Ljubljana expects to be handling over 10.000 passengers per month as demand begins to return to one of the most affected capital city airports in Europe as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Today, Air Montenegro will inaugurate flights from Tivat, which are to be replaced by Podgorica in September, while Brussels Airlines will restore operations to the Slovenian capital next week after an almost sixteen-month suspension. July will see Swiss resume services from Zurich, Wizz Air from Charleroi, British Airways from London Heathrow, while Israir will commence seasonal operations from Tel Aviv. Two new carriers will inaugurate flights to Ljubljana in the coming months with Iberia to start services in August and Flydubai in September.
Commenting on the growing demand, the airport’s spokeswoman said, “If the situation remains as it is now, we hope for a very lively summer in terms of traffic". Furthermore, Slovenian tour operators are chartering flights to the Greek islands, Antalya in Turkey, Sharm-el-Sheikh and Hurghada in Egypt, Barcelona and Tenerife in Spain, Madeira in Portugal as well as Dubrovnik in Croatia. On the other hand, Finnair has confirmed it will not restore its seasonal flights to the Slovenian capital this summer but plans to return next year. Overall, in July, Ljubljana Airport will have 291 scheduled flight departures, compared to 139 in June.
Ljubljana Airport handled just 42.058 passengers during the January - May period, down 78.1% on the same period last year, and 93.7% on 2019. Five airlines have applied for the Slovenian government’s subsidies for maintaining flights to the country between October 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021 in the second round of a call designed to improve the country’s air connectivity. A total of 764.640 euros will be shared among the selected airlines. The outcome of the tender is expected shortly. Next Thursday, Ljubljana Airport will put into operation its new terminal building. To coincide with the launch of the new facility, the airport has unveiled a new-look website.
Finally Ljubljana gets some action.
ReplyDeleteThings starting to improve but still far from good
ReplyDeleteLet's hope EU presidency will help too.
ReplyDeleteNew terminal and website look great.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAiming at 10.000 passengers is a disaster, no matter how you spin it.
ReplyDeleteI think in May that had over that and they just set the bar low so they can say they performed above expectations.
DeleteNow we just need a national airline.
ReplyDeleteRecovery would be much quicker.
DeleteAnd we would have flights to several major Eurooean cities that we are missing.
DeleteThe cost of maintaining a national carrier throughout the pandemic would be in the tens of million of EUR, and that's on top of all the debt it had before.
DeleteYeah but, they would do all cargo flights..., wich were overpaid on other airlines. Plus in this case money would go from corona recovery package not from gouverment jhst to maintain airrline from former debts.
DeleteOverpaid cargo flights on pax aircraft?
DeleteGiven the abundance of competition in the market at the time (not to be mistaken with proper freighter aircraft, which were in short supply) I doubt any operator was charging insane amounts.
I hope KLM replaces Transavia sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Fares are cheaper with Transavia
DeleteCause i prefer to spend more cash when flying. I dont support LCC
DeleteAnother one who thinks LJU should be a "prestige airport". Lol!!
DeleteStill waiting for Windrose and Luxair to start flights..
ReplyDeleteTAROM would make most sense considering the demand between Ljubljana and Bucharest.
DeleteDoubt TAROM will start OTP-LJU. Wizzair would be the most logical.
DeleteSo much from the mantra that market will take care of itself.
DeleteNice but Ljubljana's growth and development will be completely limited by Ryanair opening a base in Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteYou snooze, you lose..
DeleteAgree. The snooze has been too long unfortunately. Flydubai flights after a DECADE of talks is the biggest achievement...
DeleteIt still has chance with wizzair or easyjet to open base at LJU
DeleteEasyjet has no bases in Eastern Europe and they are more focused with fighting off both Ryanair and Wizz Air in larger markets (Italy).
DeleteAnd since when is Slovenia eastern Europe?
DeleteIt is in the eyes of many people living in Western Europe, where easyJet is also based.
DeleteTheir focus has always been on Western and Central Europe and their presence in LJU is currenty limited to 2pw from their largest base (LGW). Hardly any potential for opening the base.
Love thy look of the new terminal.
ReplyDelete*the
DeleteYep, it's a beast.
DeleteGreat news.
ReplyDelete"Overall, in July, Ljubljana Airport will have 291 scheduled flight departures, compared to 139 in June."
ReplyDeleteWhen you consider some airport in ex-Yu are up to 80 departures per day...
Well this is great considering there was 1-2 flights per day just a month and a half ago.
DeleteI hope LJU will be able to overtake Tuzla by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteI laughed a bit out of sadness when I read this. I hope so too...
DeleteI doubt LJU will overtake TZL this year
DeleteAnyone know the load today for the inaugural flight from Tivat?
ReplyDeleteJudging by the available fares the flights from Ljubljana to Tivat seems to be rather full.
DeleteCan someone explain to me why LJU has been so affected compared to other nearby airports?
ReplyDeleteWhen you destroy your own national airline and sell airport to incompentent people you just can not expect good results..
DeleteI don't think Fraport is incompetent, they've been quite successful running all of their airports. They just don't care about how much traffic LJU has or what connections, as long as it makes them money.
DeleteBut it's not making money...
DeleteVery few businesses in aviation are actually making profit at the moment, but I don't think Fraport would buy LJU just to run it down...
DeleteThat is exactly what I am saying the last month here. Nobody is making money because of (private) debt based financial system with attached interest on the money creation.
DeleteEverything at this moment what remains of private capitalism is surviving on unprecedented massive government life support, monetary and fiscal.
What is left is hyperinflation in bubble assets.
What about MUC-LJU? When will LH return on this route?
ReplyDeleteAt the moment they have 3 daily flights to Frankfurt which (i believe) is enough for this period and current demand. they plan Munich next year from April on.
DeleteI think LH moved a large part of their long haul to FRA, so it makes less sense for them to feed MUC from LJU.
DeleteHope to see more LCCs.
ReplyDeleteTransavia is planning 5 weekly fights in winter ... if i'm not wrong the biggest frequency since they started flying to Ljubljana.
DeleteAs far as i know it was also 5x p/w in 2019-2020 winter
DeleteI hope Iberia extends their flights to LJU. They have just flights planned in August.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they will add more flights next year.
DeleteI guess Iberia should seek out for better opportunities than Ljubljana .
DeleteCould you please explain "Iberia should seek for better opportunities than Ljubljana"?
DeleteNice new website they have. AF btw will as of Winter Timetable have 2 departures in LJU, one service will be with a night stop like LH already has it
ReplyDeleteMUC is scheduled for SUTT 2022, hopefully IB and BA will extend their service by 2022 and who know and hopefully SK will send one of their CR9 to LJU one day
cool for AF, glad to hear there will be morning flight to Paris.
DeleteMajor news is flydubai as Emirates code share , this will make travel with one stop to whole Emirates network beyond Dubai.
ReplyDelete