The construction of Split Airport's new multi million euro terminal is progressing and scheduled to be completed in the coming months, so as to open its doors to the public in June. Upon completion, work will begin on the overhaul of the existing 11.000 square metre terminal building which will be joined with the new structure to form a single functioning unit. Split Airport, which recorded a gross profit of 20.2 million euros last year, will then begin airside expansion work. "We have been acquiring properties around the airport for some time as we have been preparing for long-term investments. Following work on the terminals, we will overhaul the runway, expand the apron and build a parallel taxiway to the runway", Split Airport's Deputy General Manager, Pero Bilas, said.
The new 35.000 square metre terminal structure has been made of reinforced concrete, laminated wood, structural steel and canvas. The arrival and departure areas have been separated to enable more operational flexibility and security control. The eastern part of the terminal is a compact glazed cube featuring a flat and partly glazed roof, while the western part has a basement and will be located next to the existing apron. A new automated baggage sorting area has also been created, along with a luggage inspection area compliant with the standard three explosives detection systems, as specified by new European Union regulation. "All of the new equipment has been installed, tested and is ready for use. We only have to clean it. Capacity is expected to reach 3.000 passengers per hour. Therefore, we will be able to handle at least five million travellers per year without a problem and this will satisfy our needs for the next ten to fifteen years", Mr Bilas said.
The new terminal will increase the airport’s total area to 105 hectares and significantly improve the quality of passenger services. It will also enable the application of EU standards for international border crossings in line with the Schengen agreement. The new building is a one-storey structure with a basement, ground floor, first floor and a gallery with roof height extending to 14.74 metres above the ground floor. It features six gates, a seating area for 1.200 people and an additional 500 seats in various food and beverage facilities. All duty free shops will be run by the airport itself. A new commercial parking area with 900 parking spaces for cars and buses has also been constructed as part of the expansion project. A bus terminal has been built linking with the passenger terminal through a closed pedestrian overpass.
Split Airport has started the new year off on a strong note by handling 36.360 passengers in January, representing an increase of 7.9% on last year. "The 15% to 20% annual growth we have witnessed are unlikely to continue in the coming years and we expect the usual 5% to 10% increase in passenger numbers. First and foremost we are looking out for the sustainability of the business", the Deputy General Manager noted. Split Airport will be served by some fifty airlines this summer season. A number of new carriers will introduce flights to Croatia's second largest city this year, including Air France, British Airways, Luxair, Ryanair and Laudamotion.
Looks fantastic. Very modern.
ReplyDeleteHere is a video of how they installed that impressive roof
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/VM-iQjF-H1k
Wooden ceiling looks amazing!
DeleteLooks great
DeleteSimply stunning! Split deserves a beautiful airport and a better winter season! Great job!
ReplyDeleteJanuary 2018 / 2019
33.699 / 36.360
+7,89%
+2.661
The January results are literally in the article. You just have to read it.
DeleteThe way the results are going they will need a new terminal again in a few years.
Deletehaha I agree. This should have been completed several years ago. But better late then never.
DeleteWho fueled this growth?
Deletewow fantastic work Split. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Split. This development was long overdue. Can't wait for the finished product.
ReplyDeleteGood to see that Croatia's three busiest airports will all have shiny new terminal in operation this summer.
ReplyDeleteAny other Croatian airport with plans to build a new terminal?
DeleteI believe Pula does.
DeleteNot in the near future, though.
DeleteIs there an actual project or is this your guess @anon 9.25?
DeleteNo project yet but there are plans
Deletehttp://www.exyuaviation.com/2016/07/pula-airport-plans-new-terminal.html
Interesting. Didn't know that
DeleteBrac Airport will also be expanded.
DeleteAll the airport investment in Croatia is really impressive. Well done.
DeleteRijeka still to come
DeleteThey should have built a second terminal years ago.
ReplyDeleteWell it was supposed to be built years ago but was always delayed. Same happened with Zagreb terminal before the French finally came. The only airport that has always been on schedule and planning ahead is Dubrovnik.
DeleteYou don't cry over spilt milk. Like everything else in Croatia, this is a matter of politics and not need. Unfortunately, Croatian politicians decide on personal and not state interests which terminal will be built, which will be ignored or given in concession despite having its own assets for enlargement, etc.
DeleteCongrats, Split! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThey should have targeted the opening in March, not June during the height of the season.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteMy guess is they probably can't open it before and they decided that it is better at least to ease part of the season by opening the new terminal during the season. Split Airport is absolute chaos in the summer.
DeleteActually initial plan was to open in July. This is now ahead of schedule which is great.
DeleteSince they don't plan to shut down the old terminal, I wonder why Zagreb closed its old terminal?
ReplyDeleteBecause it is more expensive to operate two terminals and the French came to make money. They reduced staff numbers so they can't handle some types of planes during the night just to make an extra penny.
DeleteThe new terminal in ZAG is big enough to accommodate the traffic plus, unlike in Split, it is not close to the new terminal at all.
DeleteWasn't the plan to turn the old terminal at ZAG as an LCC terminal.
