Representative of Icelandic ultra low cost carrier PLAY have held talks with the Slovenian government over the potential introduction of flights to the country. It comes as the airline announced a strategic shift, which will see it reduce operations to North America next year and instead focus on expanding leisure operations in Europe. The Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure said, “The representatives of the Icelandic carrier PLAY Airlines presented to the Ministry their business development so far and the possibilities of expanding their network. In this regard, they were presented with measures for improving Slovenia's air connectivity with the possibility of subsidising air carriers to start operating new routes to/from Slovenia based on the Public Tender for improved air connectivity in Slovenia, which has been in place since last April”.
Within the region, PLAY currently serves Split on a seasonal summer basis and will introduce flights to Pula next year. Ljubljana Airport already boasts leisure charter flights to Reykjavik. During the January - August period, 1.056 passengers flew on charters between the Slovenian and Icelandic capitals, while that figure stood at 2.644 for the whole of last year. The Slovenian government recently issued a sixth public call to airlines for the introduction of new routes to Slovenia in return for subsidies, with the deadline for the submission of bids set for October 27.
PLAY Airlines’ CEO, Einar Orn Olafsson, said yesterday, “We’ve announced a major change in PLAY’s strategy, focusing more on strong leisure markets from Iceland and reducing our emphasis on connecting passengers between North America and Europe. This shift comes after disappointing yields on our transatlantic routes, particularly in 2024, as the North American market evolves with longer-range narrowbody aircraft and increased supply”. He added, “Our point-to-point routes, mainly between Iceland and Southern Europe, have been profitable and popular, so we are reducing capacity on our North Atlantic routes through 2025. Around mid-year 2025 we will see these changes come into action where we will decrease capacity in our North America destinations and put more emphasis on leisure destinations in Southern Europe”. PLAY operates a fleet of ten aircraft, including six Airbus A320neos and four A321neos. It currently only serves the Croatian and Greek markets in southeastern Europe but will add Antalya in Turkey to its network next April.
Bravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's why they are talking with the government and not Fraport.
DeleteThey could be talking to Fraport too.
Deleteany discussion must include the operator of the airport. so even if the government wants it. the operator can kill it.
DeleteWhy would the operator kill it? What would be their interest in that?
DeleteTo protect the cartel.
DeleteThe conspiracy theories on here are so tedious. It's honestly so boring.
DeleteIt's not about conspiracies. We can see the results of their 'work'.
DeleteYes, because cartel prevents people from booking FlyEgypt's flights to Sharm el-Sheikh and that is why FlyEgypt won't start scheduled flights.
DeleteThey don't care about scheduled charters. But they DO care about big (and not so big) competitors and scheduled flights which could take their share of hub passengers. This was proven many times already, it's not a conspiracy but their business strategy.
DeleteWhat’s an ULTRA low cost carrier?
ReplyDeletehttps://blog.intelisysaviation.com/low-cost-lcc-vs.-ultra-low-cost-carriers-ulcc
DeleteAirlines like Wizz and Ryanair, while low cost (without the ultra) are Norwegian, Transavia etc.
DeleteActually I think this would make sense. There are already charters with ok numbers from Ljubljana for Slovenian tourists, while Play would also bring tourists from Iceland. So together, handling both leisure passengers from Iceland and Slovenia, this route could work.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete1 weekly seasonal flights would work without a problem.
DeleteThese seasonal flights they have all seem to be operating for a very short period of time. The Antalya flights are scheduled for just 2 months
DeleteThey did the same with Split but then they extended it for the rest of the summer.
DeleteFor LJU could be year round, Iceland is a must visit at least once destination for lots of Slovenes, if it would also generate incoming tourists + offer at least some price wise competitive connections at least to Hammilton, Stewart and Boston it could actually work year round
DeleteAgree, this route has quite a bit of potential.
DeleteLet's hope they apply on the tender
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteFinally something new. Fingers crossed it actually happens.
ReplyDeleteI just hope it does not end like talks with Wizz Air and Ryanair.
Delete^ Play is unlikely to be asking to fly for free to Slovenia.
DeleteYes, we need something new. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's new. /s
DeleteWell, actually this route makes sense if you look at the demand and the possibility that there can be two way demand.
DeleteBased on fewer than 10 charters per year you estimate that there is year round demand for a scheduled service?
DeleteGreat news. Just not sure this airline will be around in a few years.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteBecause a company changing its business strategy after 2 years is never a good sign.
DeletePlay has also applied for a Maltese AOC, which is interesting.
DeleteWhy mayn companies choice Malta to apply for AOC although they don't plan to fly from/ to Malta?
DeleteMalta is EU AOC (Iceland is not EU, which might bring some limitations)
DeleteTax benefits. Aircraft registered in Malta, and their parts are tax depreciated over an accelerated period of four years. So Malta now has over 40 airlines with an AOC.
DeleteAlso, in Malta, postholders of airlines get a significant tax cut, so it is quite cheap for airlines to have their secondary or tertiary AOC in Malta.
DeleteWhat's the benefit for Malta with significant tax cut? And why don't some others follow the pattern?
