KORČULA Vela Luka Seaplane Terminal

The terminal's closure was a direct result of the cessation of operations by its sole airline, European Coastal Airlines (ECA). In August 2016, the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency (CCAA) suspended ECA's Air Operator Certificate (AOC) due to significant safety concerns, including maintenance irregularities and pilot training issues. Despite attempts to resolve the issues, the airline was unable to regain its license, leading to financial collapse and the termination of all flights and services by the end of 2016. The closure was therefore due to the regulatory grounding and subsequent economic failure of the operating company.

The physical infrastructure of the seaplane terminal, which consisted of a small dedicated pontoon for docking and a nearby kiosk for check-in and passenger services, has been completely removed. The location at coordinates 42.959075, 16.710156 is now part of the general public waterfront and port area of Vela Luka. The site is used for mooring local boats, as a promenade, and is adjacent to the main ferry terminal. There are no remaining signs or structures indicating its past use as a seaplane base.

The Vela Luka Seaplane Terminal was a key component of a pioneering and ambitious project by European Coastal Airlines to establish the first modern scheduled seaplane service in Europe. Launched in 2014, the network aimed to drastically reduce travel times between the Croatian mainland and its numerous islands. The Vela Luka terminal connected the western part of Korčula island with major hubs like Split Airport and other destinations such as the island of Hvar and Lastovo. Operations were conducted with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplanes, which could land directly in the town's bay. For tourists and locals, this service transformed a multi-hour ferry journey into a short, scenic flight of approximately 20-25 minutes to Split. The ICAO code 'HR-0002' is a national location indicator used for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) operations in Croatia, not a standard international airport code, reflecting the small-scale and specialized nature of the facility.

As of late 2023, there are no concrete or officially confirmed plans to reopen the Vela Luka Seaplane Terminal. Since the collapse of European Coastal Airlines, there have been several announcements and expressions of interest from various investors and potential new operators aiming to re-establish seaplane services in Croatia. However, these initiatives have faced significant regulatory hurdles and have not yet resulted in the launch of a new, sustainable airline network. Any potential reopening of the Vela Luka terminal is entirely dependent on a new company successfully obtaining all necessary permits, funding, and aircraft to operate a nationwide service. Therefore, the prospects for reopening remain highly speculative and uncertain.