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Ljubljana Airport

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Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (Slovene: Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana) (IATA: LJU, ICAO: LJLJ), also known by its previous name Brnik Airport (Slovene: Letališče Brnik), is the international airport serving Ljubljana and the largest airport in Slovenia. It is located near Brnik, 24 km (15 mi) northwest[2] of Ljubljana and 9.5 km (5.9 mi) east of Kranj, at the foothills of Kamnik–Savinja Alps.

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport

Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerFraport Slovenia d.o.o.[1]
OperatorFraport Slovenia d.o.o.
ServesLjubljana, Slovenia
LocationZgornji Brnik
OpenedDecember 1963
Elevation AMSL388 m / 1,273 ft
Coordinates46°13′28″N 14°27′22″E / 46.22444°N 14.45611°E / 46.22444; 14.45611 (Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport)
Websitelju-airport.si
Map
LJU is located in Slovenia
LJU
LJU
Location of airport in Slovenia
LJU is located in Europe
LJU
LJU
LJU (Europe)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 3,300 10,827 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers970,152
Aircraft movements21,571
Cargo (metric tons)12,480
Source: Slovenian AIP at EUROCONTROL[2]
Statistics from Ljubljana Airport[3]

History

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The airport was officially opened in December 1963.[4] It replaced Polje Airport in the former Municipality of Polje near Ljubljana,[5] which served as the city's airport from 1933 and was Slovenia's first civil airport.[6] Regular flights from the new airport at Brnik began in January 1964.[4]

In the 1980s, Jat Airways offered flights from Chicago to Belgrade that included a nonstop segment between New York City and Ljubljana. The airline employed McDonnell Douglas DC-10s on the route. However, the flight from Belgrade to Chicago did not stop in Ljubljana.[7]

On 27 June 1991, two days after Slovenia's Independence from Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav People's Army began its military operations within the country. The airport was bombed during the first day of the war. The next day, 28 June, two journalists from Austria and Germany, Nikolas Vogel and Norbert Werner, were killed from a missile that struck their car near the airport, where they were both driving by during that time. Four Adria Airways airliners also took serious damage from the Yugoslav Air Force.

Finally on 29 June, the JPA soldiers at the Airport surrendered to Slovenian TO forces, who surrounded the entire facility overnight. The fighting ended on 7 July with the Brioni Agreement.[8][9]

On 8 December 2004, the airport received its first annual millionth passenger. Overall, the airport handled 1,721,355 passengers in 2019, representing a 5% drop in traffic figures compared to the previous year.

In 2007, the right-wing government proposed renaming the airport from Aerodrom Ljubljana to Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport. Jože Pučnik was a Slovene right-wing public intellectual, dissident, politician, and leader of the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (Demos) between 1989 and 1992.

Due to growing air traffic and Slovenia's EU entry, which requires the separation of traffic into Schengen and non-Schengen, Aerodrom Ljubljana Airport Authorities have prepared a redevelopment plan for the passenger terminal. The expansion was to be carried out in two phases. Works on the first phase began in early July 2007 to accommodate Slovenia's entry into the Schengen Area in December 2007. The terminal building (T1) was extended with a new upper level which added an additional 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft) to the departure lounge and four jetways have also been installed for easier passenger access to and from the terminal. In 2013, the second phase of terminal expansion which included a new terminal T2 was scrapped by the minority stakeholders.[10]

In 2014, the Slovenian government initiated a privatisation process of the airport. The bid was won by Fraport which, in turn, acquired a 75.5% stake in the airport.[11] The remaining shares were acquired in the following months resulting in Fraport taking 100% ownership of the airport.

Facilities

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Runway

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The airport has a 3,300 m × 60 m (10,827 ft × 197 ft) paved runway which is equipped with ILS Cat IIIb on runway 30. NDB and VOR approach are also available. The runway of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport was closed to air traffic in April 2010 during which time, the entire length of the asphalt surface of the runway was renovated, as well as the asphalt surface on some parts of the taxiways.

Expansion plan

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In April 2017 the airport operator Fraport Slovenia announced a plan to expand the existing passenger terminal.[12] A modular solution was proposed which can be carried out in phases that are effectively and continuously adapted to traffic development needs.

The first phase of the terminal expansion was opened for traffic in July 2021.[13] The capacity of the departures area was increased from 500 passengers per hour to 1,250 passengers per hour. A new 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft) extension was built to the west of the old terminal building.[14] It includes a large duty-free shop, a new business lounge, one new air bridge, as well as renovated food & beverage and promotional areas. There are 22 check-in desks and five long security lines available. A new baggage sorting area was also added and the baggage reclaim area was expanded and equipped with two long carousels.

