Slovenian-registered carrier Amelia International, which is part of the Regourd Aviation Group, is open to cooperation with the Slovenian government over the country’s new flag carrier but has said its involvement would depend on how the state would envisage the new airline. “It is difficult to make private capital interested in taking on all the costs and operating in the red for years”, Amelia International’s Managing Director, Matija Kranjc, told the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). An expert commission set up by the Slovenian government has found that a new flag carrier could only be successfully established in partnership with a privately-owned company. The government is divided on whether to go ahead and set up the new airline, with a final decision expected to be made in the coming weeks.
Amelia International was established in 2008 as a line and base maintenance organisation for helicopter operators. It transitioned into a continuing airworthiness management organisation (CAMO) in 2012 after it received a Slovenian Air Operator’s Certificate. With a growing fleet, which includes ATRs, an Airbus A319 and A320, as well as Embraer ERJ145s, Amelia International today operates ad-hoc charter flights to destinations in Europe and the Middle East, as well as Public Service Obligation flights on behalf of Air France. The airline is seen by many as one of the most viable partners for a future Slovenian flag carrier. The country’s Prime Minister, Robert Golob, said in case the government decides to create a new airline, it “would not happen any time soon” but added the state would seek “a strategic partnership with one of the existing carriers”.
Amelia International had considered introducing scheduled flights from Ljubljana following the collapse of Adria Airways in September 2019, but ultimately decided against it. “When we knew Adria Airways was in trouble and there was no way for them to come out of it, we did a lot of market analysis and projections. We tried to figure out if we could operate profitably out of Slovenia. We spent a good half a year trying to find a solution and see if we could find an economically sustainable model to fly from Ljubljana, and we couldn’t. We are not saying it can’t be done, we are just saying we couldn’t find a way to make it happen. At the time we didn’t see it, but we thought someone else would. Time has basically shown us that no one wanted to take on the challenge”, Amelia’s Managing Director said.
They make the most sense. I hope the government engages with them and makes a reasonable deal.
ReplyDeleteThat cabin looks really nice!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteEspecially when there are blanket, pillows and amenity kits on the seats :D
DeleteIt's a shame Amelia didn't start scheduled flights from LJU. But I get their point of view.
ReplyDeleteWorth noting that Amelia has a larger fleet than Croatia Airlines and the second largest fleet in ex-Yu.
ReplyDeleteAre they profitable?
DeleteI assume they do well if they fly PSOs for Air France.
DeleteI believe they operate around 7 PSO routes for AF.
Delete6
DeleteNot bad at all
DeleteIs there a company, especially flag carrier, which does not have larger fleet than Croatia Airlines?
DeleteAir Montenegro
DeleteBulgaria Air
DeleteAir Malta
DeleteCyprus Airways
DeleteAir Albania
DeleteAir Moldova
DeleteGeorgian Airways
DeleteCSA
DeleteAviojet
DeleteWow, I just realized Jasmin is the best. He rocks and rolls all over Georgia, Moldova and Albania 😃 And the sole poster listing the above made me that proud that I must hail : Bravo Hrvatska!
DeleteBulgaria, Cyprus and Czech Republic too?
DeleteKnowing croatian potentials, yes, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Czech Republic too. And Malta. You forgot Malta, trying to switch focus once again from pathetic loser Croatia Airlines
DeleteWishful thinking in my opinion but let's see.
ReplyDeleteWhat is wishful thinking?
DeleteBecause I doubt they would meet Amelia's demands.
DeleteWe don't even know what their demand are or how much money the government is willing to give.
DeleteWhy haven't I ever heard of them before?
ReplyDeleteBecause they mostly operate flights in France on behalf of AirFrance.
DeleteThey went where the money is.
DeleteTo me it seems a government decision about forming a new airline is far from certain.
ReplyDeleteI think that if it will happen, the best possible way is to partner with Amelia or Solinair.
DeleteSo the government has a willing partner now. What are they waiting for?
ReplyDeleteMany in the government don't want a new airline/
DeleteStarting with the Prime Minister.
DeleteHe literally said that he supports it if the researchers said that the new national carrier is needed.
DeleteThey would have been the perfect replacement for Adria.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteFingers crossed this works out.
ReplyDeleteAmelia is going to bid for the partnership. It's just a question of if the government will select them.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile we are still waiting to find out whatever happened with the subsidy tender....
ReplyDeleteWhat is going with that?
DeleteMy only viable guess is that the government asked both airline for adjustment in the paperwork, and they now have 30 more days
DeleteI think that is quite delusional to think that anything will happen from that first tender. I think that they were talking something about the July tender and let's hope that anyone serious will apply. But I wouldn't be surprised if the outcome will be the same.
