Croatia’s three busiest airports have registered a strong end to a record year in 2019 with the difference between Zagreb and Split reduced to just 133.601 travellers. Following a sluggish summer, Zagreb Airport’s figures rebounded during the last quarter with Croatia’s capital handling 3.435.531 passengers, representing an increase of 3% year-on-year. Growth was particularly strong in December, with numbers improving 7.6%. Driving the growth in the final three months of the year was the collapse of Adria Airways, which has redirected some travellers away from Ljubljana to Zagreb. A contributing factor was also the lead-up to Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, which is taking place over the next six months.
| Month | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| JAN | 191.197 | 0 |
| FEB | 181.154 | ▲ 6.2 |
| MAR | 232.978 | ▲ 4.2 |
| APR | 280.790 | ▲ 10.6 |
| MAY | 311.368 | ▲ 3.6 |
| JUN | 336.618 | ▲ 1.5 |
| JUL | 366.242 | ▼ 3.4 |
| AUG | 376.026 | ▲ 0.9 |
| SEP | 350.138 | ▲ 1.3 |
| OCT | 330.598 | ▲ 3.9 |
| NOV | 247.277 | ▲ 5.6 |
| DEC | 231.145 | ▲ 7.6 |
Split Airport, which opened its new passenger terminal over the summer of 2019, ended the year off with a total of 3.301.930 travellers. The airport had more passengers than the country’s overall busiest - Zagreb - from August until the end of November, the longest it has held such a lead. Its General Manager, Lukša Novak, conceded that extreme seasonality may prevent it from overtaking Croatia's main hub on an annual level, but added it was not an impossible task. "Almost half of our annual traffic is achieved during July and August. During the four summer months we have the most passenger traffic in the country. We are extremely seasonal in character but when looking at it on an annual level, we are in second place”, Mr Novak previously said.
| Month | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| JAN | 36.360 | ▲ 6.9 |
| FEB | 34.825 | ▲ 13.7 |
| MAR | 50.037 | ▼ 5.9 |
| APR | 151.381 | ▲ 25.8 |
| MAY | 310.809 | ▲ 2.2 |
| JUN | 513.706 | ▲ 8.2 |
| JUL | 723.048 | ▲ 4.0 |
| AUG | 672.261 | ▲ 7.0 |
| SEP | 470.102 | ▲ 3.2 |
| OCT | 247.172 | ▲ 9.7 |
| NOV | 45.871 | ▼ 16.4 |
| DEC | 41.357 | ▼ 6.2 |
Dubrovnik Airport is expected to welcome over three million passengers this year after handling 2.896.227 travellers in 2019. The figure represents growth of 14.1% on the year before. It added an extra 356.815 passengers on 2018. The highlight for the airport in 2019 was the resumption of transatlantic flights after American Airlines introduced seasonal services from Philadelphia. As previously reported, the carrier will extend its flying season and boost frequencies during the summer of 2020. Driving the growth in the last quarter was Turkey’s Freebird Airlines which has been contracted by a local tour operator to run two daily flights to a number of European airports, primarily in Germany, throughout the winter season. “In the past five years we practically doubled our traffic. Getting close to three million passengers is a significant achievement. In 2019 we targeted growth of 5% but it reached 14%”, the General Manager of Dubrovnik Airport, Frano Luetić, said. The airport anticipates for its figures to grow around 4% in 2020, although it has continuously exceeded its targets over the past few years.
| Month | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| JAN | 26.323 | ▲ 18.1 |
| FEB | 33.765 | ▲ 40.3 |
| MAR | 57.880 | ▲ 21.4 |
| APR | 210.803 | ▲ 39.0 |
| MAY | 315.037 | ▲ 8.1 |
| JUN | 415.876 | ▲ 13.8 |
| JUL | 514.723 | ▲ 8.4 |
| AUG | 524.615 | ▲ 8.9 |
| SEP | 405.924 | ▲ 5.1 |
| OCT | 299.532 | ▲ 22.7 |
| NOV | 56.924 | ▲ 113.9 |
| DEC | 34.825 | ▲ 49.9 |
Wow congratulations. Those are impressive results for all three airports.
