Adria Airways eyes 20% growth in 2015

Adria posts improved 2014 results and anticipates strong 2015

Adria Airways estimates its passenger numbers will grow 20% this year and will be accompanied by a 15% rise in revenues as it prepares to open a new base in Lodz, station an aircraft in Pristina and launch new routes from Ljubljana and Tirana. The Slovenian carrier welcomed 1.112.857 passengers on board its aircraft in 2014, an increase of 8.4% compared to the year before. Adria achieved the result despite a fall in the number of operated flights from 19.509 in 2013 to 19.123 last year. The carrier recorded significant passenger growth on flights to and from its Pristina base, with some 180.000 travellers carried, up 20%. The airline is now the second busiest in the city, behind only Germania.

Year	PAX	Change (%)
2014	1.112.857	▲ 8.4
2013	1.026.839	▲ 4.0
2012	987.279	▼ 15.1
2011	1.163.016	▼ 0.6

Adria has posted encouraging results for the start of the year, with 65.667 passengers handled during January, an increase of 6% compared to the same month last year. It has also recorded a modest increase in the number of operated flights, up 2%. Aiding the growth during the first month of the year was the airline’s base in Pristina and a considerable number of charter flights operated from the city. Adria’s CEO, Mark Anžur, says, “Increasing passenger numbers is one of the development focuses contained in our business strategy until 2020. To ensure that as many passengers as possible select Adria as their airline of choice, we are adjusting our prices to suit the broadest possible range of customers, as we endeavour to satisfy both business travellers and those who are looking for the cheapest fares”. The airline has not released its financial results for 2014, however, Mr. Anžur says the carrier is expected to break even.

This summer, Adria will launch new flights from Ljubljana to both Stockholm and Berlin and introduce new services from Tirana to Brussels and Paris. The Slovenian carrier has also confirmed it will maintain seasonal summer flights from Ljubljana to London and Manchester, which will run from May 16 and May 30 respectively. Furthermore, the airline will launch six weekly flights from Lodz to Amsterdam, complementing its existing service to Munich. It has leased a former Lufthansa CityLine Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft, which it will base in Poland's third largest city, and has begun recruitment procedures for Polish crew members. Furthermore, the airline has concluded a lease agreement for an Airbus A320, which it will operate from April through to October, mainly on charters from Ljubljana. In addition, Adria will station an aircraft in Pristina and use one of its aging Bombardier CRJ200 jets for ad-hoc charters. Despite initial plans to introduce flights from Munich to Bratislava this summer, the route has now been put on hold until further notice.

Route	Launch date	Details
Lodz - Amsterdam	MAR 29	Click here
Tirana - Brussels	MAR 31	Click here
Tirana - Paris	MAR 31	Click here
Ljubljana - Stockholm	APR 23	Click here
Ljubljana - Berlin	APR 24	Click here