Fraport Slovenia, the operator of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, has revised up its passenger growth forecast for the year following a strong first half of 2017. Passenger numbers at the airport during the six-month period grew 20.8% year-on-year. "This growth was due to, on the one hand, the arrival of new airlines and, on the other hand, a significant increase in capacity utilisation by Adria Airways", Fraport said. While there were more passengers on flights from Ljubljana to Amsterdam (operated by Adria and Transavia), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Paris (Adria, Air France) and Brussels (Adria), figures decreased on routes to and from Frankfurt (Adria) and Belgrade (Air Serbia), as there were fewer flights operated to these cities.
London was the most popular route to and from the Slovenian capital during H1 2017, with 114.915 passengers carried by easyJet and Wizz Air, which serve Ljubljana from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. In two weeks, Wizz Air will further boost capacity on its London - Ljubljana route by upgauging its equipment to the Airbus A321 aircraft. Frankfurt was the second most popular route, followed by Istanbul. In order to cater for the increase in travellers, Ljubljana Airport plans to build a new passenger terminal and overhaul its existing facilities. Construction is set to begin in October 2018 and completed by April 2020. Procurement procedures are currently underway.
The Executive Board of Ljubljana Airport initially forecast passenger growth for 2017 in the low single-digit passenger range, but now foresees growth in the low double-digit percentage range. "This is phenomenal growth which will likely continue, so we expect an annual increase of around 10%", the General Manager of Ljubljana Airport, Zmago Skobir, said. He added, "According to forecasts, by the time the new terminal opens the airport should be handling around 1.8 million passengers. Over the next thirty years, we expect for average annual passenger growth to amount to 3.1%. In order for this to happen, Slovenia must continue growing, the Slovenian economy must continue developing, and foreign investment must keep rising. As a result, foreign travellers will continue coming to Slovenia. Our job is to maintain our competitiveness. Of course, passenger growth will also heavily depend on our national airline, Adria Airways, and the number of transfer passengers. Currently, Adria carries half of our passengers".
During the first half of the year, Ljubljana Airport's net profit doubled to one million euros, while revenue grew 13.5% to 18.5 million euros.
Who would have thought that London would be the nunber one destination from Ljubljana.
ReplyDeleteEspecially since it's a destination which is not served by Adria.
DeleteAnd just a few days ago there was news here that Ljubljana is the fastest growing weekend destination from Gatwick.
Delete17 flights per week from Ljubljana to London in S17 and three destinations in the UK. Not bad for an airport of Ljubljana's size.
DeleteWhat about new airlines? After Transavia came, Skobir said another two new airlines would start flying to LJU. It's almost September and still nothing, no announcment even.
ReplyDeleteYes and both were apparently supposed to be LCCs. Wonder what happened to that.
DeleteRyanair still hasn't announced summer schedules (2018) for most of its bases...
DeleteMaybe there is a surprise in works...
Congratulations Ljubljana. I'm glad it's recovering just like Adria.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that Wizz Air will be expanding there is the future. LJU can be a nice cheaper alternative to the airports in the region.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that Ljubljana Airport isn't really cheap.
DeleteNeither is BEG but it hasn't stopped them from expanding there.
DeleteIt's a bigger market.
DeleteLJU's catchment area is not that small, especially with ZAG being allergic to lowcost airlines.
DeleteWe have a lot of croats staying at our hotel and flying from ljubljana in the next morning. Around 20 per week at least during the last few months
DeleteIt is true that LJU's catchment area is big but it also has several other airports in that catchment area and the competition is very big.
DeleteWell for starters it can attract passengers for whom ZAG is simply too expensive. That's a start.
DeleteOf course it can't compete with Venice but it can attract passengers from southern Austria. Wizz Air and Transavia are good options for that.
@AnonymousAugust 27, 2017 at 11:18 AM
DeleteNot surprised at all, loads of mu m8s travel to Zadar to get cheap flights, Zadar is 250km from Zagreb, takes good 4 hours on the bus. I hate the hustle and take good deals when they're on offer @Zagreb.
Don't get how they expect just 10% growth this year if they are growing at 20-30% each month.
