The Slovenian government is expected to make a decision next month on whether it should establish a new national carrier to help improve the country’s connectivity. An expert task force that was set up by the government to determine the feasibility of a new flag carrier has completed its work and its findings will be reviewed by the Ministry for Infrastructure in the coming weeks after which they will be presented to the entire cabinet. According to the “24ur” portal, the review has found that the Slovenian market is too small for other carriers to step in and replace the former national airline Adria Airways. Furthermore, it has reportedly concluded the country will continue to face significant issues with connectivity. In addition, it is believed the task force found that Adria’s bankruptcy had a significant impact on the Slovenian economy, with the tourism sector itself losing 150 million euros as a result.
Slovenia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, previously campaigned in favour of a new flag carrier. “My opinion on the matter is not as important as to what these studies will show. Our country has already had one bad experience with its national airline. Not only was it purchased by a catastrophically bad buyer, which led to its bankruptcy, but a few years beforehand, Adria registered huge losses and continued to do so year after year. We had to provide state aid, and, of course, all of this has to be put on the table so that the government knows all the facts when it decides which way to go. But we can hear the voice of the economy, which of course says that Slovenia needs such a carrier back", Ms Bratušek recently said.
The recent state tender aimed at providing subsidies to airlines for the launch of new routes from Slovenia saw just two airlines apply - Luxembourg’s Luxair and Air Montenegro. A final decision on whether the bidders are eligible for the subsidies will be announced after their proposals have been reviewed by a commission made up of officials from the Ministries for Infrastructure, Finance, and the Economy. The state plans to hold a second tender for the launch of new routes in July. It has previously said that such measures will have no impact on its decision whether a new national airline should be launched.
Good. Hope they have come to their senses.
ReplyDeleteI only see the possibility of a virtual operator being established using foreign planes and crew.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Slovenia has everything what it needs to establish its own carrier
DeleteIn these kind of market conditions I think it will be very difficult to find available aircraft and crew but I hope I'm wrong nonetheless.
DeleteIt is definitely going to be a long road ahead if they decide to establish a new airline. Getting IATA code, sourcing planes, getting a distribution system, staff, planes, slots... Winter 2024 would be doable if they started preparations next month.
DeleteHighly doubt they will actually do it. The European union has to approve it and probably won't.
Delete@10:33
DeleteThis is the thing that I don't understand about all these rules. Even if we forget that they are heavily biased (Alitalia and some others...), this rule should supposedly protect "smaller" private airlines so that they are not at disadvantage from state-owned airlines that have much more resources at their disposal. This is not relevant anymore where some big private companies are stronger than some countries and especially not the case on the Slovenian market where it has been obvious for years that commercial airlines just do not have commercial interest in operating there. And it is also obvious that Slovenia needs a carrier. So, where is the conflict and who is disadvantaged if Slovenia creates and subsidies its carrier, when it cannot be profitable and operate otherwise? Air travel is a strategical necessity, same as railway (which is also state-owned and subsidised in most countries) and EU should stop pretending that this is not so and keep sticking to outdated rules that favour several biggest companies and suffocate air travel in small countries. Again, not to mention how these rules are not always applied equally to all.
Bravo Golub! And to add one more thing, we have strict rules against financing EU airlines but on other hand we have plenty of airlines flying to EU which are directly financed from their country (GULF airlines mostly). They have better product / prices / planes due to that source of money. And this is really not fair!
DeleteExpected after outcome of last tender.
ReplyDeleteEven if they decide in favor of a new airline which I doubt it will take at least until summer 2024 for it to launch, at best.
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never..
DeleteNot unless they partner with another airline. Remember several were interested in establishing a new airline. Solinair was one.
DeleteTo be frank, present Slovenian Government might even decide to go for a new airline company established by the state. The new airline would not take off before 2025, the end of its first business year would be in 2026. So, not to worry about any business result of this company, the consequences will be there for the Government elected in 2026. The “lifespan” of any “political” thinking in Slovenia is in most cases limited within the duration of a mandate. This approach in public “political” life is getting worse and worse in Slovenia. Beyond “my mandate” is simply void space.
