Zadar Airport is on course for another record year as its expanded terminal building has opened to the public, although an official opening ceremony is planned for a later date. “The technical inspection of the new passenger terminal was completed at the end of May. The new section of the terminal has been operational since the beginning of June and has been in use ever since. It has significantly improved conditions for both travellers and airport staff. The expansion adds more than 2,000 square metres of new space, featuring five ground-level departure gates and four additional departure gates on the lower level. Regarding the official inauguration ceremony, the public will be informed in due course”, Zadar Airport’s CEO, Josip Klišmanić, said.
The expansion of Zadar Airport’s terminal building is part of a broader redevelopment project. The new part of the facility, which forms a single functioning unit with the existing terminal, is valued at fifteen million euros. The expansion project at Zadar Airport will also subsequently include a runway extension of approximately 700 metres, as well as an expansion of the apron. With the new facility, the airport now has the capacity to handle three million passengers annually. “Passenger flows have now been significantly improved. The departure terminal is considerably more spacious, more modern and fully aligned with international aviation standards. Compared to the previous situation, when the terminal experienced all-day congestion during peak periods in July and August, such crowding is no longer expected, greatly enhancing the overall passenger experience”, Mr Klišmanić said. He added that Zadar Airport is now capable of handling up to seven aircraft movements per hour without any difficulties.
Among the most distinctive features of the new passenger terminal is a system of hexagonal columns and roof structures that extends throughout the building. However, these structural elements serve more than just an aesthetic purpose. The terminal was designed as a modular system, allowing future expansion without compromising its original architectural concept or the functionality of the space. This flexibility was one of the key reasons why the design was selected as the winning proposal in the competition for the future development of Zadar Airport.
During the first half of the year, Zadar Airport handled 602.569 passengers, representing an increase of 7.8%. It is due to welcome a record 1.75 million travellers this year, up from 1.64 million in 2025. “This year we welcomed a new airline, Wizz Air, which launched services to Warsaw and Budapest, operating four flights per week. It marks the first time the Hungarian low cost carrier has served Zadar. We hope this partnership will lead to the introduction of additional routes in the coming years, to the benefit of both sides. We must also highlight our excellent cooperation with our most important partner, Ryanair, which continues to increase the number of rotations to Zadar year after year, and we hope that trend will continue. At the same time, our partners from the Star Alliance - Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings - are also very important to us, and we expect them to expand both frequencies and routes in the future”, the CEO concluded.
The runway extension is probably the most important part of the whole project. It could open the door for longer routes
ReplyDeleteNOT every airport of the region needs longhaul routes.
DeleteNot every, I agree, but the one surrounded by Kornati, Krka, Plitvice, S.Velebit national parks, and with millions of tourists every year, why not?
DeleteBecause it is far more efficient to get the long haul visitors from a number of other hubs.
DeleteGreece has over 40 million foreign tourists a year and almost 40 airports.
Only ATH has long haul flights.
And it works for them just fine. So if Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Corfu, Santorini etc. can do without direct long haul flights so can Zadar and Krka.
That’s actually a good point. Austria has more tourists than SLO and HR combined and it’s the same there: only VIE has long-haul routes.
Delete^ Turkey too.
DeleteAs if airports like Santorini or Heraklion wouldn't have long haul flights if they weren't so small and constrained.
DeleteLooks good
ReplyDeleteWell, much better Than Before, but still Locke somewhat cramped from the pics. Not particularly fond of those cranellated eaves ... poised for a future extension?
DeleteInteresting that they mention Wizz Air. Hopefully we'll see more routes from Central and Eastern Europe next summer.
ReplyDeleteThey must reduce dependence on Ryanair. Over 80% of its traffic is thanks to them.
DeleteThey must make sure to keep FR on side
DeleteI really need to commend Croatia on how it has modernised most of its airports
ReplyDelete+1 Rijeka is the only exception and the airport is identical to what it was when it opened in 1970.
DeleteI agree. They do a great job. Rijeka will be I'm sure renovated at one point.
