Ruđer Bošković Airport plans to end the year 2023 with a total of about 2.41 million passengers transported, which is an increase of 12.50% compared to 2022, and with about 21,400 aircraft operations, which represents an increase of about 3.96% in the number of operations compared to 2022.
The increase in the number of transported passengers also had a positive impact on financial operations, with the estimated total revenues for 2023 amounting to around 57 million euros, which represents an expected increase of around 13% compared to the previous year. Also, the estimated total expenditures for the year 2023 amount to around 51.6 million euros, which represents an expected increase of 19% compared to the previous year. The estimated profit of Dubrovnik Airport d.o.o. for the year 2023 will be around 5.4 million euros. For the year 2024, we plan to achieve about 2.9 million passengers, which represents an increase of about 20% compared to this year. With this, Ruđer Bošković Airport would surpass the result of the record year 2019 and fully recover from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and other external influences.
According to the announcements by carriers, for the year 2023 an increase in the number of operations of about 17% is expected on flights to Western and Central Europe, especially the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia. The membership of the Republic of Croatia in the Schengen zone and the establishment of Ryanair’s base with two aircraft, which should start with operations at the beginning of the summer season of 2024, will have a major impact on the increase in traffic.
New flights of the carrier Ryanair to 18 destinations in the summer season were announced, related to the establishment of the base, and a new flight of easyJet to Lisbon and Flynas to Riyadh. Apart from the establishment of the Ryanair base, the most significant announcements are from carriers that are already among the top ten carriers at Ruđer Bošković Airport according to the number of passengers transported. These are easyJet, Lufthansa, Vueling Airlines, Volotea, Jet2.com, TUI Airways, Norwegian Air shuttle, British Airways, Aer Lingus, and the national carrier Croatia Airlines. All mentioned carriers have announced an increase in capacity on all routes to Dubrovnik or have kept existing capacity at the same level, which will significantly contribute to traffic growth. A significant increase in traffic is expected towards Schengen destinations such as Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam and Rome, and an increase in capacity is expected on non-Schengen destinations and lines to the UK and USA. Particularly significant are the announcements by United Airlines on the intercontinental route New York – Dubrovnik and vice versa, which announced the continuation of traffic in the last summer season as well.
In addition to this important route, Dubrovnik Airport d.o.o. is negotiating with several carriers about the possibility of introducing additional lines, and a special focus is placed on flights in the winter season. We are expecting the next winter season 2024/2025, in addition to Croatia Airlines, Ryanair, Turkish Airlines and easyJet, several carriers to operate to various Schengen and non-Schengen destinations. During 2023, Dubrovnik Airport d.o.o. completed a number of different projects, of which infrastructural and operational changes related to the entry of the Republic of Croatia into the Schengen zone and the change of the name of the airport at Ruđer Bošković Airport were highlighted.
We are preparing for the introduction of the EES (entry/exit system) and ETIAS in 2024, whose entry into force is expected during the next year, and we are actively working on the preparation of the next summer season.
With respect,
Dubrovnik Airport Management d.o.o
