The owner of Slovenia's second busiest airport, in Portorož, which has no commercial flights, plans to invest in its facilities in order to cater for larger aircraft and attract carriers. The airport's single-largest shareholder, the MK Group, which also runs the nearby Kempinski Hotel, has outlined its planned investments, which include a longer and wider runway and apron. "It is unfortunate that larger aircraft cannot land at Portorož Airport. We have made it clear that we want to invest to enable airlines to fly there and boost tourism", the Serbian-owned company recently said. It added, “We are ready to invest between 2.5 and three million euros to extend the runway, however, so far, we have been unable to obtain the necessary approvals for this project”.
Portorož Airport faces an uphill battle in securing permits to expand its infrastructure. The project is strongly opposed by environmentalists as the airport is surrounded by the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, which is home to 270 bird species. Furthermore, the government has been unable to adopt a new spatial plan for the area for the better part of the past decade. The airport hopes to bypass this obstacle through upcoming amendments to the country’s Aviation Act. It has been lobbying the government for some time for investments and other maintenance work to be classified as being in the public interest, which would not require a building permit. If such an arrangement were to apply, it would only have to draft project documentation and gain approval from the Slovenian Civil Aviation Agency. However, the government has already said it strongly opposes the development of airport infrastructure without necessary building permits.
Portorož Airport's runway stretches over 1.201 metres. There are plans to lengthen the runway to 1.800 metres and widen it to 45 metres. "We have been waiting for years to be issued with necessary permits to extend the runway”, the MK Group said. Due to its displaced threshold, aircraft landing at Porotrož Airport are forced to do so midway down the runway. Despite its small size, Portorož Airport, which was built in 1962, boasts a passenger terminal, duty free shop, as well as technical and fuel services. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, it handled 28.881 passengers arriving on private flights. "Portorož has the potential to further develop and increase its number of foreign visitors. That is why we want to develop the airport. We want to promote Portorož as a high-end destination and it is in our interest to boost the number of flights in order for the airport to work at full capacity", the operator previously said.
Looking at the terrain in Portoroz I find it difficult to understand how they will expand the airport.
ReplyDeleteIt's geographically feasible. 100 m to the NW and 500 SE, between the National Park/salt plains and the border channel.
DeleteSo long the runway is 1799 m or less to keep the strip around it to a minimum/before the next category, as of ICAO standards. Unless it gets a special treat.
Moving a road, border crossing and a few maybe even illegal build buildings too close to the airport that got limited dispension later, wouldn't be a problem if the project is of national interest and especially if some master plan exists. People move mountains for this.
Question is, if its financially feasible, and despite the numbers and Portorož popularity, I could have some doubts.
This smells more of another money laundry let's milk the citizens and EU to make the wheels running and everything look nice project.
But we might get surprised and regardless, the place is popular and beautiful to fly to. :)
* dispensation
DeleteI'm surprised at how much traffic they have. Almost 30,000 is a lot considering there are no commercial flights.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I just learnt that they have this many passengers. That is a really good result, all things considered.
DeleteCharter and private taxi doing extremely well.
DeleteThat is some 50% of Paris Le Bourget airport's traffic, which is really incredible.
DeleteDont get fooled around. Portoroz never had 60k PASSENGERS. Pax (ICAO) are those who pay for the ticket. Portoroz is playing with numbers all the time.
DeleteI mean 30k
DeleteI would really love to land to Portoroz airport as I am amazed by that part of beautiful country of Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteDidn't the airport get flooded earlier this year?
ReplyDeleteIt did, but this isn't common. It happens at other airports too during extreme weather.
DeleteWhich other airports in our region?
DeleteI remember Jat Airways flew Belgrade - Portoroz 10 yrs ago with the ATR but I think it had load restrictions.
ReplyDeleteThey got all permits to fly fifth freedom Belgrade-Portoroz-Rome which was a rearety for a non-EU airline but they never followed through with the plan
DeleteLooking at google maps and measuring the distance it makes no sense how they calculated that they can extend it to 1800m. If you go from the edge of Dragonja and measure 1800m it doesn't just go over the road, but also over several buildings right into the border of Croatia. Several buildings including the border police building would have to be demolished. Widening it to 45m pushes it into Croatia. If they thought they could extend it into the national park, then that's just stupid of them to think something like that would be allowed.