Delete"the Slovenian market is too small for other carriers to step in and replace the former national airline Adria Airways."
ReplyDeleteAnd here I was thinking that the market would take care of itself...
Really again this question. Maybe on the point of lost tourist income they need to think how to better market themselves. I rarely see any advertising on my travels saying visit Slovenia but other countries seem to market themselves as a destination really well. It’s a shame as Slovenia is a country full of natural beauty but no one really knows about it.
ReplyDeleteReally? Bled is actually in top 10 destinations in every travel book. Issues are connections!
Deletereally connections? we keep hearing that there are so many airports around SLO ...
DeleteHow come they up with these losses? 1. There was not a single full year yet without Covid restrictions, so you cant compare. 2. LJU this year most probably will end up with lit bit over 1 mio passengers. From the record 1.8 mio they used to have, how many were transfer passengers? Most of their midday and late evening Balkans flights were transfer pax and they were probably counted in LJU 4 times if travelling with a return ticket as airports usually counting arr and dep passengers and even if counted as just 2 on their return ticket, 100000s of them, have only glossed over the airport numbers.
Delete3. Slovenia needs to invest further in its tourism and public transport infrastructure. They need more 3 to 4 star hotels with attractive rooms and design. They built in Jezersko Vila Planika and in Kranjska Gora the Triangle Boutique Hotel or the Boutique Hotel Milka. Very nice hotels and rooms. But costs per night plus 350 EUR. They have done investments into hotel renovations lately, but it is not enough yet. And Slovenia clearly lacks internat. Hotel chains. Why isnt there in Bled a Hilton or Hyatt? The rooms of Hotel Toplice in Bled look old, shabby and with that location, it would be a perfect match for an intern. chain. Lets not forget, if u belong to a chain, you have additional marketing. Best example how professional Slovenia was in arranging events, was the Nordic ski event 2023 in Planica and the lack of spectators (seen and discussed around Europe) and that most teams and national media teams were staying in Austria and Italy due to overprized hotel infrastructure in Kranjska G. with some hotels room designs having no chance to compete with its Austrian competition.
Slovenia is not that bad connected. ZAG and TRS are just around the corner. VCE is a 2h drive away and Far East or US passengers arr via MUC VIE VCE on long hauls and probably drive to SLO with buses or rent a cars. Maribor passengers have GRZ near by and Gorenjska tourists can even arr thru KLU with VIE STN PMI ALC flights.
LJU: LH most probl will increase next year to 5 daily flights, LX will further increase. Others as well. So mainly missing for LJU are LCC to some medit. airports.
If u do the same as JP, u will end up as a feeder for LH group with huge losses as fm the 800 EUR return ticket LJU FRA LAX u probl get 60 EUR for the LJUFRA section. Same as SKP and TIA TGD SJJ PRN are better connected, than 10 years ago.
I rather would increase the incentive scheme and ensure that there are buses running every 30 min during SUTT season from Portoroz to Koper or even Trieste, via Piran, Izola or LJU Bled Bohinj.
+1 You really hit the nail on the head here JU520 BEGLAX
DeleteOnly VIE had more than 50% share of transfers, all other routes were in level of 45-50%. And we are talking in time when airports are already exceeding figures before Covid, so LJU should actually be at level of 2 mio.
DeleteAnd for share of long haul flights it could be higher that you mentioned, you just have to work smart and everything is possible.
In my opinion Slovenia needs that and it's only option to get back to figures we had or even exceeds them.
On the part where you mentioned about hotel infrastructure in Slovenia I totally agree with you.
anonym 1223:
DeleteYou forget that today PRN, TIA, TGD, SKP, SJJ are much better connected than they used to be years ago. Just a small SLO Carrier and with no government subsidies. Difficult. If HR and SLO would run something together, maybe even with Bosnia, MNE, Macedonia, Kosovo. Yes, there would be a chance. But politically impossible. SLO CRO with Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, this could eventually politically work.