Delete@09:42 i think it should be kept like a time capsual and marketed 'the 1970s experience'
DeleteShort story about RJK: While they still had Arkia and TLV flights, Israeli passengers, once spent their journey in Rijeka and Opatija, and once seen pulsing and vibrant city, tourism, traffic jams, industry, used to ask if Rijeka had two airports and id Arkia was using the secondary one. They couldn't understand disproportion between the city and its region, and the airport, or whatever there it is, called by that name. And absolutely nothing changed meanwhile
DeleteJust to correct myself: actually something did change: today they have fewer destinations, fewer carriers, and fewer passengers than at that time
DeleteRijeka is the most neglected large city in Croatia. Run down, without any major projects for 30 years. Who was in power over the past 30 years again?
DeleteRijeka is one of the most fun, interesting, vibrant and open minded cities in Croatia.
Delete@12:48 and who has overwhelmingly dominated Croatian politics in the past 30 years, ask yourself that? The result is is what PIR right describes as a disgrace of a national airline that feeds the pockets of party apparatchiks far more than is services the mobility needs of a modern tourist-orientated country.
DeleteI visit Rijeka from SLO a lot and it has a lot of potential IMHO. It reminds me of La Spezia. But it could use with some real investment to renovate some of the old buildings, and then it could really look nice.
Deletewhich RWY will be extended 04/22?
ReplyDeleteDoes the airport have flights in winter? if yes, who flies there? I imagine OU
ReplyDeleteIt has PSO routes. Croatia Airlines to Pula and Zagreb and Trade Air to Osijek.
DeleteOther than that its a ghost airport in winter. New terminal looks great however
DeleteOSI in winter?
DeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteIt's remarkable how quickly Zadar has grown.
ReplyDeleteReciently so since the 1990s?
DeleteNo, in the last 10 years.
DeleteYeah its done really well
DeleteI hope Croatia Airlines also strengthens its presence in Zadar. The airport shouldn't depend too heavily on just one airline.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that...
DeleteIt's too early
DeleteLOL!!!
DeleteRyanair works just fine for them. Great job, ZAD.
DeleteZadar airport is a hidden gem that will better serve the growing number of visitors flocking to Dalmatia. I like that the architects Ante Kuzmanić and Ivan Jurić blend contemporary functionality with a sleek new design.The architectural design of the facility has been inspired by the pine forest surrounding the airport and glass roof with solar panels create environmentally friendly aircraft power supply system that harnesses renewable energy sources I believe the Zadar airport becomes the first green airport in Croatia. Very inspiring. Congratulations and well done.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteGreen airport. Sure, that will sustain future development. Remember Spain and its green electricity? No, thanks.
DeleteI think Croatia Airlines is losing again. After some time, they'll say the conditions are impossible. They just need to put in the effort now, and the results will be visible in about 5-10 years, for sure.
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteIf Croatia had decent flag carrier, I would back you up and confirm your Bravo Hrvatska not once but hundred times. But building infrastructure for foreign airlines to make money on it, is hardly bravo overall, which you always implicate
DeleteI agree. Although there is nothing wrong with building infrastructure for foreign airlines as long as one is open about what one is doing transparent about it. This is somewhat the situation in the Caribbean where local aviation are minimal interests. But you are right, the idea that this is Bravo Hrvatska is undermined by the distinct lack of forward thinking that OU had/has the prerequisite to be a far better airline than the crooks in Zagreb have allowed for.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska again! Bravo the most successful aviation in the region!
DeleteIt's incredible how Zadar has developed over the last 10 years, especially compared to Pula and even more so Rijeka. And that's despite the fact that Split is nearby and has also grown significantly.
ReplyDeleteZadar serves northern Dalmatia and the large number of islands. you are right it is close to Split which makes it a popular place for tourists to either fly in/out from and journey down the coast. The city of Zadar has done quite well in modernising itself in the past decade. It used to be a bit rough and ready and insular but its nowadays a really charming place to be in the summer.
DeleteI've only flown into Pula airport once but I remember it being quite basic. Rijeka airport i use a lot and its quite an experience, especially when the aircon is on the blink...
Does anybody understand why are four of Mine check in counters on the Lower level ie underground??? Is that for the time being pending the completion or is It permanent?
ReplyDeleteNine! 😆
ReplyDelete