Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, whose traffic trends and business has been heavily dependent on Adria Airways, has eased its reliance on the national carrier, with foreign airlines having an increasing impact. Adria's passenger share at its home base in Ljubljana stood at 56% in 2018, down from a high of over 77% in 2010. This year, the Slovenian carrier is estimated to account for around 50% of Ljubljana's traffic. "The share of travellers carried by Adria Airways has been declining for several years and currently accounts for more than half of our passenger traffic. The decrease in the number of travellers handled by Adria is being replaced by foreign carriers, which are introducing new services and increasing capacity on existing ones", Ljubljana Airport said.
This summer season, foreign carriers are boosting their presence in Ljubljana. British Airways will launch operations from London Heathrow Airport with its Airbus A321 jet, while Air France HOP! will add an extra weekly flight for a total of ten and increase capacity from the Embraer E170 to the E190 jet. Furthermore, Aeroflot has upped capacity from the Sukhoi Superjet 100 to the Airbus A320, while LOT Polish Airlines is maintaining all of its services from Warsaw to Ljubljana with its Embraer jet-engine fleet instead of the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop. Despite the growing number of foreign airlines in Ljubljana, the airport's General Manager, Zmago Skobir, recently said that Adria remains an important partner. "We are pleased that, despite numerous issues the national carrier has faced over the past ten years, things have started to improve. We will see the future outcome but, for the time being, our cooperation with Adria is exemplary and we expect its future plans to have a further positive effect. Of course, it wouldn't be the end of the world for the airport or Slovenia's connectivity if things didn't go according to plan", Mr Skobir said.
The Slovenian government recently adopted plans to subsidise airlines for the launch of new routes to and from Ljubljana Airport in an attempt to improve the country's air connectivity by 2021. The Slovenian Tourist Board recently launched tender procedures aimed at advertising and marketing services which will be provided on behalf of airlines establishing new flights to Ljubljana from markets deemed to be "of strategic importance for Slovenian tourism". This will also include subsidies for airlines increasing frequencies on existing services. "We are very keen to connect with the Iberian peninsula, as well as Scandinavia and northern Germany, and we are in constant contact with airlines. We are Slovenia's ambassadors, because we promote the state's development in order to convince carriers to launch flights. Our market's small size can be discouraging to major airlines so we put a lot of effort into these talks", Mr Skobir noted.
I am not too worried about LJU. If Adria goes bankrupt (which I hope won't happen) other airlines will just come instead. Sure there would probably a large short term decline but things would recover. What I do not get is why LCC are so weak at LJU. Maybe Ljubljana could have capitalised on the fact that most low costers are avoiding Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteOf course other airlines will come in that scenario (on routes to Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Prague, Scandinavia). But LJU will loose some of its connections...and of course frequencies.
DeleteLJU without JP is like a flower with no water.
DeleteI agree with 9.03. If JP disappeared from LJU other airlines would rush to fill the void. That is what happened to all airports where the national carrier went out of business.
DeleteWhich airline will step in to fly to places like Sofija or Skoplje?
DeleteNoone. There will be some damage to connectivity.
One connecting passanger counts twice, the traffic figure would go down like crazy and will take years to get back to square 1
DeleteJP doesn't have that many transfer passengers because its network keeps on shrinking.
Delete@10.19 Wizz will start LJU-SKP, its not going to be daily though
DeleteGetting a LCC to base an aircraft in LJU would be beneficial. But the problem with LJU are also high costs and they have actually gone up since Fraport took over.
Deletestate taxes and other charges, which the airport has no control over, is the reason there aren't more LCCs in LJU.
DeleteWhat state taxes? LCCs mostly only care about airport fees which are very high in LJU.
DeleteWow 77% share o.O that's something Wizz can aspire towards at Skopje :D
ReplyDeleteI think this is good because more foreign airlines are flying which is something Ljubljana needs.
ReplyDeleteSo Croatia Airlines now has the biggest share at its base - around 60%, then Adria around 55% and Air Serbia around 50%.