ReplyDeleteSplit is definitely overtaking Zagreb in 2020 especially considering the new routes that will be launched to Split this summer, while there are only a few frequency increases to Zagreb planned for this year.
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines will actually introduce TGD and SOF from ZAG in 2020.
DeleteI'm not so sure Split will overtake ZAG in 2020. Split doesen't have too many new routes announced either. Only Volotea's Bari and Athens for now. We will see.
DeleteHave they confirmed it? I know they said they are planning to do it but have they announced flights?
Delete^ OU haven't scheduled them yet, no.
DeleteSPU doesn't have to get more flights, all that it needs is bigger aircraft by airlines that fly there.
DeleteRemember, ZAG is losing quite a few airlines in 2020.
A lot of airlines are increasing frequencies to Split.
DeleteSplit is Croatia's most successful airport. Biggest profit, biggest revenue, busiest during the summer.
DeleteBut could Mostar potentially waking up and getting LCCs (I remember they said negotiations should finish up in January) have an impact on Split's traffic?
Deleteeurowings smanjuje letove za mostar letovi iz stutgarta idu od kraja 5 do 19 .09 i sa a320 prelazi na daseve na oba tjedna leta tjekom cijelog reda letenja...a letovi iz dusseldorfa pocinju tek krajem 6 mjeseca i zavrsavaju vec na kraju osmog mjeseca..svi su planirani sa a319 i samo 1 let tjedno..
DeleteBut why they cuts? Aren't they being subsidized?
DeleteDubrovnik’s growth in the last two months in phenomenal. Thank you Freebird.
ReplyDeleteDBV is doing a great job! Hope for another US route in 2021!
DeleteAmerican said they might introduce Chicago-Dubrovnik in 2021.
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2018/06/american-eyes-dubrovnik-service.html
DeleteZAG was lucky with Adria going bust. I wonder what the growth would have been had it still been around.
ReplyDeleteProbably around 4%
DeleteIt is now 2.9%.
DeleteWithout Adria collapse ZAG would be on max 1.9%
Impressive numbers.
ReplyDeleteAgree! Imagine the growth had OU been better handled!
DeleteBtw, what's with privatization process? How long do we have to wait for the government to decide on OU?
In my opinion ZAG and OU have potential to make ZAG a kind of hub, if privatisation process ends successfully, opposite to JP case. Much more regional flights, much more flights to the near and Middle East, southern and Central Europe, and North America, not even necessary with wide-body, A321XLR could be the perfect choice. But first, investors should make decisions to invest, then they should get rid of incompetent management, then get rid of about 30% excessive administrative work force, then decide about a fleet issues, and then start developing network. Theoretically, possible. In real life, too many ifs. And simultaneously ZAG should make old terminal LCC terminal. Asap. With these developments ZAG could grow about million per year and double its today's numbers within 5 years. But knowing everything what was happening in the last 30 years, I am very sceptical we would see anything of these, soon, or maybe even at all
DeleteZAG will never be a hub as long as OU is around. Also with each JU expansion OU turning ZAG into a hub becomes more and more expensive.
DeleteSorry, but hub necessarily mean the airline based there, usually flag carrier, which provide transit traffic in significant quantities on its services. Of course other airlines, especially from the same alliance and with code shares are welcome, LCC'S can provide smaller part of transit traffic in different combinations as well, but in ZAG case, OU is precondition for ZAG to become any sort of hub, not opposite. What I could agree, is not OU in form it has now, in condition on which it is now and with people who manage it now. But only sinergy of ZAG and "new" OU can make ZAG grow. And for JU and their expansion, I really see no connection at all why would their expansion make turning ZAG into hub more expensive, and I don't understand what you meant and would appreciate explanation. Thanks!
