TRIP REPORT: Air Serbia, Niš - Belgrade

TRIP REPORT

Written by Miroslav Al. Mešanović

When the new terminal at Constantine the Great Airport opened this summer, I was eager to fly out of Niš and experience the upgraded facilities. Every December, I somehow find myself with business in Niš, making it the perfect opportunity to fly back home. I had been tracking flight prices for weeks, and most fares were set at a base price of 1,982 dinars (17 euros), except for flights between December 22nd and January 5th, when the lowest prices were well above 4,000 dinars (34 euros) in Economy Light. In the end, I booked my ticket on December 10th, just eight days before my JU1103 flight.

I completed my online check-in 44 hours before departure. The process was as straightforward as always with Air Serbia, and I was the fourth passenger to check in for the flight.

This was my third trip from Niš. I arrived at the airport 55 minutes before the scheduled departure to Belgrade, and from the moment I stepped out of the vehicle, I was pleasantly surprised! The entire area in front of the terminal has been remodelled - there’s now a lovely park with a mix of old and new trees, benches, pedestrian paths, and a welcoming atmosphere. The public bus stop for passengers heading to downtown Niš is located across the park, a bit further from the terminal. Over the past two years, I had the chance to observe the construction progress from the outside, and the result is truly impressive! The new terminal building is massive, even from the outside, especially when compared to the old 1980s terminal.

But no time to lose, it was time to step inside. The terminal hall is a stark contrast to the old one. It’s spacious, with light-coloured interiors creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. On the right, you’ll find the information desk, restrooms, and a Mother & Baby corner. Straight ahead are the ticketing booths, while the left side houses the check-in counters, car rental agencies, and passenger access control. Adding to the charm, there’s even some festive decoration throughout the space, which is a nice touch. As you might have read in the news, all signs are in Serbian Cyrillic and English. However, the hall currently lacks vending machines, stores, or cafes. Hopefully, these amenities will be available in 2025. Fingers crossed!

I headed to the check-in counter because I prefer having an industry-standard boarding pass. There were three counters open, and I only had to wait a couple of minutes to reach the front of the line. The ground staff determined that my extremely small backpack didn’t need an Air Serbia "under the seat" tag. With some time to spare, I decided to check out the restrooms. They’re brand new and well-maintained (take note, Vinci!). The only design flaw I noticed was the use of manual sink faucets instead of sensor-activated ones.

With 40 minutes left until the departure of JU1103 to Belgrade, it was the perfect time to clear security, located on the first floor. But before heading up, I took a quick glance at the departures board - oh boy, only three flights today, and two of them were to Belgrade. The new terminal is clearly designed to handle far more passengers than ever before. I truly hope Airports of Serbia will take steps to improve connectivity and increase passenger numbers. Otherwise, the atmosphere here risks feeling like Pyongyang International.

Another pleasant surprise before heading upstairs was the Passenger Access Control Point - passengers with an industry-standard boarding pass can use one of three e-gates. Bravo, Niš! Once upstairs, I passed through one of the security screening stations. Only one station was operational for this Belgrade flight, but the staff was much friendlier than in Belgrade, and the process was quick. The next stop was Serbian Customs Control, but since this was a domestic flight and there were no other flights departing at the time, the customs counter was unmanned.

However, to proceed airside, all passengers must go through Passport Control. There are now more booths than before, and the doors leading airside are operated by border police. One booth was staffed, but the officer was there solely to operate the doors - no document checks were performed.

As soon as I was airside at 13:45, I heard the announcement that boarding for the flight to Belgrade had started. The first-floor airside area is spacious and filled with natural light. It currently features a much larger Duty-Free store than the previous one, and I noticed a likely spot for a future Business Lounge. However, ground handling staff directed me downstairs to the gates area. And once again - well done, Niš! There are four gates in total, all naturally lit with plenty of space, along with toilets and another Mother & Baby corner. However, there are still no shops or vending machines.

By 13:48, my boarding pass was scanned, and I joined the rest of the passengers waiting to proceed to the aircraft. At 13:50, the doors were unlocked, and we started walking towards Air Serbia’s YU-APA Airbus A319.

Unfortunately, 50 meters later, we were stopped again, waiting for another "go green" signal. While today’s weather was fair, this delay could be uncomfortable during extreme summer or winter conditions, or in the rain. The airport operator needs to address this issue. In the end, we waited about six minutes before continuing to the aircraft.

Boarding began at 13:58 and was completed by 14:07. In total, there were just under 50 passengers on board this aircraft, which has a capacity of 144. By 14:12, we began taxiing toward Runway 29, and a minute later, the captain addressed the crew: “Crew, seats for departure”. The plane took off at 14:16, four minutes ahead of the scheduled departure time. The flight itself was uneventful. As expected, there was no in-flight service. However, once the seat belt sign was turned off, I politely called for a cabin crew member and requested a glass of water, which was promptly delivered to my seat, 2F. Reflecting on previous experiences, I noticed a contrast - back in December 2023, the crew kept the seat belt sign on for the entire flight, preventing passengers from moving or using the toilets without any clear explanation.

At 14:36, 20 minutes into the flight, the plane crossed the Sava River as it prepared for the final approach to Runway 12L. Shortly after, the seat belt sign was turned back on, and the crew moved through the cabin, instructing passengers to stow their tray tables. However, no one collected my empty plastic glass, so I simply placed it on the middle seat.

The plane landed at 14:48, and after a long taxi, we were parked at Gate C02. However, this detail was somewhat irrelevant, as flights from Niš disembark through the rear door, with passengers then transported by bus to the Domestic Arrivals area (located on the ground level between Gates A05 and A06). It appeared that the crew was unfamiliar with this procedure for this particular flight. Initially, they opened the front door and prepared to allow passengers to disembark, but Menzies staff quickly informed them of the rear door procedure.

In less than 10 minutes, I found myself standing in the grand hall of the old Belgrade Airport. From there, I headed to the bus stop to catch Line 600 to downtown Belgrade. It’s worth noting that my flight from Niš to Belgrade took just 32 minutes, while the bus ride into the city lasted over 40 minutes. On the bright side, the bus route passes by Air Serbia’s headquarters, which is always a pleasant sight on my way home.

Overall, it was a pleasant, now traditional last flight of the year for me. Wishing all the readers a healthy and prosperous 2025 and safe travels!

---

Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com

---