The problem in Europe you have 3 big airline groups, besides the LCC. LH just works on TP and AZ. Now either you compete with these 3 groups which is very tough or you are a feeder of them. Things are changing. Small companies have less and less a chance (which actually is also a development you see in other parts of the economy too. The multi nationals get stronger and larger, and there is less and less choice as either small companies are controlled by large ones or even taken over.
other challenge is the aircraft situation. From the scratch you would need to start with 10-15 year old aircraft, as new aircraft are not easy available. Than you compete with old technic against new technic, than the environmental aspect is added up. Honestly just Slovenia alone, I dont see it.
Slovenia besides should subvention comfortable airport buses from MUC to LJU, LJU to VCE, Koper to VCE, LJU to ZAG and run them regularly directly from LJU city center to the airports. But you would need to advertise them so tourists know about this options.
They could even subsidize Go Opti and marketing them on www.slovenia.info that this options are available.
As you dont see Slovenia itself having national carrier I don’t see that our window to world be airports in other countries. Thanks but no thanks :)
DeleteDifferent government in power now.
ReplyDeleteAnd 3 Minister's are supporting this idea (Bratusek, Han and Bostjancic). I am only afraid about EU rules, but generally government is up for it.
ReplyDeleteJust a bit more info on the losses that the research came up with: Slovenia is losing 250 million per year via lost business, 150 million per year via lost tourism options, and 100 million per year via other losses (conference hostings, cargo, etc.).
ReplyDeleteThe decision by the ministry is complete, and they are preparing the documentation for the parliament to vote on next month.
Approx cost of the setup is 100 million (which could mean an 8-12 aircraft fleet), and they project that the airline will be set up by the winter schedule in 2024.
My 2 cents on the situation: It's the only viable option (my say is to try to get Ethiopian/Turkish airlines in as a partner), and what's the most important: Communicate to people that the airline is not here to make profits but to bring profits into the country.
Good decision; let's just wait for the execution.
+1
DeleteParliament wont have any word on this, only the gov.
DeleteI hope it materializes.
Deleteand what could Ethiopian/Turkish do (fly) inner-EU ?
DeleteDon't think Turkish or Ethiopian is an option. LOT airlines tried to get Turkish to buy half a few years ago. The European Union blocked it. It said Turkish is non EU so can't buy into EU airline
DeleteAnd those losses per year are in Slovenian tolar, I suppose?
Delete4 years wasted.
ReplyDeleteOn one hand yes, on the other, people are slowly realising that it's actually needed, thus the general consensus about the need is finnaly reached
DeleteI am not sure if there is a “general consensus about the need”. In more micro levels, it is very dependant in which circles your life is. For me, with many trips to Brussels in the past, in the morning out, in the evening back, the connectivity (with Brussels) is not what is use to be. On the bright side, I have much more times nowadays to spent in BRU, get even paid for this (with tax payers money). My income with per diems is definitely better. And time, spend during the mission time, is well calculated in my working time. So, from individual selfish interest, no complains. From “broader perspective!”, who cares, at least from the group, which is dominant users of Ljubljana – Brussels route. Those who cares might use route to Charleroi anyway.
DeleteFor someone as a outsider, what is the general mood in the public about this idea?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can see it's good - the only concern is that the airline will be politically led
DeleteI would say Ljubljana is quite pro, rural areas together with Maribor (which is rather rural) are contra.
DeleteAccording to my knowledge, the general “public” is – in principle – against any enterprise which will “eat public funds” in the future. Except if this support is directly beneficial to them. Then, no limits. When it comes to air transport, maybe I do not remember correctly but in my memory is a data from years ago that less than 30% of population in Slovenia has used a plane as means of transport in last five years. Would be really interested to know what is reality nowadays. Can not really estimate, at the end I live in a bubble where people fly well above “average” in Slovenia.