ReplyDeleteASL share in BEG for 2018 was 46%
DeleteWhat about Montenegro Airlines' share in Podgorica?
DeleteLast summer JU's share was down to 42%.
DeleteI really hope Wizz Air will expand its network to Ljubljana. I think there is a lot of potential. Why have they not done more?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the airport is too expensive?
DeleteeasyJet would be the best fit for expansion
DeleteWhy easyJet?
DeleteI thin they serve the destinations LJU needs some LCC operator, plus they fly to main airports unlike Wizz. For example I could see easyjet being successful on routes such as Paris, Basel, Milan or maybe Naples, as well as another non-London destination in the UK.
DeleteIsn't Wizz increasing CRL to 3 weekly?
DeleteFyi, Wizz also flies to main airports: FRA and VIE being just 2 examples
DeleteOne very nice plus of LJU is being connected to 4 London airports, which is really not bad. Fraport have realised they'd better start acting as the other airports are also acting fast.
ReplyDeleteFraport has to get back 250 mil and make a profit as well. The only option is expansion.
DeleteGood to see that foreign airlines are adding flights. It's the reason they have had passenger growth so far this year since Adria's numbers have declined.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with that rumour that Turkish will have three daily flights to LJU?
DeleteGood that they have finally realized not to put all their eggs in one baskets. A lesson to some other airports in the region.
ReplyDeleteWhich goes to show that Fraport has had a positive impact on LJU.
DeleteFraport is doing a good job.
DeleteThe airport has really woken up lately and attracted a couple of new routes by foreign airlines.
ReplyDeleteVery few in my opinion. More needs to be done.
DeleteI'm glad things are finally picking up for LJU with new airlines and routes, plans for a terminal expansion and passenger numbers growing.
ReplyDeleteLet's see how Adria's network cuts will affect them in summer first.
DeleteHope the construction of the new terminal goes to schedule and that it results in some new airlines like in Zagreb.
DeleteLJU already got easyJet from Berlin and Transavia and Aeroflot so they are not waiting for the new terminal.
Delete3 routes in 5 years. Really impressive.
DeleteThat IS a milestone for an ex-YU airport.
DeleteLOT is on a roll. I really don't understand how successful they became in the region.
ReplyDeleteGood fares and relatively good service with excellent connections via WAW.
DeleteSame as why a lot of ex-yu airlines have survived. Heavy government subsidies.
DeleteI would love to see an LCC takeover some monopoly routes by Adria.
ReplyDeleteLike VIE-LJU for example.
DeleteLaudamotion?
DeleteVIE-LJU would never work on an A320.
DeleteStill no flights to Spain, the Middle East, Italy, Greece...
ReplyDeleteApparently Qatar Airways will announce LJU flights this year.
DeleteQatar won't announce anything about LJU except that they're still looking at it
DeleteThey will announce 8 new destinations in the second half of the year. Considering they have started launching secondary cities in Europe and the fact that LJU will offer subsidies, I see a real chance for Ljubljana.
DeleteThere were flights to Athens and they turned out to be a total disaster.
DeleteATH should work with JP, connecting on A3 network. They got SAABs now. They should try ATH.
DeleteCan the Saab make it from Ljubljana to Athens?
DeleteI see potential for either SAS or Norweigan launching flights, possibly Brussels Airlines too.
ReplyDeleteBrussels Airlines has struggled on its ZAG route and now flies seasonally. I doubt they could do any better in Ljubljana.
DeleteThere is no need for Brussels Airlines. State employees will use Adria while for tourists there is Wizz Air to Cherleroi.
DeleteBrussels will do all year from this year in Zagreb
DeleteSmart.
ReplyDeleteOverall LJU offers a nice range of destinations.
ReplyDeleteMissing many major European cities.
Delete"it wouldn't be the end of the world for the airport or Slovenia's connectivity if things didn't go according to plan"
ReplyDeleteDo they know something we don't.
