www.airportbratislava.sk

Airport Bratislava - Another Alternative in Central Europe Zuzana Hornanova,
Bratislava M. R. Stefanik Airport

In 2008, Airport Bratislava scored yet another year of growth in a row. A 10 per cent year-on-year surplus meant 2,218,565 passengers handled. The airport is now getting ready for more successful years to come, and has therefore started upgrading its capacity.

Recent years can be described as a phase of a “teenage” growth, when Bratislava has gained its position on the map of Central Europe. Widely perceived as a secondary alternative to Vienna, Bratislava is trying to find its own place “under central-European skies”. From less than 300 thousand passengers in 1999, it grew to more than 2.2 million in the 10-year period.

The airport is technically ready to handle any aircraft type from small private jets to wide-body aircraft. Operating without any noise restrictions or night-flight limits, Bratislava is a flexible and reliable alternative to other competitors in the region. The latest newcomers tend to confirm Bratislava’s commercial attractiveness - one example is how the renowned delivery company DHL decided to move its operation from Vienna to Bratislava last year, as the smaller airport was prepared to offer better operating conditions and tailor-made solutions, helping the cargo carrier to maintain competitiveness and efficiency in their field.

The passengers, mostly the frequent fliers, tired of the stress and rush at big airports, appreciate the convenient accessibility by highway as well as the cosy size of the airport. Service to the passenger is very functional and efficient, maintaining all the usual standards of an international airport. Short walking distances and optimised passenger flows secure time savings and stress-free movement around the airport. Combined with new procedures like web check-in, the passenger has the opportunity to minimise time spent at the airport, which is an important advantage, particularly with shorter point-to-point flights, and for business travellers.

Operating at approximately 75 per cent capacity of the existing terminal building, it has been just the right time to start upgrading the premises. In December 2008, the first phase of terminal construction was launched, which will bring completely new premises by 2010. In the second phase, the current A building will be completely refurbished providing a brand new terminal of one-roof concept in 2012. The new building will double the annual capacity to 5 million passengers, and the peak hourly throughput to 1,500 passengers per hour (one way).

Bratislava is certainly not the “secondary airport” of the region. It is also the main gateway to one of the top ten fastest-growing European cities in terms of tourism. Globally speaking, Bratislava is an ideal weekend break get-away offering good value for money. The city served by the airport is one of the youngest capitals in Europe - a modern city with attractive offers for business, study and leisure. The charming city centre is cosy enough to be explored within a weekend break, but at the same time lively and changing enough to be worth returning several times a year. The city has a little bit of everything - from beautiful historical sights, and charismatic pubs to fancy restaurants, lovely and affordable opera performances, young and fresh-air festivals, attractive shopping-spree opportunities, and many art galleries. And the attractions do not end behind the city border. In ten minutes or so drive to the north, one can discover the renowned wine cellars, historical castles and chateaus, or just take an exciting boat trip to Vienna or Budapest.

To conclude, Bratislava is a win-win situation for both the airline and its passenger. Efficient, reliable, cost saving - an alternative well worth exploring.

www.airportbratislava.sk

 

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