DeleteAnd if you ask people in hospitality industry, it again a question who you ask. Those, at the high end, prefer those who are not looking for “cheap” opportunities to fly in. The best customer for them is someone with private jet flying in. Those in Airbnb have different perspective. Official policy is in favour of high-end tourists. Definitely not a mass tourism.
Say they decide to launch an airline, what is going to be the concept? They will compete against Lufthansa group on the most profitable flights to Frankfurt and Munich? They will start unserved routes? They will try to be a new Adria by connecting Balkans to the West?
ReplyDeleteGood points. Will be interesting to see what their strategy will be like.
DeleteWhy do you bother, its important that we get connectivity back to LJU, we saw from analysis what is the cost for country for having lack of connections
DeleteBother with what? I think the questions are valid and I'm interested to see which path they take.
DeleteOk I will try to give serious answer then. ZRH/BRU/VIE are stil not covered. Would FRA still be profitable if they had real conpetition with morning/evening flights to EU hubs? I doubt it…in my opinion LH and Slovenia government could discuss that AS take over MUC abd FRA as well.
DeleteLiterally should just start copying airBaltic’s business model. A220 fleet (maybe even ATR72-600) with a wide network and slots good for business (morning departures, late afternoon arrivals). Midday departures/arrivals to/from leasure destinations. Easy peasy.
DeleteBut there are routes like Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Zurich, Berlin, and even London that still are either not covered or have space for more flights. And afterall we could look to the south as well. Sofia, Bucarest, Sarajevo, Tirana all unserved. Even destinations like Cairo who is the busiest unserved African route....
DeleteReally hope it happens!
ReplyDeleteSlovenia needs this.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice to have an airline based in Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteWill they call it Air Slovenia?
ReplyDeleteI would love if they acquired the Adria Airways name back.
DeleteIt would better to name it Air Slovenia. Its the best possible marketing when you are on foreign airports.
DeleteWhy not Slovenian Airways and/or Airlines? Shortened to just Slovenian. Adria was a great brand tho. I hope the guy that bought it isn’t too greedy and offers it to the gov’t for a reasonable price.
DeleteCan they get the JP IATA code back? And express re-entry into Star? Perhaps even the Adria brand, it was sold for peanuts in 2019 (like 30k€).
ReplyDeleteRe-entry into Cartel is signing the death sentence on the day one
DeletePozdrav, normally I agree with you but it does not necessarily mean if you step into bed with LH that it's a dead sentence. In the past you could earn really good money because of their (LH) stupidity.
DeleteAdria. Brussels. Dolomiti. SAS. TAP. Austrian. Swiss. Croatia. Eurowings.... All with lost identity, with serious issues and difficulties, in deep minus and heavy losses, on verge of bankruptcy or bankrupt. Only three exceptions in Europe Aegean, LOT and THY, the first two the least tied to Cartel, the third one so huge and specific it can't be compared. I agree in the past it might have been diferrent and good money could have been earned, but afraid not the case anymore today
DeleteLet's say Adria is relaunched, which routes could be started from LJU?
ReplyDeleteLiverpool/Manchester, Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Bucharest, Sofia, Skopje, Pristina, Sarajevo, Tirana, Rome, Zurich, Copenhagen, Oslo
DeleteEndless possibilites really
Will they be profitable? I don't think so.
Delete500 mio loss (lack of connectivity agains 5-10 mio loss (national carrier). Which option would you take?
Deleteyou cant run a loss making company (in the EU) so thats not even an option (lets not talk about OU)
DeleteSo we should close hospitals then as well? A lot of airlines in EU is making loss (in my opinion every last one of them), they are just getting money from government in another way. LH is good example of that.
Deletehttps://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/news/financial-news/investor-relations-financial-news/date/2023/03/03/lufthansa-group-achieves-financial-turnaround-in-2022-with-adjusted-ebit-of-15-billion-euros.html
DeleteCheck also LH ownership and you will have answer on hand..
