Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport recorded its busiest year on record since opening its doors back in 1962. Nikola Tesla Airport welcomed 3.363.919 passengers, a 7.7% improvement on 2011. As a result, Belgrade surpassed its previous busiest year, 1987, when it saw 3.311.951 passengers pass through its doors. Besides an extensive domestic and European network at the time, the airport also offered direct flights to Africa, Asia, Australia and North America. Furthermore, that same year, JAT Yugoslav Airlines handled 4.531.000 passengers.
Belgrade Airport recorded a busy December. It handled 224.869 passengers compared to 217.684 in 2011, an increase of 3.3%. This is despite a significant drop in the number of operated flights. A total of 3.202 arrivals and departures were recorded, down from 3.425 the year before. Belgrade has retained its position as the busiest airport in the former Yugoslavia.
In 2013 the airport will have to deal with the withdrawal of two airlines. The low cost Niki is being dissolved by its owners Air Berlin and will suspend flights to the Serbian capital later this month. Furthermore, Air France will pull out due to its own cost cutting measures in March. On the other hand, the airport will welcome Pegasus Airlines which launches flights from Istanbul in February. Returning this summer are Croatia Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines with seasonal flights while Wizz Air will launch services to four new destinations. Furthermore, several other airlines have expressed interest to innagurate flights to the Serbian capital in 2013 including TAP Air Portugal and AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines.