The incoming Slovenian Minister for Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, has renewed hopes of the country establishing a new flag carrier, three and a half years following the collapse of the former national airline Adria Airways. Ms Bratušek noted that a task force is examining the feasibility of setting up a new state-backed carrier. "I believe that somewhere by the middle of the year we will be able to come up with an answer based on sound facts and data”, she said. Ms Bratušek, who was the Minister for Infrastructure when Adria Airways declared bankruptcy in September 2019, campaigned during last year’s election with the promise of establishing a new national carrier.
Ms Bratušek previously said she repeatedly warned against the sale of Adria Airways to the German capital fund 4K Invest, noting that the then government of Slovenia should have found a strategic partner within the aviation industry that would have ensured the long-term existence and development of the carrier. Key people at 4K Invest are under investigation over their role in Adria’s collapse and are accused of fraud and theft. The General Manager of operator Fraport Slovenija, Babett Stapel, said last year, “I cannot decide whether Slovenia or the state should establish a national carrier. However, I can say that if it is established, it will be more than welcome on our part. We support any development that is sustainable and increases connectivity”.
Slovenia’s current political establishment has direct links to Adria. The carrier’s former CEO, Klemen Boštjančič, who led the airline in 2011 and 2012, now serves as Slovenia’s Finance Minister. Mr Boštjančić implemented wide-scale cost cutting measures at the airline, which stabilised the carrier’s finances. However, it came at a cost, with the company diminishing its route network, resulting in a major plunge in passenger numbers. Furthermore, Rok Marolt, who was the head of the Slovenia Civil Aviation Agency, and served as Adria’s Chief Operating Officer in 2012, is the country’s Secretary General at the Ministry for Finance. Slovenia’s President, Nataša Pirc Musar, had a short stint as a member of Adria’s cabin crew and recently expressed her deep regret at the airline’s collapse.
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I can bet they will decide it's unnecessary and that the new subsidies are sufficient.
ReplyDeleteHere we go again
ReplyDeleteThey should stop giving us hope.
DeleteWith the recent LH increases, Fraport will probably try and not make this happen. They own the airport at a 100% stake. There might be a strong protectionism.
ReplyDeleteIf Fraport really wanted a new airline we would have had one by now.
DeleteWhat does Fraport have anything with national carrier?!?!
DeleteNot gonna happen unfortunately
ReplyDeleteFortunately!
DeleteSo tired of that tax payers parasites.
I agree anon 11:24. Regards from Slovenske železnice! :)
DeleteShe “warned” that selling adria to 4K could be bad. Warned who? Herself?
ReplyDeleteInteresting how many former Adria executives now have top jobs in government. Not sure if that's good or bad.
ReplyDeleteBad, always bad. Business is always about profit, politics are about being reelected.
DeleteI don't think these people can deliver it but let's see. Hope dies last.
DeleteIf anyone can, then they are last hope. All other's are openly against national carrier.
DeleteThis country is becoming more and more like the mafia every day! Same people in high positions everywhere. Who's the next CEO? Tanja Fajon?
DeleteJanez J. ;)
DeleteThere is still some hope
ReplyDeleteI still don't think it will happen in the end but for Slovenia's sake I hope it does.
ReplyDeleteThe subsidies that were announced yesterday are more than enough.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the point? The EU won't give approval for a new airline.
ReplyDeleteThe EU does not need to approve it. What it had to approve was when the government had the idea to set up a new airline using EU covid recovery money. That they didn't approve.
DeleteWhat for?
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteMaybe to improve connectivity in Slovenia which is on last place within EU!?!? That's why!
DeleteI am against new carrier if they try to make new Adria. Maybe connectivity would be better, but prices would soar. What we need is one regional carrier establishing base at LJU and base two or three regional aircraft there and offer better timings on existing routes and start few new ones. And they should keep all existing carriers to have competition.
ReplyDelete+1
Deleteyou are entitled to use whatever connection you please. So stop your bs. Yes, bring that regional carrier already. It has been more than two years since Adria demise. Regional carrier with base in LJU has not materialised yet.
Delete@9:48:
DeleteAnd I'm against salary increases for physicians, attorneys and judges due to their piss poor services. But the elected imbeciles did just that. Now let them set up an airline. At least there will be something in it for me.
notLufthansa: And since Adria's demise, has something special happened? Maybe something that has crippled the airline industry and made all but the strongest airlines or those with government support go bankrupt? I struggle to see the relevance of more than two years passing.
DeleteAnd what happened from September till March (when Covid started)? few flights and that's it..
