Iberia terminates Ljubljana service


Spanish national carrier Iberia will not restore its seasonal summer flights between Madrid and Ljubljana this year, despite initially scheduling the service. Flights were due to resume on August 1 and operate twice per week, each Monday and Friday, for the duration of the month. However, the airline has discontinued ticket sales on the route. Iberia commenced services between the two capital cities last summer but scaled down its initial plan of four weekly rotations due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ljubljana Airport’s management expressed confidence the route would resume this year with additional weekly departures and a longer season, however, this did not materialise.

Iberia handled 2.215 passengers on its Ljubljana flights in 2021, recording an average cabin load factor of 69%. Despite the introduction of the Madrid service, data indicates that Barcelona had the most indirect traffic from the Slovenian capital to Spain during the pre-pandemic 2019. It was followed by Madrid, Valencia, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca, Both Madrid and Barcelona were previously served by the now defunct Adria Airways. The two cities were maintained off and on throughout the last troubled decade of the Slovenian carrier’s existence, primarily on a seasonal basis. On the other hand, low cost carrier Vueling maintained seasonal flights between Barcelona and Ljubljana in 2010, but the service was later discontinued. Profiting the most from the lack of flights between Slovenia and Spain are Lufthansa, Air France and Turkish Airlines, jointly handling over 70% of traffic between the two countries.

Iberia’s absence in Ljubljana will be the second high-profile carrier that will not be operating to the Slovenian market this summer after the country closed its airspace to Russian carriers and banned Aeroflot from using its airports. Furthermore, Ukraine’s Windrose Airlines, which was to introduce services to Ljubljana this coming summer has shelved such plans as war continues to rage in the country. At this point, seasonal operations by British Airways, Finnair and Israir are set to resume during the summer, while Transavia will introduce its new service from Paris Orly in April. Furthermore, Lufthansa is expected to restore flights between Munich and Ljubljana after over two years this May.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    What a surprise

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous09:01

    LJU keeps on winning! Bravo Fraport!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous09:02

    Anyone still believe LJU will reach 900,000 passengers this year?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:02

      Fraport and their fanboys.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:44

      Unfortunately there is not chance of its happening now. I think 600,000 is more realistic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:19

      I really doubt that we will get to 600k either.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous16:40

      I really hope a turnaround at Ljubljana will be achieved sooner rather than later but I'm skeptical.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:04

    I remember we were led to believe by the management that the number of flights would increase. So much for that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:07

      True

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:48

      They certainly did

      "A smaller number of flights are offered in this summer timetable, but we expect the carrier to return next season with more frequencies. "

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:04

    Why? Is there any particular reason?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      They probably needed planes elsewhere

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:07

      No demand, thats the excuse for them. But we all know its not that.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:16

      I would say that a lack of interest and the small market is exactly what is to blame

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:30

      Sure sure, blame everything on no demand. Even tho there a lot of passengers.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:31

      Ok so what is the reason then?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:34

      No demand for sure isn't.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:36

      I think rising oil prices might have killed the route. They probably want to focus on ZAG which is a larger and more lucrative market. Oil is $115 this morning btw.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:05

    Not a major loss. What was it? 8 return flights in total?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:06

      For Ljubljana Airport, any loss is a major loss.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:06

      "Not a major loss" only delusional Fraport fanboy would say that.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:51

      Well better lose Iberia's 8 flights than AF or LH.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:07

      LH is the route cause of many problems.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:54

      He is quite right. Major loss would be if request for Government funding due to .......... will be denied.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:08

    Market taking care of itself...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:10

    :(

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:11

    Not good

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:11

    Another example why Slovenia needs a national airline.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:11

    Well I'm sure that demand for Malaga is now being taken care of Ryanair through Zagreb.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:12

    Fraport must feed LH cartel, so im not surprised.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:37

      That is why it's good that JU keeps on growing there, so far from March they will have 16 weekly flights to LJU!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:54

      16?? That would be more than before pandemic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:55

      It wouldn't be.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:15

    probably a smart idea to cancel flights if their LF is low. Waste of money and resources on an underperforming route.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Yes its really an underperforming route when they upraded aircraft to a321 in pre-pandemic on planned 4 weekly.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:26

      Well obviously pandemic has changed some things.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:29

      You believe pandemic will be here forever? Maybe when other airports will go past their 2019 level Fraport and their fanboys will still have excuse for pandemic for underperformance of LJU.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:30

      In a way pandemic is over in Slovenia since all entry restrictions were removed so where are the passengers and airlines?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:10

      Passengers are going to ZAG, VIE, VCE, TRS.. instead of LJU. Bravo Fraport!