ReplyDeleteIt'd be much easier if they'd buy up the farming land across the road, build a new runway that could be even 2000-2200m long and then rebuild the road into an underpass, so the plane could push to the terminal on the other side of the road.
This airport has so much potential that it'd be totally worth it. However the location and the terrain are very unfavorable. That's why Trieste airport is in Monfalcone on an unobstructed flat land, because the terrain is the same and they have the same problem.
Who thought it was a good location to build an airport right in that place?
DeleteNo need for an underpass, just make an intersection, the amount of air traffic is low.
DeleteJust like at Gibraltar airport. ��
DeleteThey keep dreaming about extending the runway with security area floating on the pillars in the sea. INSANE
DeleteLet's first get some traffic at Ljubljana Airport please before we think about Portoroz.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that. We might as well close LJU, since it serves no purpose anymore.
DeleteI'm glad that all those against Adria were proven wrong. LJU ceased to exist together with Adria.
Or Rijeka. Or even Trieste. Portoroz has LJU, TRS, PUY and RJK, 50-100 km road distance or 20-50 km air distance all of the four, and all four practically empty, or seriously underperforming. If we add proximity of VCE, despite all potentials, I am not so sure the investment would pay off
DeleteWhat does the owner of Portorož airport have to do with Ljubljana airport?
DeleteNothing. LJU is owned by Fraport.
DeleteI would personally never land to Croatia in order to have vacation in Slovenia.
DeleteThanks but no thanks.
@Anon 10:09: Any special reason?
DeleteDue to border control? When is Croatia due to join Schengen?
DeleteYes, due to the border control, rent a car procedure and the fact I prefer much more Slovenia than Croatia.
DeleteHow about a PSO flight, Maribor-Ljubljana-Portorož?
ReplyDeleteHahaha soon will be needed as traffic jams are getting worse
Deletehttps://www.portoroz-airport.si/si/novice/napovedujemo
ReplyDeletethey have already announched charters
Yes, but with a 9-seater (Swiss Air Services).
DeleteI mean MBX can't even handle a 9-seater
DeletePozdrav iz Rijeke, why do you think Pula is useless? Maybe I got you wrong. I think that it's a decent seasonal airport with potential. I wouldn't compare it to Portoroz or Rijeka. Even Ts had less passengers in the summer months.
ReplyDeleteTill the covid era, it was developing in the right direction I think.
I never said Pula is useless and I think as well it is decent airport. And it goes for LJU as well. My point was that with 5 airports very close, 2 closest and most similar (RJK and TRS) doing business way below capacity and potentials, and one really BIG, IMPORTANT, and not too expensive (VCE), Portoroz has no space to make money. And I think the same for announced plans for Losinj. Despite all of the tourism on Northern Adriatic, I don't think we need seven airports on 200 km radius. We should better use existing capacities than building new which are likely to stay empty and make losses. That was my point, not to say any of the existing airports is useless, especially not PUY.
DeleteI realy hope they get new runway, but also new apron. As apron is too small for all jezlts and other planes that longer runwy would add more traffic. Also if they get scheduled flights it wouold be better to build another new terminal for up to 100-200pax per hour as current one is too small for all operations. Portorož has a hughe potencial so let's hope for the best.
DeleteSure, so much potential, like MBX.
DeleteMuch more than rijeka hahaha, and deffinetly more than mbx. Pow is already in talks with airlines whic woupd fly if runwy would be long enough. Plus how many airports in croatia (or any ex-yu) made almost 30k only from general and bussines aviation. Non of them.
DeleteYeah, they are in talks and no paper. Talks. Like Skobir &Co. Ljubljana is intereste only in cargo, Portorož in public money. Nothing less. Nothing more.
DeletePozdrav iz Rijeke, ok. Agree.
ReplyDeletePozdrav iz rijeke, Portoroz makes a lot of money as well as city from it. On average those people with private planes stay there 2-3 days and spend a lot of money, also if they give a lot of money on year average to lju for help... I think they don't make looses (when no corona). Also trieste is in italy, and is also very immportant for their shipyard... And why tf. would slovenia close the airport that makes profit. Also rijeka has air baltic that puy doesn't have.