The existing passenger terminal, which covers 13,000 m2 (140,000 sq ft), was partly renovated and functionally incorporated with the new building. The construction began in July 2019[15] and was completed in June 2021 in time for Slovenia's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The entire renovated and expanded terminal complex covers a total of 28,587 m2 (307,710 sq ft).

In 2017 Fraport Slovenija also published a revised Master Plan for the period 2010–2040.[16] It includes a plan to construct a new 6,000 m2 (65,000 sq ft) cargo terminal to the east of the airport complex, expansion of passenger and aircraft maintenance aprons and a relocation of the general aviation apron to the west. To the north, a business and logistics center named Airport City is planned. It will include various business and logistic facilities as well as a new hotel, there are multiple subsidies as well as incentives for the potential investor.[17] In January 2018 a new road from Kranj to Mengeš that will enable the development of the Airport City was opened.[18]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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The following airlines operate regular scheduled and seasonal flights to and from Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport:[19][20]

AirlinesDestinations
Aegean Airlines Seasonal: Athens[21]
airBaltic Riga[22][23]
Air France Paris–Charles de Gaulle[24]
Air Montenegro Podgorica
Seasonal: Tivat[25]
Air Serbia Belgrade,[26] Niš[27]
British Airways Seasonal: London–Heathrow[28]
Brussels Airlines[29] Brussels[30]
Corendon Airlines Seasonal: Antalya[31]
Seasonal charter: Heraklion[32]
easyJet[33] London–Gatwick
Finnair Seasonal: Helsinki[34]
flydubai Dubai–International[35]
FlyEgypt Seasonal charter: Hurghada
GP Aviation Seasonal charter: Pristina[36]
Iberia Seasonal: Madrid[37]
Israir Seasonal: Tel Aviv
LOT Polish Airlines[38] Warsaw–Chopin
Lufthansa[39] Frankfurt, Munich
Luxair Seasonal: Luxembourg[40][41]
Norwegian Air Shuttle Copenhagen[42]
Swiss International Air Lines Zürich[43]
Trade Air[44][45] Seasonal charter: Heraklion, Kos, Samos
Transavia[46] Amsterdam[47]
Seasonal: Paris–Orly[48]
Turkish Airlines Istanbul
Wizz Air[49] Skopje[50]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
DHL Aviation Leipzig/Halle[51]

Statistics

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Construction site of the airport in 1963
 
The airport in 1967
 
Passenger terminal in 2007
 
Terminal interior
 
Aerial view of the airport and its surroundings

Traffic figures and development

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Annual passenger traffic at LJU airport. See Wikidata query.
Pre-2000[52]
Year Passengers Change Cargo (t) Change Aircraft movements Change
1964 78,179 / 88 / 2,343 /
1965 133,184   70% 177   101% 3,180   36%
1966 136,584   3% 235   33% 4,099   29%
1967 136,665   0% 306   30% 4,479   9%
1968 68,303   50% 304   1% 3,807   15%
1969 96,108   41% 1,068   251% 4,474   18%
1970 171,503   78% 1,879   76% 5,728   28%
1971 273,946   60% 2,288   22% 6,509   14%
1972 275,460   1% 3,016   32% 8,525   31%
1973 367,872   34% 4,578   52% 8,633   1%
1974 668,599   82% 7,210   57% 13,123   52%
1975 553,565   17% 7,376   2% 11,645   11%
1976 528,490   5% 5,922   20% 10,797   7%
1977 541,592   2% 6,179   4% 10,964   2%
1978 475,242   12% 5,758   7% 8,941   18%
1979 661,254   39% 7,602   32% 12,397   39%
1980 581,103   12% 6,085   20% 11,312   9%
1981 659,465   13% 7,328   20% 11,805   4%
1982 627,931   5% 6,627   10% 10,870   8%
1983 595,260   5% 6,808   3% 9,743   10%
1984 623,588   5% 7,356   8% 10,050   3%
1985 668,285   7% 6,751   8% 11,624   16%
1986 785,281   18% 7,507   11% 12,518   8%
1987 886,281   13% 7,450   1% 14,038   12%
1988 835,206   6% 7,261   3% 13,716   2%
1989 725,064   13% 6,752   7% 14,296   4%
1990 765,033   6% 5,878   13% 16,253   14%
1991 347,583   55% 4,662   21% 8,794   46%
1992 248,851   28% 5,074   9% 8,861   1%
1993 402,563   62% 8,420   66% 12,898   46%
1994 497,456   24% 9,881   17% 15,821   23%
1995 638,268   28% 10,499   6% 17,868   13%
1996 668,532   5% 9,294   11% 18,190   2%
1997 713,696   7% 10,161   9% 20,279   11%
1998 786,600   10% 10,953   8% 25,723   27%
1999 895,540   14% 11,093   1% 27,219   6%
Traffic at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport
Year Passengers Change Cargo (t) Change Aircraft movements Change
2000 991,693   11% 12,396   12% 29,965   10%
2001 894,130   10% 12,403   1% 29,050   3%
2002 872,966   2% 12,021   3% 28,751   1%
2003 928,397   6% 12,080   1% 31,737   10%
2004 1,048,238   13% 11,780   2% 35,502   12%
2005 1,218,896   16% 11,560   2% 37,767   6%
2006 1,334,355   9% 15,309   32% 40,991   9%
2007 1,524,028   14% 21,717   42% 46,517   13%
2008 1,673,050   10% 17,188   21% 47,926   3%
2009 1,433,855   14% 14,333   17% 45,492   5%
2010 1,388,651   3% 17,310   21% 42,569   6%
2011 1,369,485   1% 19,659   14% 39,267   8%
2012 1,198,911   12% 17,031   13% 35,019   11%
2013 1,321,153   10% 17,777   4% 33,112   5%
2014 1,338,619   1.3% 18,983   6.8% 31,405   5.0%
2015 1,464,579   9,4% 18,852   0.07% 32,894   1,5%
2016 1,411,476   3,7% 19,802   5% 32,701   0,06%
2017 1,688,558   22.7% 24,314   18.7% 34,444   5.3%
2018 1,818,229   7.6% 25,907   6.5% 35,512   3.1%
2019 1,721,355   5.0% 24,874   8.2% 31,489   11.3%
2020 288,235   83.3% 10,559   57.5% 12,980   58.8%
2021 430,943   49.5% 17,461   65.3% 11,401   12.1%
2022 970,152   115.1% 12,480   28.5% 21,571  23.5%
Source: Fraport[53]

