Construction of Zagreb Airport’s new terminal expected in 2014
Construction of Zagreb Airport’s new multi million euro terminal has now been delayed until next year. The Croatian government and the airport’s future operator, Zagreb Airport International Company (ZAIC), still haven’t signed the takeover documents. Last week, Christophe Petit, the head of the ZAIC managing board, said he expected for the takeover to take place on Monday, November 4. However, it is yet to occur. Mr. Petit reassured that finances for the terminal project, which has been somewhat scaled down, have been secured. Currently, compulsory archaeological research is taking place at the future construction site. “We expect for construction to begin straight after winter, that is, in the first quarter of 2014”, Mr. Petit said.
According to ZAIC, the new terminal will be opened in 2016. However, Zagreb’s current passenger terminal will be overhauled and upgraded beforehand, with work expected to begin by the end of the year. The tender, which was won by ZAIC, outlined that construction work on Zagreb’s new terminal was to begin by April 11, 2013 at the latest. Ante Dujić, the head of the employee union at Zagreb Airport, has appealed for the government to terminate the concession agreement, adding that the entire project has been shrouded in secrecy.
Meanwhile, Zagreb Airport has recorded its seventh consecutive month of passenger decline. Croatia’s busiest airport welcomed 208.631 passengers in October, down 3.7% on the same month last year. This is despite the airport seeing a surge in the number of operated flights. A total of 1.801 flight operations were recorded, up 6.8% on October 2012. While Zagreb Airport said it saw off its second millionth passenger for the year on October 31, its official statistics show the airport handled 1.998.494 passengers by the end of the month. The result represents a decrease of 1.6%. On the other hand, the airport has recorded a 76% increase in net profit compared to last year.
Zagreb Airport is gearing up to welcome the world’s largest aircraft this weekend with full details on the time of the aircraft’s arrival and spotting opportunities available here.
Meanwhile SPU surpassed 1,5 million pax(new record) and beated DBV in "battle" for second busiest Croatian airport :)
ReplyDeleteThere are several new routes already announced for next season(Lyon, Glasgow, Athens...) + strong increase in number of flights operated by lots of other carriers(Norwegian, Air Serbia, Easyjet, SAS, Germanwings etc...)
That's great news! Who will operate the Athens and Lyon routes?
DeleteIt is interesting how Dubrovnik has always had more publicity and it always seemed to be the epicentre of Croatian tourism (well, for us foreigners at least) so it's interesting to see Split taking over.
Split can easily become the busiest airport in Croatia in the coming years due to its summer charters.
Athens by OU and Lyon by Easyjet. Actually there is not much charters on SPU, most of flights are scheduled and regular...
DeleteWell, yes, but when I meant charter flights I was mostly referring to the ones where seats are sold to tour operators. You know, not the regular ones. Still, great achievement. Is it true they are expanding their facilities there?
Delete@ blog admin
DeleteYou should have made it clear, its not the French airport operator that is a stumbling block, finances are in place, all €306 million
this is a nice article of what is to be built http://www.casopis-gradjevinar.hr/assets/Uploads/JCE64201206475-484.pdf
And http://www.mppi.hr/UserDocsImages/Press%20conference%2020-03-13%20muADPM.pdf
financial plan.
What the problem is some 650 staff at Zagreb airport who want following!
1. To receive 1000 kuna for every year they worked for Airport,
2. To sign new contract with new company guaranteeing them 5 year employment and same worker rights they had under current company.
3. 1 whole year worth of pay paid upfront for termination of current employment with current employer Zagreb Airports and signing new contract with new employer. Basically they want 100 000 Kuna worth of bribes as part of new company taking over.
If I were French investor, I'd ask Croatian Government to fire every single one of the employees before I'd take over, I'd bring all new staff from elsewhere and make sure non of the old staff are allowed to return. Bunch of thieves, all of them. Did you see head of Airport union, guy is so fucking fat one wonders WTF is he actually doing at the airport, food tester ???
Fire them all I say, every single one of them!
What French operator has offered is better than most investors offer, infact they offered a great benefits package and 5 year job security and a promise to employ further 3000 staff once the terminal is finished.
One exception though, I'd fire every single fat person working for me, every single one of them, call it fat discrimination, but I hate fat people. They eat too much food, leaving nothing for everyone else.
calm down dude- we got it-you would do a lot of firing.
DeleteI wish you that you get fired from whatever it is u do!
oh common i don t believe this....... everywhere there is Progress just not in the northern part of ex YU...
ReplyDeleteZAG and LJU falling behind...... what s going on?
OT: Air Serbia A319 was officially welcomed today in ZRH with watersaluts from the local firebrigade
But why, Ljubljana seems to be doing ok. At least we have an ok terminal... with air-bridges. It's much better than Zagreb, for example.