They probably have a disaster scenario already planned up and ready to immediately set in motion if Adria goes down. It would be stupid not to have a disaster scenario planned out in a situation like this.
DeleteI really hope they do. This scenario is looking more and more real.
DeleteAdria's share is still huge. A bit less than Wizz in Skopje but still huge. More competition needed.
ReplyDeleteSve u svemu, ne čini se da je dolazak Fraporta išta promijenio. Jedina nova linija je ona za LHR, a povećanje frekvencija i kapaciteta nije zbog Fraport managementa, nego jer linije jednostavno dobro idu i jer je JP u punoj defanzivi
ReplyDeleteNo matter how people feel about Fraport I get the impression that they have been working on diversifying the offer. They managed to bring LOT, Aegean and Swiss (short period), British Airways, Transavia, new easyjet flights.
DeleteHow on earth they bring LOT and Swiss. They bring 3 companies in 5 years. That is very bad result. Even if they bring 6 routes in 6 years that is far from good.
DeleteNorwegian please considers some of those Scandinavia routes.
ReplyDeleteThey said ages ago they were interested in flying to LJU but since then nothing.
DeleteI see potential for SAS launching flights from either Copenhagen or Oslo. Especially since they are Star Alliance and could cooperate with Adria.
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.
DeleteNorwegian's expansion is slowing down due to financial problems. Add to that the MAX fiasco as well as 787 engine problems, I don't see them coming to LJU any time soon.
DeleteI'm hoping Vueling or Iberia start flights from Spain if Adria doesn't want to.
ReplyDeleteMadrid and Barcelona could probably work 2 or 3 p/w. Possibly even Valencia or Sevilla during the summer season.
DeleteJP could try days 1,5,7 BCN with 1,7 evening an day 5 morning flight CR9. Promote it well in Spain too.
DeleteVueling was in LJU, they did not return, so seems they were not happy
DeleteHow many pax will Ljubljana handle this year?
ReplyDelete1.9 million
Delete2 milion is realistic
DeleteI hope they manage to maintain the growth this year despite Adria cuts.
DeleteSo there is no chance for them to overtake Skopje this year?
DeleteSorry but I don't think it was ever in contention of overtaking Skopje.
DeleteLJU EVER overtaking SKP, lol dream on dude
DeleteWhich new airline could Ljubljana realistically get?
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of airlines Ljubljana could try to attract like Iberia, Lufthansa, SAS, Alitalia....
DeleteIt's surprising that Lufthansa doe not fly to Ljubljana at all. Eurowings would be a good fit for LJU.
DeleteI don't think we'll see either one of these. AZ would have made the most sense but not now when they are falling apart once again.
DeleteAttracting LH wouldn't help LJU. If LH starts to operate MUC/FRA-LJU, passengers would just move from JP to LH. Pax number for the airport would remain more or less the same.
DeleteManchester, Liverpool and possibly Glasgow are potential destinations which could be served from the UK to Ljubljana.
DeleteNo need for Lufthansa. Adria does the job for them.
DeleteThis is good news for Ljubljana Airport which needs more destinations and airlines.
ReplyDeleteMy observation from flying through LJU since last 1 year. Adria share is decreasing because LJU airport is already lifting its hands off when Adria flights are departing. Whenever I fly Adria there are huge queues with just 2 security counters working. Even at the toilets I had long queues. Its another matter that the toilets are much smaller than a bus stand in a small town.
ReplyDeleteStaff checking in are going around and boarding of Adria flights is delayed because the same way to the fingers has to be shared by multiple gates and we have to wait until one flight is boarded before they start other. I also heard that LJU airport keeps flights waiting to process handlers to make the flight ready.
When I fly other airlines its a completely different story. Sometimes the whole airport was for ourselves. Toilets did not even have lights switched on and restaurants closed. Empty queues.
