Zagreb Airport is heading towards another record-breaking year, with most routes showing significant passenger growth on 2023. Data from the statistical office of the European Union, Eurostat, shows that Ryanair has been a major driving force behind the airport's development in the first half of the year, while other airlines continue their post-pandemic recovery. Ryanair's leisure-focused routes, especially those to Malta and Malaga, have performed strongly, with passenger numbers increasing by 72% and 98% year-on-year, respectively. The budget carrier’s busiest route out of Zagreb remains London Stansted, which is now outperforming the London Heathrow service, maintained by both Croatia Airlines and British Airways, by over 16.000 travellers.
Most of the Lufthansa Group hubs served from Zagreb are still trailing behind their pre-pandemic performance, with some even experiencing lower passenger numbers compared to last year. Notably, routes to both Frankfurt and Vienna have seen softer figures. Meanwhile, Croatia Airlines has registered a significant drop in passenger numbers on its Brussels service, almost halving compared to 2019. This decline is likely influenced by Ryanair’s competing flights to Charleroi, as well as Brussels Airlines' exit on the route. Additionally, the flag carrier’s service to another Lufthansa Group hub, Zurich, has also seen a decrease, with passenger numbers down by 25% on 2019 levels.
The table below, provided by Eurostat, indicates passenger numbers for the majority of Zagreb’s scheduled destinations, although not all. The figures in the table account for just over 80% of Zagreb’s total passenger numbers in the first half of 2024.
Zagreb Airport's passenger performance for select routes, H1 2024
Interesting number. Surprised how much growth Amsterdam has seen. I'm guessing thanks to KLM.
ReplyDeleteYes, Amsterdam did really well throughout the pandemic from/to ZAG. I remember that for some time KLM was the busiest foreign airline in ZAG. So growth on the Amsterdam route is mainly down to KLM rather than Croatia Airlines.
DeleteKLM has great timings and excellent connectivity in AMS.
DeleteNo surprise here considering AMS-LJU is -45% compared to 2019 so passengers just switched to ZAG instead.
DeleteLet's see how long this lasts with more taxes and restrictions coming at AMS.
DeleteI think we will see many feeder routes and/or frequencies offloaded from AMS to CPH in the next 2-3 years.
DeletePerhaps SAS starts flying to ZAG.
DeleteI think SK launching ZAG makes sense. It's a market they know and OU is an easy target. On top of that it would be a good way to harm LH over there and to steal some passengers from them.
DeleteThat's true but it all comes down to yields. If they can fly somewhere else and charge more and make a greater profit per passenger (considering Zagreb's fees are not so cheap) they will choose it over ZAG.
DeleteSK seems to be in expansion mode which is good. Shows that AFKL do not plan on treating them the same way LH did. I don't think they will launch ZAG in their first wave of expansion but I could see it down the road. They could always deploy a regional jet such as the CRJ or E95.
DeleteLufthansa seems to be struggling. They just increased their minimum connecting time in FRA from 45 to 60 minutes. They also announced cuts to their FRA network next summer as apparently their operations can't cope. Personally I think it has to do with the German economy underperforming.
Yup, SK could definitely launch ZAG. After all, even OU is succeeding in Copenhagen, not only compared to last year but 2019. too. It's their only international route seeing such success.
DeleteIf OU can do that, it probably means someone more capable can do so much more - especially since SK offers connecting flights from CPH to the rest of Scandinavia, and beyond.
So Ryanair's biggest impact in Zagreb was on Lufthansa Group/Croatia Airlines feeder flights?
ReplyDeleteLufthansa's biggest problem is long layover times in FRA and MUC for intercontinental flights on the way back to Zagreb.
DeleteCorrect. There is absolutely zero way to get from Munich or Frankfurt to Zagreb in the morning after landing at 6am from all of North America.
DeleteInteresting. I wonder if the US transfers have shifted from Lufthansa to KLM for example
DeleteI second that. Connections to North America are great but on the way back one has to wait being stuck in MUC or FRA for more than 5 hours waiting for the ZAG service. So I choose flights departing East Coast close to midnight and arriving to Europe around noon and still no way to be in Zagreb before 6 p.m. Crazy.
DeleteSo which alternative to ZAG bound passengers use the most from North America? KLM? BA?
DeleteBA is the best for flights back but very expensive. KLM and Air France are the best overall. For those flying on Lufthansa group, we just choose flights out to America via FRA and MUC and on the way back we fly via VIE and ZRH. You can also fly on United to Amsterdam and then OU onwards to Zagreb. Same with CDG.
DeleteSo as we see, the airport's decision to bring Ryanair made a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat is most interesting is that Ryanair is pushing leisure routes and they are doing well.