DeleteTheory of a321LR for OU is more sad than funny. This aircraft would lead OU to fast bancrupcy. Only self proclaimed expert such as Mr Scuric would make this proposal. I believe even in best case (such as Aegean as OU new owner), Zagreb will stay as feeding for Lufthansa and possible Aegean hubs (FRA, MUC, ZRH, VIE...). With possible adition of seasonal long haul from some big airport where tourist will come from. Simply - concerinig domestic passengers - there is only few destinations which could fulfill daily flights of single asile jet of some 150-200pax per flight...
DeleteWhy the decline at Split in November and December?
ReplyDeleteSeasonality. Charter season ended, so far less tourists. In july however, it's got numbers close to Belgrade.
DeleteZato jer je uprava nesposobna, a narod je tamo sirotinja pa ne leti.
DeleteInteresting that ZAG and SPU are so close. ZAG was saved by Adria so let's hope the management does something to attract more carriers and airlines to fly from there next year. Relying on Adria and the EU presidency is not a long-term plan, at least not a good one.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Is there any time for them to announce something for summer 2020 or is too late?
DeleteDepends, it's too late if they plan on flying from March but it's not late if they plan from June or July.
DeleteTrue, although I don't see anything majot that could launch in June. There are those endless US flight rumours but most US airlines have already announced their 2020 expansion.
Delete*major
DeleteHonestly I don't pay attention to those, I would be happy if Pegasus launched SAW or Transavia a new destination in France like Nantes. TAP from LIS would also be nice or year round flights on Aegean from Athens.
DeleteWhile focus will be on ZAG and SPU the quiet achiever is Dubrovnik. This year daily flights to the US from June which will go all the way till the end of October, new Qatar Airways flights and a lot of other new routes announced.
ReplyDeleteThey are doing very well. But I think the biggest growth will be in Zadar thanks to Lauda and a few others.
DeleteIt’s ironic that the growth at all three airports had absolutely nothing to do with Croatia Airlines.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
ReplyDeleteZAG needs to wake up.
ReplyDeleteZAG needs to have at least 6 million pax.
DeleteSPU will never have too many passengers during the winter but the volume of traffic during the summer will be enough to secure number 1 position.
ReplyDeleteWell one day when they expand their capacities maybe Ryanair can move its seasonal base there and keep a few destinations throughout the year. I am sure they could have one or two.
DeleteIf any low cost airline should open a base in Split it is Easy Jet. They are already Split's number 1 airline and operate to over a dozen destinations from Split.
DeleteVery impressive
ReplyDeleteSplit Airport terminal looks fantastic. Love it.
ReplyDeleteIt may look lovely but it is not passenger friendly and has apalling signeage and very poor wheelchair facilities.
DeleteIt's still impressive that all three main airports in Croatia have new infrastructure.
DeleteGreat!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the current frequency increases/decreases at Zagreb Airport for 2020 summer?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I'm aware, BA is increasing flights. Eurowings ending two routes and Swiss and CSA withdrawing. Probably missed some. I'm sure there are some others also increasing frequencies.
DeleteSo it will be net around zero or.....?
DeleteNo Korean Air for first three months, fewer Flydubai flights than last winter too.
DeleteYes since all flights to ZAG have a 100% Load Factor no growth is possible.
Deleteif a European LCC stated flights from Zagreb numbers would skyrocket.
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen until Croatia Airlines is privatized. Lauda wanted to and were chased away so they settled on Zadar.
DeleteAll three airports need to reduce seasonality.
ReplyDeleteDubrovnik is doing a good job at that. Those winter charters are doing great.
DeleteI think that generally seasonality has been decreased but a lot of work left to do still.
Deleteim surprised about ZAG's big seasonality
DeleteLooking good
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteImpressive figures and trend is likely to continue in 2020. DBV for instance has many new routes announced for this summer.
ReplyDeleteBWK will rise next year, lets not forget about it.
BWK will rise in 2021?
