Zagreb Airport
Encyclopedia
Zagreb Airport , also known as Pleso Airport (plɛ̂sɔ) after the nearby suburb of Pleso
, is the main international airport of Croatia
and also a Croatian Air Force and Defense
major fighter jet
base. Located 10 km from the central railway station in Zagreb
, it served 2,071,561 passengers in 2010 and is the primary hub
for Croatian flag carrier
Croatia Airlines
. Expansion of the airport is due to start in 2012.
. It was used by Slavoljub Eduard Penkala
for the airplanes he designed.
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh
made a landing in Borongaj
Airfield (east of Zagreb) after his successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
. The airfield began serving passenger traffic on 15 February 1928. On 1 April 1947, commercial services were moved to a former airbase near the village of Lučko
, southwest of the city. At its peak in 1959, Lučko served 167,000 passengers.
On 20 April 1962, flight services were once again moved, this time to the current location near the suburb of Pleso
in the southeast. It first opened with a 2,500 m long runway
and 1,000 m² terminal
.
A new 5,000 m² terminal was built in 1966, as well as the apron
expansion. In 1974, the runway
was extended to its current 3,250 m, and the terminal expanded to its current 12,000 m².
The airport's peak level of traffic was in 2008, with 2.2 million passengers. In 2004, the airport installed a CAT-IIIb instrument landing system
(ILS). The VIP terminal was completed in 2008 and is located just south-west of the old terminal, which is also going to be refurbished.
Current terminal is being extended by additional 5600sqm, and interior and exterior are bing refurbished, project is set to be completed by the end of 2012. The main Terminal building will also extended by additional 45m allowing for greater passenger traffic, but this is only intermediate measure as by late 2015 new 67 700sqm Terminal should be completed.
Zagreb Airport is expected to reach 3.5 million passengers by 2015 and 5.5 million by 2020.
or airport ramp
measures 950x187meters and can accommodate around 15 medium and 2 wide body aircraft.
A new terminal is planned for the future. The initial plan, made by NACO in 1997, was for 47,000 m² of space, capacity for 11 jetways, and the capability of handling 3 million passengers annually, but the airport authority decided to scrap this plan in favor of a larger terminal.
A new master plan has been developed by Scott Associates in 2006 and the new terminal is now expected to have 12 jetways and a capacity of 3.3 million passengers annually. It will be approximately 65,600 m² in area, nearly five times the size of the current terminal. This plan was also scrapped and a competition was held in hope of an even larger airport.
A competition for the final architectural and urban planning solution took place in August 2009, and the winner (Institut IGH
) was declared at the beginning of October. This proposal, designed by Neidhardt architects of Zagreb, includes a retail component with stores, banks, cafes and restaurants. A new luxury hotel with direct underground links to the terminal is planned, directly in front of the new terminal. The new terminal will consist of glass walls and roof in a wavy facade. It will be built in three stages, the first stage being able to cater for over five million passengers. This will increase as the second and third stage opens.
Construction is expected to cost €
280 million. Following completion, the old terminal will be used for low-cost operators. Air Force operations will move to the south end of the airport due to the construction. The start of construction is expected to take place in spring 2012 due to cost restraints. Meanwhile the old terminal will have a major face lift and minor expansion expected to cost 6 million euros.
Accompanying the terminal will be a second parallel runway. The completion date is unknown at this stage. There will also be a new rail line alongside the Eastern bypass
of Velika Gorica (currently under construction), which extends from Zagreb across the Homeland Bridge
completed in 2007. These elements will create an entirely new east entrance into the city adding to the one via D408 state road
. The airport is being built in such manner that more expansions can be conducted easily if needed.
The following scheduled passenger airlines use Zagreb Pleso Airport (as of August 2011):
Pleso
Pleso is a settlement located to the southeast of the city of Zagreb. Nowadays, Pleso is the northernmost section of the city of Velika Gorica....
, is the main international airport of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and also a Croatian Air Force and Defense
Croatian Air Force and Defense
Croatian Air Force and Air Defence is a branch of the Croatian Armed Forces.-Aviation history:Some of the first aviation pioneers were from Croatia or of Croatian descent. Faust Vrančić designed and successfully tested the parachute in 1617. First Croat flying in a balloon was Krsto Mazarović over...
major fighter jet
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
base. Located 10 km from the central railway station in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, it served 2,071,561 passengers in 2010 and is the primary hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
for Croatian flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
Croatia Airlines
Croatia Airlines
Croatia Airlines d.d. is the national airline and flag carrier of the Republic of Croatia. Based in Buzin, Zagreb, the airline is a member of Star Alliance and operates domestic and international services. Its main base is Zagreb Airport, with focus cities being Dubrovnik and Split...
. Expansion of the airport is due to start in 2012.
History
The first airfield in Zagreb was built in 1909 near the western city neighbourhood of ČrnomerecCrnomerec
- References :...
. It was used by Slavoljub Eduard Penkala
Slavoljub Eduard Penkala
Slavoljub Eduard Penkala was a naturalized Croatian engineer and inventor of Polish-Jewish ethnicity.Eduard Penkala was born in Liptovský Mikuláš , to Franjo Penkala, who was of Polish Jew heritage, and Maria Penkala , who was of Dutch heritage...
for the airplanes he designed.
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
made a landing in Borongaj
Borongaj
Borongaj is a neighborhood the Peščenica – Žitnjak district of Zagreb, Croatia. It is situated south of the main railway along Branimir Avenue and east of Donje Svetice Road. It is the location of the former Borongaj Airfield. For administrative purposes, Borongaj is part of the "Bruno Bušić" local...
