The Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure has said it is in talks with a number of carriers in order to find a solution for the country’s perceived lack of air connectivity ahead of the five-year anniversary of the collapse of former national carrier Adria Airways. “The Ministry for Infrastructure is continuing to rigorously seek out solutions that will improve Slovenia’s air connectivity in the long-term, including talks with airlines that present their proposals for improving connectivity. The fact is that basing a few aircraft at one of our international airports would increase connectivity and also improve flight frequencies on individual air routes. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia will decide whether the establishment of a national carrier is the most appropriate solution for improving connectivity, after all options to increase connectivity are presented”.
In April, the Ministry confirmed the receipt of an application from Cyprus Airways for the opening of a base and the launch of several routes from Ljubljana. However, it highlighted that the application was incomplete and required modification before any decision could be made. The Cypriot flag carrier submitted its proposal as part of the Slovenian government’s open call for subsidies for the launch of new routes from the country. “The carrier has been requested to address these shortcomings. A comprehensive review of the application and a final decision will be made following the necessary modifications”, the Ministry said.
Most recently, the Ministry held talks with Denmark’s Stugan Development APS, which deals with the development of infrastructure projects. They presented their views on the possibilities of improving Slovenia's air connectivity and were interested in the state's existing measures to improve the aviation sector, as well as possible forms of cooperation. On the other hand, Babett Stapel, the CEO of Fraport Slovenija, the operator of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, noted last month, “It is not my place to comment on whether Slovenia needs a national airline, however, I would note that times have changed, and we are recovering well now. The routes that have potential have already been taken”.
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ReplyDelete😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
ReplyDelete🤫🤣
DeleteGood thing they are being rigorous 5 years after Adria went bust lol.
ReplyDeleteThe government wants to be careful not to rush into any decisions. So at the 10th anniversary they will be ready with their informed decision. 😂
DeleteNot far from the truth :D
DeleteThe government should have been thinking about Adria's replacement months before it went bankrupt as everyone knew it would go bankrupt.
Deleteor they could have just kept Adria with a one time financial injection and kept their planes, routes, slots, tradition, staff, international agreements...
DeleteThe whole aftermath of Adria going bankrupt was handled extremely badly.
Delete@Anon 10:11: Adria had a lot of "one time financial injections" over the years. It just wasn't a viable business anymore.
DeleteAnd it had a poo management each and every time. Had they brought in a professional management, it could have had a chance.
DeleteIs there any real chance the Cyprus Airways deal could go through?
ReplyDeleteThere are rumors that they are waiting to get more aircraft and that they will then announce LJU base.
DeleteThat would be fantastic, if it comes true.
DeleteHow many planes would they base in LJU. One or two?
DeleteAnd how many routes?
DeleteBoth of their a220 are grounded due to PW engine issues
DeleteAren't they about to get additional A220s?
DeleteFor starters they could launch flights from Larnaca to Ljubljana and Podgorica.
DeleteNo change seeing CY in LJU.
Delete@9.39 Only one A220 is grounded. The other one is flying.
DeleteI have never seen an airport that actively does not want to have more traffic.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you say that! Fraport is doing everything in their power to add more routes. Just conspiracy theories here..
Deletehttps://i.pinimg.com/originals/e6/93/12/e6931225b2e021469a4f1cab4db721b9.gif
DeleteOnly Fraport. Just look at their delusional statements in media how they grow and how they recover.
DeleteAnd only Fraport operation in Ljubljana.
DeleteLJU has zero demand. Fraport should rather invest into TZL as it is twice the size of LJU.
Delete^ your constant sarcastic comments are no longer funny and bring nothing to a discussion.
DeleteJust like Fraport brings nothing to air connectivity to Slovenia. And it seems like you have nothing againts that.
DeleteUnfortunately, we will be stuck with this until everyone starts using neighboring airports.
DeleteTruth is, unfortunately, that Fraport is not in the state to handle any more flights that there are now. They simply don't have enough workforce to do it and they already strugle now.
Delete^ true
DeleteBravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteThat airport is in the middle of nowhere. Geography is the main problem. They should also work on the connectivity to the airport from various parts of Slovenia, not only few buses a day from Ljubljana Train Station.
