Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport started the year off with the loss of another customer as Montenegro Airlines declared bankruptcy, leaving the Podgorica route unserved, however, February should see the return of two carriers with a total of five to serve the Slovenian capital. Next month, Air France plans to restore operations from Paris through its HOP! subsidiary from February 1. The carrier will maintain three weekly flights with the Embraer 170 aircraft. In addition, easyJet is set to return to the Slovenian capital with the resumption of its London Gatwick service starting February 12. However, the recent travel restriction imposed in the United Kingdom, which are expected to heavily reduce the little demand that existed, may result in the deferral of the service resumption. At this point, easyJet plans to operate two weekly flights.
Overall, Lufthansa, Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, Air France and easyJet are expected to maintain scheduled operations to Slovenia in February with the German carrier offering the most flights and capacity. In total, 21.412 seats will be on offer (both directions included) from Ljubljana next month, representing a decrease of 79.6% on February 2020, when there were 105.042 seats available in and out of the Slovenian capital across twelve different airlines. If current schedules stay intact, Ljubljana should see the return of LOT Polish Airlines from Warsaw, Transavia from Amsterdam, Swiss from Zurich, Brussels Airlines from the Belgian capital and Wizz Air from Charleroi in late March.
Ljubljana two-way frequency and capacity in February 2021
The General Manager of operator Fraport Slovenija, Zmago Skobir, recently said talks were underway to turn the Slovenian capital into a base for an airline, with Ljubljana Airport estimated to handle between 700.000 and 800.000 passengers this year. “Talks are underway on this, but there are several possible models of collaboration, which are a matter of assessments, business plans and risk sharing”, Mr Skobir said. He added, "The concept involves a reputable foreign carrier that could operate with Slovenian crew and perhaps also in our colours”. He noted this solution was more sensible and financially viable than the potential set-up of a new national carrier.
I'll believe it when I see it considering how airlines are changing schedules left and right.
ReplyDeleteSo the maximum number of passengers LJU can have in February is 21.412 if all planes are full which is impossible. Scary.
ReplyDeleteHow many passengers did Ljubljana have in February 2020?
Delete79.776
DeleteI understand it's a pandemic, I understand the travel restrictions, but having the least number of flights of any ex-Yu capital city airport while being the most developed... it can't just be the virus.
ReplyDeleteThat happens when airport is run by bad management
Deleteljubljana has the biggest competition when it comes to surrounding airports (zagreb, graz, trieste, venice etc). slovenians always check prices on all those airports. If you live in belgrade, more or less the only way to fly is from belgrade. and the second reason is that the most reliable way to travel is car at the moment. in 5-6 hours driving you can reach many cities in EU. when you combine this with the size of the market, there is probably too risky for airlines to fly. they would be loosing money.
Delete^Fair point
DeleteI am really surprised that JP had any passengers in such circumstances. It seems that all those surrounding airports and good road connections grew in last year because it has such impact on LJU figures. #justasking
DeleteJP was also losing money, year after year after year.
DeleteBut isn't that why JP went bankrupt? They weren't able to cover the cost with the revenue they got from the passengers that flew with them since the competition suppressed the fares.
Deleteand who wasn't losing money, even before covid situation? Every and single legacy carier in ex-yu survived because of money injections from their governments. So at the end the reason why someone is still here and some are not, is not because of profitability but it's only the matter if government will back you up or not.
DeleteWho is this mystery airline that could set up a base in LJU?
ReplyDeleteThey arent in talks, Skobir is making up this.
Deletesame as he's doing for last 10 years...
DeleteAir No-one
Delete@10:30:
DeleteIsn't that a sister airline of the now defunct AirOne :D.
Exactly :)
DeleteFunny how Air Serbia has the second highest number of flights but has the second lowest amount of capacity.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny about it?
DeleteNot surprised, they fly with ATRs.
DeleteThey used to send the A319 often before the pandemic.
DeleteIt's good to see easyjet coming back despite being disqualified from the subsidy tender.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know why?
DeleteDemand maybe? Oh wait, that is not possible since slo market is too small, slovenes dont travel, there are too many airports around, everybody is doing teleconferences, nobody can fill an airbus in lju and all of the rest couch managers arguments.
DeleteIt must be that easyjet is just walking their planes around so they dont stick to the ground and funny thing, they have found LJU on the map
Nice that AF is coming back. Good for connections
ReplyDeleteYou have Lufthansa for good connections.
DeleteLufthansa for good connections? Not from LJU
DeleteEven AF won't improve connectivity much better. For decent connectivity aircrafts need to be base at airport so it could have early morning departures and late evening arrivals.
DeleteYou don't need based aircraft for late evening arrivals and morning arrivals, LH and other airlines with hub model do this all the time around Europe by overnighting the aircraft and crew.
DeleteOr overnights yes, somehow I include those overnights in terminology based aircrafts. Fact is that AF does not use any of this option so that's why connectivity won't be improved much..
DeleteI see Lufthansa is selling morning flight (7.00) from Ljubljana from February.
