Ljubljana Airport urges for “crucial” airline incentives

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport has again urged for the Slovenian government to provide incentives to airlines in order to encourage them to resume operations to the city. “Fraport Slovenija is pleased to see the return of a number of airlines, but also urges the state to provide assistance to renew and maintain Slovenia's network of air links, including the use of funds to promote Slovenia as a tourist destination, thus boosting tourism and the economy as well”, the operator said. So far, Air Serbia (Belgrade), Montenegro Airlines (Podgorica), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Wizz Air (Charleroi), Transavia (Amsterdam), Air France (Paris), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) and easyJet (Berlin) have resumed operations to Ljubljana.

The Head of Airline Management at Ljubljana Airport, Janez Krašnja, noted, “The aviation industry has been hit hard by the health crisis. We are pleased that, despite the difficult conditions, airlines have returned to Ljubljana Airport. Maintaining existing connections and restoring the rest will be a challenge due to the continuing uncertain health situation in the world. Therefore, carriers are increasingly cautious and selective about which markets they enter”. He added, “We hope that the country, following the example of other European Union member states, will use funds to promote Slovenia in key markets to help restore its air connectivity which was accessible to local and foreign passengers prior to the pandemic. Such an incentive would be crucial for the recovery of the Slovenian tourism industry and the economy in general".

Ljubljana Airport previously floated the idea of a ten euro subsidy per passenger for airlines. Although the government is yet to respond to the initiative and has instead said it is negotiating with carriers, several other airlines plan to return to the Slovenian capital next month. They include Aeroflot, from mid-September, as well as Brussels Airlines and British Airways, while easyJet will resume operations from London. Windrose Airlines has again delayed the launch of its new service from Kiev, which is now scheduled to commence in mid-September. Israir’s new seasonal flights from Tel Aviv to Ljubljana are now scheduled to begin on September 1 but are only expected to run for a few weeks.