DeleteWizz air posted a loss over 1 billion in last 2 years. A lot of businesses in EU just lose money. And keep getting bail outs. Adrian could do the same
DeleteGood luck
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to have a local airline back in business
ReplyDeleteIf the government is now willing to create a new airline, why did it give up on Adria? Why didn't it bail it out?
ReplyDeleteBevause they thought that foreign airlines will step in and everything will be better without Adria. A lot of “experts” claimed that (even former CEO of Fraport LJU) but reality is a lot different
DeleteNow ex CEO of Fraport LJU is the only one STILL against the national carrier
DeleteBecause they were idiots. They had a whole flight school, local staff, alliance, slots, a pretty well known brand (although it’s reputation had gone down from its glory days). They could’ve at least bought the assets or claimed them (Petrol, which is state owned was one of the largest bankruptcy beneficiaries, as was SloveniaControl). The only upside is that they didn’t have to pump hundreds of millions into it during the pandemic, because it went bust just before.
DeleteAnd they call him to give statements and address him as an expert ;) he was CEO of Fraport and in the same time he was against national carrier. Where is the logic? Fraport would benefit most out of that. Crazy world..
DeleteGovernment of Slovenia -at that time- gave up on Adria because it was losing tens of million Euros every year and there was no hope for any improvement, due to the small size of its catchment area and ongoing consolidation in European aviation. Current situation is the situation where the liberal market has taken care. Don't expect more than that because this is the true potential of Slovenian market considering the geopolitical status and infrastructure in the region.
DeleteThe new government of Slovenia is trying to serve this story once again because populism is hard to be ignored by the politicians, as it is the easiest way to obtain votes. All the multi million-billion projections of revenue/loss in tourism/business/economy etc. as mentioned above are projections based on assumptions, none of them are real or proven. The only real thing was that Adria was losing tens of million Euros every year. This is what's going to happen every airline in this part of Europe eventually, go bankrupt after several years of struggling and losing money.
Tens of millions every year? Where did you get that...When it was state owned it was losing 5-7 mio per year, when 4k took over it was a lot more but we all know why.
Delete@Anon 10:35
DeleteWhen you thought the losses were 5-7 per year, it was already in 15-20 range and covered with tricky subsidies, incentives, tourism support etc. Similar to the current situation at Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia. It only became visible to the public when private investors took the company over.
Is that what Baba Vanga told you? As official documents does not show that.
DeleteIf launched correctly I think it could be successful.
ReplyDeleteThe government has tried to give money to foreign airlines and it didn't produce fantastic results. Now it is time to try and get a national carrier to start flights.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a demand Slovenia should support Slovenian air company and not foreign
DeleteThis is the best chance for locals to get new employment opportunities. So I really hope they agree to provide some funds to set up an airline.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI doubt the new airline can be profitable. Adria couldn't and conditions on the market have changed since then. You now have another airport, in the form of Zagreb, competing for intra European flights with Ljubljana which wasn't so much the case a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteEven if the airline is losing money in the beginning, it would bring much more to overall economy
DeleteAnd study shows that Slovenia is losing aprox 500 mio every year due to lack of connections. Is it better to loose 5 mio or 500 mio? Even if 10% of what study shows is true then national carrier should be established.
DeleteInvest your own money.
DeleteI am (and you too) losing a lot more money due to lack of connectivity than if we would have our own national carrier.
DeleteAnon 11:03
DeleteThen please form a company, invite everyone claiming the same, raise enough funds, launch your own flights and solve your problem. Just don't rely on the funds (called tax) every citizen contributes in the country.
Ann 11:09
DeleteYour argument absolutely sucks. It's like me saying don't use my tax money when you go on a car trip or use train. Its all funded by tax miney.
And I insist that our government solve issues with connectivity as we have to pay for lack of 500 mio in state economy every year. Were you also against subsidy scheme last year (under previous government) when we paid subsidies to airlines just to maintain flight (and they did not even have intention to cancel or reduce them?).
DeleteIf they go for it, please bring in a professional management.
ReplyDeleteHope they set up the new company on some healthy foundations and I wish it much luck in the future.
