According to data from the Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE) on the number of passengers in September, the Jože Pučnik Ljubljana Airport is one of few European airports to record growth.

Aerodrom Ljubljana's operating revenues in the first nine months stood at EUR 24.4m, which is 5.5% more than planned and 1.2% more than in the same period last year, the company said after a session of the supervisory board.

Operating profit reached EUR 6.2m, which was enough for the EUR 5.2m net profit, which is 5.6% more than in the first nine months of 2012 and 21.5% above the plan.

The good results are a consequence of an increased number of passengers carried both by national flag carrier Adria Airways and foreign airlines. The airport served 1.03 million passengers in the first nine months.

This is 8.1% more than in the same period last year and 7.7% more than planned. Passengers mostly travelled to London, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Zurich, Munich and Paris.

Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air, which established links to London Luton and Belgium's Charleroi in the last quarter of 2012, contributed strongly to the increase, the company said.

Passengers carried by low-cost airlines represented a 12.3% share in the total number of passengers, which is up 4.2 percentage points year-on-year.

Cargo transport rose 6.7% year-on-year to 13,093 tonnes in the first nine months, 6.5% more than planned.

The business plan for 2014, which was confirmed today by the supervisors, envisages a further growth. The number of passengers is planned to increase by 7%, primarily on the account of links which are being re-established with Prague, Warsaw and London, Aerodrom Ljubljana chairman Zmago Skobir told the press.

Air Serbia will start with scheduled daily flights next month, Skobir said, adding that the company has so far invested EUR 3.7m in facilities and equipment this year.

He said that the company is cautious with investment as it is the process of privatisation, adding that it plans to invest EUR 5.8m next year, including in airport lighting and a part of the apron.

According to Skobir, Aerodrom Ljubljana recently bought some of the assets of Adria Airways, including a hangar, an apron and workshops for EUR 4m. The company opted for the purchase as a strategic move.