Ukraine's Windrose considering Ljubljana service


Ukrainian carrier Windrose Airlines is considering introducing flights between Kiev and the Slovenian capital from late December but is yet to make a final decision whether the service will go ahead. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the airline's head of Public Relations, Natalia Kochanova, said, "We have the intention to start these flights, but there is no final decision at the moment". Under the carrier's draft schedule, flights to Ljubljana would operate three times per week from Boryspil Airport, starting December 21, each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon, with an evening return service.

Windrose Airlines had plans to serve Ljubljana in the past. In mid-December 2017 it intended on launching two weekly flights between the two capital cities with Embraer E145 jets, but the service never materialised. The Ukrainian carrier had previously operated summer charters to Maribor. Ljubljana and Kiev were last linked with a nonstop air service in October 2018 when Adria Airways discontinued the route after less than a year of operations, along with several others. Another Ukrainian carrier, Dniproavia also had plans to connect the two cities in 2017 and went as far as putting tickets on sale. However, the airline ceased operations prior to the route launch and the majority of its fleet has since been absorbed by Windrose Airlines.

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport is preparing for a challenging winter season following the collapse of Adria Airways. Despite the planned arrival of several new carriers, as well as frequency and capacity growth on existing services, the airport is expected to shed up to 200.000 passengers this year. In a statement, Ljubljana Airport said, "We will strive to further expand our flight network and improve its connectivity. We strongly believe in the continued growth of traffic at our airport, thus we are investing in the modernisation of airport infrastructure and increasing our capacities. In five years, [operator] Fraport Slovenia will spend more than forty million euros in investments, half of which will go towards the new passenger terminal, which will enhance airport standards for passengers".




Comments

  1. Anonymous09:05

    Great news! LJU needs all the airlines it can get now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:06

    If these go ahead I wonder if they will use the Airbus fleet or the Embraers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:08

      ERJ for sure. They have seven.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:10

      It's actually perfect for this route with 50 ssat capacity.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:09

    Is there really that much demand for flights between Ljubljana and Kiev?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous08:18

      10000 indirect pax between Sept 2018 and Aug 2019 -source OAG Traffic Analyser, so demand is.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:10

    Does Windrose offer any transfer options? Where do they fly to?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      No they don't.

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    2. Anonymous09:30

      That's stupid.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:05

      Not sure this route can survive purely on P2P passengers.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:12

    How come an airline has a preliminary schedule and everything but it's still unsure it will start flying a particular route?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      Not serious

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:17

      Maybe it depends on sone factors out of their control.

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    3. Anonymous09:25

      *some

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:14

    I hope it will not be not a seasonal charter (like winter flights to Salzburg) but just a seasonal flight open to everyone (an if possible with one way tickets available too (that was not the case for Pula))).

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:23

      It's planned 3 times per week. Don't think it's going to be a seasonal charger.

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    2. Anonymous11:06

      Most of their services are charter.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:15

    Ok, when they already operate occasionally charters to SLO it will most likely mean that a good chunk of the seats on their flights will already be sold to TOs - so TOs/agencies take over the risk to sell these seats and airline has some safe income and secured min LF. This surely gives Windrose a competitive advantage

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  8. Anonymous09:16

    Dniprovavia was selling tickets at 250 EUR. Hope these guys will be more competitive.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      And what were Adria's fares like?

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    2. Anonymous09:22

      Around 220 euros, depending what dates you picked.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:23

      Windrose livery is cool!

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    4. Anonymous09:26

      Ok, so that seems to be the price then.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:31

      Agree. The livery is fantastic.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:21

      I find Aerosvit to have had the better livery
      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/AeroSvit_Ukrainian_Airlines_Boeing_737-300_KBP_UR-DNJ_2011-10-2.png/1280px-AeroSvit_Ukrainian_Airlines_Boeing_737-300_KBP_UR-DNJ_2011-10-2.png

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:27

    There are much more pressing markets to cover other than Ukraine!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:28

      I don't think Fraport chased after Windrose to come. They came on their own and would have come even if Adria was alive today.

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    2. Anonymous09:34

      ^ exactly. Windrose saw an opportunity and will likely come. We should be grateful for that.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:30

    Would have preferred Ukraine International. They have one of the cheapest fares and a great network.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      +1

      Delete
    2. I najveći stupanj šikaniranja putnika. Pročitaj malo recenzije na skytraxu. Radije idem pješice nego sa UIA

      Delete
  11. Who flies between Ljubljana and Ukraine? Are there some stronger business ties? Ukrainians working in Slovenia? Tourism?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:53

      Ukraine is a country of 40 million getting closer and closer with the EU.
      The boom in travel is only logical.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:02

      People from ex USSR are partial to Terme resorts of which, I think, there are several of in the east of Slovenia. An obvious selling point.

