The launch of the first scheduled air service between Croatia and China has also brought changes inside the passenger terminal at Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman Airport. Ahead of Air China’s arrival, the airport adapted part of its passenger information system, introducing additional signage and content in Chinese.

Air China launched its new Beijing – Bucharest – Zagreb service on September 4, establishing a year-round connection between the Croatian capital and Beijing. Flights operate three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

The arrival of an airline from a market that had previously not been directly connected with Zagreb also created the need to adapt airport infrastructure for passengers whose primary language is neither Croatian nor English. Zagreb Airport therefore adjusted passenger information and signage across different parts of the terminal, including information displayed in Chinese. The additional signage is intended to make it easier for passengers arriving from China to navigate the terminal, as well as during their departure from Zagreb.

Although relatively modest in scale, the change reflects the broader significance of Air China’s arrival. For Franjo Tuđman Airport, the new service represents more than simply adding another destination to its network. It also requires adapting to a new market, its passengers and their specific requirements. The terminal changes form part of efforts to tailor the passenger experience to travellers arriving in Zagreb directly from the Chinese market.

The new route also represents the first scheduled passenger air connection between China and Croatia. Air China operates from Beijing via Bucharest before continuing to Zagreb, with the return service following the same routing back to China.

The service opens additional opportunities for tourism and business travel between Croatia and China, while also supporting stronger economic ties between the two countries. At the same time, the changes introduced within the terminal demonstrate how Franjo Tuđman Airport has prepared for a new group of passengers resulting from the direct connection with the Chinese market.

Air China’s inaugural flight was welcomed in Zagreb on September 4 with a traditional water salute, attended by representatives of the Chinese carrier, Croatian institutions, the tourism sector and the Chinese Embassy. Alongside the sight of a widebody Airbus A330 on the Zagreb apron, the new connection with China has therefore also become visible inside the terminal itself through passenger information and signage adapted for Chinese travellers.