DeleteThey get a lot of money besides the tax cut. It's a small country so it would never have this sort of revenue. Others have followed. Wizz Air and Ryanair have aircraft registered in Malta. Wizz Air has a Maltese AOC too. Actually over 40 airlines now have Maltese AOCs for this reason.
DeleteInteresting, didn't know that. I think there is a Caribbean island that operates something similar. I think a lot of Russian airlines used to have their aircraft registered there before the war.
Delete^ Yes in Bermuda
DeleteNothing will come of it!
ReplyDeleteWe will know fairly soon. If they applied for the subsidies then they wlll fly. If not, then they will definitely not launch flights.
DeleteHope more airlines will apply for the public call.
DeleteSame. My only indication that there might be someone interested is that they launched the sixth call so quickly after the fifth failed. Maybe they are expecting someone.
DeleteAre these the same people that used to own WOW?
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteThat does not bode well for their future
DeleteThey will be just fine
DeleteSlovenian government is in so many "talks" recently
ReplyDeleteElections coming soon
DeleteThat's not normal, but somehow understandable, it seems they realized Fraport will not bring anything new outside LH group and its satellites.
DeleteWell considering the Minister for Infrastructure campaigned at the last election how a vote for her means the creation of a new national airline, and that she has not delivered that promise, I guess she has to do something.
DeleteAnd honestly she is doing more than anyone at this position so far. I hope some tangible results will come finally.
DeleteFollowing her role in destroying Adria and Slovenian aviation...
DeleteShe sold the airport, not Adria (that was some other government). But as far as I know, there was strong pressure and lobbying from EU (and Germany) to do that... It was still a big mistake.
DeleteWould be nice to see their planes at LJU.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWell, that was an unexpected headline.
ReplyDeleteTheir ambition should be higher than only 1w leisure from KEF. Slovenian leisure (and low-cost) market is still underserved and a number of leisure routes might work well, especially from end April until October. This is the demand which is today served by charters or forcing people transferring to ZAG, VCE and far beyond, but most of the demand is just unlocked.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhich airline operates the current charters between Slovenia and Iceland?
ReplyDeleteTrade Air
DeleteThank you
DeleteIf they launch Ljubljana, little chance they will start Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteOr they might start Zagreb over Ljubljana.
DeleteOr they start both
Delete^ unlikely
DeleteThey will fly to Pula, so I do not know how Ljubljana will also work.
DeleteDo many Slovenians really use Pula?
DeleteNo. They use their flights from venice
DeletePula has extremely high parking prices and no alternative low cost options nearby. From the second day on it is more expensive than Zagreb.
DeleteOnce a week? In peak season? Groundbreaking!
ReplyDeleteThey didn't say they would fly once per week.
DeleteOne weekly to Ljubljana in summer would work. Iceland is super popular in Slovenia.
DeleteLove it
ReplyDeleteAny new airline would be good
ReplyDeleteAnd much needed
DeleteIt will end up like all the other talks. Nowhere.
ReplyDeleteIf they didn't apply for the current connectivity tender than definitely nothing will come out of it.
DeleteThat's one striking livery
ReplyDeleteReminds me very much of Air Greenland.
DeleteNice to see there is more and more interest from Iceland in the region.
ReplyDeleteSAS should be LJU's priority from the Nordics.
ReplyDeleteConsidering they are now in Sky Team, LJU will definitely not actively approach them and try to get them to fly to Slovenia.
DeleteSo, they were actively approaching them when they were *A?
DeleteHaving KEF line before VIE, MAD, BER is something only Lju is capable of
ReplyDeleteBER is coming sooner than KEF. :-) VIE is probably gone forever or at least until Austria stops implementing their green policy and until LH decides to push their VIE hub again.
DeleteAre you sure?
DeleteEurowings?
@11:08 true haha
DeletePLAY just announced that they are looking for EU subsidiary, where they'll base 4 planes. Maybe we misundestood the meeting, and it was more about the re-registration of the planes in Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteThey have already announced they a reregistering planes in Malta. And I don't think the government would be presenting them the subsidy program if they wanted to reregister planes.
DeleteThis would be exciting. Hope it happens
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't hold my breath
DeleteShame they are changing their strategy as it would actually be an added bonus for launching LJU route.
ReplyDeleteIt's good and for Slovenian tourists, Iceland is popular for Croats and Slovenians. Seasonal scheduled flights are possible, the market is here.
ReplyDeleteWould work but it won’t happen because this is Ljubljana airport and Slovenian aviation
ReplyDeleteI would prefer if Icelandair started Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteConnections wise yes, airplane type no 🙂
DeleteHypothetically speaking, if it were Icelandair, I assume they would use 737 MAX for a route like Ljubljana right?
DeleteMost likely
DeleteWhen ti comes to passenger comfort MAX is a great plane (if we neglect the possibility of an unexpected door falling off).
DeleteThey are getting A321neos
DeleteAnyone flown with them? What are they like?
ReplyDeleteThey are typical LCC.
DeleteVery unexpected, yet extremely welcome.
ReplyDeleteEveryone wants to talk to Slovenia but no one wants to fly there.
ReplyDelete