Airfield (east of Zagreb) after his successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The airfield began serving passenger traffic on 15 February 1928. On 1 April 1947, commercial services were moved to a former airbase near the village of Lučko
Lucko
Lučko is a neighborhood in Novi Zagreb - zapad district of Zagreb, Croatia, located south of the Sava and southwest of the city center, near the Lučko interchange that connects the Zagreb-Karlovac motorway, the Zagreb bypass and the old road to Karlovac. The population is 2,841...
, southwest of the city. At its peak in 1959, Lučko served 167,000 passengers.
On 20 April 1962, flight services were once again moved, this time to the current location near the suburb of Pleso
Pleso
Pleso is a settlement located to the southeast of the city of Zagreb. Nowadays, Pleso is the northernmost section of the city of Velika Gorica....
in the southeast. It first opened with a 2,500 m long runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
and 1,000 m² terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
.
A new 5,000 m² terminal was built in 1966, as well as the apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
expansion. In 1974, the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
was extended to its current 3,250 m, and the terminal expanded to its current 12,000 m².
The airport's peak level of traffic was in 2008, with 2.2 million passengers. In 2004, the airport installed a CAT-IIIb instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS). The VIP terminal was completed in 2008 and is located just south-west of the old terminal, which is also going to be refurbished.
Current terminal is being extended by additional 5600sqm, and interior and exterior are bing refurbished, project is set to be completed by the end of 2012. The main Terminal building will also extended by additional 45m allowing for greater passenger traffic, but this is only intermediate measure as by late 2015 new 67 700sqm Terminal should be completed.
Zagreb Airport is expected to reach 3.5 million passengers by 2015 and 5.5 million by 2020.
Expansion and modernisation
The passenger terminal underwent major design upgrade, new VIP terminal was added to the west of the current terminal in 2008, and new unified facade (at the front of the terminal) was also added in 2009. The passenger terminal has a maximum capacity of around 2.5 million passengers per year with current traffic being around the 2.2 million mark. The main terminal building itself is rather small measuring only 200x58meters or around 20 000 m². ApronApron
An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect clothes from wear and tear. The apron is commonly part of the uniform of several work categories, including waitresses, nurses, and domestic...
or airport ramp
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
measures 950x187meters and can accommodate around 15 medium and 2 wide body aircraft.
A new terminal is planned for the future. The initial plan, made by NACO in 1997, was for 47,000 m² of space, capacity for 11 jetways, and the capability of handling 3 million passengers annually, but the airport authority decided to scrap this plan in favor of a larger terminal.
A new master plan has been developed by Scott Associates in 2006 and the new terminal is now expected to have 12 jetways and a capacity of 3.3 million passengers annually. It will be approximately 65,600 m² in area, nearly five times the size of the current terminal. This plan was also scrapped and a competition was held in hope of an even larger airport.
A competition for the final architectural and urban planning solution took place in August 2009, and the winner (Institut IGH
Institut IGH
Institut IGH is a Croatian company active in civil engineering professional services and scientific research, including development of designs, studies, supervision, consulting, investigation works, assessments, laboratory testing and instrument calibration...
) was declared at the beginning of October. This proposal, designed by Neidhardt architects of Zagreb, includes a retail component with stores, banks, cafes and restaurants. A new luxury hotel with direct underground links to the terminal is planned, directly in front of the new terminal. The new terminal will consist of glass walls and roof in a wavy facade. It will be built in three stages, the first stage being able to cater for over five million passengers. This will increase as the second and third stage opens.
Construction is expected to cost €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
280 million. Following completion, the old terminal will be used for low-cost operators. Air Force operations will move to the south end of the airport due to the construction. The start of construction is expected to take place in spring 2012 due to cost restraints. Meanwhile the old terminal will have a major face lift and minor expansion expected to cost 6 million euros.
Accompanying the terminal will be a second parallel runway. The completion date is unknown at this stage. There will also be a new rail line alongside the Eastern bypass
D31 (Croatia)
D31 is a state road in central Croatia connecting Velika Gorica and Glina to Croatian motorway network at the A11 motorway Velika gorica jug interchange. The road is long....
of Velika Gorica (currently under construction), which extends from Zagreb across the Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge
Homeland Bridge is a long bridge over Sava River located in southeastern Zagreb, Croatia. Its administrative location is the city district Peščenica - Žitnjak...
completed in 2007. These elements will create an entirely new east entrance into the city adding to the one via D408 state road
D408 (Croatia)
D408 is a four lane state road branching off from the D30 state road connecting Zagreb Airport to Croatian motorway network via A3 motorway Buzin interchange and to the cities of Zagreb and Velika Gorica...
. The airport is being built in such manner that more expansions can be conducted easily if needed.
Airlines and destinations
Cargo airlines
Traffic figures
| Year | Passengers | Cargo (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,149,830 | 7,388 |
| 2001 | 1,185,471 | 7,791 |
| 2002 | 1,203,436 | 7,347 |
| 2003 | 1,314,652 | 8,608 |
| 2004 | 1,408,206 | 8,899 |
| 2005 | 1,551,519 | 12,492 |
| 2006 | 1,728,414 | 10,393 |
| 2007 | 1,992,455 | 12,564 |
| 2008 | 2,192,453 | 12,697 |
| 2009 | 2,062,242 | 10,065 |
| 2010 | 2,071,561 | 8,156 |
| 2011 | 2,020,755 | 7,504 |
- 2011 Figures to 30 October