Ljubljana capacity unreplaced following Adria demise

Despite a rise in the number of airlines operating to Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, capacity this summer will be nearly 45% lower than before the collapse of Adria Airways last year, Cirium data shows. In June 2019, Adria Airways had a dominant market position in Ljubljana, accounting for 1.509 of the 2.188 aircraft movements at the airport, or 69%. This coming June 2020, if schedules remain intact as a result of the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak, and with Adria no longer flying, other airlines have 1.325 movements scheduled. This is a 90% increase in non-Adria take-offs and landings, but the total is still down 39%, and seats are down 44%.

The Lufthansa Group has been the most active in increasing its presence in Ljubljana. Lufthansa's capacity from the Slovenian capital to Munich and Frankfurt rose from zero in June 2019 to a scheduled 180 movements per month a year later, or an extra 16.200 seats. The group's Belgian unit, Brussels Airlines, has launched Ljubljana flights that will account for sixty movements in June, or 8.460 seats, while Swiss has linked Zurich to the Slovenian capital at the same frequency. These flights add 7.646 seats. As a result, Lufthansa partially replaces Adria's position as a feeder airline for the group. Adria's 178 flights to and from Frankfurt alone in June 2019 accounted for 19.480 seats - nearly 12% of Ljubljana's total capacity. Combined, Adria's flights to Lufthansa hubs represented 27% of Ljubljana's capacity last summer.

Air Serbia also moved quickly to fill Adria's place. The Serbian flag carrier is scheduled to add 64 movements, or over 5.600 seats, in June 2020, to reach a total 160 per month. Other airlines have also increased their services. By June 2020, Air France and Aeroflot will have doubled their capacity with sixty extra movements a month each. Montenegro Airlines is adding fifty while Turkish Airlines, Windrose, Israir, Finnair, LOT and Sun d'Or are also increasing capacity or introducing new flights, Cirium data shows. However, this still leaves Ljubljana's capacity well below its level last summer, especially given that some airlines have also reduced capacity. Wizz Air has cut its route to London Luton at the end of last summer, shaving off sixteen movements or 3.680 seats, while Transavia has reduced its service to Amsterdam, lowering its movements at Ljubljana from 42 to 34. easyJet is also pulling back slightly on its route to London Stansted, from 144 movements to 142, although the carrier did boost its service to Luton by two movements a week. However, this only replaces Wizz's cancelled service.

The planned capacity allocation for the height of the coming summer season could be severely disrupted by the Covid-19 outbreak, however, at this point, no changes have been made.

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