Koreans to turn Nikola Tesla into biggest Balkans airport – Company ready to implement experiences from Incheon in Serbia

The South Korean Incheon Airport is planning to turn the Belgrade Airport into the main international airport in the Balkans if it wins at the tender for the concession.

Deputy Minister of the Civil Aviation Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Suh Hoon-Taik says the they seriously intend to take part in the concession of the Nikola Tesla Airport.

– We want to show that our interest in the project is serious. We are ready to implement our experience and knowledge in the Serbian airport – he said and added that he was convinced that such an arrangement would be good for both Serbia and South Korea.

Hoon-Taik said that they would prepare a strategy to the end of turning the Nikola Tesla Airport into the main international airport in the Balkans and added that they would also be ready to expand the airport's capacities as quickly as possible.

– We've heard that the number of the airport's clients increases by around 7% each year. We need to make a good plan in line with the increase in the capacity, but also in order to provide top quality services to the passengers – he said.

Hoon-Taik emphasized that there were two training academies in South Korea, of which one at the Incheon Airport, training civil aviation professionals, which would also be useful for Serbian experts, as he estimated.

– We are prepared to share our knowledge and experience in managing and running an airport with experts in Serbia – he said.

The Incheon Airport at Seoul was built on the sea, between two islands. Its last year's operating income amounted to EUR 1 billion, and 2016 marked the twelfth consecutive year of their winning the best airport worldwide award, based on research by the Airport Council international (ACI).

Incheon's development plan consists of five stages. The airport has a capacity of 60 million passengers a year, and once the current, third phase is completed, the capacity might increase to 72 million.

A.D. Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd

Incheon Airport

concession of Nikola Tesla Airport

Belgrade Airport

Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport of South Korea

Suh Hoon Taik

ACI Airport Council International