DeleteWhy would ZAG need an LCC terminal when there is only 1 LCC airline flying to Zagreb?
DeleteSplit Airport's new terminal is in fact just an extension built right next to the current terminal, which will be refurbished next year. Upon refurbishment the new and current terminal will make a single terminal building. That overpass on the photos is not between the two terminals, it just connects the airport terminal to a bus terminal and a car park built further away, due to restricted space. This new bus terminal will feature car rental agencies as well.
DeleteOn the contrary, the new terminal in Zagreb was built several kilometres away from the old building. Keeping it for passenger traffic simply would not be efficient. The plan was to overhaul it into cargo terminal and office space.
" All duty free shops will be run by the airport itself."
ReplyDeleteInteresting and unusual for airports today.
More money for the airport.
DeleteIs there any plan or blueprint for how the apron and taxiway extension will look like?
ReplyDeleteNot yet. It's too early. They don't plan to start work on the apron and taxiways until they finish this terminal and reconstruct the old one.
DeleteThank god they expanded the apron a few years ago otherwise there would be very little room for planes. But a second expansion is now urgently needed.
DeleteCan't they just limit congestion by making the airport operational 24/7. Besides, leisure flights at many airports land in the middle of the night.
DeleteThe local community is already fed up with the airport and the poisonous fumes it spreads on the local inhabitants. There should be a limit to the number of flights at SPU. Any excess flights should be redirected to ZAD.
DeleteВеома необичан, прелеп терминал. Од преко сто седамдесет аеродрома на којима сам био, Сплитски одаје посебан утисак. Просто рећи. Честитке аеродрому Сплит и људима који ће га употребљавати. Браво за Сплит!
ReplyDeleteRodney & Assoc. Kraljevo // Sydney.
+1000
DeleteBravo SPU!
ReplyDeleteWho is funding this? Bank loans, Croatian government or EU funds?
ReplyDeleteLoan from Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Government had exempt the airport from paying taxes.
DeleteThis is really overdue but I like the way the building looks.
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteGood to know that we will have three representative airports in Croatia soon - ZAG, DBV and SPU.
ReplyDeletePula and Zadar are pretty good too.
DeleteO nekoj zamjetnijoj expanziji promata na SPU nema govora prije izgradnje taxywaya.
ReplyDeleteNo, nacin na koji to SPU obavlja je cisto nevjerojatan za HR uvijete.
Ukratko, cine to tako kako i treba ciniti.
Sve pohvale za planiranje i izvedbu
Impressive.
ReplyDelete"Following work on the terminals, we will overhaul the runway, expand the apron and build a parallel taxiway to the runway"
ReplyDeleteThis is key. The expansion of the apron will allow for more significant traffic expansion as well as long haul flights.
They could have had TATL flights this summer but they didn't give Air Transat their requested slot.
Delete@9.38
DeleteTrue. Without airside improvement, new terminal is not even needed.
@9.46
They couldn't give them a slot because there is not enough space at the airport.
SPU will actually have the same number of check in desks and conveyor belts as ZAG airport.
ReplyDeleteWell it's not a big surprise. They have more passengers than Zagreb the majority of the months in the year.
DeleteAt the end of 2019 SPU will be the busiest airport so it makes sense.
DeleteI think so too. Year is off to a good start.
DeleteSooner or later SPU will become the busiest in Croatia. It 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.
DeleteStill don't get the fascination with this.
DeleteMe neither dude,
Deletealways some "uvik kontra" stuff
I am happy for zag and dbv success as they are Split's
Cestitke!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very nice project although they could have added two air bridges maybe. It's an additional source of revenue.
ReplyDeleteAgree. If DBV can have them then why not SPU?
DeleteSplit really doesn't need the jet bridges.
DeleteThis new terminal is much welcomed news and it looks great.
ReplyDeleteThe airport reminds us a bit of Barajas Airport in Madrid. Great architecture.
ReplyDeleteCroatia is the pioneer in Balkan aviation.
Bravo and well done Hrvatsko.
Yes the ceiling reminds of Barajas too.
DeleteI nece imati nijedan airbridge? DU Zaista najbolji aerodrom u CRO.
ReplyDeleteZbog mostova?
DeleteWhy there wouldn't be any bridges?
ReplyDeleteWith them handling so many planes simultaneously would be a major drawback.
DeleteLack of apron space is the reason. If they added air bridges they would be able to handle as much aircraft per hour. If the apron is expanded than the new terminal can be fitted with 4 jetways if I remember correctly.
DeleteHow many parking positions does SPU have for aircraft?
DeleteI think it 12 for 737/A320 type aircraft.
DeleteThis is an aerial photo of how the two terminals (and bus terminal across the street) will look like
ReplyDeletehttps://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lKLzhLWhGsg/WkP3Jmnd3UI/AAAAAAAAhlM/L74Y3GQx4pE2oMKebN5oc_GdrdiV29oSwCLcBGAs/s1600/bbimagehandler.jpg
The bus terminal and car park are the combined size of the two terminals lol.
DeleteMy guess is the overpass on the first pic in this article is the bridge connecting the bus terminal and car park to the terminal building?