ReplyDeleteYou are telling me it is easier to get to other airports in nearby countries than to LJU?
DeleteThe only place on Earth where the GOV is the key driver of enhanching the air connectivity. Why do we even need the operator of the airport in this case? The GOV should get rid off Fraport ASAP.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteOther than Aegean Fraport has not attracted a single airline since Covid. All of them came thanks to the government subsidies.
DeleteAnd we thought current CEO will be much better than Skobir :)
DeleteI really hope the government gives approval for Cyprus.
ReplyDeleteSame. It could be a gamechanger for LJU
DeleteThe problem is not on government's side, but on Cyprus's side. Both A220s are grounded on the moment, they are using wet-leased aircraft (Trade Air and SundAir) to support their LCA operations (those which are not canceled). So It looks they are not coming soon.
DeleteThe issue is many airlines were interested in helping Slovenia get more flights over the past few years and the government just rejected them
DeleteAnd which airlines were that?
DeleteBoth Air Dolimiti and Croatia Airlines submitted proposals for a base in LJU. Both were rejected by the government. Air Serbia had direct talks with the government during Covid where Air Serbia (CEO Naysmith at the time) said they were willing to open a base in LJU. Government never pursued it. Now we have this thing with Cyprus Airways, which will also be rejected in the end.
DeleteNot to mention that they also had talks with Wizz Air, easyjet, and Ryanair. The first two have now almost completely disappeared off the Slovenian market. Wizz is only present because of Macedonian government subsidies from Skopje otherwise they would not be flying to Slovenia at all.
DeleteLow-costers are obviously chased away by Fraport. Regarding the other discussions, it looks like some politicians prefer pouring public money in national carrier of some other (neighboring) state instead of investing in own airliner. :-(
DeleteTo be fair, Wizz Air has left and returned to the Slovenian market several times over the years. At some point they will grow again from LJU.
DeleteHopefully now, when they are returning NEOs to the service
DeleteThis has been dragging out for way too long. Either find a solution or cut the crap,
ReplyDeletewow it has been 5 years since Adria.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's bankruptcy is still being felt throughout Slovenian aviation and toruism industry.
DeleteYet people said how it would be short term and everyone else would rush in and cover the loss of passengers.
DeleteThey are all still waiting for the market to sort itself out like they promised.
DeleteThe market has already sorted it out, but no one is willing to accept the naked truth.
DeleteDidn't know that market disappears!
DeleteHoping for a positive outcome
ReplyDeleteSorry to say, but the track record should not give you much hope.
DeleteHave they given up on the subsidy program? If they plan to attract anyone new for the winter they should have started tender procedures long ago.
ReplyDeleteWell their previous ones have been a complete bust. Luxair turned route into seasonal, Iberia flying from Madrid for a month, Norwegian is only operating seasonally. Only one that actually worked was Air Baltic.
DeleteLet's hope that Cyprus Airways will come to LJU
ReplyDeleteI would not get my hopes up.
DeleteBasically we a condemned to this status quo :(
ReplyDeleteAt least it's good to know someone is interested in Ljubljana.
DeleteWho?
DeleteFraport Slovenija loves the status quo. Read the statement they gave about new national airline.
DeleteWho are these Stugan Development APS? I can't find them anywhere online although I see people working for this company on Linkedin.
ReplyDeleteThem not having a website says everything you need to know about that company.
DeleteWhat happened to the various Air Slovenia and Slovenia Air start ups that were planned?
ReplyDeleteThey were all a joke to begin with.
DeleteThe more time passes the less of a possibility to find a solution.
ReplyDeleteHope some sort of a solution can be found.
ReplyDeleteWhen competent govt comes and Fraport leaves LJU.
DeleteIn other words, never.
DeletePretty much.
DeleteThe only solution is to create a new airline. Everyone knows it. Well except Fraport as their only concern is with their shareholder - Lovehansa.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't Slovenia launch tender for PSO routes? That way they could ensure connectivity.
ReplyDeleteIt's extremely difficult if not impossible to get EC approval for cross-border PSO to destinations useful for Slovenia.
