Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has announced a comprehensive revision of its incentive plan, set to take effect on January 1, 2025. The updated plan introduces targeted incentives designed to attract new airlines, expand the airport’s route network, promote operations during off-peak hours and identifies markets of special interest including Ireland, the United Kingdom and North Africa. “Belgrade Airport is committed to adapting to emerging trends and driving the recovery and growth of the aviation sector through its strategic development initiatives. With the new (amended) incentive plan, the airport aims to create a framework for the accelerated recovery of air traffic, strengthen its position as a regional hub, and expand connections to new markets across short, medium, and intercontinental routes”, the airport operator said.
The plan offers substantial financial benefits to airlines introducing new routes or those that have not been operated over the past twelve months. These incentives aim to reduce initial operational costs and encourage sustainable growth: For short- and medium-haul routes incentives include full exemption from landing fees in the first year, while Passenger Service Charges will be discounted to seven euros per departing passenger in year one, tapering to two euros by year three. In the long-haul segment, the plan includes a full landing fee waiver in year one, followed by a 70% discount in year two. Furthermore, the Passenger Service Charges will be discounted to nine euros in the first year, reducing over three years. Additional bonuses are offered for year-round operations and off-peak operations.
Incentivised off-peak hours
To improve connectivity, the airport will incentivise increased frequencies or capacities on existing routes with fewer than four weekly flights through passenger discounts, reduced landing fees and incentives for off-peak operations. Airlines demonstrating passenger volume growth are also eligible for scalable incentives under the plan. This includes both point-to-point and transfer passengers. The operator has also committed to waiving parking fees for airlines basing aircraft at the airport. This measure encourages carriers to establish long-term operations and use Belgrade as a primary hub.
The airport will also provide incentives for the development of routes deemed to be of “special interest”. These include destinations in Ireland, unserved destinations in the United Kingdom, Morocco, Libya and Algeria, as well as all destinations located between 2.500 kilometres and 4.000 kilometres from Belgrade. Furthermore, the airport will also incentivise the development of regional traffic, which it deems to be destination within a 500-kilometre radius from the Serbian capital, however these will only be available on routes operated by one airline, as well as routes with over seven weekly flights during the winter season and under 21 frequencies over the summer. As EX-YU Aviation News learns, French operator VINCI will play a more proactive role in air traffic development at the airport in the coming period.
Interesting markets they chose. I guess by UK and Ireland they want flights to Dublin and Manchester. Can anyone guess which markets are located between 2,500 and 4,000km from Belgrade.
ReplyDeleteIt's a diplomatic way of saying "we don't want to attract any airlines flying to Europe or the near Middle East because we want JU to cover that market"
Delete^ Again, comment without any common sense. Markets located 2,500km and 4,000km are mostly in the Middle East. They are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, UAE as well as countries like Kazakhstan. Think a bit or do some research before posting nonsense.
Delete@ Anonymous 09:12 did you even read the news? You get incentives for any new route. Regardless if it is next door or far away. They are just giving extra incentives for certain markets from which there are no flights. It makes no sense to give additional incentives on the ones that are already provided to markets in Europe where you already have very decent coverage. Learn to read or use common sense.
DeleteAir Astana, Aer Lingus, Ethiopian, Saudia or someone from KSA...
Delete^^^
DeleteSomehow I don't see Ethiopian launching flights soon...
If UK ever decides to change its visa policy towards Serbia then we will definitely see Ryanair and Easyjet from UK to Serbia. Until that flights from UK and Ireland except London doesn't make economic sense! World has changed and UK still hasn't towards Serbia!
DeleteIs there any discussions between our government and the British Labor government on the subject?
DeleteAer Lingus is focused on US market unfortunately, I dont see them to fly to BEG.
DeleteMaybe it makes sense, with the incentives included.
DeleteThey are not aiming for Aer Lingus but for an LCC to operate this route.
