Split is a hit, once again, as confirmed by Ex-Yu Aviation who reported on Thursday, January 17, 2019, that the Dalmatian airport was the fastest growing airport in the former Yugoslavia last year!
Namely, Split Airport welcomed 3,124,067 passengers in 2018, which is an increase of 10.9% from the year before and is an additional 305,891 passengers compared to 2017. The General Manager of Split Airport Lukša Novak claims that catching up to the capital city is not so far out of reach anymore, and in 2018, Split was ahead of Zagreb Airport for half of the year.
“Almost half of our annual traffic is achieved during July and August. During the four summer months, we have the most passenger traffic in the country. We are extremely seasonal in character, but when looking at it on an annual level, we are in second place and have never been closer to Zagreb. In the aviation sector, 5% – 7% passenger growth on an annual basis is the norm. If you are lucky enough, you can double your numbers in about fifteen years. We have managed to achieve that in just six years, and that is a truly amazing feat,” Novak said.
But that’s not all.
Ex-Yu Aviation also reported that Split Airport is still Croatia’s most profitable airport.
“The substantial passenger growth and the control of our expenditures have resulted in this level of profitability. We have not altered our fees over the past ten years as we do not want to jeopardize our growth with our pricing. I think this has proved worthwhile,” Novak added.
Novak also believes fighting seasonality in Split is vital.
“We need attractions which are not only of interest to locals, but must be competitive with European metropolises because we need to measure up to them. This is not easy or cheap and it requires time, energy and vision. There are some good developments, but we have to work on creating an appealing offer for tourists to come outside of the peak season and then we will have more aircraft arriving in the winter. Carriers say they don’t want to fly to a destination where they register fantastic results between April and October, which then have to cover losses generated over the winter. They want certainty and that is why there are so many airlines in Split in summer and few in winter,” Novak said.
Perhaps the best news of all, however, is that Split Airport is currently undergoing the construction of the new (and highly anticipated) terminal, which will be ready this July.
Some of the perks include 30 check-in desks, five new baggage carousels and a modern baggage handling system, an observation deck, a car park, observation deck and business class lounge for the elite travelers.
“This is a complex investment taking place over an area of almost 80.000 square meters, with the terminal taking up 35.000 square meters. Upon completion, the entire terminal complex will spread over 48.000 square meters, which is comparable to our counterparts in Zagreb and Dubrovnik,” said the airport’s Assistant Director, Pero Bilas.
Split, along with Zagreb and Dubrovnik airports, welcomed a record 8,999,789 passengers last year, which is an additional 766,501 on 2017.
To find the latest on flights to Split (and Croatia), follow TCN’s travel section.
