Ryanair is still interested in launching operations to Ljubljana in the summer of 2023 and is continuing to study the market ahead of a final decision. The carrier has identified airport operator Fraport as its main obstacle for expansion in the country, complaining about its fees. The airline has had a rocky relationship with the German airport operator. This year it ended services from Frankfurt and is turning its year-round base in Athens into a seasonal summer one, with both airports managed by Fraport, which it has accused of hiking fees in both cities. The airline held talks with the Slovenian government earlier this year where it again voiced its concerns about the fee per on board passenger charged by Ljubljana Airport.
Despite maintaining a nearby base in Zagreb, which attracts a notable portion of passengers from Slovenia, the budget carrier is confident it can successfully operate to both capital cities, noting it has had “great success” in Zagreb since launching services there last year, which it could replicate in Ljubljana as well. Ryanair further notes that Ljubljana could be marketed as an ideal holiday destination due its proximity to the resort town of Bled. “We are tracking the Slovenian market. It is interesting to us for different reasons. If we can see that we can turn around this potential into a profit, we will enter this market”, the carrier told EX-YU Aviation News.
Ryanair has considered introducing flights to Ljubljana on several occasions over the past decade. Late last year, the General Manager of Ljubljana Airport, Babett Stapel, said, “We have already held talks [with Ryanair] and we are ready to continue them. We welcome all airlines that fit into our business model”. Low cost carriers will be reducing their operations to Ljubljana Airport this coming winter season with Wizz Air, Transavia and easyJet all set to decrease planned services. Wizz Air will suspend flights from Charleroi to the Slovenian capital for the durations of the winter season, while Transavia will suspend operations from Amsterdam up until at least November 15. easyJet will cut down on its flights from London Gatwick, with the budget carrier to maintain just one weekly rotation between the two cities next month.
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They are much needed.
ReplyDeleteRather than focusing on the market they should focus how to squeeze out some subsidy from someone, that proved to be such a success in the past.
DeleteTheir business model has reached the limit, now nibbling around the corners ...
Perhaps some of the recent routes they suspended from ZAG could be launched from LJU instead.
ReplyDeleteApparantly they will terminate ZAG-CFU. More logical to fly to CFU from LJU.
DeleteI also think this route was primarily for Slovenian pax.
DeleteWhy would be better to fly to CFU from LJU instead of ZAG? It's 5 min longer flight lol.
DeleteBecause LJU has way more demand to Greek islands than ZAG?
Delete@9.20 Because there is demand. Look at how many charters there are from Ljubljana to Greece over the summer and how many there are from Zagreb.
DeleteJust for information to people writing about FR suspensions and terminations in ZAG : No single route is suspended or terminated from ZAG. There were 27 routes / destinations this summer, which will operate next summer again. 5 of those are seasonal routes. In winter timetable, which starts in a few days, there are 22 lines /destinations from ZAG, compared with 21 last winter. Concerning LJU, Fraport / Cartel is the only obstacle for FR to start LJU operations. And it could actually be good for both ZAG and LJU as there would be more flights available from/to both combined, to choose from when organizing the trip
DeleteThessaloniki and Malmo were both operated last winter and they are not operating this winter, so yes, that is a suspension. Corfu has been terminated for next summer.
DeleteCorfu timetable similar to Bologna are not yet launched on the Ryanair website. Check the situation with other airports and you will see it is the same. Same with Paphos. Please do some checks before posting. Thanks.
DeleteIt was on sale just a few days ago.
DeleteOnce again : Winter 21/22 - 21 destinations. Winter 22/23 - 22 destinations. Suspensions mean shrinking. 22 compared to 21 is not shrinking, it's growing.
DeleteNo, a suspension means when a route that was operated year round the previous year is now operating only seasonally. That has always been the definition of the word.
DeleteRijeka, will be much appreciated if you moderate your aggressive tone/style!
DeleteWhat makes my tone/style aggressive, except for the fact you disagree with me? Please explain what exactly you find aggressive so I could correct it.
DeleteAnd @An.11.58, you are correct, two routes are suspended, if we talk about particular routes. But I am talking about overall FR ZAG operations, not particular routes. So if we have one more route compared to last winter, it means that two routes were not suspended, but substituted by other routes that now operate instead. That's something FR often practices. That's how I see it, and you are absolutely free to see it your way, as suspensions. And I hope I am not aggressive now 😃
DeleteGood luck but I'm doubtful an agreement will be reached.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how much money Ryanair is asking to fly from Ljubljana. Hope the airport doesn't give in to these crooks.
ReplyDeleteBetter to give all money to Cartel.
DeleteSo they want to fly to both LJU and ZAG? Can it work?
ReplyDeleteI think it can. Some routes from ZAG would be affected though.
