First flights from the new terminal are expected on Tuesday.
The new passenger terminal of the “Franjo Tuđman” International Airport in Zagreb was officially opened on Tuesday evening in the presence of 500 guests, including Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, reports Večernji List on March 22, 2017.
The new passenger terminal is the largest infrastructure project in Croatia in the last ten years, in which about 300 million euros were invested. It was constructed in three years mostly by Croatian companies. The funds were provided by the concessionaire which will operate the airport for the next 30 years. The concessionaire includes Vijadukt construction company from Croatia, and five companies with international experience in the construction and management of airports – Aeroports de Paris Management, Bouygues Batiment International, Fond Marguerite, IFC, and TAV Airports. The airport itself is owned by Croatia (55 percent), City of Zagreb (35 percent), County of Zagreb (5 percent) and Town of Velika Gorica (5 percent).
The terminal was official opened by Prime Minister Plenković, French State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Harlem Desir, mayors of Zagreb and Velika Gorica Milan Bandić and Dražen Barišić, and other dignitaries. Prime Minister said that it was a great honor to be present at the opening of the airport, which will represent new doors of Croatia to the world. “I am sure that such a wonderful airport will contribute to the image of Croatia and further increase the number of tourists coming to our country. It will also be an incentive to complete similar projects in Split and at other airports. I believe that this airport will become a hub for Southeast Europe and contribute to the strengthening of our economy”, said Plenković, adding that the government was making every effort to develop transport infrastructure including the railway system, which has yet to reach the level of 21st century.
“The road to all of this was not easy, there were difficulties, but we have successfully resolved them all”, said Transport Minister Oleg Butković. CEO of the Zagreb Airport Jacques Feron said that “the construction of the new terminal was a great challenge because it is a fantastic project, but we have succeeded and by the end of this month we expect first passengers”.
French State Secretary Desir said that he was happy to be in Zagreb and that such an important airport is being opened on the 25th anniversary of international recognition of Croatia. “I commend Croatian architects and contractors, as well as the French working here, because this will contribute to strengthening of economic and other areas of cooperation between Croatia and France”, said Desir.
The new terminal will become operation at midnight on 28 March, when all operations will be transferred from the old terminal. The first regular flight will be a Croatia Airlines service from Zagreb to Dubrovnik.
The new terminal covers 65,000 square metres on four floors and has a distinctive wavy roof and 30 check-in counters, eight jet-bridges and three aprons for smaller aircraft, a luggage sorting facility, many catering outlets and shops, more than a thousand parking spaces, spaces for prayer and care of infants... It was designed by Croatian architects Branko Kincl and Velimir Neidhardt and constructor Jure Radić. Its capacity is five million passengers a year in the first phase, with the possibility of increasing the number to eight million.