DeleteThe welcome was performed some days ago or...? Since the A319 has been flying to ZRH for quite some days now.
the watersalut was done today, because today Airport ZRH and Air Serbia hve an official event arranged
DeleteLJU airbridges are ok. However check-in area sucks. But definitely ZAG is a real disappointment. Eventhough lot of people don t care. Rather an airport with short ways than this huge hubs where u walk forever to get somewhere....
I wonder if that means they will commit one of their A319s to regularly fly to Zurich.
Delete@JU520 BEGLAX
DeleteU're talking nonsense,
Just cause Zagreb airport has bit of a stagnation, considering the fact that Croatian Airlines has reduced number of flights by 15%, it is expected.
Against number of corporate jets arriving to Zagreb is at all time high, perhaps cause of the EU, I have no idea but number of corporate jets at Zagreb airport is at all time high, more corporate jets at Zagreb on a daily basis than whole of ex-Yu combined.
But than investments in to Croatian economy are also riding high, with more investments in to Croatia than all of ex-Yu combined.
Croatia is doing fine, it is exiting the recession with all indication of 3rd and 4th quarter having a positive growth.
2014 Croatia is expected to grow at 1.7%, very low growth i know but better than in previous years with 2015 being first year of a proper 2.5-3.0% growth
Croatian tourism is doing great with 3-5% growth in revenue and 7-8% in arrivals and overnights, current government is stamping out corruption and nepotism, and Croatia is in the EU and NATO, with soon to have best long term economic development prospects among all the EU members as long as they can control corruption and nepotisam and bring strong rule of law.
Croatia is an example Slovenia and others in region are now following, especially when it comes to fight against organized crime and corruption with fiskalizacija being introduced in Slovenia and even Serbia towards the end of this year.
So slight slump in airport passenger numbers is not a big deal, every airport goes through these, things are looking up, 2014 will be the turning point for Croatia and Zagreb.
Dude, what are you going on about? Do you even live in Croatia or are you one of those disillusioned member of our diaspora or a spokesperson for the Socialist Party?
DeleteCroatian economy is a mess and it is on the brink of collapse. The new cost cutting measures of the government will make things eve worse. So no, things will not look better for the country in the coming time, at least not until the whole of the EU is out of recession. The coast is fine for the summer but it DIES in winter.
anonymous 1355h
DeleteI was talking about Zagreb Airport, not Croatia in general. In regards of Hotel infrastructure you re by far the best in the region and I m very happy about the development in the past decade.
I personally like Croatia very much and every year I visit different Locations to see the development. But in regards of Airport infrastructure at ZAG, I m not happy and would def expect more. I don t like aircraft Boarding by bus and if SKP, PRN, BTS, Gdansk can have nice new terminals, I don t know why ZAG should not have one.
JU520 BEGLAX, you are absolutely right!
Delete@JU520 BEGLAX
DeleteZagreb airport, what airport that's a container terminal with bunch of privileged union apparatchiks who would prefer it to stay that way, so they' can make more money by pandering lies and sucking on state doodle.
More they suck, worse things for Zagreb are, and now that French want to make something out of Zagreb airport these apparatchiks are afraid they might not be able to skim more money of the state doodle.
U see some of them eat for 4 or 5 full grown men
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLjOsHGzQRs
Ante Dujic - typical of what I am referring to,
What is up with you and food man? Get a grip? Your example is colorful but pointless. The problem is in the charachter of the people not their eating habits. The are governmant approved criminals. People like that destroyed everything. But people like you make them do what they do so far even more. You need to focus on the big picture and not being jealous on their appetite. They are convinced that you'd do the same as they'd if you were on their place. First take care of your persona, then judge others.
DeleteLJU has preatty much good results this year. After years if oax drop it shows more than 7% grow.
ReplyDeletePoor Zagreb... me as Croatian, i'm always ashamed when i use that airport to fly from. First of all there is no place to sit, no place to shop, nothing before the security check, so when you arrive 2-3 hours before your flight you need to stand or wait outside :/ After the check it's ok and stupid, taking the buss to a plane thats 30 meters in front..
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if it was me, i would close it all down and destroy the hole building, then build everything new. Rather no airport for 2-3 years than this one that is so terrible.
Hmm if the aircraft are only 30 meters away from the terminal, why not have them walk to it? It's silly to take the bus for such a short walk. I know that in Rhodes, when the plane is parked close to the terminal they always have their passengers walk to it.
DeleteOf course it is not true that you don't have where to sit, and of course planes are not 30 meters from gates. The nearest one is 100 meters:
Delete- walkway and 3 bus parking lines what is 15 meters
- separation and 2 bus driving lines another 10 meters
- south plane taxi line with separation 50 meters
- plane parking position 60 meters (30 to door position)
...and the most far away position is some 1.000 meters.
...and I am Serbian as you are Croatian.
Sorry for trolling :)
ReplyDeleteCould someone tell in which shop on BEG (Belgrade airport) I can buy some aviation-related items?
None. There are no such shops as far as I remember.