DeleteThey dont make losses??? Please, the gov is paying ALL THEIR operational costs. All. Its insane what they are doing with public money. And NO. You are wrong. Most of
DeletePeople who use Portoroz dont stay over night. Its just bullshit Portoroz management is promoting. Ministry of infrastructure is literally paying Kostic to have his own private airport.
Hahaha, they are privately owned. You misschanged portoroz with maribor.
DeleteDid I? No, I didnt.
Deletehttps://erar.si/prejemnik/59653060/#transakcije
Did I? Please.
For a small country like Slovenia with almost 6,2 million visitors annually pre Covid, it is beneficial to think about this airport. Was it not connected with Belgrade, once upon a time?
ReplyDeleteDid you not read the earlier comments?
Deleteexpanding LJPZ is pure craziness and typical Balkan megalomania. Why? First of all, it is physically impossible to prolong runway towards the sea for more than 100 m. Then it hits the canal, which is very important for people in Sečovlje and for the Soline (Salt extraction). Then, there is zero chances of letting some hotel owners expand an airport into protected area (Natura 2000 and Landscape park). There are too many (rightly) obstacles. On top of that, Portorož and surrounding area has NO need for bigger airport. There is LJLJ, 1 hr drive away, LIPZ (hour and half drive away plus coastal lines), LIPQ (20 minutes drive away), LDPL (40 minutes drive away) and so on and so forth. Portorož is no place for mass tourism hence no need for 45 (!) wide runway. Next obstacle are hills in missed app path. Then there is one of the biggest reasons why this is absolutely BAD idea - LJPZ is niche airport, for small general aviation and bizjets. The latter have NO problem landing and departing there. If LJPZ would actually get permission to expand, I'm 95% sure they will loose all those "weekend" flyers, as last thing they want is to loose what is the biggest asset LJPZ has - its small, personal and people feel good landing there. If owners would like to earn more from it, they should expand the operating hours, invest in restaurant there, shuttle, maybe even boat or even speed boat...If they expand it, they will get, what, maybe two weekly rotations with DH8 or ATR and loose 70% of GA.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot that Portorož is mostly earning from entiteled rich people, who would pay 2x more just to skip that one hour drive. If they get a Moscow flight they would be full, I can guarantee you that.
DeleteI agree with you overall, notLufthansa, but your driving times from other airports in the area are way too short.
DeleteHahahhaha LJPZ - Moscow flights??
DeleteI suggest Tokyo. And Las Vegas. Heard gamblers got bored with it and wanted to try Portoroz
DeleteLatest news:
ReplyDeleteThe entire airport is scheduled to undergo renovation in the near future. Moreover, there are plans for Portorož Airport's single runway to be lengthened to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) and widened to 45 m (148 ft), in order to facilitate the handling of larger aircraft such as the Boeing 757-200.
That's what the article above says...
DeleteLove people who comment but can't even take 2-3 minutes to read the article.
DeleteMost beautiful airport on the Adriatic
ReplyDeleteHere is my idea. We have flights between Maribor and Portorož. The distance is kind of similar to distance Croatian airlines flies between Zadar and Zagreb. Yes I know there is a flight between LDZD and LDZA because Zagreb is capital. Maribor isn't capital, but if there would be flight between Portorož and Maribor every Saturday or Sunday for example, you wouldn't need to drive 6 hours althogether (3 hours in one direction), you could just take a 20 minute flight and go for a coffe to Portoroz or we could exchange wine in Maribor... And because these airport are so small the security and check in doesn't take a lot of time so you would come to airport 40-60 minutes before the flight. You would save 1 hour and 40 minutes of driving (in one direction 3 hours and 20 minutes althogether) by flying.
ReplyDeleteNow that Maribor is getting a smart hub which is cargo hub, It would be reasnoable to connect the two cities (Maribor and Portorož) by air since the cargo would travel much faster.
ReplyDeleteMaribor is not becoming a hub, that is just a wish of a failed govt official. Flying from MB to PZ? You can't be serious, we need better rail connections, not Turbolet flying from poor city Maribor is, to Portoroz. What is going to be shipped from Maribor? There is no cargo, parcel service providers are all in Ljubljana...
DeleteCargo hub hahaahha
Delete