Lumbarda Seaplane Terminal

The terminal's closure was a direct result of the shutdown of its sole operator, European Coastal Airlines (ECA). In August 2016, the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency (CCAA) suspended and later revoked ECA's Air Operator Certificate (AOC) due to severe safety and maintenance violations. The grounding was prompted by whistleblower reports from former pilots and staff, which led to inspections that uncovered significant safety deficiencies across the airline's operations. The closure was therefore due to regulatory action and safety concerns, not economic reasons or a specific incident at the Lumbarda location.

The site is no longer used as a seaplane terminal. The minimal infrastructure, which consisted of a floating pontoon and a small branded kiosk, was removed after European Coastal Airlines ceased operations. The water area and adjacent coastline at the specified coordinates have reverted to their previous use as part of the public coastal promenade and a small marina in Lumbarda, used for mooring local and tourist boats. There are no physical remnants of the seaplane operation.

The Lumbarda Seaplane Terminal was not a traditional airport but a designated water landing area with a pontoon dock and a small check-in facility. Its significance lies in being a key part of the modern revival of seaplane travel in Croatia, operated by European Coastal Airlines. ECA was the first scheduled seaplane service in Europe in modern times. The terminal connected the popular tourist island of Korčula with other destinations on the Adriatic coast, most notably Split Airport and the city of Split. Operations were conducted using de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft. This service offered a dramatically faster connection to the island (e.g., ~25 minutes from Split) compared to hours-long ferry and catamaran journeys. The service was operational for a very brief period, primarily during the 2015 and 2016 tourist seasons, before the airline's collapse.

There are no concrete or official plans to reopen the Lumbarda Seaplane Terminal. However, the concept of re-establishing a seaplane network in Croatia remains popular, and there have been several announcements from different investment groups and potential operators since ECA's demise. In early 2024, news emerged of a German-backed company planning to launch a new seaplane airline in Croatia, potentially starting in 2025, with Korčula mentioned as a possible destination. Any reopening at the Lumbarda site is entirely speculative and contingent on a new airline successfully obtaining all necessary licenses and choosing to re-establish this specific route and terminal.