DeleteUK is a mess right now. With a long list of anti business policies. Unfortunately stopping the visa for the region is too pro business for them to consider. It’s a real disappointment that it continues to be in place. On airlines maybe Jet2 might consider as part of their holidays Belgrade. I know little of them compared to the others but they seem to be growing fast especially out of Manchester.
DeleteHow is stopping a visa free access to tourists a pro business move?
DeleteSo visa regime wasn’t a problem for 3 different companies to fly to London, but it is to fly to Manchester and Dublin with incentives
Deleteanon 11:45. You can't compare London with either Manchester or Dublin. London is a world hub class A+ city, the latter two are not even close by size or significance.
DeleteFor any transfer at LHR, you also need British visa. Demand to Dublin and Manchester is strong. Stronger then any other airport from BEG. Actually, most of this demand comes from British tourists that doesn't require visa for Serbia
DeleteUK visa policy towards Serbia is so bizarre, but it also reflects the mess that is UK's relationship to Europe as a whole that comes from a delusion of some higher value of britishness
DeleteYou can transfer through LHR visa free if you continue to USA or Canada.
DeleteIncentivizing the off peak hours actually isn't such a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the airport does anything possible NOT to get Ryanair to open a base here and operate on the most popular routes.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they need Ryanair to open a base? And irrespective of that, how did you conclude from this news that they are doing everything not to get Ryanair? In any case to get Ryanair you have to do a special deal just for them where you give them everything for free.
Delete@09:07
DeleteYes I'm sure VIE, FCO, BCN, ATH, MAN are "giving them everything for free"
LOL!
Again, I don't get how you can't get it through your head. VIE, FCO, BCN and MAN are not in the same category as Belgrade or Zagreb or Sarajevo so the same rules don't apply to them. But it is pointless discussing it with someone who can't even grasp that basic.
DeleteBelgrade is surely not in the same category as Zagreb.
DeleteAnd without eternal 5 eur tax BEG has already Wizzair, easyJet, Norwegian during the whole year.
@09:11
DeleteSOF, OTP, PRG, BTS SKG, PFO, NAP definitely are. And yet they manage to have a lot of FR flights without "giving them everything for free"
Prague Airport with 14+ million passengers per year is in the same league? Ok. I am glad you definitely know how big of incentives Ryanair got in Sofia and Bucharest and Bratislava. Congrats. You must be the same guy who claimed below that Turkish Airlines has always flown to Libya.
DeletePrague and Bucharest airport reached this level of pax numbers exactly because they allowed LCCs to fly from there.
DeleteThey did not reach it because of TAROM or CSA.
TAROM is near bankrupt. CSA is bankrupt.
Delete"Ryanair itself justifies the withdrawal from the four Romanian airports mentioned as being forced to exit due to a "lack of long-term incentives".
Deletehttps://aviation.direct/en/rumaenien-ryanair-zeiht-sich-von-vier-airports-zurueck
I thought they get nothing according to some.
If only FR and W6 hadn't start flying to OTP and PRG these TAROM and CSA would have been successful and would bring similar levels of pax numbers to these airports! 😂
Delete@Anon09:35 which airports are those? Cause it sure ain't OTP!
DeleteGood thing you know that they don't get incentives and freebies. Despite is being their operating model. But I'm glad you know better.
DeleteBased on what is OTP in the same league as Belgrade and Zagreb? OTP handles double the passengers of BEG serving a market of almost 20 million people. It is in the EU meaning that investments and business traffic is much higher. It has domestic flights meaning instant transfers through OTP etc.
Delete@Anonymous 09:43+ 09:45 I'm all ears to hear that SOF, OTP, PRG, BTS SKG, PFO, NAP etc "giving them everything for free"
DeleteOr dispute the fact that none of those would have reached their current traffic levels depending on their national carrier instead of LCCs.
Who needs FR flights anyway!
DeleteI haven't been involved in this discussion but last anon you are writing as if there aren't any LCCs present in Belgrade not to mention that Wizz Air has an actual base in Belgrade. Yes, it is having issues at the moment which are out of their control but it return to growth again soon. No need for so much drama and bitterness.