DeleteBrac je ove godine bio imao pad broja putnika a razlog tome je prebacivanje luxaira u split i otkazivanje letova za ljubljanju i bern oba su propala....
Deleteali takoder se prema trunutnim najavama bracu ne ide dobro niti u 2020 jer nakon 3 godine prema trenutnim najavama ostaje beh tuievih letova...tako da je zagarantiran novi pad...zbog ceka tui ukida letove a obzirom sa su bili jako puni svi preko 90 posto a linija prema rotterdamu i vise treba jos vidjeti...
ukoliko ne bude najavljenih novih linija i prijevoznika prema bracu, bracu se smjesi pad broja putnika na 10000 do max 15000 ...
jedino trenutno moguce povecanje je linije za zagreb jer su u novom PSO trazeni dodatni letovi petkom i nedjeljom ..da li ce se to i ostvariti treba pricekati objavu novog pso a s obhirom da jos ni jedna linija croatie źa brac nije pustene u prodaju sanse su jako velike....
You guys are aware that BWK will be expanding its terminal and lengthen its runway and will be operational by May 2021, aren't you?
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2019/02/brac-airport-to-complete-expansion-by.html
This means that 2021 and especially 2022 will be a fantastic year for BWK.
Fantastic result, Dubrovnik added 357k passengers wow
ReplyDeleteOvo su odlične brojke za tako malu državu kao što je Hrvatska. Pogotovo rast Splita i Dubrovnika.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Pax per citizen Croatia has reached a very high level already. 3 passengers per citizen is great.
DeleteNot even close to Montenegro. It is 2 passengers per citizen.
DeleteBoth have pax per citizen much smaller than Singapore or UAE or New Zealand or many small nations with strong tourism. Still a long way to go.
DeleteSo, that is 9,6 for 3 the biggest, but in same time there are also:
ReplyDeleteZAD 0,8
PUY 0,7
RJK 0,2
BWK, LSZ and OSI 0,1
So, Croatia will have 11,4 million this year!!!! Almost 1 million more than it was planed.
Next year that will be more than 13 million, especially with huge ZAD, PUY and DBV expansion.
Huge PUY expansion? What are you talking about???
DeleteThis year almost 70.000 new passengers, next year new routes to Pula:
DeleteTUI Bruxelles
EasyJet London Luton
EaysJet Glasgow
Transavia France Paris Orly
JetTima Gothenburg
JetTime Copenhagen
6 new routes in my book is huge. It is not like DBV and ZAD but still is impressive and will have another 50-60.000 new passengers.
That is impressive, but Dubrovnik definitely takes the cake in 2019.! Over 350k added passengers...congratulations Dubrovnik airport!!
ReplyDeleteWonder if the entire country reached 11,5 million pax.
As for this year, even if Split doesn't surpass Zagreb, it will be very close, we'll have an exciting race for sure with both airports likely at around 3,5 mill. or just above.
ZAG added in 2019 only 100.000 passengers or less than 3% comparing to 2018.
ReplyDeleteIt is dissapointing result especially if we have a look on the airports in the region and their growth rate.
In 2020 even worse results can be expected with so many reductions comparing to 2019.
Only? So Split also added "only" 177.000 passenger if 100.000 is "only". How is 100.000 only but 177.000 is "impressive"?
DeleteWhat about the total traffic in HR if only these 3 had 9.6 mil? Then total is probably over 11 mil, which is not bad at all and shows once again how much bigger and better OU should be, taking only 20% of total market share of or even less, some 15% of international flights. Sad. And let's pray for Aegean to come and make it better.
ReplyDelete11,4 million in Croatia this year
DeleteA lot of airports still have to publish their numbers but I think the anon above is correct. Around 11.4 million.
DeleteI can guess that Pula and Zadar combined, will have approx. 1,5 million, but Rijeka and Osijek...no idea.
Delete11,3 - 11,4 for the entire country does sound right though, given what people are saying, but Rijeka should have way more than it does. Hopefully it grows back to at least half a mill.