DeleteGoes to show how badly needed FR was. Right decision by management to bring them in. Now it would be great if they could also bring another LCC not to rely fully on FR.
DeleteConsidering issues with Wizz, easyjet might be the way to go.
DeleteThat was their plan. ZAG CEO said last year they wanted to attract Wizz with that connecting capital city model.
DeleteIt turned out to be a smart decision. They foresaw OU would do absolutely nothing.
DeleteOU did nothing before Ryanair, nothing during Ryanair's arrival, and nothing even now when Ryanair has been in Zagreb already for three years.
DeleteAnd still hold 1/3 of the Zg market. Kako to?!
Delete1. Feeder flights to major hubs like Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Heathrow, Vienna and Zurich. Loads of codeshare agreements.
Delete2. PSO flights within Croatia and a monopoly on Split and Dubrovnik flights.
3. Government officials flying to Brussels, Sarajevo, Skopje.
I am impressed by JU's growth, no wonder they are going triple daily. Will be interesting if BEG overtakes CPH especially now when the OU SK codeshare is gone.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteOne of the reasons BRU has lost so much passengers is that Brussels Airlines used to fly BRU-ZAG in 2019, plus now there is Ryanair with Charleroi.
ReplyDeleteAny chance Brussels Airlines could come back?
DeleteWhat's the point?
DeleteMaybe SN would come back if FR did not fly on this route. Numbers are not big enough to have three carriers on this route.
DeleteHow many destinations does Ryanair have now from Zagreb?
ReplyDeleteA lot.
Delete30 (in summer)
DeleteImpressive
DeleteWell maybe if their tickets are cheaper then 100 euros one way, they will have better results on the Skopje route and i believe on others im general.
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines prefers to fly empty for 250 euros per ticket.
DeleteOU are sometimes cheaper then FR. It is best to always compare prices for both of you are after the cheapest fare.
DeleteFranjo Tudman airport is going to have a double digit growth this year for sure!
ReplyDeleteBravo FR
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteAny new routes for this winter?
ReplyDeleteSo far no
DeleteThat's a bit surprising to be honest
DeleteMemmingen is coming back this winter. But no new routes. It makes sense because Ryanair does not expand every season. It launches new routes one year, then optimises another, then launches new routes the year after etc.
DeleteWell you can argue that Ryanair's new routes in winter are those they introduced in summer as they were not operated last winter.
DeleteSo the busiest Ryanair route is Stansted. Makes sense considering the frequencies.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was busiest from the start.
DeleteIndeed and it has somewhat impacted OU and BA flying to LHR. Seems like Ryanair is cementing their position more and more on this market. Would be interesting to know how OU is performing overall to LHR.
DeleteExcellent job and statistics! :)
ReplyDeleteI think Croatian people are definitely traveling more with Ryanair around. Good job. Although these numbers show what a poor job Croatia Airlines is doing.
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame our national carrier does nothing, as usual.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIt kind of makes you wonder where was Croatia Airlines? Why didn't it start Malta, Malaga, Marseille, Cyprus, Greek islands....
DeleteThey were waiting for state handouts. The management couldn't care less.
DeleteIt just amazes me that Croatia Airlines never thought of this...
DeleteEven if they started they would have had low loads due to their high prices. When someone sees a return ticket for 40-50 euros to Spain, Malta or anywhere for leisure, he gets the idea to organise a trip. Even if the destination itself is expensive, the cheap flight makes it have more sense. That is the power od ULCC, creating demand which didnt exsist before.
DeleteAdditionally, OU aims to bring more foreign visitors to Croatia, not to carry Croats to leisure destinations (due to being not a commercially focused airline but a political tool at the hands of government). That's why the government and its assigned officers are trying to push OU operations towards the coast instead of the capital city. Another perfect example of why governments should not run commercial entities.
DeleteWell, they are failing. They are a feeder airline. easyJet and Ryanair bring in the big tourist numbers.
DeleteTK killing it as usual
ReplyDeleteWould be interesting to see the load factors too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of data, I love it
ReplyDeleteI love these numbers too. @Admin, any chance we could see same for BEG too? I think it would be interesting.
DeleteYes, it will be published in the coming days.
DeleteExcellent! Thank you
DeleteAmazing how Dublin and Rome exploded when FR started flights
ReplyDeleteWell FR flies nonstop to Rome, while OU has been providing flights via Split and Dubrovnik for 35 years!
Delete^ with turboprops.
DeleteWell Dublin exploded thanks to Ryanair and Croatia Airlines has now discontinued flights.