DeleteThey have been very non transparent about the entire tender.
DeleteIt's a no brainer for Amelia to become a partner.
ReplyDeleteOnly if it doesn't bankrupt them.
Deletelol true.
DeleteI think the government already had that in mind from the get go
ReplyDeleteThey'll give them 90mio,they'll take care of the planes and staff and that's it
Quite simple when you don't need to establish anything, it's almost a subsidy
I really hope so. They should move on this whole process much faster.
DeleteWith half a million passengers traffic for 6 months traffic for an EU capital, the government should act quickly. Even small Caucasus capitals are securing more and more new connections. Also why not consider LCC options... very embarrassing and so bureaucratic it seems or simply Fraport is obviously not interested to protect the LH group.
ReplyDelete+1
DeletePerfect solution and it is the quickest way for new airline to be established. They already have the planes, staff and AOC
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteMeanwhile Lufthansa canceled the only flights to Munich, they rebooked me from today to tomorrow and i just got an email that I'm going via Zurich tomorrow lol!
ReplyDeleteThey cancelled your flight or they cancelled all flights between LJU and MUC?
DeleteToday's and tomorrow's flights between LJU and MUC are canceled. Then it's again normal onwards
DeleteJust got my flight canceled (wednesday), so I don't really know what's going on?
DeleteYes Tuesday and Wednesdays flights to MUC are cancelled. But there was no real explanation why.
DeleteYesterday's flight was also canceled...
DeleteAnd now the today's flight is in the air?? What's going on haha
DeleteYes. Flight LH1696 from Munchen landed at 12.53 in LJU. It was scheduled at 12.30, so no special delay.
DeleteYesterday's flight MUC - LJU was not canceled. It landed at 13:56.
DeleteBoth flights arrived / departed LJU, is it possible that they cancelled it to you because it was overbooked?
DeleteThat's possible because two weeks ago a flight from MUC to LJU was overbooked and they offered me a flight the next day through Frankfurt!!
DeleteDo they have right aircraft for LJU market? ERJ 145, ATR or A319?
ReplyDeleteThey literally have all three
DeleteI know, but none is perfect.
DeleteTheir ERj145s are quite old and I believe they said they are starting to retire them.
Delete@9.34 so which aircraft would be perfect for the Slovenian market?
DeleteE195s would be the best option in my opinion.
DeleteE190/95 E2
Delete@09.42 Aircraft the size of ATR with speed of jets. E175 (maybe E 190) for example
DeleteWhat about the A318-111 the seating capacity suits the need, and they are really cheap these days. They have extra range for some charter flights as well.
DeleteAvantiAir/SkyAlps/Croatia Q400 would be the perfect fit.
DeleteI wouldn't want Croatia Airlines as a partner considering they haven't turned a profit in 6 years. And even then they made a profit because they sold airport slots.
DeleteThe saga continues
ReplyDeleteAt least it is moving in a positive direction.
DeleteWe will see, hope so.
DeleteAmelia is looking more and more likely to be the partner.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good if the private partner is a Slovenian airline
ReplyDeleteThere are not too many other options other than Amelia.
DeleteFrom Slovenia the only other trustworthy one is Solinair
DeleteWhy are they the most trustworthy?
DeleteI mean they are on the market for a long time and especially Amelia is well directed airline. And they both expressed interest in the past to help establishing a national airline
DeleteWhy does it matter which EU country the airline is from? Isn't it better with an airline that has an established sales network (travel agency contracts etc.), not just a wetlease operator, even if that means an airline from another EU country?
DeleteShould have all been done in 2019.
ReplyDeleteYou only realize what you had after you loose it.
DeleteAmelia said they looked at it in 2019 and the numbers didn't add up for them.
DeleteIt didn't add up because the government back then was unwilling to support them.
DeleteYes, great idea to start an airline just before Covid.
DeleteThey seem to be a well run airline.
ReplyDeleteSo if Amelia steps in, what kind of fleet would the new airline have.
ReplyDeleteI hope some regional jets. 80 - 100 pax.
DeleteThe study shows that only regional jets would make sense. I think Embraers are likely.
DeleteGood news. It means we might see the new national carrier established sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't get my hopes up.
DeleteThe longer it takes for them to set up an airline, the less chances of it actually being established.
ReplyDeleteWhen will the government finally make a decision whether they will establish the new national airline or not?
ReplyDeleteLater this month/early July.
DeleteAmelia needs this too since France started to cancel interna flight shorter than 2hrs
ReplyDelete