Rijeka Airport year 2018 marked as the year in which all historical records were broken, reaching a total turnover of 183.606 passengers (the previous record was 169.250 passengers from 2006.), 4.655.866 tons of cargo and 5.460 operations. A special day for the Rijeka Airport was 11.10.2018. when a record 170.000 passenger arrived. The jubilee was Percinić Marija from the island of Rab, and was recorded on the regular international flight of Eurowings EW2963 Rijeka-Stuttgart.
In addition to scrapping the entire yearly traffic record in all segments, Rijeka Airport also achieved record passenger traffic at the level of each month in 2018, and for the first time over 40.000 passengers were transported for the first time in 2 consecutive months (July and August).
This significant increase in passenger traffic is, amongst other things, the result of many activities, efforts and financial resources that the Rijeka Airport Management, in cooperation with the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Tourism, Croatian National Tourist Board and County Tourist Board of Kvarner, invested in the introduction of new routes, as well as extending the operations of existing ones.
In accordance with the stated record of growth in traffic, Rijeka Airport also had record financial results. In 2018. total revenue of almost HRK 29 million was achieved, which is almost 50% higher than in 2017, with a record profit of almost 2.3 million kuna.
In addition to growth in turnover and revenues, Rijek Airport also recorded growth of employees. In the peak of the season in 2018 there were almost 100 employees, and for the first time in history, Rijeka Airport retained 50% of new workers over the winter to save them for the next season, in which is expected a minimum 10% increase in traffic.
As far as infrastructure and other investments are concerned, in 2018. Rijeka Airport has acquired the necessary equipment to increase its security and traffic standards from its own resources (over HRK 6 million) and recources from capital assistance of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (HRK 12 million) and Primorsko-goranska County (HRK 0.5 million). Also many investments were made: construction of semaphore at the intersection of the DC-103 and DC-102 roads, reconstruction of the passenger terminal building involving the installation of new joinery and façades, which represents the final phase of the reconstruction of the building which started in 2012. In the last 7 years, Rijeka Airport has invested over HRK 35 million in infrastructural investments, of which the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure invested 90%, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 10%.
After a record season and a turnover growth of almost 30% compared to last year, which represents the highest percentage increase in traffic from all airports in Croatia, Rijeka Airport for the next season has also confirmed 3 new air carriers: TUI, Volotea and Lufthansa who will fly to 3 new destinations: London Gatwick, Manchester and Marseille. The TUI Group is the world's most significant tourist group, which has 6 air carriers and 9 tour operators flying to over 150 destinations worldwide. TUI will connect Rijeka with London and Manchester with B737-800 aircraft with 189 seats in the period from 23.5.2019. until 17.10.2019. every Thursday. Volotea is one of the most important low-cost carriers which will connect Rijeka with Marseille in the period from 5.6.2019. until 28.8.2019. every Wednesday. This route has high importance to our region as it represents a sort of precedent for the Rijeka Airport as the first regular line for France in recent history, following this year's charter route from Paris. Besides the aforementioned 2 air carriers, it is certainly of great importance and confirmation of the arrival of the renowned Lufthansa to the Rijeka Airport in the summer season of 2019, since the mentioned airline is the largest and most important European air carrier with over 200 destinations worldwide and one of the largest fleets in the world. Lufthansa will fly on a regular basis for Munchen, every Saturday in the period of May 25, by the end of October 2019. Along with the aforementioned new airlines, next season will also remain this year's new carriers: Condor for Frankfurt and Transavia for Eindhoven, which significantly increased the number of flights by as much as 300% in 2019 and starts with flights in April 2019.
Therefore, it can be concluded that year 2019 will for sure brake new records for Rijeka Airport, but 2018 will definitely remain recorded as one of the most successful in the history of Rijeka Airport!