DeleteSlovenia tried but this idea was rejected by EC years ago.
DeleteInteresting, I wonder which routes they wanted to classify as PSO.
DeleteWasn't Brussels proposed and even approved as a PSO route? I remember Adria getting huge amounts of money to operate it.
Delete@ Anon22:23 It wasn't PSO. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a procurement for subsidized tickets. But Adria did get over 4 million euros for it.
DeleteHere is the link to the news
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2018/11/adria-granted-subsidies-for-brussels.html
So much talk, so little action.
ReplyDeleteSorry but the truth of the matter is no one cares. The government does not care about connectivity, Slovenian public does not care ether as they happily go to every single neighboring country to fly out and Fraport definitely does not care.
ReplyDeleteIn my view, you are absolutely correct. What other conclusion can anyone come to but that?
Delete+1 sad but truth
DeleteTime to change the operator of the airport!
ReplyDeleteThe problem is they are not only operators, they are the owners.
DeleteYes. They have 99 year ownership of airport infrastructure. I don't know if there is an example of any other country in the world that has made such a damaging agreement for their main airport. What on earth possessed them to do this?!?! They could have given a concession for 20 or 30 or even 40 years but to hand over airport infrastructure for a century. Next level crazy.
DeleteAnd to add insult to injury they gave aid to Fraport Slovenija during Covid and now they are giving it to airlines, which is something Fraport should be doing.
DeleteTime to expropriate Fraport?
DeleteI still think that Slovenia needs a small compact national airline that would work as a feeder not just to Lufthansa but also offer connections like ROM, MAD,BCN,LIS,MAN,BER,CGN, SOF,SJJ,ARN,MIL year round but also seasonal and or charters: DBV, BWK, PMI, RVN, AGP. Not just connectivity as number of connections also the time of flights and further transfer for intercontinental flights is important that they match (early morning flights from Slovenia). It would be also interesting to analyse to check the profitability of planes that can land on the sea as a not very developed market. In this case private coinvestor should also be included. Years ago there were companies trying to run it in Croatia. LJU or MBX could be a hub from where bigger coastal cities could be flying in... (i know a bit of futurism but if the airline company will not have some un standard concept it will not run well). To all critic I have to say that flying has the same status of taking a bus or a train. The state is paying money for public buses and trains and it should also pay for main connections for flying. Now we are connected well only to LufthansaGroup , Turkish and Air Serbia...
ReplyDelete"It would be also interesting to analyse to check the profitability of planes that can land on the sea as a not very developed market."
DeleteLMAO seaplanes for those 40km of coast that Slovenia has, which is less than 1h driving away from the nearest airport suitable for all airliners.
The market is not just slovenian coast.... the market is huge. It could work also as a airtaxi...
DeleteI still think that Solinair idea was the best.
ReplyDeleteA few ATRs for start and then expand to E jets.
It's a shame it didn't happen, because the likes of Vienna, Sarajevo, Prague, Rome are perfect ATR destinations
Agree. Why was this proposal rejected again? The government thought Solinair was asking for too much money? I can't remember.
DeleteThis is without doubt one of the longest sagas in the regional aviation.
ReplyDeletePetogodisnji plan
ReplyDeleteIs there still a chance that Slovenia might be interested in setting up a national airline? Or are we too far past that point?
ReplyDeleteThe quote by the ministry from the article
Delete"The Government of the Republic of Slovenia will decide whether the establishment of a national carrier is the most appropriate solution for improving connectivity, after all options to increase connectivity are presented”.
If you read between the lines, it's basically their last resort.
DeleteConsidering Slovenia's horrible rail infrastructure, you would think the government would at least do a better job with aviation.
ReplyDeleteRail infrastructure is upgrafing and getting constantly invested in with big money. And people actually care about it unlike for aviation in Slovenia. There are also plans for fast railway between Ljubljana-Celje-Maribor but that is a project that would be realised in about 20 years considering how slow everything goes here
DeleteBasically we are screwed and no one in government plans to do anything about this.
ReplyDeleteWe will run out of adjectives before plans are made...
ReplyDelete