Busiest Routes from LJU in 2023

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Busiest routes to/from Ljubljana Airport (2023)[54]
Rank Airport Passengers 2023 Airlines
1   Istanbul, Turkey 175,014 Turkish Airlines
2   Frankfurt am Main, Germany 112,285 Lufthansa
3   Zürich, Switzerland 98,629 Swiss International Air Lines
4   Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France 86,970 Air France
5   Belgrade, Serbia 79,205 Air Serbia
6   London-Gatwick, United Kingdom 73,930 EasyJet
7   Brussels, Belgium 61,482 Brussels Airlines
8   Warsaw-Chopin, Poland 60,261 LOT Polish Airlines
9   Dubai-International, United Arab Emirates 56,804 Flydubai
10   Munich, Germany 54,537 Lufthansa
11   Amsterdam, Netherlands 44,092 Transavia
12   London-Heathrow, United Kingdom 43,191 British Airways
13   London-Luton, United Kingdom 40,521 Wizz Air
14   Hurghada, Egypt 36,841 FlyEgypt, Trade Air
15   Tel Aviv, Israel 25,339 Israir, Sun d'Or
16   Helsinki, Finland 20,085 Finnair
17   Athens, Greece 17,685 Aegean Airlines
18   Antalya, Turkey 16,697 Trade Air
19   Paris-Orly, France 15,386 Transavia
20   Skopje, North Macedonia 13,216 Wizz Air
21   Niš, Serbia 7,488 Air Serbia
22   Luxembourg City, Luxembourg 2,744 Luxair