DeleteGood. Croatia Airlines sold tickets for 300 euros and flew three times a week. Ryanair flies almost every day and tickets are much lower. For the exact same service.
DeleteWhy is Vienna so impacted?
ReplyDeleteI think Austrian decreased flights. But I'm not 100% sure.
DeleteOU changed its two daily ZAG-VIE flights into 1 daily ZAG-VIE + 1 daily SPU-VIE.
DeleteThis might explain the lower number of pax between ZAG and VIE
I think the increase on MUC-ZAG also impacted VIE's performance. There really is no need for so many hubs in a relatively small geographical area.
DeleteFrankfurt number 1 ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd London combined No.2
DeleteAnd Amsterdam is 3rd.
DeleteSo probably, Dubrovnik is Croatia Airlines busiest route?
DeleteI think it is Frankfurt.
DeleteI think Ryanair is impacting a lot of routes.
ReplyDeleteRyanair impacted both OU and BA on the London market. I assume the two of them combined don't have such a great LF.
DeleteBA has a good load factor, OU has an appalling load factor.
DeleteRyanair is doing very well on that Stansted route.
DeleteLooking at these numbers, they are doing well on all their routes
DeleteTK should really start Split, at least seasonally.
ReplyDeleteOU is operating that route.
DeleteLH’s result is directly influenced by good results of KLM and TK.
ReplyDeleteAll of Lufthansa hubs are down compared to 2019. Only destinations on that list with more than 20% growth over 2019 are Amsterdam, Istanbul and Belgrade.
DeleteIt's because people no longer have to transfer to get to places. Ryanair now offers direct links.
DeleteOnce more A220s enter the fleet, what are the chances Zagreb passengers now flying Ryanair, KLM or TK will come back to Croatia Airlines?
ReplyDeleteI don't think the aircraft type is keeping people away from OU. It is high fares, lack of marketing initiatives, and lack of transfer options.
DeleteMore than anything, it is the lack of places to fly to. Ryanair can take you directly from Zagreb to Cyprus, Malta, Spanish and Greek islands including the Canaries, specific gasto destinations like Gothenburg, Dublin and Weeze. Croatia Airlines does not fly to any of these.
DeleteI remember people writing on and on, that Croatians don't fly and they all go to "beautiful Dalmatia". Well...
ReplyDeleteThey were wrong. Same people also said Zagreb passengers are happy with superior indirect connectivity ZAG has via Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich etc but numbers prove that theory was also wrong.
DeleteIt was nothing but pathetic way of certain so called expert to justify terrible direct connectivity ZAG has.
DeleteInteresting to see busiest routes. No major surprises among them.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit surprised by AMS.
DeleteKLM offers excellent value and connection times. OU flies there with an A320.
DeleteThese figures mean Croatia Airlines is nowhere near to getting close to pre Covid passenger numbers in Zagreb which is a disaster considering most airlines have surpassed those figures.
ReplyDeleteI assume that if there were no FR, Croatia Airlines would not have retreated so much from Zagreb.
Deletedefinitely
DeleteCroatia Airlines is not retreating, it is just flying emptier planes.
Delete@admin do you have the numbers for DUS?
ReplyDeleteOnly for Weeze at the moment.
DeleteSo recently, I was just binge-reading (if this phrase even exists, lol) through a 6 y.o. artic titled ''Korean Air to launch Zagreb flights in September'' and the comments on it. And 1
ReplyDeletecomment really stood out for me.
''With Korean Airlines and soon ANA Zagreb will move from category of other ex-YU airports and will compete with VIE and BUD in terms of classy airlines on offer.
Soon QR will start sending A330 to ZAG as well and as it was reported Singapore is also looking at flying here.
ZAG has become a true classy airport and it shows you can have booming numbers without cheap airlines like Wizz Air.''
Now, I know we can't predict the future and all, but really interesting how it turned out to be in like 1/2 a decade, FR strongest airline and their only long-haul routes are served by LCCs (Air Transat and T'way Air (obviously not saying it's a bad thing)).
What's the point of picking one comment out of a million that have been posted on this site in over a decade and making conclusions out of it? People who talked about Zagreb being classy and prestigious were either trolls or Croatia Airlines supporters in disguise. No normal person in Zagreb is unhappy about Ryanair's arrival, as you can see by the passenger numbers.
DeleteHahaha I remember that guy who always wrote of ZAG as a classy airport with classy airlines.
Delete21:38 Hey man, I'm just saying you know, but fair point nonetheless.
DeleteI wonder how many passengers on the LH hub routes are carried by Lufthansa and how many by Croatia Airlines
ReplyDeleteVery good!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see AMS doing so well.
ReplyDelete