      Delete
    3. Turisti na more i lječilišta

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    4. Anonymous08:19

      Ukrainians who live in Slovenia

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:38

    Other than Kiev are there some other perspective destinations from Ljubljana at the moment?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:39

      Vienna!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:49

      By the way
      Vienna is well connected to
      Kiev–Boryspil: Austrian Airlines, Lauda (for Ryanair),
      Kiev–Zhuliany: WizzAir.
      LCC prices are very competitive.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:51

      Scandinavia. There are no more flights to any Scandinavian city.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:58

      There is Finnair from Helsinki.

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    5. Anonymous11:06

      Helsinki is only seasonal.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:58

      Don't tell a Finnish person you consider them Scandinavian :D they will get offended

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:39

    I have a feeling this might end up like Dniprovavia and they cancel flights a few weeks before launch. Hope I'm wrong though.

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  14. Anonymous09:53

    What's with the sudden interest for Ukraine from Slovenia?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:07

      Asking myself the same question.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:54

    Great. Kiev is a good city break destination

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  16. Anonymous09:55

    In the last few years it has not only been Windrose that has flown to Maribor. Dniproavia flew Maribor charters from Harkov.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:08

      Hope the loads will be there to keep this route.

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    2. Anonymous10:17

      Speaking of Maribor, what is going on there?

      Delete
  17. Anonymous10:11

    This is good news for Ljubljana Airport which desperately needs more destinations and airlines.

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  18. Anonymous10:15

    Is Windrose a reliable airline?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:17

      Yes. They have been around for quite some time.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous10:21

    Ljubljana should first get linked with a number of EU markets before lines like Kiev.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:28

      LOL it should be linked with markets that can generate passengers. Ukraine seems to be one of them.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous11:05

    Thanks for clarifying ex-yu. Most Slovenian media reported as if this was a done thing. Obviously far from definite.

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  21. Ove objave mogućih linija su kao objave nogometnih transfera. Baci se kost da se ima raja oko nečeg uzbuđivati, a 90% šansi je da se NE obistini, a 10% da se obistini

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:32

      LJU Airport has listed the flights on its website.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous11:36

    According to Fraport , this should be the schedule

    Arrival
    KYIV-BORYSPIL
    - 2 - 4 - 6 - 17:00 18:20 7W761 21.12. - 28.03.

    Depqrture
    KYIV-BORYSPIL
    - 2 - 4 - 6 - 19:00 22:20 7W762 21.12. - 28.03.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:07

      Not the best of schedules to be honest.

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    2. Anonymous15:42

      Not convenient for tourists at all.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:17

      Arrival to Kyiv is too late but for the rest is good. A schedule Friday and Sunday would be better.

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    4. Anonymous16:20

      Currently train from Boryspil Airport train has 2 departures after 23.00. It's not too late. Than you have bus and taxi.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous13:15

    Windrose are actually operating to both OTP and SOF for years following Aerosvit's bankruptcy in 2012. Unlike Ukraine International, they focus eastwards. I see them launching LJU and maybe DBV or SPU.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:07

      Nice. Do they fly anywhere in ex-Yu, seasonally at least?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:41

      Yes to Tivat during the summer.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous17:54

    Meanwhile JU has once again added larger planes to LJU.

    17.10 B733 evening flight
    20.10 B733 evening flight
    25.10 A319 morning flight
    26.10 B733 morning flight
    27.10 A319 morning/ B733 evening (!)
    28.10 13.10 departure is added, three daily on Atr
    03.11 A319 evening flight
    14.12 B733 in the evening
    15.12 B733 in the morning

    WOW! Congrats to JU and LJU.

    ReplyDelete
  25. summer timetable 2 daily moscow and 3 times weekly LED additional to Ukraine flights would be gr8 as the trend of tourism and business is through the years growing... isnt it?

    ReplyDelete
  26. what about pobeda (LED), volotea (MAD/BCN/LIS)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20:23

      Why Lisbon ?
      Volotea does not even fly there.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous20:42

      This Iggy guy is a fake like the other one !

      Delete

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