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:16

    Well that has been disappointing

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous09:16

    For all those who didn't realize airline business is not only about counting Avg LF, Yeld RPK, Revenue ASK, ...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:17

    Unfortunately, LJU has become the most boring airport in the ex yu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      Of course when its management focuses on cargo and feeding LH.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:26

    Terrible news

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous09:26

    They were never competative with fights in August only.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous09:27

    LJU just can't catch a break.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous09:27

    Perhaps Iberia should consider other destinations in the region.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous09:28

    Ljubljana Airport needs to do more to attract new airlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:30

      This has been the case for years.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous09:29

    Too many losses lately. Easyjet ending two routes, Iberia terminating flights, Aeroflot and Windrose out...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      Aeroflot and Windrose can't be blamed on the management of LJU.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:15

      Windrose would not have started flights, with or without the war.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:30

    Nooo. I really hope British Airways won't cancel their flights too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      They won't. But they haven't increased their flights either, contrary to management announcements.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:43

      BA lacks thousands of crew, as well as ground staff. I wouldn't be surprised if LJU flights are postponed/cancelled this summer season.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:13

      You are right. It's a real possibility this year.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:39

      Let's hope not.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous09:31

    Taxes at LJU need to come down to make it more competative.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:00

      What are the taxes at LJU?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:38

      I think a big problem are costs and I don't mean airport fees I mean taxes. I remember LJU management once said that that fees that are not set by the airport are quite high.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:06

    What a disappointment.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous10:14

    With the problem with Russia overflights and the cancellation of many Asian routes, I fear Finnair may cancel Ljubljana too as there will be too few transfers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:00

      It's a possibility but let's hope there is enough P2P demand. With Asia closed, I doubt they were relying much on Asian trabsfers anyway.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:01

      *transfers

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:38

      They have already reduced planned frequencies.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous10:59

    Why not try Barcelona?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:00

      It was tried by Adria and Vueling. Didn't work.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:21

      8,100 passengers flew from LJU to BCN via other airports (not counting those who travelled from other airports in region) and there is no demand for you? Sure, only demand is for FRA..

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:37

      That's great but why are there no flights?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:49

      Ask Fraport that.

      Delete
  28. Anonymous11:38

    It would be great to see Ryanair operating between Slovenia and Spain.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous11:45

    "Ljubljana is special because it is the first destination to have been chosen with the help of our followers on social media"

    This is what Iberia said a year ago. Probably bet not to choose new destinations based on Facebook votes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:53

      **best

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:15

      Eurowings confirms that!

      Delete
  30. Anonymous11:48

    I think they will come back in 2023.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:54

      Why not in winter. If they are ending the route because of a lack of aircraft or something like that, then they could fly during winter months. I'm sure there is enough demand.

      Delete
  31. Anonymous11:50

    Congrats to the airline on realising it will only lose money on the route

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:53

      Congrats to the airline? Really?

      Delete
  32. Anonymous12:06

    They should have flown to Sarajevo or Belgrade instead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:57

      Air Serbia already flies to Madrid.

      Delete
  33. Anonymous16:13

    Good start to get 900k pax this year

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:32

      What was LJU's best year in terms of passengers handled?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16:41

      In 2018 when there were 1,673,050 passengers.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:50

      They had 1,673,050 passengers in 2008, not 2018. The best year for LJU was 2018, when they had 1,818,229 passengers.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous16:52

      Sorry you are right. It's 2008 not 2018.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous16:13

    I think that Fraport should beg the Slovenian government to establish national carrier ASAP!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:58

      It is not in their interest to work for money.
      Currently they are in position to blackmail the government for money so that they continue to operate.
      National airline would mean no more free ride for Fraport.

      Delete
  35. Anonymous16:21

    I find it odd that more foreign airlines have not started flights to LJU. There are some routes that would be successful for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous16:21

    Like someone said, airport needs to find a solution to Adria's bankruptcy. Until that is done, we can only dream of numbers we had before pandemic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous22:37

      Is Fraport actually doing something to attract new airlines?

      Delete
  37. Anonymous16:39

    Is there an incentive policy at LJU for new routes?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous16:39

    Didn't some of you lot brag about how you don't need Adria and the market will take care of itself? Still sure about that?

    With all that money you saved by liquidating Adria, I am sure the doctors and teachers will be very grateful to you for the salary increase they are about to receive. And they didn't have to do anything for it (apart from offering a very poor service).

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous16:40

    What a shame for the airport.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous22:38

    I really wish new airlines will start flying to LJU with new destinations, as there sure is a lot of potential...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous01:08

      We wish that for two years now but it seems that situation is worse and worse each month.

      Delete
  41. Anonymous01:09

    No surprise. Too many airports with good connections to Spain in close proximity.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous01:10

    Now its time for easy and wizz to expand their operations in Ljubljana.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous02:01

    It is strange because MAD precisely is growing so much as an airport and it LJU could've been connected not only to big markets like the Spanish one but also the Latin American one.
    IB is the absolute leader when it comes to those connections with MAD being linked basically to almost all of the Latin American capitals and their secondary cities especially in Mexico and Colombia for instance.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anonymous07:53

    Why were they flying there in the first place?

    ReplyDelete
  45. notLufthansa14:39

    it now becomes painfully obvious that size does matter, at least in airline business....if you are too small, you are not interesting. Both Venice and Zagreb offer direct flights to Iberian peninsula, both airports are within 3 hr drive from Ljubljana. Why bother then....

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anonymous14:59

    Request to Government for 10 mil EUR to stay open coming up

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. notLufthansa15:19

      probably soon

      Delete

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