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest. How many Slovenians gravitate to LJU? About one-third. All the others take advantage of much busier and better-connected airports. For the eastern part, the logical choice is ZAG, GRZ, VIE, or BUD. The western part takes TRS, VCE, or TSF into consideration. Both also because of much better prices. Therefore, establishing a national carrier for one-third of Slovenians, mostly politicians is nonsense. Such a thing will only bring high ticket prices, which will never attract people from other parts of Slovenia, nor those near the LJU. Second, raising the PAX number for LJU, whose administration is in German hands and is incompetent in this business. Again as in the Adria era, the new airline will again entirely ignore MBX or POW. This idea is just another elite and politicians friendly initiative on the cots of all taxpayers
ReplyDeleteNormally when there is more offer prices are lower. It usually works in world I'm living it. So this "Such a thing will only bring high ticket prices" is such a nonsense. Next thing, what should Slovenia do then? Just to accept flying from neighbour countries ? I don't accept that. And don't forget that LJU airport had 2 mio passengers in past and now we can't reach half of that. Sorry but I don't buy it.
DeleteI approve what you wrote totally. Adria 2.0 would be another big hole in the taxpayers budget and a holy cow for a restricted group of always privileged people.
DeleteYes, but 2 mio passengers will never return. You forgot that, in the meantime, airports around LJU have developed and overtaken LJU on the right and left sides. Many surrounding airports make advertising to attract passengers and airlines. Except to cry, LJU did nothing. Now I think it is somehow too late.
DeleteThe national carrier, as it is planned, will undoubtedly have higher prices since someone (passengers) must cover this idea.
Passengers will never cover this project, I am aware of that. But do you think high valued tourist will take flight to ZAG and then drive to LJU with Go-opti? Or how profitable is to fly to BRU and spend 2 nights there because you don't have morning/evening flight to LJU? You could catch flights via FRA but did you notice that on most flights LH has only highest class opened (Y)? That's because they are only one with decent (not perfect) schedule to EU hub, everything else is BS. And yes, I strongly believe we can get those 2M back to LJU.
DeleteYou’re too obsessed with Slovenian pax numbers. Slovenian business pax which will pay the most will use LJU for its convenience like they did in the Adria days, foreigners will use the airline to come to Slovenia once it restores connections with long haul destinations (that’s where the 100m+ loss for tourism came from) even back in Adria days so long as you booked say 1month in advance flights were generally around 100€ a sector which is not an unreasonably large amount. Yes it’s not ryanair prices but ryanair model wouldn’t work in Slovenia anyway, which is why they went elsewhere.
DeleteSo all the Chinese we are seeing in city came with direct flight to Slovenia? Thanks
DeleteMostly yes, have you notice a signifficant increase since Finnair restarted the route?
DeleteNo, there is a large amount of Asian tourists in Ljubljana and everywhere in Slovenia for a longer time. It's not because of Finnair but they definitely help.
DeleteAh, so much “pressure” here for Fraport to increase number of passengers in LJU. The success of the airport as a company is not measured in numbers of passengers but the volume of income and income per passenger. Higher number of passengers are might be welcome only if also income per passenger remains the same. But this is never linear operation, at certain volumes of passengers as well as their distribution during 24 hours, the cost of operations might be much higher then at lover numbers of passengers. So, it is more “profitable” to have less then more.
DeleteAs far as I can judge, the number of pax at LJU today is at the level of 2018 without transfer passengers. And LJU will not see any significant number of transfer passenger except if one carrier establishes a significant base in LJU.
Why not AirSerbia step in and establish base there? (I know Serbia is not in EU but there are workarounds)
ReplyDeleteBecause they are interested in maintaining profitability.
DeleteFully agree.
DeleteThe airlines are pretty aware of the tiny Slovenian market; what is the main reason for being uninterested in government subsidies. Making better connectivity around the Slovenia is much cheaper and more convenient for them.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny that out of nearly 20 Slovenian airlines, none shows interest in the local market.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that Amelia is not herself?! This airline has the perfect planes, airport, country in anticipation of new routes…
Example schedule with two E145s.
