AIRPORTS AS A FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION

Zračni promet je najmlajša in najhitrejše naraščajoča veja prometnega sistema. Za potek zračnega prometa so potrebne različne vrste zrakoplovov in zato primerna infrastruktura. Tako so letališča ključen dejavnik za potek zračnega transporta, posledično pa pripomorejo k razvijanju regije in države. V Sloveniji imamo kar znatno število letališč, od tega tri mednarodna. Z glavnim letališčem v Ljubljani pa postavljamo vodilno vlogo v širši regiji znotraj in tudi zunaj meja Slovenije. Poleg tega imamo odlične možnosti za razvoj tudi ostalih dveh mednarodnih letališč. V nalogi so predstavljena slovenska letališča in njihov položaj danes, prav tako so predstavljena letališča v sosednji bližini, ki konkurenčno vplivajo na položaj domačih. Narejena je primerjava ljubljanskega letališča z letališči v Trstu, Gradcu, Budimpešti in Zagrebu. Pri primerjavi je poudarek na prometu letališč, njihovih infrastrukturnih elementih in povezavah z zaledjem. V nadaljevanju naloge je poudarek na možnostih in potencialih nadaljnjega razvoja letališč v Sloveniji na infrastrukturnem področju v Mariboru in Portorožu, ter na področju povezovanja letališč z zaledjem in gradnjo železniške proge, ki bi povezala Ljubljano z njenim letališčem. Na razvoj letališč in zračnega prometa je v zadnjih letih močno vplivalo nekaj negativnih dejavnikov, ki so na kratko predstavljeni, poudarek pa je na izgubi edinega lastnega letalskega ponudnika in na svetovni pandemiji, ki je pustila močan negativen pečat v zračnem prometu.Air transport is the youngest and fastest growing branch of the transport system. Different types of aircraft and therefore suitable infrastructure are required for the flow of air traffic. Thus, airports are a factor in the flow of air transport, and consequently contribute to the development of the region and the country. We have a significant number of airports in Slovenia, 3 of which are international. With the main airport in Ljubljana, we are setting a leading role in the wider region inside and outside the borders of Slovenia. In addition, we have excellent opportunities for the development of the other two international airports. The paper presents Slovenian airports and their position today, as well as the airport in the neighboring vicinity, which competitively affect the position of domestic. On the basis of the presented airports, a comparison of Ljubljana Airport with the airports in Trieste, Graz, Budapest and Zagreb is made. In comparison, the emphasis is on the traffic of the airports themselves, their infrastructural elements and connections with the hinterland. In the continuation of the task, the emphasis is on the possibilities and potentials of further development of airports in Slovenia, especially in the infrastructural area in Maribor and Portorož, and in the field of connecting airports with the hinterland and construction of a railway line connecting Ljubljana with its airport. The development of airports and air transport in recent years has been strongly influenced by a few negative factors, which are briefly presented, with the emphasis on the loss of its only airline provider and the global pandemic, which has left a strong negative mark on air transport