DeleteThey should demolish the old Terminal and build a new one in the middle run connected to the one buing built and extend it to the control tower and beyond to the fire station. This way the capacity will grow to 10 Million Pax a year.
DeleteLooking at this photo, do they have enough space for the parallel taxiway?
DeleteNew terminal seems to be progressing nicely.
ReplyDeleteWill they have testing and trials of the new terminal like they did in Zagreb? That lasted for a few months at ZAG.
ReplyDeleteIt says in the article that they already tested the equipment.
DeleteThey should definitely attract more carriers to fly there year round. Good luck in 2019!
ReplyDeleteOnly 6 gates?
ReplyDeleteLooks awesome!! Split airport has definitely has been been a thorn in the side for many travelers to the city so it's a great and very good looking improvement to the local infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteI really love Split´s ancient but comfortable website. Hope they do not modernize it to become the standard nonsense.
ReplyDeleteHaha +1
Deleteit has been the same for 10 years :D
Agree! Don't forget the webcam! :)
DeleteCan't wait for the opening. Looks good.
ReplyDeleteI just flew from SPU yesterday morning. The traffic off-season is impressively low compared to summer months, I arrived at the airport just 45 mins before an international flight and still had time for a morning coffee and browsing around the empty shops, the whole thing was so quick! It's crazy compared to some summer days (especially Saturdays) when pax even queue outside just to reach the check-in counters. I still don't get how they manage it with such a small building. Here's the picture of the new building from the apron yesterday (before boarding). I'll be back in early June so I hope to use the new terminal then! :) https://imgur.com/a/De0p5bE
ReplyDeleteNice photo :)
DeleteI do think they have to work on seasonality a bit. Split is after all Croatia's second largest city. It could sustain more OU flights.
Government owned entities' financial records always entertained me. No depreciation, no amortization, in some cases even no tax applied (as above) and voilà, you have millions of profit! :)))))
ReplyDeleteAlso worth noting that Split Airport has been freed from paying any tax in order to finance its new terminal.
DeleteGood for SPU but I think DBV has more potential.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Split airport has a far larger catchment area.
DeleteDubrovnik is much more famous world wide and a bigger draw for tourist. There is a reason American is launching flights there this summer.
DeleteI read here the SPU and ZAG comparisons.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times when BOJ surpassed SOF during the peak season.
Similar to SPU it is a very seasonal airport (not as much as VAR) as well and has quite similar traffic figures to SPU.
Anyway, great looking terminal. Wishing Croatia all the best.
Has any airport in Bulgaria surpassed SOF on an annual level?
DeleteNo. The difference between SOF and BOJ is huge. Almost 4 million.
DeleteAnd what will they do in 10-15yrs when this capacity is reached. Is there space to build a third terminal? Is there some kind of long term master plan available?
ReplyDeleteTotal demand can be absorbed by nearby airports of Zadar, Brač and Dubrovnik. And there is continuing saga of new airports (Stankovci/Hvar/Vis)...
DeleteZAD is just 120 km of air distance from SPU. It will see a significant growth in the future and will help distribute the load from SPU.
DeleteZadar i Dubrovnik su i vise nego dostatni za absorbirati taj rast.
DeleteNo, najveci rast ce primiti Brac.
Mark my words.
Pogotovo naprave li most između Brača i Šolte!
Delete??? Why invest in SPU when other nearby airports can absorb the traffic???
DeleteThis is probably the last expansion of the terminal SPU will ever see. Simply there is not much more demand and there will never be. ZAD will grow, BWK will grow, some road connections between islands will be established and that is bet that can happen to Split and surrounding cities.
DeleteWith such a vast pax flow summer vs. winter it must be a nightmare as far as staffing is concerned. Does anyone know how do they manage people side of their business? Do they hire temp staff? If yes, where do they come from?
ReplyDeleteSplit Airport should look to buy the land immediately west of the terminal area, and use it for more taxi ways, remote gates, future expansion. Now those lands appear to be used for green house, random agriculture, and some residences. Who would want to live so close to an airport, the noise must be nasty at times.
ReplyDeleteI thought I heard there was a rail link planed to the city, is this true?
The terminal looks very impressive so far, very much needed.
They keep buying the land according to the money available. I like how they develop airport in small chunks. Sustainable development.
DeleteThe rail link to the airport will be built ... NEVER!
The rail link already exists starting Split Center /bus and train station /passenger port passing through Split predgradje, Solin, and 2 or 3 Kastela stops. The stop closest to the airport is Kastel Stari, which is some 3-4 km from the airport, little up hill, and the space from there till the airport is not too much built and there is possibility to trace the tracks there which could even continue to Trogir. So techically, it's possible, not even too expensive. Would it be realized or not, I don't know but know that several bigger cities in Croatia have serious plans to build and improve local city/region railway lines and traffic, Rijeka and Split being two of those
DeleteYou're not familiar of the local politics. There are much more important infrastructure investments which are being neglected for decades. Thus this rail link will come to agenda when the rest of the planet begins to visit Mars.
DeleteLooking good!!
ReplyDelete