ReplyDeleteBecause growth won't be as big during winter. Adria started growing last winter.
DeleteThat, plus it's better to underestimate than overestimate.
DeleteLjubljana should be handling 2 million pax by now.
ReplyDeleteTheir projections seem very low. They expect 1.8 million in 2020! I think they could hit that next year.
ReplyDeleteOr this year if they keep on growing like this.
DeleteThe only problem is this is still catching up to 2008 numbers.
Delete1.7 million this year, 1.85 million next year, 2.0 million in 2019.
DeleteConservative estimates by me.
Could be 2.0 million easily next year as you pointed out, new airlines are coming and Slovenians should travel a lot more imho, now that there's more routes and more LCCs offering great deals.
10% growth is not realisti imo. We all forget that the airport had a massive decline last year. So if we take this into account a 5% growth per year should be realistic.
DeleteI'm hoping Eurowings starts flights to LJU.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Which routes?
DeleteEW has 319/320..
Great news for Ljubljana Airport. I'm glad things are finally picking up with Adria growing, plans for a terminal expansion and passenger numbers also growing.
ReplyDelete+1 future looking good
DeleteRyanair would be an absolute hit and give a lot of airlines in LJU a run for their money.
ReplyDeleteToo bad it's impossible for them to start flying due to the airport not considering lowering fees.
DeleteThey already have Wizz Air so maybe they should try to have them expand some more. Maybe flights to DTM and EIN could work.
DeleteAttracting more and more LCCs is the best way to compete against Zagreb at the moment. And also the best way too boost passenger numbers.
ReplyDeleteWhen did Air France start sending Hop to LJU?
ReplyDeleteHuh, don't take my word for it but it should be somewhere around 2013?
DeleteYes in 2013. Easy jet also used to fly from Paris to Ljubljana but they suspended that route.
DeleteLJU should try to get Paris flights upgraded from HOP! to AF.
DeleteWhy? Is there really any difference?
DeleteHardly possible when JP is also flying to CDG.
DeleteThey need to bring in new airlines. Their entire growth (and demise) over the years has been completely dependent on Adria.
ReplyDeleteHow come OU doesn't fly from SPU or DBV to LJU?
ReplyDeleteIt's really odd that there are no flights from Slovenia to the Croatian coast during the summer.
DeleteMaribor has.
DeleteYes a total of 4 flights in August to Split and Dubrovnik and it started this August...
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DeleteI think Slovenes just aren't used to flying to Croatia. It has too many limitations compared to driving and it's difficult to fly to Split if you are renting or own an apartment in a small town on Hvar, for example. With a car you just pack whatever you want and drive, whereas flying is quite expensive for families.
DeleteI am sure, LJU-DBV could work in summer very well
DeleteCroatia and Slovenia when it comes to transport connections is well connected, almost integrated transport infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteMost Slovenians that holiday in Croatia holiday in northern Croatia, Istria, Kvarner. Few venture further down to Dalmatia.
For these destinations you really don't need to fly, there's daily link with Pula with local trains and intercity.
For few that holiday in Dalmatia, motorway links are good and they can be in Split or Makarska in 5-6 hours driving. Flying to Dubrovnik would be convenient and perhaps best solution, but Dubrovnik is very expensive these days and not ideal place to visit with entire family, more of a romantic place to visit.
It would be fantastic to finally get some scheduled flights to Spain again so I'm really hoping for Vueling.
ReplyDeleteI think Wizz has canx their plans for A321, at least it is not showing in current schedule.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think Spain and Scandinavia are underserved from Ljubljana and there is potential for these two markets.
DeleteLjubljana should get new flights from lcc easyjet/wizzair/ryanair to Valencia or Madrid, Manchester or Edinburgh and also Scandinavia.
ReplyDeleteQuatar is considering about flights to Doha.
DeleteAny chance for Finnair to finally start year-round flights to LJU rather than just seasonal?
ReplyDeleteThose flights are pretty much for Asian transfers who don't travel so much to central europe in winter so I don't think they will go year round soon.
DeleteFinnair is confirmed flights will be also in W17. I think three times per week.
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