The construction of Split Airport’s much-delayed multi million euro passenger terminal is finally expected to begin at the end of October. According to General Manager, Lukša Novak, the expansion will increase Split’s annual capacity to 3.5 million passengers, while the facility should stretch over 34.500 square metres. The project is valued at 59.3 million euros and is estimated to take just over two years to complete. The state will exempt Split Airport from paying tax on profit, which will fund part of the investment (17.1 million euros) through its accumulated profits. The rest will be paid through a loan from the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which will not require state guarantees.
Plans to develop the new terminal come as the airport struggles to deal with capacity issues during the summer months. Split Airport has registered its busiest year on record by handling its two-millionth passenger this Monday. Therefore, it has overtaken its 2015 end-of-year result which stood at 1.955.400 travellers. Tatiana Kremen from Ukraine was the two-millionth passenger, arriving on a Croatia Airlines flight from Munich. “We anticipate handling some 2.250.000 travellers this year, which is an increase of 17% on 2015”, Mr Novak said. It becomes the second Croatian airport to welcome over two million passengers this year following Zagreb. So far this September, Split handled 285.580 travellers through its doors. Numbers are expected to continue growing during the winter with Croatia Airlines to boost services from the city to both Munich and Rome.
Split's existing airport was opened in November 1966, while the current passenger terminal was built in 1979 for the Mediterranean Games. It has the capacity to handle one million passengers per year. The terminal was overhauled and slightly expanded in 2005. The construction of the new terminal comes following a protracted tender procedure to select a contractor for the project. Three complaints have been filed by participating parties as to the way in which the tender was conducted. The Croatian State Commission for the Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures has dismissed two cases, while the third is still being investigated. The state has issued construction permits.
Congratulations Split on 2 million passengers! Good job.
ReplyDeleteNice results. In regards to the terminal finally!!!
ReplyDeleteSo now all we need is Dubrovnik to join a party :D Excellent result for such a small country.
ReplyDeleteDBV is already almost done with their new terminal.
DeleteI meant passenger wise, to reach 2 million ;)
DeleteThe growth in SPU is fantastic. Now only if the management could get its act together like Dubrovnik and do something about the winter period when the airport is mostly deserted. A few extra flights by OU is not enough. They should bring a foreign airline.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't Trade Air also fly from SPU?
DeleteYes. During winter there will be 6 flights per week:
Delete2 flights: Osijek-Rijeka-Split
2 flights: Osijek-Pula-Split
2 flights: Split-Dubrovnik (with connections from Osijek and Rijeka)
They are flying with 19-seaters - so that equals unfortunately only 114 seats a week...
DeleteTrue, but it is still 1.000 seats per month (5.130 seats in winter season). Let me remind you that SPU has some 20.000 passengers per winter month.
DeleteNo idea why they are so unsuccessful in securing flights in winter. Split and region is much bigger concerning inhabitants compared to for example Dubrovnik. They should have flights at least also to Vienna, Zurich, Berlin, plus somewhere in Scandinavia in winter!
DeleteIn five years they will need another expansion. ))
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Capacity of 3.5 million is a bit small considering the amount of money they will invest.
DeleteWould be cool if FR would have its seasonal base there. Their numbers would then boom. They are already clossing the gap with zag.
DeleteIf Ryanair came on a yearly basis they could genuinely overtake ZAG. Now that would be interesting.
DeleteAs much as I would like to see a base of some LCCs in SPU, you gotta say that fees are way way way too high in Split for FR. They have much cheaper ZAD in the area with a seasonal base there.
DeleteSPU should lower their fees during the winter to something such as 5€ per departing pax. Lower fees were a great success in Niš, and Split could greatly benefit because then they might see more tourism during the winter.
DeleteIf FR had a base in SPU and flew year-round imagine the mess at Split Airport during the high season. You literally would have to come 5 hours before your flight to check in.
DeleteIt's not so much about that the terminal is busy as the fact that Split is running out of slots during the summer.
Delete^ Tivat could actually benifit from that.
DeleteYou do know that TIV is almost 6hrs by car from SPU?
DeleteSorry I seem to have had a complete brain freeze when I wrote the comment about Tivat as for some reason I thought we were discussing Dubrovnik slot issues.
DeleteI think growth will at some point slow down and numbers will get more or less stable then. In a couple of years. However 4 million would have been the right new max. capacity I reckon
DeletePitty the new terminal won’t have air bridges. Would have fit the glass exterior well. Oh and congratulations on the result.
ReplyDeleteNot so sure if jetways/airbrdiges are a priority. In doesn't rain as often as in Central or Northern Europe so to walk 20 metres over the tarmac to board the plane is not bad at all in my opinion.
DeleteYou can get additional money for it. It's why Dubrovnik did it after all.
Delete... and if they are getting out a loan to build the terminal they will need all the additional resources they can get.
DeleteWhy would you need them? More costs = more taxes = more expensive. Let it be modern, efficient and clean. Good example of coastal airports in the region: VAR/BOJ.
DeleteI think CND is too, but a bit older.
Actually I think the terminal will have 4 air bridges. I mean to say that it is designed to have them.
DeleteThe reason they didnt include them is because there is not enough space for aircraft. If you would build 4 air bridges now you would lose some parking spots on the apron. Because the aircraft on spots 7, 8, 9, 10 (where the air bridges would be) would have to pushback so you would lose spots 11, 12 and 14.
