departures are now serviced at Terminal 2.

Terminal 2

After 2 years of renovation, terminal two (T2) opened in May 2006 and has 33 check in desks and the latest security technology. The airport has a capacity of 5 million passengers and is equipped with gates that can handle the Airbus A380.

Terminal 2 now serves as both the international and domestic terminal, (departures and arrivals) offering the latest in modern technology, and comfort.

News

Nomination for best regional airport

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport was nominated by the Institute for Transport Management for the best regional airport in 2006.

Nikola Tesla Airport will collect and send the necessary documentation, so that "Awards Committee" could have a better insight into the business operations of Belgrade airport. Based on this a final decision will be made and the public advised accordingly.

Arrival of Low-cost carriers

In September 2006, Germanwings began operations in Nikola Tesla Airport. Wizz Air and Ryanair have also expressed interest in serving the airport. The number of low cost carriers flying to Belgrade is expected to increase in early 2007 due to the Open Skies Agreement and the increasing popularity of Belgrade as a tourist destination. Low cost carriers have traditionally avoided the Serbian market due to the Serbian government's policy of protecting its flag carrier, Jat Airways. Once the agreement takes effect in January 2007, that won't be possible anymore.

Airlines & destinations

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Lufthansa aircraft parked at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport

The following scheduled passenger airlines use Nikola Tesla Airport (as of January 2007):

Cargo

Cargo airlines servicing Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport (as of December 2006):

  • Adria Cargo (Ljubljana)
  • Air Tomisko (Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bratislava, Bucharest-Otopeni, Cairo, Sofia, Tirana, Dodoma, Istanbul, Sarajevo, Johnannesburg, Khartoum, Kuwait City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Rome-Fiumicino, Tel Aviv, Tripoli)
  • DHL (Milan-Orio)

Ground transportation

By car

Belgrade Airport is connected to the Belgrade - Zagreb highway (E-70) via nearby interchange. For southwestern parts of Belgrade, such as Železnik, Sremčica or Obrenovac, or if final destination is western Serbia, travellers should take the Zagreb exit, and then, just 2 km (1 mi) from the airport another turn to Obrenovac which will lead over the newly built bridge crossing the Sava River. For all other destinations the traveller should head towards Belgrade - just before entering the city, travellers to Vojvodina should take Novi Sad exit to motorway E-75. Drive from the airport to central Belgrade shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. The speed limit on this section of motorway is 80 km/h (50 mph).

There are numerous car rental agencies on duty at Arrivals Hall at the airport. Prices are just above European average. Most cars have manual transmissions.

By bus

  • Jat Airways coaches depart every hour on the hour, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Slavija Square in downtown Belgrade, via Belgrade Central Railway Street, Fontana Square and finally arrive at Belgrade Airport, and vice versa. The fare is 160 din.
  • GSP, Belgrade Public Transport Co, maintains a scheduled service to the airport with its line no. 72. A ride to central New Belgrade will take around 45 minutes and cost 65 din.
  • Charter minivan transfers: Beo Di Rent (+381 11 3238 884), Inter City Express (+381 11 3241 282)

By taxi

Licensed taxi service fare from the airport to the city has a flat rate of 700 RSD (9 EUR).

Using taxi services for destinations outside metropolitan Belgrade is unwise, as prices are unreasonably high. All licensed taxi drivers have a badge, an oval blue licence plate with a serial number, and the Belgrade Coat of Arms displayed on the roof.

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has a problem with the so-called "Taxi Mafia": unlicensed cabbies who hang around the International Arrivals exits to solicit the business of uninformed tourists going into the city centre. They typically charge about 2000 RSD (25 EUR).

The unlicensed taxis can be avoided by walking over to Terminal 1 Departures hall and hailing one of the many taxis dropping people off.

Sources


See also

External links

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