DeleteAt Dufry just after passport control, first shelves to the right.
DeleteYou can buy model planes in the one straight after passport check. They usually have a selection of die-cast models and some plastic toy airpanes in the toys section to the right. I haven't been at BEG in the past 6 months but this shop carried roughly the same type of goods for the past 3 years, so it's worth a try.
DeleteI remember that some time ago they used to sell them but they were really crappy. I think they used to sell Schabak aircraft. Personally, I prefer Herpa.
DeleteGreat looking terminal but looks very expensive to build and in this economy, is probably the reason for the continued delays.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for next year but I am not holding my breath any more.
In saying that, it just annoys me that this terminal is not built yet.
This type of projects would see huge benefits to the local economy and should have never been put on hold. Would have been a perfect way to help stimulate the economy during the recession by providing taxable jobs and increased work for construction industries.
There's no problem with the terminal, its unions, airport unions that are delaying things, calling for industrial strike if their demands aren't met, and their demands are excessive to say the least.
DeleteThey're demanding literally 100 000 Kuna + 1000kuna for each yer they worked. under their new contract with the French, something even Croatian government is against.
I'd fire them all, on a spot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLjOsHGzQRs#
Airport finances are in place, all 306 million euros,.
I can sometimes really hate unions, they' can be worse than parasites.
What are these demands related to? Voluntary leave? Is there a plan for the ownership transformation and layoffs? How many of them should go?
DeleteIt will be difficult to get rid of any large numbers of employees because Croatia is now EU and these employees would be as protected as possible.
But i still do not get how is that related to the construction? Is the French firm supposed to operate the airport once the terminal is built? Are the details of the takeover available?
Either way, nobody can make this massive layoff you mentioned. Not in the EU at least. The union probably studied all EU labour legislation that goes into their favor. Mastering their rights and priviledges is the only thing those guys are capable of.
@Ix
Deleteno one is getting laid off, current staff are just demanding gurantees that their jobs won't go, which French operator promised and agreed with the government, that all staff will be protected and their jobs secured for 5 years, but militants among the Zagreb Airport union demand unreasonable benefits such as 160 million kuna http://www.jutarnji.hr/evo-zasto-kasni-projekt--hocemo-160-milijuna-za-otpremnine--inace-nista-od-novog-plesa-/1128862/
in additional benefits (around 160 000 Kuna per worker) and new contract that will grantee them 5 years secure contract.
Something Croatian Government never agreed to, nor did the French airport operator.
So Union is threatening with strikes and trying to halt take over of the airport by the investors, and using delaying tactics all in an effort to ensure deal is scrapped and everything returns to status quo,.
What they don't understand if deal is scraped half of the workforce will go as government will fire half of the workforce under emergency budgetary rule, than privatize the airport for next to nothing and allow new employer to come up with new contract that might be less generous,
French investment is best thing for the Airport, but militants in the union headed by some really dogy characters connected to HDZ rule and corruption are trying to ruin any chance for this deal.
all politics.
If this continue, wouldn't that put the whole project into danger?
DeleteI just watched the video and what the unions are demanding is unacceptable.
DeleteOne of the main reasons Australia was not touched by the world financial crises was because the previous conservative government which was in power from 1996 to 2007, limited union power in the workplace and as a result the economy was able to grow and workers real wages had never seen growth of that rate before during that period ever. Main reason for this organic growth in workers wages was because the workforce was not large enough to support all the required employment so as a result companies or industry had to compete for employees.
Also, when the economy stagnates in Australia, the first thing we do is build, build, build because the positive knock on effects of this is huge and effects everyone.
Look at both Poland and Ukraine they actually did not have such a bad time during the crises, why? Because of all the construction they were doing for Euro 2012 and the effects of this.
The best things unions in Croatia can do is just let the economy grow, make sure their members are paid every month, which is a real problem in the region and Croatia.
According to the above link (Jutarnji list), the airport employees are demanding to be laid off now (by the state), collect all severence packages, and then get collectively re-hired by the new owner (after the takeover).
DeleteI must admit this is the wierdest labour thing i have ever seen in the Balkans (and the competition is fierce). I doubt such things were possible even during the 'golden age' in Greece.
@IxNovember 7, 2013 at 5:27 AM
DeleteEssentially this is what militants are demanding, something Croatian Government won't allow, and under emergency budgetary rule they can fire large chunk of the workforce and as Airport is of strategic value for the economy and the country, government could essentially fire whole lot of them and have no issues with the EU or Croatian laws.
Naturally it might not be politically best solution but it eliminate militants from blocking further progress.
Zagreb terminal-never ending story... Hopefully they start building it next year in order to finish by 2016, but cant be sure anymore. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOT: Pax number (SKP&OHD) for October 2013 is 91.626 or +34% from 2012 October
ReplyDeleteBravo! Ubeliveable! Few years ago this was the july/august result.
ReplyDelete