DeleteIt could really help Ljubljana Airport get back on its feet
ReplyDelete^ Financially? I'm not so certain.
ReplyDelete"The carrier has identified airport operator Fraport as its main obstacle for expansion in the country, complaining about its fees."
ReplyDeleteOkay, so now it makes sense why LJU was not considered by other LCCs given its high fees. I know that Fraport are not their biggest fan. We saw what happened with Ryanair in Frankfurt am Main Airport not long ago, when they lowered they temporarily discounted their fees and then retrieved them making Ryanair leave.
It comes with no surprise that Fraport are pushing for the German carriers in LJU.
Germans like only when they have market open for them otherwise....
DeleteThe LCC offer at Ljubljana has really deteriorated. Hope we see Ryan (or probably Lauda) in Ljubljana soon.
ReplyDeleteWord on the street is they are definitely coming to Ljubljana this summer, at least among crew :)
ReplyDeleteBy this summer, I mean 2023.
DeleteCan guarantee the first route will be from London
DeleteFingers crossed for them to start flights in summer 2023!
Delete@09:14:
DeleteThe question is, will it be a base or a destination.
They don't have to launch a base, just start a few routes like they have done in Banja Luka or are going to do in Tuzla.
ReplyDeleteReally hope things will work out. Not only would passenger numbers explode but there would a mix and choice between Wizz and Ryan and I assume Wizz would also put in a bigger effort.
ReplyDeleteThey should place 2 more planes in ZAG and make it a "base" and introduce maybe 10 new routes year round or at least most of them year round. People from Ljubljana can come to ZAG with shuttle bus, something like people from Malmo going to CPH with shuttle buses and trains. Best thing for FR and ZAG is more planes in ZAG. FR can easily fly to ARN, BLL, BCN, PMI, OPO, CFU, maybe sesonal routes to HER or CTA.. I'm pretty sure there is big demand for it from Croatian and Slovenian people...
ReplyDeleteNever!
DeleteThis world isn’t utopia for Zagreb fanboys, even though I’m from Croatia this is so highly unlikely unless Zagreb airport literally pays them per passenger.
DeleteThat utopia is already happening since last year, and not only two but more planes will arrive eventually (we're in second year of a five year program), with the shuttle bus likely to start after Croatia's entry to Schengen.
DeleteWhy are they not adding new routes for a year? And why do they keep cutting flights then?
DeletePersonally, as a non-EU citizen living in Slovenia the hassle of crossing the border/quickly filling up my passport (Especially if the Zagreb flight goes to a Schengen country) would make this not worth it. I'd rather go to Venice or Vienna.
Delete@Anon 9.11, exactly. Fraport wants to make money, and they can't do that with Ryanair. It's business.
ReplyDeleteRyanair would be an absolute hit and give a lot of airlines in LJU a run for their money.
ReplyDeleteLondon again. Maybe Berlin or by some miracle Paris. And maybe some summer destinations. Not so good improvement IMHO.
ReplyDeleteBarcelona would be a possibility too.
DeleteAnother flight to London?
DeleteAnother? With just three flights per week this November?
DeleteIt would be fantastic to finally get some scheduled flights to Spain!
DeleteIberian peninsula and Scandinavia are underserved from Ljubljana and there is potential for these two markets.
DeleteUnfortunately, I don't see Fraport conceding to Ryanair and reducing its fees.
ReplyDeleteHoping for a positive outcome.
ReplyDeleteNothing will happen.
ReplyDeleteHow much are the fees at LJU?
ReplyDeleteLJU really needs this.
ReplyDeleteit is good to see that Ryanair is interested in Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteRyanair is interested in Ljubljana but Ljubljana Airport isn't interested in Ryanair.
DeleteI am also interested in Rolex watches, as long as they give me one for free.
DeleteWith Warsaw recently opening its 3rd airport, I think LJU needs connections to Warszawa as well or any Polish connection.
ReplyDeleteLOT flies from Warsaw to Ljubljana.
DeleteThere's no third Warsaw Airport. Radom serving Warsaw is some political joke. You'd be better off flying to the airport in Lodz, Poland's fourth-largest city, which has good onward connections to Warsaw.
DeleteWhat joke anon 20:30? The airport was inaugurated this summer and LOT has already launched flights to Europe. Radom is maybe 100km away but still something like Memmingen or Hahn so no place for drama here.
DeleteUnfortunately I doubt we will see anything happen. The biggest news for LJU is that Aegean will launch flights from Athens next summer. If they don't cancel it in the meantime. That's about all we can hope for next summer.
ReplyDeleteWell, they came to Zagreb out of the blue Id say, so it’s not completely impossible…
DeleteI'm really surprised that Wizz hasn't woken up from all this talk about Ryanair coming to Ljubljana. They have been operating two routes from LJU for a decade already with no changes.