DeleteEvery other big airport in the Balkans has real LCC presence instead of just 1-2 flights like BEG does with the exception of W6.
DeleteSo you are excluding Wizz Air from your comment with market share of 20% at Belgrade Airport so your point could make sense?
DeleteActually, this is an extra opportunity for FR to base aircraft at BEG. I doubt they will have better chance any time soon
DeleteExactly. They offer special subsidies for airlines to base aircraft in BEG. But people here, and it is very common in Serbia too, in a rush to spit, negate or belittle something fail to stop for a minute take a deep breath, reread something before formulating their opinion.
DeleteI think this is an invitation for FR.
DeleteAnd also strong warning for W6.
DeleteWith these discounts and subsidies there is nothing stopping FR from actually launching a few destinations out of BEG. Would be cool if PFO was one of them. There is definitely enough demand for a second destination in Cyprus.
DeleteLibya? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteWell BEG had flights to Libya until 2009. More and more airlines are starting flights to there. Turkish Airlines recently started, ITA Airways starting in January.
DeleteMy guess is that they chose those markets based on internal data. They didn't just put a map up in the office and shoot arrows at the map and then choose the countries where they landed.
DeleteYou do realize that 15 years ago Libya was very different place than it is today, right?
DeleteAnd you do realize that the war has passed and that traffic is being restored. Like anon 9.09 said, they certainly didn't choose it randomly.
Delete@09:12
DeleteTraffic is restored by whom? TK flew there always. ITA is starting their route after Meloni told them to following her visit to Tripoli.
No other European carrier has announced its intention to do so.
CAI should be of much, much higher priority than MJI.
DeleteVinci should offer incentives to ASL to restart flights to Africa's biggest aviation market.
I am shocked at the amount of false comments people post here.
DeleteTurkish Airlines did not fly there "always". In fact they haven't flown to Libya for 10 years. They returned this March
https://airserviceone.com/new-route-of-the-day-28-march-2024-turkish-airlines-between-istanbul-ist-and-tripoli-mji/
I am sure ITA Airways launched flights after Meloni told them. Royal Jordanian resumed flights last month and many more are to come soon.
https://libyaherald.com/2024/10/after-a-ten-year-hiatus-royal-jordanian-resumes-flights-to-tripoli/
@9.19. They already do. Read the article. Any new route gets incentives, any new route not served in 12 months gets incentives, if flights are in off peak hours they get incentives. Read read read.
DeleteWOW, Royal Jordanian?
DeleteThings must be fine then in Libya.
How come no European airline is rushing to restarting flights there then?
Isn't the fact that not too many European airlines still serve the market actually an opportunity? Especially with transfer passengers from markets like Germany, Austria, Scandinavia...
Delete@ Anonymous 09:23 first you lied and now you clutching at straws. I see ITA Airways is literally rushing to restart flight there considering they announced it just 2 months prior to launch.
DeleteIn any case you latched onto one of the several markets they listed just to complain about something because your reasoning must be the only correct one and everyone else is wrong. Not to mention that incentives are actually available for every single market if you just bothered to read the article.
@Anonymous09:27 actually you are the one clutching at straws.
DeleteITA announced flights AFTER Georgia Meloni visited Tripoli.
lol ok.
DeleteNeither of you have the correct picture on the ITA/MJI situation. ITA wanted to reopen flights to MJI and Benghazi even from 2022. but it wasnt allowed by the Ministry of foreign affairs due to security concerns. The Meloni trip was only a ribbon cutting ceremony basically.
DeleteITA is indeed rushing to launch, since they have guaranteed business traffic on the route due to lots of Italian companies working in Libya, such as on the rebuilding and modernisation on the airports of Mitiga and Tripoli, also the entire Libyan ATC system.
How is the person that wrote ITA is resuming flights not correct? The other guy wrote TK has been flying to Libya for years (false) and that ITA is starting flights because Meloni ordered them (false).
DeleteBravo Vinci I suppose. 🤪
ReplyDeleteManchester please.