The west part of the terminal will have 4 air bridges, when they expand the apron.
New terminal is supposed to have air bridges in stage 2 of development (whenever that will be)...
DeleteHats down. I'm from Serbia and started following this site few weeks ago but did not know that Split has grown so much. I remember flying to Split many many years ago. This is a big achievement. I also like new terminal. Very modern.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, it's the best site for ex-YU news and updates. Been here for years and years... back when we were still debating if JU will have a fleet renewal plan. :D
DeleteThank you. Things have changed a lot last few years when talking about JU. It looks like many things have changed in neighboring countries as well. I need to get updated :)
DeleteFinally some quality renders of the project. Looks like a very nice project although I do agree they could have added two air bridges maybe. It's an additional source of revenue.
ReplyDeleteCroatia is a good example for a country when it comes to airport investment. Admittedly this all could have (and should have) been done some 5 years ago but with new terminals in Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split things are going in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteAre there any plans to privatize this airport?
ReplyDeleteWhy would they?
DeleteNice work SPU. I like how the terminal will look inside. Let's hope for no more delays!
ReplyDeleteBetter late then never
DeleteWaiting for the day we won't see any more of this
ReplyDeletehttps://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ovEo4Gd-U9g/V43s-uO-NaI/AAAAAAAAYtM/9F_1qT5qyEYJYVcvgoWm6jSYWeKuQUzzQCLcB/s1600/split.png
Uf that must be a really uncomfortable experience. Not the best way to end your holidays.
DeleteI work in a hotel here in Split and a lot of tourists complain of the airport. Mostly Germans...
DeleteAnd not the best way to start the holidays either...
DeleteWhat is the estimate for Split Airport in 2018? Won't 3.5 million capacity already be tight.
ReplyDeleteNew Doha Airport already surpassed planned capacity in first year.
DeleteTrue but DOH is being built up in several phases. As soon capacity is reached the next phase begins so it will probably be continuously expanding.
DeleteI agree. Why not build 5 million capacity to avoid having congestion issues in a few years time. I assume they will git 3 million by the end of the decade.
DeleteGreat news on the passenger record.
ReplyDeleteI like the design.
ReplyDeleteSplit will likely have 2.5 million passengers next year.
ReplyDeleteAlready Eurowings and Thomas Cook have announced new flights to SPU next year.
This should have been completed by now. They are already facing so many problems. I don't know what they are going to do next year.
ReplyDeleteAre there also capacity issues with aircraft during the summer? Can they handle all the planes?
DeleteSometimes during the summer they can't so they divert flights to Dubrovnik or Zadar, but this happens only on very busy weekends.
DeleteI never heard for such a case. When did it happen last time?
DeleteZa SPU bi bilo odlicno da se potrudi da U2 ima year round letove i da dovedu legacy carrier poput AY.
ReplyDeleteINN-NS
Will the old terminal stay in place or will they demolish it?
ReplyDeleteIt stays of course. I think it will even be connected to the new one.
DeleteAre there any plans to expand the taxiways and apron?
ReplyDeleteApron yes but not sure about taxiways.
DeleteTogether with huge queues and delays on check in desks, in the gate/waiting area and on security check with even in high season only two control lines working, the main issues are lack of aircraft parking stands (apron too small) and the reduced aircraft handling capacity per hour due to lack of parallel taxiway to either end of the runway.
DeleteThe latter is the biggest problem in my opinion that needs immediate attention. In summer, if you wait on the holding point on the taxiway and there is an incoming aircraft on final let's say still about 8-10nm out, you keep just sitting on the taxiway for many minutes and cannot roll into position to hold until the aircraft landed and freed up the runway.
So who is going to be the main contractor?
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been announced yet. They have to wait until the investigation into the tender is over. I think it will happen in a week or two.
DeleteSo, we might see flights from SPU to UZC then? Both terminals will be completed at the same time. Of course, flights will be via BEG but who knows? Maybe 1 weekly seasonal JU can fit perfectly - June - Oct
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the OK press conf?
ReplyDeleteNestalo sve ko jucerasnja vijest o Splitu :-D Bit ce to sutrasnja vijest :-D
DeleteThere were no significant details to report apart from what is already known and was published last week. Official statements will be published in the near future.
DeletePisu Novine se kako LH treba da preuzme ostatak u SN ali da koce Belgiski akcionari zbog jeftine cene.
ReplyDeleteBice zanimljivo hoce li doci na kraju do kupovine.
INN-NS
LH već nekoliko mjeseci najavlje tu kupnju. Žele kupiti svih 100% i potom Brusseles inkorporirati u Eurowings.
DeleteFlota AB se smanjuje na 75 aviona a 17 A330 ostaje za dalje sirenje mreze a tih 75 Aviona ide u wet lease.
Delete40 u EW
5 u OS
A ostatak radnika moze da ide ako hoce u ASL, 9W,F7,HM,AZ i EY .
Bice zanimljivo videti dalji razvoj.
INN-NS
OT - news is finally out about air berlin and Lufthansa striking a deal about their businesses ... we sure do live in interesting times.... Can't wait to see what it means for the broader aviation across Europe !!!
ReplyDeleteThat means Air Berlin is as good as dead. Lufthansa will take their market.
Delete