Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport has continued to recover following a six-month passenger downturn with figures increasing in November. Slovenia's main airport handled 99.082 travellers during the month, an increase of 5.5% compared to the same period last year. The solid growth came despite a significant decline in the number of operated flights, indicating better loads on existing services. The number of aircraft movements stood at 2.354, down 10.4%. Overall, Ljubljana Airport welcomed 1.309.496 passengers through its doors during the January - November period, which is still a decrease of 3.6%. Aircraft movements totalled 30.260, down 1.8%. The improved figures during the penultimate month of the year came as a result of Adria Airways, which has boosted frequencies on a number of routes, as well as the continued solid performance by foreign carriers.
Despite plans to handle 1.5 million passengers this year, the airport will fall short of the figure. Earlier this year it said, "Numbers will be heavily influenced by how Adria Airways' new owners manage the airline. Air traffic growth is forecast to be moderate, but stable. At the same time, changes in the traffic structure are expected to go in favour of an increased share of foreign air carriers". Meanwhile, low cost airlines have improved their passenger share at the airport this year, with Wizz Air and easyJet handling 14.2% of all travellers. This will further increase in 2017 with Transavia to launch operations from Amsterdam to the Slovenian capital.
Ljubljana Airport is expected to extend its growth into December with Adria Airways recently boosting frequencies on its Amsterdam service, while easyJet commenced four weekly operations from London Gatwick, complementing its well-established route from Stansted Airport. Since launching services to Ljubljana in 2004, easyJet has operated over 9.750 flights and handled 1.274.399 travellers to the city. Slovenian media recently reported that Ljubljana Airport is eyeing carriers such as Iberia Express, Vueling and even Ryanair but warned that talks were at an extremely early stage. Last month, Norwegian Air Shuttle told EX-YU Aviation News of its interest in the Slovenian market.
| Month | PAX | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| JAN | 73.567 | ▲ 0.6 |
| FEB | 77.976 | ▲ 7.9 |
| MAR | 93.923 | ▲ 3.3 |
| APR | 100.549 | ▼ 10.5 |
| MAY | 116.499 | ▼ 9.3 |
| JUN | 135.757 | ▼ 9.2 |
| JUL | 163.267 | ▼ 5.0 |
| AUG | 165.137 | ▼ 8.1 |
| SEP | 151.658 | ▼ 3.7 |
| OCT | 132.081 | ▲ 2.8 |
| NOV | 99.082 | ▲ 5.5 |
Good thing they got some momentum going now. I expect 2017 will be much much better for them.
ReplyDeleteIf Adria makes it (which as far as I understand is doubtful at best)
DeleteYep, all depends on Adria. And after selling everything, including their brand, there's not much things left to sell.
DeleteNot a bright future ahead...
If they manage to attract any of those airlines mentioned it would be fantastic. Flights to Spain are much needed.
ReplyDeleteMany things are needed but Madrid and Barcelona could probably work 2 or 3 p/w. Possibly even Valencia or Sevilla during the summer season.
DeleteOut of all airlines I'd like to see a yearly service of Norwegian air. Maybe 2 seasonal destinations by them oslo and Stockholm, but 1 of those should be yearly, preferably Stockholm. Their network is good and would allow us to visit the northern destinations as well as connect to a lcc transatlantic route.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteFinally numbers going up. December should be strong.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is that they had more passengers in 2007 and 2008 then today...
ReplyDelete2008 were almost 1.7 mio
DeleteThey had EU troika
Hope to get soon some new flights. Specialy Valencia, Madrid or Hamburg would be interesting destinations.
ReplyDeleteJP could try days 1,5,7 BCN with 1,7 evening an dy 5 morning flight CR9
ReplyDeletePromote it well in Spain too
I think it wld make sense to add SPU in SUTT too, same as ex YU flights, with short connex ex Germany, CH etc
If they really want to increase pax numbers, they need to catch thousands of people, who are using GoOpti to go to TRS,TSF,VCE,BLQ,BGY and are flying everywhere in Europe with FR and EZY.
ReplyDeleteThat's the reality. Very few people will pay 400 EUR for a ticket with Adria to BCN, when they can pay 30 EUR with FR and another 50 EUR to drive 3h each way with a bus. They'd rather spend the rest on shopping, food, hotels, etc. at destination.
Vueling was in LJU, they did not return, so seems they were not happy
DeleteSlovenians are flying LC airlines only when the LC is offering low prices. They are obsessed by low prices. As the majority of people air travelling there have government jobs are students or retired they don,t care about the day just the price. They take time of whenever they want. Even doctors ( medicine) are going to the popular shopping vacations in New York only when prices from e.g . Venice are extremely low.
DeleteEven Slovenians `with money' have the obsession to fly for the lowest price only ... at least when they need to fork out their own money :) I can't get it because they are throwing money for good cars (loans too), big houses with bad heating systems and expensive mantenance ..but air tickets not.
DeleteIt's the way air travel has developed. People don't think of air travel as a special part of journey, just a method of getting from A to B as fast as they can, and for as little money as possible.
DeleteLet's say that both JP and FR/EZY/VY were flying LJU-BCN. If you go on holiday, what does JP offer that FR/EZY/VY don't? And are the extras really worth to spend 200+ EUR more on a ticket?
Anon 11:32: what exactly is your point of your comment, except to show prejudice, intolerance and hatred? I just bought a ticket from VCE for about 600€ (prices were in the 500-700€ range), when flying to the same destination from LJU would be 1300-1500€ and the travel time would be much longer. From my home it's about the same travel time to VCE or LJU. Now, if you want to pay 2000€ out of your own pocket to go somewhere where you could get to for 800€, be my guest, it's your god given right, but if I'm paying out of my own pocket, I also have the right to choose where I fly from.
DeleteAgree absolutely with the last anon. This only goes to show that Slovenians are rational. I too could care less about the airport numbers...if I can pay 1/3 of the price elsewhere. Especially when it comes to shorter flights.
DeleteLJU needs to end its dependence on JP.
ReplyDeleteI hope they manage to maintain the growth in December. From next summer I'm sure Ljubljana will grow at a much quicker pace. Apparently Adria plans to open a few more routes.
ReplyDeletewow 10,4% decrease in operations! what the hell happened?
ReplyDeleteOT
ReplyDeleteThis morning's Wizz Air BEG-LCA-BEG full both ways.
OT: Monarch returns to DBV after 2 years on route to Manchester, 2pw, A321!
ReplyDeleteLjubljana should really try and capitalize on the fact that Zagreb is increasing its fees and try to get some LCCs. Especially since many of them are avoiding Zagreb at the moment. Instead of people from Ljubljana going to Zagreb they could really reverse this trend.
ReplyDeleteGood to see Ljubljana Airport bouncing back.
ReplyDeleteThey need to attract more airlines. If nothing they should give some incentives. Adria is now a private company. Their well being should not be Ljubljana Airport's priority.
ReplyDeleteYeah but 65% of their passengers come from Adria. If they went bust it would really hurt the airport, at least in the short term.
DeleteWhy no Lufthansa at LJU?
ReplyDeleteBecause Adria does the job for them :)
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ReplyDeleteJa mislim da bi LJU trebala da prosiri saradnju sa U2 i da bi onda znatno vise porastao broj putinka .
DeleteINN-NS