Zagreb Airport aims for new airlines and routes

Zagreb Airport General Manager up-beat on future prospects

Zagreb Airport's General Manager, Jacques Feron, says the airport must continue attracting new carriers in order to better position itself as a European hub, adding that a number of incentive schemes will continue in a bid to attract new routes. Speaking to "Airports Business", Mr Feron, who was named Zagreb Airport's General Manager in October last year, said, "An airport such as Zagreb cannot decide to become a hub on its own. It is airlines which make the airport a hub. At our concessionaire level, we shall accompany the airlines, and especially Croatia Airlines, in their strategies by being efficient and flexible". Zagreb has opted for a proactive approach in attracting new routes with a five year scheme to reduce airline start-up costs. Based on the individual merits of the proposed route growth, the airport may offer additional backing through marketing support.

Mr Feron, who was previously the CEO of Cambodian Airport and was engaged in international development activities as part of Aeroports de Paris, added, "Airports are crucial for the development of the economy - infrastructure and services must be at the highest international level. With a very impressive design, the new terminal building will definitely be a fantastic tool for the promotion of Zagreb. Out ambition is to make Zagreb Airport a reference point in terms of well-managed and developed infrastructure". Mr Feron noted that Zagreb Airport has already become a success story in the two years it has been managed as part of an international consortium. "This project [new terminal] is very challenging, but it is already a success in that the construction is ahead of schedule. We are confident that with this new tool, we will definitely be able to improve the quality of services provide to all of our business partners", he said.

The new terminal building is currently the largest construction site in the country. Now in its third year of construction, the roof and exterior are complete, and the testing and commissioning phase is about to begin. Mr Feron reports that work on the interior is also progressing well, with the construction of commercial areas to begin in the coming months. Once complete, the new terminal will be able to handle five million passengers, instead of the current two million. Further extensions envisaged during the thirty-year concession period will potentially see capacity increased to eight million. Zagreb Airport handled a record 509.387 passengers during the first quarter, an increase of 6.5% compared to the same period last year.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:06

    The best managed airport in ex-yu together with Skopje.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:12

    Has ZAG published a single financial report for the past few years? It would be really interesting too see how their finances are doign.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      I found a link for 2014 (Ministry of finance), can't find financial report for 2015

      http://www.mfin.hr/hr/zracna-luka-zagreb-financijska-izvjesca-2014

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:23

      Thanks. Although this in only for the first three quarters of 2014 they had a 4 million EUR net loss that year.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:58

      So the airport is loss making? Probably the reason why they changed 3 CEOs in 3 years.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:01

      The concession agreement with ADP is far from rosy but has had little coverage from any mainstream media

      http://mreza.tv/zakulisne-igre-oko-zracne-luke-zagreb/

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:03

      Anonymous 10:58, I'm sure you know the difference between simple present and simple past in English, so let's try. The correct sentence would be: "So the airport WAS loss making...", since we don't have financial reports for 2015.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:11

      You are right. But it is interesting that the airport has a healthy profit in 2013 when it was still managed by the state/city and then when it went under concession (full year) it posts a loss.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous13:39

      Some very good businessmen here today!
      Triple the capacity of some company with huge investments and still trying to make big profits??
      You have no idea of a balance sheet and a business plan.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous18:05

      Ne lupetaj ne prave oni novi terminal iz prihoda zracene luke.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous19:09

      a ko plati kamate?

      Delete
    10. Anonymous20:34

      Da li si cuo za pojmove operativni profit i profit?

      Delete
    11. Anonymous22:26

      pisao je 4M net loss, to nije operativno

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:16

    Great years ahead of Zagreb, would be interesting to know which airlines they are negotiating with! Zagreb definitely needs a link to Stockholm or Oslo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous09:19

    Any news about Privatisation of Croatia Airlines and what's going to happen with their Management and when will new Ceo start.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:02

      I don't think there is any plans for a new CEO at the moment.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:12

      That's not what I have heard.New government new Ceo as the present one was nominated by previous Government and he is friend of former Prime minister

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:47

      Since TK was mentioned a couple of times, here is some news that indicates they will start investing in other markets:

      Senegal state-owned television has said Turkish Airlines is the front-runner to take a stake in Air Senegal, a new national airline intended to replace the West African nation’s now defunct, heavily indebted carrier Senegal Airlines.