ReplyDeleteNow that more and more European airlines are announcing resumption of flights to TLV can we expect JU to do the same? Possibly before the holiday period?
ReplyDeleteInterestingly W6 never really suspended flights from TLV accept for a few days that rockets were landing at the airport area.
DeleteCould they fly there from BEG or they are prevented from some bilateral agreement?
No, as an EU carrier they can't fly between two non EU countries (they can from UK because they have a UK AOC). They can always apply for a Serbian AOC and fly to many more markets then.
DeleteUK destinations for who?
ReplyDeleteSerbia passport holders need a visa for UK (also for transit). Why is this still in place in 2024?
Serbia passport holders need a visa for Ireland too...
DeleteWow, I didn't know that. How is possible they both countries passport holders have 90 days visa free to Serbia and the opposite is not? It's the same for USA, Canada, Australia: I can't get it!
DeleteFor passengers that want to fly that routes. Those are two unserved routes with highest demand.
DeleteSo is KL the only increase to benefit from this? No one else is boosting Belgrade in that period
ReplyDeleteThey just launched the new incentive! Give it some time.
DeleteAirlines were informed months ago
DeleteGreat thing you also know everything. And airlines have finalized their ops for next year? Since you know the former I guess you know the latter too?
DeleteWhy are you so aggressive? What's wrong with you? New year is almost here and there are no new announcements
DeleteWhat is wrong with you? You proclaimed that you know everything. You rushed to spit and complain about something without obviously knowing that not a single airline has finalized its summer schedule.
DeleteHe's right. Airports don't just announce these out of the blue. They are in constant contact with airlines which definitely knew about this well in advance. They need to know so as to plan in advance. Unfortunately seems like Lufthansa has pushed back its increases in BEG to May.
DeleteFrom what I understood they will also support existing carriers who wish to add more frequencies. This is also good. Will improve BEG's overall connectivity.
Algeria? Hm...A bit strange
ReplyDeleteNorther African routes are perfect for feeding JU's short and long haul routes
DeleteFinally a good news for BEG, let’s hope that it will work and not stay only on words and that this did not came too late due that airlines already more or less prepared their summer season for next year.
ReplyDeleteMorocco...only with VOA option
ReplyDeleteSo what? There are flights to many countries from BEG where Serbs need visas.
DeleteNot to touristic places.
DeleteNo visa needed or visa on arrival for Egypt, UAE, Turkey, Schengen countries, Tunis, Cyprus, Israel...
The only two countries served from BEG that require visas are UK and US. All the rest is visa free or visa on arrival, which is practically a formality with some fee.
DeleteEasyjet could open MAN-BEG. They have their base in Manchester.
ReplyDeleteOr ALC-BEG, but they seem to be so passiv in Belgrade. I still do not get it how they managed to lose the battle against W6 on BSL-BEG route.
I would love to see that someone opens BEG-TFS.
Strange they didn't mention Caucasus. It should be very attractive region for transfer passengers to USA. I think JU should use A319/E190/95 for those routes by night. Starting at 10PM, returning early in the morning. That way they will utilize planes by night and bring transfer passengers on time for long haul routes. Same should be used for North Africa destinations, like CAI was used. Then same planes may be used for European destinations during the day. Of course, they will need extra crews for this triple shift utilization
ReplyDeleteFor transfer passengers to the USA connections to TLV, CAI and BEY are fart more important.
DeleteCan't wait to see if any airlines (other than Air Serbia and airlines from China) will take this opportunity to launch long-haul services to Belgrade. That's the ultimate test if new long-haul incentives are good enough to tip the scales in favor of North American or Asian airlines making that call. If there are no takers, long-haul incentives are worthless. Vinci talked about bringing longhaulers since 2019 but there were no takers outside of China.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Air Transat will launch summer seasonal flights. Then the Toronto gang on here could finally celebrate their non-stop YYZ-BEG flights.
DeleteI think only Air Canada and Air Serbia have been designated as operating carriers in the bilateral
Delete