Impressive, and Dubrovnik are finally dealing with seasonality.
ReplyDeleteZagreb was saved by JP as it got a lot of extra passengers. Without it growth would be much lower. Until OU starts expanding or an LCC bases a plane there things won't change, at least not for the better.
ReplyDeleteAgree
DeleteGreat for all airports although I believe SPU growth will slow in 2020.
ReplyDeleteProbably
DeleteDefinitely, we could even see a drop YoY.
DeleteDubrovnik's the most impressive
ReplyDeleteairport is the best run in the country.
DeleteHope they're negotiating for more US flights :)
DeleteWell they have negotiated daily flights to Philadelphia next summer
DeleteI meant some other destination from the US.
DeleteChicago will be next.
DeleteI hope Philadelphia becomes year round.
DeleteI doubt there is demand for such flights in winter time.
DeleteAgreed. It didn't have a single month in the minus, whereas Split did, both in November and December.
DeleteIt added twice as many pax as SPU and next year it could easily reach 3,2 million.
Truly amazing!
ReplyDeleteAre there any plans to expand the apron at Split? Without it they won't be able top grow too much during the summer in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt is about the missing taxiways which significantly restrict operations. Every aircraft has to backtrack and that takes ages in which the runway cannot be used for landing or any other operating aircraft.
DeleteNišta od toga, tamo je toliko interesa premreženo da nema šanse da se bilo šta novo izgradi idućih 10 godina.
DeleteSplit je počeo prditi u čabar, a to će se još više nastaviti rastom Zadra. Dubrovnik će uskoro biti broj 1 u Hrvatskoj.
ReplyDeleteToo bad DBV just missed out on 3 million.
ReplyDeleteGovernment should react and force ZAG operator to do something regarding traffic. Their taxes are way too high and they don't want new airlines in.
ReplyDeleteSo what number of Passnegers should ZAG have according to your opinion?
DeleteIf they open airport for LCC that would be 500.000 more in one year (one base plane + other LCC routes), od 2.000.000 mora in 3-4 years (3 based planes + other LCC routes).
DeleteOpening LCC routes would also affect OU so their flights would see less passengers
DeleteNo. LCC passengers from ZAG and surroundings use now RJK, PUY, ZAD, LJU, TRS, VCE, even BUD to fly. They could all fly from/to ZAG if the flights were allowed. Other domestic airports wouldn't feel "lack" because most of their passengers are foreigners, and their number increasing year by year. And OU could actually see more, not less passengers if making ZAG at least kind of hub by increasing destinations and frequencies. So, as I already wrote before, ideal situation would be successful privatisation of OU which would enable its growth and simultaneous opening of ZAG to LCC'S.
DeleteDuring the winter nobody flies to the coast so you can forget all that PUY, ZAD, RJK etc boraniju
DeleteAs I said OU will feel it especially during the winter
Wrong again. I did not mention here only "boraniju". You so conveniently forgot LJU, TRS, VCE. Are those seasonal as well? Do youtreally dare calling VCE "boranija"? And so and so 90% of existant traffic is performed during summer season. Plus LCC'S create demand, not just using the existing one. But I expected nothing more or less from someone describing civil aviation with "boranija"
DeleteThe presence of LCC in LJU is very symbolic.
DeleteTRS also not much better - they barely have 800.000 pax. Not very smart choice of naming them.
Airports like PUY, ZAD and RJK are boranija during the winter and they DO NOT have LCC p
traffic during winter so nobody from ZAG can use them as LCC alternative.
That was the point you decided to avoid.
Most of LCC passengers from Zagreb during winter (and summer) use Venice, Treviso, Vienna, Budapest, even Bratislava. There are several hundred LCC routes from those airports. All those airports are 3-4 hours driving by highway. But some of LCC flights are also in Ljubljana (5 routes), Trieste (7 routes), Graz (1 route) and Banja Luka (5 routes).
