The Dubrovnik Airport has had a successful season, marked by a continuous increase in traffic and the hosting of the low-cost airline Ryanair. The establishment of new routes, even in the winter months, is a goal that the management of Ruđer Bošković Airport has fully achieved. There are multiple reasons for optimism, as the airport's director, Viktor Šober, shared with Dubrovački Vjesnik in an interview.

Photo - Bozo Radic/CROPIX

How do you evaluate this year's season at Dubrovnik Airport?

We are extremely satisfied with this year's season. Even in the preseason, in April and May, there was a significant growth of more than 30% in traffic. The upward trend continued throughout the season, so by mid-October 2024, Ruđer Bošković Airport recorded a 21.7% increase in traffic compared to the same period last year.

This year, the low-cost carrier Ryanair established its new base at Ruđer Bošković Airport. There has been much debate about the guests brought in by this airline. How do you assess the cooperation with them?

It's important to note that Ryanair established a base, introduced flights in the winter schedule, and recently announced a new route for the summer schedule next year, Dubrovnik to Gothenburg. As with other carriers, we continuously work on improving opportunities and establishing new routes. Guests arriving with Ryanair have significantly contributed to the occupancy rate, primarily in the preseason. Many travellers prefer to spend less on tickets and more on the destination itself, so the choice of airline is not an indicator of passengers' purchasing power.

Photo - Bozo Radic/CROPIX

The Dubrovnik area focuses on dispersing guests even during the winter period, where Ryanair should play a major role. What are the plans related to winter connections of Dubrovnik Airport with other cities?

We have presented the winter flight schedule, during which we are connected to several international destinations. In addition, we have flights in the pre- and post-season. By the end of November, and again from the beginning of March, we are connected to Madrid, Dublin, London, and Manchester. During the winter, we have several carriers—besides Ryanair, which connects us to London, Vienna, and Brussels, we have LOT Polish Airlines connecting us to Warsaw, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul, Vueling to Barcelona, and Croatia Airlines to Frankfurt.

Is there any news regarding more flights between Dubrovnik and New York?

Indeed, a significant development for Ruđer Bošković Airport and the entire destination is the extension of the seasonal route between Dubrovnik and New York/Newark with United Airlines. This route will operate daily from May 1, 2025, until the end of September 2025. Currently, there are negotiations with United to potentially extend flights into October, with a slightly reduced number of rotations.

This year, the two-millionth passenger arrived at Čilipi a month earlier than last year, on August 25. Is there room for even more traffic records?

With the mentioned growth trend at Ruđer Bošković Airport, we can say that we expect a record year. In addition to the increase in the number of passengers, we are actively working on increasing the number of carriers and destinations.

Photo - Tonci Plazibat/CROPIX

How satisfied are you with the implementation of the Schengen regime in air traffic?

We are satisfied with the implementation of the Schengen regime because our passenger terminal was originally designed and planned to operate under both Schengen and non-Schengen traffic conditions. This has especially facilitated travel for passengers going to and from Schengen destinations, as there is no border control.

In accordance with the EU Directive, earlier this year, the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency announced a tender for selecting a ground services provider at Dubrovnik Airport. How are things progressing in this regard?

At Ruđer Bošković Airport, we have been preparing for the liberalization of the ground services market for some time. Internal structural and organizational measures have been implemented to better adapt to market conditions. Particular emphasis has been placed on organizing work in accordance with the standards of airline operations.