      This does not mean they will go after OU (after all, it is LH's playground) but just felt like posting it.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous21:44

      This CEO has contract till August. And new government wait for contract to be finished not to pay compensation. After that he is history.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:48

    OT: The local coffee chain Kafeterija is opening at BEG next Tuesday, with two locations (A and C gates). A much-needed improvement to the dismal F&B offering.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:50

      +100000

      The current 'coffee shop' is disgusting. Is Kafeterija the one that uses Cyrillic in its logo or am I thinking of another one?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:56

      A coffee shop opening at an airport is not even OT worthy.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:16

      I guess you've never been to BEG.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:23

      @anon 10:50

      Yeah, it's the one with the Cyrillic logo.

      @anon 10:56

      It's not just any random coffee shop, it's probably the best coffee shop in the whole region. For locals who love and enjoy their coffee, this is bigger news than if, say, McDonald's was opening.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:44

      Look, having in mind what kind of offer exists, installing a Nescafe machine would be worthy of an OT.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous13:08

      @Anon 12.44

      HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA your comment made my day!

      Delete
    7. Anonymous13:52

      Uspeli SPS kadrovi da udju na aerodrom, zakup prostora free! Svaka cast momcima iz Vrnjacke Banje, naucili su kako se radi biznis u srbiji u kombinaciji sa politikom!

      Delete
    8. Anonymous15:02

      Da sve je preko politike u vasoj glavi .
      Odlicno je za Aerodrom da ce imati takvu novu uslugu .
      INN-NS

      Delete
    9. Дечко Тзар16:23

      Kafeterija has world class coffee. It was already available inside Air Serbia Lounge.

      This being news shows dismal state of development at BEG. Management still exploits ASL's 2014 expansion to brag about BEG growth, when in fact aggregate 3-year (2014,2015,2016) growth of BEG will be slower than several other airports in the region like SKP.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous16:36

      Don't forget that growth at BEG started much longer before Air Serbia arrived.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous21:21

      Kafeterija ima ugovor sa JU jos od otvaranja salona, ovo je bilo ocekivano.
      Ugovor je dobar za JU jer bez obzira na potrosnju, uvek placaju pausalno isti iznos...

      Delete
    12. Anonymous22:17

      BEG grew every year since 1999 except 2005 and 2008, but that was more recovery to previous state than planned growth.

      Delete
    13. JATBEGMEL22:27

      As I have said many times on here, BEG lacks a lot in its transit area. I'm glad to see something off my list I have made many times here is being opened.

      With JU growing and bringing in a lot of transit pax, BEG surely hasn't done much is using the opportunity to increase revenue by opening various outlets.

      Lily pharmacy has popped up across from gate C2.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous11:05

    zagrab needs routes like MSQ, KIV, OTP, SOF, CLJ and obviously Ryanair. Go Zaggy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:23

    ZAG airport must thank the beautiful coast cities that croatia have,the interaction with them is the only reason that ZAG new terminal will thrive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:20

      really, fan boy?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:25

      To anonymous 1123...with that remark the only reason why BEG is succesful is because the government won't allow such airports as Morava and Nis to operate at their full potential.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:36

      Beautiful coast cities that croatia have are served by SEVEN airports of their own in : Rijeka, Pula, Losinj, Zadar, Split, Brac and and Dubrovnik, north to south. Seven above mentioned airports of the beautiful coast cities that croatia have, in numbers, serve 4 million passengers per year, while ZAG itself serves two and a half mil. ZAG is used by some 30 airlines companies on both regular and charter flights, while are the airports of the beutiful coast cities of croatia used by some 50 airlines companies, regular and charter. Only about 10 percent of passengers are "interacting"/transiting ZAG on their way to/from other beautiful coast cities that croatia have in winter, or maximally up to 25 percent in peak summer season. Therefore, your statement is totally wrong.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15:27

      To anon 12:20PM I don't answear to clowns,To anon 2:25PM who said that BEG airport is succesful?And to anon 2:36PM you said it yourself:coast cities of croatia contributes 25% in ZAG airport.That's all!!

      Delete
    5. @anaon 11:23
      Bitter much?

      Delete

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