DeleteAnd yes, those passengers will use Zagreb instead of Venice, Treviso, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and other airports around they use today. So, for sure that would accumulate much more passengers. Like it was in Belgrade and other cities.
"That's the point you decided to avoid" you say and for precisely that point I said "so and so 90% of existant traffic is performed during the summer season". And I wouldn't agree about LJU and TRS because Easyjet, Ryanair, Wizz and Transavia flying from there are not nothing. What I agree with you is that I forgot to list VIE, BUD and BTS, but Purger did it for me. So no matter how much you want to stress "boranija", you are wrong
DeleteIt seems you also forgot that I never mentioned VIE, BUD and BTS as boranija.
DeleteBoranija is reserved for Croatian airports on the coast during the winter time.
And the growth in ZAG with someday arrival of LCC's would not be so big as desired. Let's not forget Purger's predictions that ZAG will have significantly increased number of passengers as soon as Croatia joins NATO and EU.
Instead of it we saw very modest growth that is even smaller than in the surrounding countries that are not EU members.
Congrats, SPU! Congrats, DBV!
ReplyDeleteImpressive!
So Split 177.000 is impressive and Zadar 200.000 is not? And Zagreb 100.000 is shame, but 177.000 Split is impressive? Oh my god.
DeleteA what if situation
ReplyDeleteHow would the exyu aviation landscape look like in 2020 had the conflict and split of the 90s didn’t occur.
Assume the country resolved internal issues, became democratic, open skies policy within Europe, population of approximately 30 million as there wouldn’t of been exodus of citizens.
Jat would be an all Boeing airline with 737/777/787 in fleet
Serving main exyu cities of BEG,ZAG,LJU,TGD,SKP,SJJ,DBV,SPU,ZAD
BEG being its main hub
Fly to all major European airports
International NYC,ORD,LAX,CLE,BOS,SFO,YTO,YUL,YVR,RIO,EZE
PEK,SHA,TYO,KIX,SEL,HKG,SIN,DEL,DXB,RYD,THR,KUW,TLV
CAI,JNB,NBO
They bought Adria and they became its LCC airline serving secondary airports in exyu with European cities along with summer services from PUL,TIV,OHD,RJK,DBV,SPU,ZAD to various European cities and select international cities
Adria would be an all airbus fleet of 319/320/321/330 and Art
They would be a One world member
It would have been an interesting scenario had those events not occurred and they got their act together to grow the country rather than self interest
Very interesting post. Generally agree, just believe JAT long-haul network would be much bigger. In addition to NYC, CLE, DTW, PIT, ORD, LAX, YMX(YUL), YYZ, JNB, BGW, TEH, KWI, DXB, CCU, BKK, KUL, SIN, PEK, MEL, SYD, already back in 1990 bilateral were signed and services were just about to begin to CCS and SEL. 13 years after the request was filed, Japan was just about to issue permits for TYO flights. Negotiations were going on with India to add BOM to existing CCU, as well as with the Philippines for flights to MNL for Phillipino Medjugorje pilgrims. With arrival of 6 ordered MD11 's, second wave of North America was supposed to be launched, and offices were already opened in MIA, WAS, HOU, SFO and YVR with aim to start all of these cities 1991-1993. The third wave was already planned as well, to include RIO-EZE, ACC, LOS, LAD, NBO, COL. And here we talk 1995-1996.
DeleteSo basically what you talk as today's possibility, was 1995 reality.
And if Yugoslavia Confederation remained as a whole, and transformed peacefuly, today's JAT long-haul, and not only long-haul but overall network would be much resembling THY 's.
No wonder two companies with highest growth after disintegration of Yugoslavia were precisely Austrian and Turkish.
And stupid morons, and what makes me sad young ones, still fighting whose is bigger over leftovers and ruins of civil aviation in their respective "powerful" countries. Some of them even calling others" boranija ", not being aware how much less than boranija we all together are.