VIE 1234567
FRA 1.3.5
MUC 1.3.5
PRG .2...6.
CPH 1...5..
BER 1.3...
It can safely launch Greek destinations as well, the demand is there.
It is funny what you writing here and no one investing your own money. Romania and Slovenia have a lot air companies but not much successful in comercial transport of local passengers.
DeleteIts looks to me that those two planes will be sitting quite a lot with your “example” schedule. Only one route on Sunday? Or you might foresee at least for rotations to Vienna on Sunday. With two planes, to be at least of hope to be on positive zero, you would need to think about 6 – 8 rotations per day (flight out of the base and back).
DeleteJust one hint to SLO gvt : If you decide in favour of re-establishing national carrier, I recommend Mr. Bajic Jasmin to be selected for CEO. If you are after successes, profits, growth, development, and general accomplishments that only Croatia Airlines achieves, worldwide, then you should definitely go for such a skilled, devoted, and uncompromised professional as Mr. Bajic is, hahahahahahahaha
ReplyDeleteWe have plenty of our own "experts" in rank of mr Bajic so selections is gonna be really difficult.
DeleteYou can also charter planes from Jasmin's other company, so OU will be picking up fresh steam from ACMI!
DeleteWe'll be more than happy to send Jasmin for a mission to connect your city to LH hubs and lose multi millions every year.
DeleteI apologize to all of the individuals who are not able to understand a joke
DeleteI would say the government has no idea on marketing or business, you need to entice people to come to the country in the first instance via promotion, the national carrier wont be doing it nor any other airline. Put a promotion together with an airline and see if the demand is there, then other airlines will via for the market then you can set up the national airline
ReplyDeleteSlovenia not only needs a national airline but also a monarchy so that foreigners come to visit royal weddings and coronations ...
ReplyDeleteMaybe even better, less complicated than becoming a monarchy. Let’s make legal in Slovenia all what is illegal in the rest of Europe. I am sure, this would attract quite some visitors. But since we are talking about potential niches for success of a national carrier, lets make legal only for those who will fly to Slovenia. A few lines in a Criminal Code of Slovenia, not more. 😊
DeleteWhat is legal or illegal in Slovenia gets decided by Brussels .
DeleteAny opportunity for doing your own thing died with EU-membership .
Ah, do not be so negative about EU (Brussels). Yes, there is plenty of things decided by Brussels, but Criminal Code is one, where Brussel do not really have any jurisdictions. Also, in terms of tax regulations, yes, there are guidelines, but they still offer quite a lot of space. For example, different % of VAT for something is a good example. In short, everything with no or limited cross boarder impact is pretty much still national “suverenity”.
DeleteAir travel its not luxus, its public service to business, impact on quality of life in slovenia... the country has made a list of destinations that would be needed to get. There is an a and b list of them. I think we need airplane company a national one! morning flights to airports as feeder for interconti, but no one till now was writing about a small planes that can land in Portoroz or to reactivate air taxi from LJU to POW, LSZ, BWK. I think MBX and POW need direct public transport with regular departures from train station Koper to POW and then to Piran and Orehova vas rename in Airport Maribor with a bus shuttle - the line is 1,5 km long! Low cost MBX to London/Belgrade/Nis/Sarajevo or Tuzla, Istanbul, Rotterdam, Manchaster, Iberian countries and Italy. (Ryanair) POW needs flight of mid size airplanes from Italy/France/Belgium and GB. Air Slovenia should go for 2 224 3 180 seaters, 2 100 seaters and 2 50 seaters airplanes to get money for domestic connections as first level support to develop end flight destinations that would in second stage attract international flights!
