Bidding for Zagreb begins

Construction of new terminal to begin in 2012

The Croatian Government has begun accepting bids for the construction of a second terminal at Zagreb’s Pleso Airport. The deadline for the offer submissions is April 4, 2011. The government will decide on a contractor by September and construction of the terminal should begin in 2012, Transport Minister Božidar Kalmeta said. Aeroports de Paris and Houston Airport System have expressed interest in bidding contract, as well as the companies that manage the airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Istanbul, Zurich, Vienna and Singapore, Lidija Capković, a spokeswoman for Zagreb Airport said on February 8.

Zagreb Airport will remain in the hands of the state, the cities of Zagreb and neighbouring Velika Gorica, as well as the local government, Kalmeta said. As much as 10% of the airport may become property of its employees, he added. In 2010, Zagreb handled 2.067.646 passengers. In January 2010, the airport recorded a 10% passenger increase compared to the same month last year. The airport hopes to handle 5 million passengers in the years to come. The new terminal is planned to be built in 3 phases, with the first set to be completed in 2014. The current terminal will undergo a smaller expansion and face lift to accommodate the rising number of passengers until the new terminal is completed.