DeleteThat flight was only really good solution the did in last year. This was only good flight to catch good connections on main hub but on other hand their afternoon schedule remain crap. Latest outbound flight is around 3pm which is way to early.
DeleteJust shows how committed U2 is in LJU. I can't believe they offer more seats than JU. Do they deploy their A321-neos to LJU?
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteYes, they are so committed to LJU that they currently have no flights, unlike JU.
DeleteBut they will still offer more seats than JU.
DeleteObviously because they have high density A319s with 150+seats. JU on the other hand flies the ATR.
DeleteAlso let's see if easyJet resumes flights, I am not holding my breath.
It seems BA are sending their A321-neo to other Eastern EU capitals, lets see if they will do the same upon returning in summer. Such a sexy aircraft, the A321 with them large engines and winglets.
DeleteI don't think loss of Montenegro Airlines will make much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have just 3 other airlines flying to your airport, it makes a difference.
DeleteTrue
DeleteI really hope all those airlines return in March as planned.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't be surprised if Swiss doesn't. They got money anyway for operating no flights.
DeleteWhat is the current state of Covid travel restrictions in Slovenia? Have they been eased?
ReplyDeleteyou are not allowed to leave country if its not for business.
DeleteI see. Entry still allowed for EU nationals?
DeleteI doubt easy will return next month from London considering all the restrictions currently in place in the UK.
ReplyDeleteI could agree more, we won't see U2 for quite some time...
DeleteI could not*
DeleteHope more airlines will come back soon
ReplyDeleteLots of Montenegrin students in Slovenia. Any change LJU-TGD can be launched?
ReplyDeleteNo but they can fly via Belgrade.
DeleteAnon 14:53
Delete+100
students right now? I doubt there are any left. But when situation will get back to normal and students will be back in Slovenia then they will have possibility to fly with direct flight on To Montenegro or Air Slovenia's flights
DeleteNo need to. The market will regulate itself. Airlines from all over Europe are already lining up to operate TGD-LJU
DeleteThe market is regulating in that way that we will soon travel with donkeys. Which airlines, those who are fighting among each other to open a base at LJU ? :) I hope you are payed for those fake news, It would be really sad if you really believe in that crap...
DeleteThe General Manager of operator Fraport Slovenija, Zmago Skobir, recently said talks were underway to turn the Slovenian capital into a base for an airline. He noted this solution was more sensible and financially viable than the potential set-up of a new national carrier.
ReplyDeleteIs his job to run an airport or to pick sides and prevent setup of a new national airline? Creation of a new government run national carrier would not cost Fraport and would bring more revenue to Fraport. Is his statement a conflict of interest?
He is not in talks with any airline, he is making up things. Skobir should never run LJU.
DeleteHe is commenting on behalf of Fraport, and they probably think it would be best for LJU not to rely on a single airline for majority of traffic again.
DeleteParticularly when such airline would be based on very weak financial plans to begin with.
I really don't understand all the hate towards LJU management by some commentators on here.
Delete@anon 19:28
DeleteVery weak financial plans? If 76 mio € + private companies funds is not enough for start with few aircrafts then I really don't know what you expect. In addition those few aircrafts would make more money in one months for Fraport then all those "well standing" airlines did in last year. Also Fraport got payed every single penny when JP was under control of state, you can't compare what happened later with privately owned company.
@19:29
Some commentators? We all are very surprised the way Skobir and Krasnja run this airport. The only one who are supporting their crazy statemets are theirselves and I could bet that you are one of them. Now you have plenty of time to make comments here because there is very little work at Fraport right now.
And I don't remember if CEO of TGD or TIV did put statements against establishment of new national carrier?
Bravo to anon 21:22
Delete"not enough for start"
DeleteStart, yes. But you can start with a billion in aviation and still end up bankrupt... fast.
"Also Fraport got payed every single penny when JP was under control of state"
Was that when they were forced by the owners (government at the time) to convert their debt into hangars, Adria Tehnika, etc., as JP was unable to pay their debt in cash?
Of course you can, but also airport can end up with bankrupt if there are not any flights and you are moving in that direction, and you are moving there really fast. I'm really happy that ex-JP and Fraport employees have really good opinion among each other, I just don't understand where all the hate of Skobir and Krasnja comes from against national carrier.
DeleteSo it seems that all those hangars are not worth anything.. I am quite sure that you will beg on your knees to get even a field in Africa in exchange to get some traffic at LJU.
if slovenia paid 100MIO (as croatia did) there would be also traffic in LJ but they didnt.
DeleteUnfortunately we only read about shitty airports begging to foreign carriers .
ReplyDeleteAviation in Ex Yu is practically dead .
Foreign carriers don't do much for airports in our region so we can easily see that airports are growing where national carrier is alive. Or in SKP where they put so many millions for poor connectivity that it would be much better to establish their own carrier.
DeleteTraffic figures release date:
ReplyDeleteDecember 2020/ FY 2020 Monday, January 18, 2021
it looks like this time they are a bit faster with positive spin before the real story