ReplyDeleteI agree, air transport should not be considered as luxus. It definitely contributes to the quality of life of so many, so public money support for it – as it is for buses and trains - should not be questioned. We just need to follow also a good example, introduced for all scheduled bus and train connections within Slovenia, where all above 65 years (among others) are entitled to a free ride. The same must be for air transport, at least between MBX and POW, but one should not forget also a need to provide air transport connectivity, let say – between LJBO in LJMS. It is simply not fair to one, in this age, has to suffer road transport between Murska Sobota and Bovec.
DeleteOf course, Slovenia, its people and the economy, all need national airliner. And not something small, pocket size, but I would definitely recommend BIG aspirations. At least four A 380 must be in the fleet. Just imagine all of them, in Slovenian colour, with faces of well known Slovenian poets on the tails, Air Slovenia, at any airport. Just imagine all the promotion with those sights. It is more than certain that people all around the world would fight for a free seat on one of them. And all those available seats, every seat is a business opportunity, believe it or not, GDP in Slovenia will be skyrocketing.
ReplyDeleteNever the less, some caution is also needed. The base for this new miracle in the sky should not be Ljubljana airport but Maribor. We do not want really that Fraport would have something out of this more then ensured future success in commercial aviation. Of course, Maribor airport will have to be enlarged, at least two runways, much longer then existing one. Terminal enlarged. Plenty of business for the construction companies. With airport completed, all those nice birds nesting there, will come also employment opportunities. Again, who can calculate the added value. And it is not the end, there will be a need for fast railway, at least from Maribor to Ljubljana but then also to Bled and Piran. Again, new impetus for growth.
And maybe I am too narrow minded. Maybe we should go for at least ten A 380. 😊
Ten Airbus 380 for flying to Frankfurt ten times every hour .
DeleteDanke Deutschland !
Anonymous 20:42: I was more thinking about really missing air connectivity between Maribor and Portorož. A very well deserved PSO route not to mention increase of quality of life for all at 65 and above, with free ride as with buses and trains. But to be honest, I fully support this approach also because I am getting close to 65 and if I can travel for free with buses and trains within Slovenia, why not with airplane.
DeleteFor free nowadays means communism .
DeleteUnfortunately the trend in Europe is to work longer and living on ever more reduced pensions and healthcare .
Whatever you do, don't do this. History will repeat itself:
ReplyDelete1. Create Adria2
2. Merge with Air Montenegro
3. Let Anžur become CEO of the merged Adria2Montenegro airline
In 2 yrs To Montenegro will go belly up, so he will be jobless :D
DeleteWhat Slovenia, the country as well as its society need is a vision for the future .
ReplyDeleteBeing the last bandwagon in the EU isnt one .
What I miss with all those contributions is a more realistic view on Adria success in the past. Where it is no doubt that Adria’s golden years have been in late 70s’ and then 80s’. Not by flight in and out of LJU but with charter flights from north of Germany, Holland, England to Adria destinations of Dubrovnik, Split, even Pula. Nowadays there are not so many who knows that – in early eighties – half of the Adria fleet was based in Dubrovnik. It was a niche for Adria to develop at that time having in my that JAT had a privilege of regular scheduled routes. And – not to be neglected – Adria also profited from earnings of hard currencies. The other niche for Adria in 80s’ was focused on (regular) charters of “gastarbaiters”, especially in Germany. With flights from secondary (west) German airports to Zagreb, Split, Sarajevo. The era, which came to end with fall of SFRJ.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a history, but in any ambitions for the future, this lesson should not be overrided. But I understand, for all those who see the potential in Slovenia itself, those lessons are not really serving the purpose.
It seems some people think, national airline is only used by nationals of country in question lol. All we hear is Slovenia is too small, bla, bla, bla. The fact is, the fleet Adria had in its last years was more or less optimal for the function it was performing - connecting LJU with the world. The other fact is, it could maintain itself in black, or with realy modest loss. But all of that will not help. Who is going to work for Adria 2.0? Pilots all gone to other jobs or retired, other staff is not coming back for sure. Adria (or its resurections) is dead for ever, and state will end up throwing more and more money into subsidies.
ReplyDelete