Deletesince Adria demise aviation is in steep decline in Slovenia. Know how slowly dies off, connectivity is worse than in 90', people are driving for hours to get to the airport with at least some connectivity. Neoliberals were joyful when Adria went under saying, market will take care of everything. As I already said in some other post - this situation now clearly shows, how insignificant Slovenia and Ljubljana are in terms of air connectivity. I said many times that Adria could maintain itself, if it was properly managed. This is not a myth and not only wishful thinking. But it needed to be in sync with tourist industry in Slovenia or else end.
Delete@9:44 LCC for sure won't open a base in LJU. Taxes are just crazy high for them to have employees on a local contract, not to mention fees at LJU airport. I fly for pink airline and if you pay us (subsidies) some routes will be flown, but when that stops, flights stop as well. Prices will soar?...with all the legacy carriers collapsing, LCC is taking over the routes plus ticket prices as well. But LCC will cancel the flight after the check in if they need the aircraft somewhere else in more important route or base
Delete"Incoming minister" can speak whaterever she wants, but reality check is needed. Politicians and greed burried Adria. Same faces, same stories... same outcome.
ReplyDeleteAnd they always bring that 4k to blame. Real fact is that these bunch of greedy politicians were the reason for Adria's collapse before, during and after that German management period. There was no aviation related company interested to take Adria. That German management just extended the running time of airline by few years and nothing else.
DeleteYes and that has been a smashing success so far...
ReplyDeleteI'm really hoping we see some improvement in Slovenia's aviation sector, be it with subsidies or the new national airline.
ReplyDeleteSlovenia is rich country. Will establishing leading airline.
ReplyDeleteThose people is business orientated. Capable and Know How.
This whole situation is hilarious already isn’t that a 3rd consecutive year when the government will talk about establishing a new carrier? And I will be extreamly surprised if the results will be any different.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete"Good" guys are now in government, making same stupid decisions, but hey at least they are "good".
DeleteFrom my side of view that (establishing national carrier) would be smart and would improve connectivity in Slovenia significantly.
DeleteOf course, it would be, but this is the 3rd or 4th time this was announced since Adria's collapse, and there was always the same result.
DeleteI wish Slovenia all the success in creating new airline. They deserve it.
ReplyDeleteYup.... YM 2.0 that just racked up more debt.
ReplyDeleteOne difference that goes in favour of YM is that they attract a lot more tourism.
From what I know, this is actually going ahead...If the goverment holds
ReplyDeleteI just don't understand what is the point then of offering subsidies to airlines which are significantly more than what has been offered in the past.
DeletePast ones were for keeping the routes, the new ones are for creating 10 extra daily flights, so we could see up to 15-18 new routes
Deletebecause they are for SS season.
DeleteAlso do not forget that new national carrier would get most of those subsidies.
Deletewell they still have less tourists than slovenia
ReplyDeleteSlovenia should at least make a half-documentary, half-telenovela series about the national airline saga.
ReplyDeleteAgree. There is a lot of material and it could be an excellent comedy show.
DeleteFrom Adria being a very good airline to becoming a total disaster, the Maribor airport saga, Portoroz airport, and its runway extension saga, and all the nonsense that the Slovenian government made since the Adria collapse. This could get an Oscar.
Delete+1
DeleteI would watch it for sure
DeleteAnother double episode could be the development and the upgrades of LJCE airport
DeleteHow can we talk about bad connectivity of Slovenia, when airports with good connections are betwen 45 minutes to the max 2,5 hour away. Who say that flights should start in Ljubljana? For two third of Slovenians LJU is not really an option.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you want to attract people to Slovenia, do you really think that high valued guest will use go-opti and drive 2-5 hours to Slovenia? Forget about that. Slovenia needs national carrier asap!
Delete@anon 1342 Among many tourist visting Slovenia the majority arrive by car but only a handful by plane. If they decide to visit Slovenia, they will organise themselves the convenient transfer. No doubt.
DeleteNo they won't! Why would they visit Slovenia if most convenient flight is to ZAG/VCE? They will stay in Croatia/Italy then. After JP demise Slovenia does not have any congress tourism at all, just because of lack of connectivity. Not to mention about all other business aspect which has impact on Slovenia economy as well.
DeleteIt is not about being a National carrier. It is about connectivity and with that the positive GDP impact. There are example that the economy can get a boost when connectivity is the focus. Good example is airBaltic in Latvia with the right aircraft and a mix between connectivity needs for business and leisure. Latvia is also a small country but has a profitable airline.
ReplyDeleteGuys is the new national carrier of Slovenia going to be Camex Adria Airlines?? Because if it's that then it's a joke because it will use Cargo planes such as B738-800 BCF
ReplyDelete