ReplyDeleteYou would be Fraport would be desperate to turnaround things at LJU and would do anything. Doesn't seem to be the case.
ReplyDeleteNot at any cost.
DeleteRyanair has been expanding a lot across ex-Yu lately. Ljubljana would be a nice addition.
ReplyDeleteLJU will probably end the year with a financial loss again. They are in no position to offer anything to Ryanair, especially discounts.
ReplyDeleteMaribor is more suitable for Ryanair than Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteIt's suitable for LJU too.
DeleteWhy wouldn't Ryanair be suitable for Ljubljana??
DeleteBecause Fraport runs LJU.
DeleteMaribor airport would never work, since the distance from Ljubljana to Maribor is the same as with Zagreb also Graz airport is only 40min from Maribor... yes, Fraport is expensive but still
DeleteMBX is state-owned and can offer better conditions than LJU. The question is, does the country dare to compete with Fraport.
DeleteManchester or Liverpool, please.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhat is obvious that this is only negotiation tactics from FR to get better conditions at ZAG. Slovenia as itself does not fulfill main conditions to get LCC base aircraft at LJU/MBX airport. Maybe they will open 1-2 routes, just to thick LJU as another served airport within EU but that would be it. Those who expect that any LCC will base aircraft at LJU will be very disappointed when they publish schedule.
ReplyDeleteSlovenian government should've taken Vincis offer instead of Fraports when selling LJU.
ReplyDeleteWould be more open to LCC, the terminal expansion wouldn't be half-assed and they wouldn't be pushing LH group.
They should not sell airport at all
DeleteSlovenia is the last EU country that is not served by Ryanair. Hope this changes soon!
ReplyDeleteConsidering how things are going, it will soon be the only European country not served by Ryanair.
DeleteDon't worry, I believe they don't consider Belarus as well 😃
DeleteI wonder which routes could FR launch to LJU?
ReplyDeleteLJU is the perfect city break destination. Such a beautiful city. Just needs better connectivity. Really shame Adria is no longer around. Its size and operations were perfect for the Slovenian market.
ReplyDeleteOne small mistake in the article, Athens isn’t owned by Fraport, it’s a public private partnership ownership with the Greek state owning 55% Hotchief 40% and Copzolous (greek family) 5% but Fraport do own and operate 14 airports in Greece. I don’t understand either FR’s tantrum in Athens - seems more or less everyone is is expanding except them.
ReplyDeleteWhile Ryanair are maybe not that big in Athens, it seems that SkyExpress is quietly growing and quite well. I don't know why they do not consider LJU. The ATR72 is the perfect jet.
DeleteAegan is flying to LJU this summer so I guess they were a bit late, although they could start atr operations on the days ae isn't flying
Delete@11:43: ATR72 really is the prefect jet :D
DeleteRyanair would definitely be a game changer for LJU, hope this pans out
ReplyDeleteWould give the airport a new lease of life.
DeleteMadrid and Gran Canaria, please.
ReplyDeleteIf not Ryanair, I hope Iberia will come back next year.
DeleteWhy Ryanair doesnt want to start operations from Belgrade?
ReplyDelete1.Strong Air Serbia with state back-up and not subject to all EU rules/limitations
Delete2.Wizzair base
3.Several other LCC's operating to BEG
4.Presence in Serbia already, in INI
And all of the above doesn't mean they doesn't want to start BEG operations. I believe they will start it, and relatively soon
5. Expensive airport by Ryan standards.
Delete6. Not being able to fly from BEG to Montenegro, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, North Macedonia etc
7. Is it worth fighting for?
Well they are flying from Nis so they obviously wanted to be present on the market
DeleteRoutes that are viable:
ReplyDelete-London
-Mancahster
-Dublin
-Barcelona/Madrid
-Rome
-Prague
-Vienna
-Skopje (Wizhub but they could quite easily attack them)
-Scandinavia
-Greece
-Tenerife
-Berlin
-BUCHAREST (probably biggest market out of all, I can't belive how many people actually are flying there)
Possible but not likely routes:
-Porto/Lisbon
-Podgorica
-Split
-Toulouse
-Jordan
They can easily base at least 2 planes in LJU
We need these badly!
DeleteGood luck Slovenia!
ReplyDeleteIf Fraport is the issue, go to MBX!
ReplyDeleteShannon to Larnaca Please consider
ReplyDeleteIt's now Jan 2023 - any word whether Ryanair will offically launch a route into Ljubljana or did this fall through?
ReplyDeleteIt fell through. Here is an update: https://www.exyuaviation.com/2022/11/slovenia-preparing-long-term-solution.html
DeleteAppreciate the response & link to source for this! Shame about the news though..
Delete