Ground transport

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The airport is served by an exit off the A2 motorway and by bus services connecting it with the surrounding cities of Ljubljana, Kranj, Kamnik as well as Klagenfurt and its airport in Austria. Plans for a railway line connecting the airport with the city of Ljubljana and possibly also Kranj and Kamnik have been presented in the past, however the line most likely won't be built in the near future. The Airport is connected with many bigger Slovenian cities by bus and shuttle connections. Klagenfurt is connected by the Alpe Adria bus line. Other means of transportation to and from the airport are limited to the taxi services which are not controlled by the airport authority or Fraport Slovenija, and shared shuttle service with ticket sale point in the main arrival lobby. The price of a taxi will be considerably lower if you book online.[55]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "About the company – Fraport Slovenija, d.o.o." fraport-slovenija.si. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "EAD Basic – Error Page". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Fraport Traffic Figures December 2022" (PDF; 246 KB). fraport.com. Fraport AG. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b Pirc, Samanta (March 2005). "Zgodovinski pregled letališč v Republiki Sloveniji s poudarkom na cerkljansko letališče" [A Historical Overview of Airports in the Republic of Slovenia with an Emphasis on the Cerklje Airport] (PDF) (in Slovenian). High School of Commerce and Business, Celje. pp. 13–14.
  5. ^ Pataky, Nenad (17 November 2010). "Izgubljena Ljubljana" [Lost Ljubljana]. Dnevnik (in Slovenian).
  6. ^ "7622: Ljubljana – Staro letališče" [Ljubljana: The Old Airport]. Register of the Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (in Slovenian). Ministry of Culture, Slovenia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Jat Airways timetable". Winter 1983–1984. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Slovenia". Political Chronology of Europe. Europa Publications. 2003. pp. 234+. ISBN 978-1-135-35687-3.
  9. ^ "Yugoslav Planes Bomb Key Airports in Slovenia – Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 30 June 1991. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  10. ^ "STA: Mali delničarji Aerodroma Ljubljana zavrnili investicijo v nov terminal". sta.si.
  11. ^ Burns, Justin. "Fraport AG buys 75.5% stake in Ljubljana Airport – Airport World Magazine". airport-world.com.
  12. ^ "Aerodrom Ljubljana rebrands as Fraport Slovenija, terminal expansion about to begin". lju-airport.si. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  13. ^ "New terminal at Ljubljana Airport opens its doors to passengers". lju-airport.si.
  14. ^ "Environmental permit for the new passenger terminal" (PDF). arso.gov.si.
  15. ^ "Uradni list RS – Portal javnih naročil". enarocanje.si.
  16. ^ "Fraport Slovenia Sustainability report 2017" (PDF). fraport-slovenija.si. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Gorenjski glas | Rastemo hitreje kot letališča v regiji". gorenjskiglas.si.
  18. ^ "Promet je stekel po novi cesti mimo brniškega letališča". RTVSLO.si.
  19. ^ "Flight Schedules". lju-airport.si.
  20. ^ "Slovenia to suspend all commercial flights". exyuaviation.com. 16 March 2020.
  21. ^ https://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/06/aegean-airlines-to-suspend-ljubljana.html [bare URL]
  22. ^ "airBaltic to launch Ljubljana, Skopje and Pristina flights". exyuaviation.com. 30 August 2023.
  23. ^ "airBaltic upgrades Ljubljana service". exyuaviation.com. 22 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Air France NS24 Paris European Frequency Variations – 21JAN24". Aeroroutes.
  25. ^ "Air Montenegro Summer 2022 Network Additions". Aeroroutes.
  26. ^ https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240131-jurocodeshare
  27. ^ https://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/10/nis-outlines-planned-new-subsidised.html
  28. ^ "British Airways restores Ljubljana operations". exyuaviation.com. 23 August 2021.
  29. ^ "Timetable | Brussels Airlines". Archived from the original on 11 August 2020.
  30. ^ "Lufthansa Group Carriers July/August 2022 Intra-Europe Adjustment - 26JUN22". Aeroroutes.
  31. ^ "Summer 2024: Corendon launches two routes from Ljubljana". 2 November 2023.
  32. ^ "Corendon modifies planned Ljubljana operations". 6 March 2024.
  33. ^ "easyJet.com | Flight Timetables".
  34. ^ "Finnair to restore Ljubljana operations". 17 January 2023.
  35. ^ "Flydubai schedules Ljubljana service". exyuaviation.com. 14 June 2021.
  36. ^ "GP Aviation Expands Prishtina Nework in Nov/Dec 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  37. ^ "Iberia schedules Ljubljana service". 13 December 2023.
  38. ^ "Flights schedule". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
  39. ^ "Timetable & flight status". Archived from the original on 28 October 2018.
  40. ^ "Luxair to launch Ljubljana flights in September". exyuaviation.com. 29 June 2023.
  41. ^ https://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/07/luxair-reduces-ljubljana-service-over.html
  42. ^ "København – Ljubljana bliver Norwegians 10. Nye rute fra den danske hovedstaden – Dfly".
  43. ^ "Swiss to boost Ljubljana service". 21 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Trade Air bazirao A320 u Ljubljani, obavlja chartere prema Grčkoj i Hrvatskoj". croatianaviation.com. 7 June 2020.
  45. ^ "Trade Air ovog vikenda iz Ljubljane leti na Tenerife, Madeiru, Hurgadu..." croatianaviation.com. 24 April 2021.
  46. ^ "Flight status Transavia | View current flight times". Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  47. ^ "Transavia suspends Ljubljana for majority of winter". 27 October 2022.
  48. ^ "Transavia France to reinstate Ljubljana sales". exyuaviation.com. 15 December 2022.
  49. ^ "WIZZ – Dream more. Live more. Be more".
  50. ^ "Wizz Air schedules first two of four new Skopje routes". 18 May 2023.
  51. ^ swiftair.com – Routes retrieved 1 November 2019
  52. ^ "Traffic Figures – Aerodrom Ljubljana, d.d." (PDF).
  53. ^ "Fraport Traffic Figures July 2018" (PDF). Fraport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  54. ^ Ljubljana's busiest routes: Warsaw and Hurghada see fastest growth (Report). Ex-YU Aviation. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  55. ^ "Booking Ljubljana airport taxi pre-book online transfer to city center, Bled lake, Piran". airportljubljana.co.
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