It sounds like airport is not able to meet the growth demand of Adria. Improved processes might help a bit there. On the other hand it is also not fair to ask Adria to run their flights during non busy times. Why would they not pick up passengers in busy time because airport cannot handle them. Obviously no one would connect with Adria if they are asked to wait for long hours in this huge airport with multiple facilities.
Would you go head over heels and try to provide excellent service for an airline that doesn't pay you (or does so months late)?
DeleteProbably not.
They can be happy they still get fuel in Ljubljana and their flight plans are still accepted.
The airport needs to be careful, though. If they attract too much competition to JP to "balance" things, they may end up pushing JP into bankruptcy. Sure, other airlines would fill part of the void, but the airport can forget all about LJU as a hub if that was to happen.
ReplyDeleteAdria is now a private company. Their well being should not be Ljubljana Airport's priority.
DeleteYeah but over 50% of their passengers come from Adria. If they went bust it would really hurt the airport, at least in the short term.
DeleteLeisure travellers from Slovenia flying around are more and more every year (compared to previous years) ... but they are flying from nearby airports (Italy, Austria and Zagreb);
ReplyDeletebusiness travellers are a little less but many (not government paid) are flying -again- from nearby airports
even some returning foreign businessman are using nearby airports not Ljubljana: for convenience (despite car transfer following arrival), price etc.
Adria Airways just bullshit ... just no sense talking ... to give the impression they they are busy finding new opportunities, solutions
Expansion project at airport? please First make more competitive conditions for foreign airlines flying there! If you want traffic no monopoly ... always the same
I agree, it's incredible how much airport shuttles from Ljubljana (and other towns in Slovenia) have grown in the last few years. There are many many shuttles daily to Venice, Treviso,Trieste, Munich and Vienna. For sure LJU can't compete with airports like MUC, VIE, and to a certain extent VCE too, but i'm sure there's a potential for flights inside Europe. An airline has to offer flights at affordable prices though.
DeleteSlovenia needs to attract many more tourists who would travel there by plane instead of car. Only then we would see serious improvement to its aviation sector.
DeleteCRL is also close to BRU but look how it transformed itself - now serves over 7.7 million pax.
DeleteSlovenes use also RJK and PUY in Croatia, not only ZAG, to much less extent, of course, in the sam way that passengers from Zagreb, Istria and Rijeka sometimes use LJU. But of course, we all use more TRS, TSF and VCE, as they have more flights and lower prices
DeleteAdria's passenger numbers are down quite a bit in January and February but it's great to see that LJU has been mostly unaffected.
ReplyDeleteI think they should really work to bring Fly Dubai, which I'm sure would work well and give Wizz a chance to expand.
ReplyDeleteI'm also surprised that there are no flights from any gulf airline to LJU.
DeleteHope to get soon some new flights. Specialy Valencia, Madrid or Hamburg would be interesting destinations.
ReplyDeleteWhy Valencia? Wouldn't Barcelona make more sense?
DeleteIf 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.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see LJU has finally ended its dependence on JP. The Q1 results prove it.
ReplyDeleteLjubljana should really try and capitalize on the fact that Zagreb has high fees and try to get some more 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.
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me what's Lufthansa's share in Frankfurt or Austrian Airlines in Vienna?
ReplyDeleteAustrian in Vienna in 2018 was 47.5%
DeleteAdria share at LJU
ReplyDelete2010 - 77.4%
2011 - 72.9%
2012 - 69.5%
2013 - 66.9%
2014 - 67.8%
2015 - 65.0%
2016 - 60.5%
2017 - 58.4%
2018 - 56.0%
What happened in 2016?
Delete4K happened in 2015
DeleteI just checked that there will be many flights in the peak summer season to TLV. According to the GDS, there will be flights by Adria, Israir and El Al. Shows how W6 or FR can get a slice of the cake.
ReplyDeleteTLV is connected extremely well to almost all EU capitals.
We will also see if W6 will switch to the new Ramon Airport this winter as Eilat is now closed.
Ovda closed as well
Delete