Is the European Coastal Airlines dream about to become a reality - connecting the islands and mainland of Croatia to each other by hydroplane?
The project is not new, and the owners claim some high-powered support, including German chancellor Angela Merkel. It is an ambitious plan which, if implemented, could revolutionise connections between the islands and different destinations on the mainland. The island of Hvar, for example, connected to Split Airport, Split Town, Dubrovnik, Korcula Town and Vela Luka on Korcula, with plans to extend coverage further north and even include an international connection with Italy.
The story surfaces every few months, but then seems to die down, but is this time different? A series of high level meetings, the launch of a Facebook page for the airlines, and the confident announcement that they will be flying in 2014 within Dalmatia, with plans to add northern Croatia in 2015, creating 400 jobs in the process, with an investment of 300 million kuna.
It would certainly beat fighting one's way to the ferry terminal from the airport, and the rumoured prices are more than affordable.
September 30, 2013