The Slovenian Minister for Infrastructure, Jernej Vrtovec, has held talks with the Qatari Minister for Transport and Telecommunications in the Gulf state over the introduction of flights between Doha and Ljubljana, among other matters. Mr Vrtovec noted that despite being a small country, Slovenia is strategically located in Europe, offering benefits to the potential airline operator. There have never been nonstop flights between the two countries. The development comes just days after Flydubai, the only Gulf carrier serving Ljubljana, announced plans to increase its operations to the Slovenian capital from five weekly to daily over the summer, just nine months following the route’s launch.
Qatar Airways has considered introducing services to Ljubljana in the past. In 2017, the airline's CEO, Akbar al Baker, noted that “Ljubljana is being looked at”. However, ultimately, no flights were launched between the two cities. The following year, the Qatari Minister for Economy and Trade, expressed hope for services between Doha and Ljubljana to be established in “the near future”. Although there is little demand for point-to-point travel between the two capitals, with just over 1.000 passengers travelling indirectly on a single itinerary in the pre-pandemic 2019, a potential Qatar Airways service would be primarily used by transfer passengers, with the Qatari carrier boasting an extensive international network.
Based on OAG data, in 2019, the overwhelming majority of passengers, some 65%, used Turkish Airlines to fly between Ljubljana and Doha. Despite not serving the Slovenian market directly, Qatar Airways held a 15% share of indirect passengers between the two cities, primarily via Frankfurt. The Qatari carrier, which is preparing for a major increase in demand due to the upcoming FIFA World Cup being held in Doha towards the end of the year, has launched several new European routes over the past year. In the former Yugoslavia, the carrier serves Belgrade and Zagreb, with plans to restore operations to Sarajevo this June. The airline is yet to resume services to Skopje, which were suspended at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Why is a Slovenian politician negotiating a new air service?
ReplyDeleteFraport isn't much interested in negotiating new routes.
DeleteWhy not? Much better than what Mrs. Black Mamba did with Adria.
DeleteHis ministry should focus on establishing national carrier as it's responsible for air connectivity of Slovenia. In what condition that is we all know...
Delete@9:15
DeleteI agree, but we all know what the average Janez thinks about Adria 2.0.
Heh if we would have to ask average Janez for every infrastructure project then we would not move out of cave...
DeleteSince they are not focusing on new national airline, at least it is good they are focusing on attracting some foreign airlines. Because things are not going great in that department either.
DeleteUsually nothing ever comes when politicians negotiate new routes.
DeleteThis would be fantastic.
ReplyDeleteFinally!!! If this happens then it will be bad news for TK.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if LJU is being affected by FZ too.
DeleteConsidering that they are often sending A321 and that they are increasing flights to `10 weekly, I think they are going well.
DeleteQR isn't happening in Ljubljana before 2030 at least.. You can save this post for every time this news comes up.
DeleteWhy not until 2030?
DeleteHe is just a hater. Ignore those.
DeleteBecause it's a round number.. I said "at least". Can be more. Hater? OK, you can also call me that. But you're hoping for QR on unrealistic grounds, I'm speaking from facts.
Delete"QR isn't happening in Ljubljana before 2030 " if thats a fact for you..
DeleteFinnaly
ReplyDeleteFinally*
DeleteWhy not do DOH-SKP-LJU to start with?
ReplyDeleteWith fifth freedom rights between SKP-LJU, you would get another issue solved.
DeleteIt would be great but it won't happen because the next Macedonian new route tender being fixed for Wizz Air will likely include SKP-LJU route from what I hear.
DeleteThis gets my vote too
DeleteThis gets my vote too. Or triangle flights DOH-LJU-SKP-DOH
DeleteThe route would loose its appeal with a stop.
DeleteNot to mention this would be impossible to do with a single crew.
DeleteI think a nonstop flight would not be done with a single crew either, which isn't an issue. I mean their crew has a layover in Belgrade on their Belgrade flights.
DeleteQR would be a fantastic addition in Ljubljana.
ReplyDeleteI really wouldn't go into high fives yet, as it is just a general statement...no date, absolutely any firm or concrete details. Also knowing how many 'announcements' passed from Al Baker that either never or still haven't materialized.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? It is an undeserved market with a lot of demand for travel.
ReplyDeleteQatar??
DeleteSlovenia obviously.
DeleteThis route is not going to work well
ReplyDeleteI assume you were one of those who said there is no demand to DXB.
DeleteAl-Baker, please act accordingly to Anon 09.10.
DeleteSlovenia does not need longhaul operation particularly not Qatari. Its market is very small. It needs stable national airline and good connections with major hubs in Europe.
DeleteDOH-LJU is a medium-haul route.
DeleteHow about get both good Europe and Asia/Australia connectivity via DXB and DOH?
DeleteThis would be great and I think FZ and QR could work side by side. I believe FZ handles a lot more point to point traffic than transfers, as we've seen with some of the data posted here on other FZ routes in the former Yugoslavia.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree. Once scam scenario is completed, both ZAG and LJU, despite serving small markets, could expect again that many visitors from the Far East and Australia /NZ, that they can both have both FZ/EK and QR. And TK. And SU, once they are allowed to operate again. Too bad both national carriers went the way they did, as they could have taken a slice of that Asian and Australian cake too.
Deletethis route would work wonders in terms of cargo.
ReplyDeleteCan much cargo be loaded in the A320?
Deletea320 can load 7 cargo containers on lower deck.
DeleteI don't know how much it would be restricted in weight due to long range of the flight, but any cargo capacity to DOH would be welcome at LJU. Currently all cargo booked on QR goes out of LJU to BUD and then onwards to DOH. If you have a time sensitive shipment, you easily lose 2 days because of this.
Thanks. Good to know. Didn't know.
DeleteA320, three times per week to Ljubljana would be a good start.
ReplyDeleteThe A320 can make it from Doha to Ljubljana, right?
DeleteI think it can and I don't think there would be any restrictions because QR's A320s have generally lower capacity than most A320s out there.
DeleteSo many of their routes don't work well, yet it hasn't stopped or impeded their growth.
ReplyDeleteMaking money doesn't matter for them - they have a wealthy state behind them and if they decide to fly to LJU, it will be for reasons other than about whether or not the route will be profitable or not
True. QR is only alive because of huge money injection every year
DeleteTired of this Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteHuh?
DeleteQR will succeed in Ljubljana and it won't affect ZAG flights.
ReplyDeleteBut for example Flydubai's flights to Ljubljana did affect their Zagreb flights.
DeleteSame as Aeroflot's flights from Moscow when they started Ljubljana.
DeleteI thought that in Slovenia we are against airlines which are getting subsidies from their government..double standards?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI am sure three weekly on QR will represent a natural progression of Flydubai's daily flights.
ReplyDeleteThe outbound market in LJU is quite large. It is also wealthier than most others in the region. Qatar would do well in Ljubljana and these factors would allow them to charge slightly higher fares.
ReplyDeleteBy that logic many airlines should be flying to Ljubljana but reality is different.
DeleteI hope that Qatar starts Ljubljana. I know Ljubljana is close to bigger hubs but it can also attract passengers from smaller cities like Graz and Slovenians would travel from LJU if there were options.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Ljubljana!
ReplyDeleteIf QR does come to Ljubljana, I wonder if it will be nonstop or linked with some other destination.
ReplyDeleteLJU is taking them ages.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure about this. Flydubai is a different story because it flies to Dubai which is a mega hub but flights to Doha?
ReplyDelete1. There is no general interest towards Asia
2. Extremely small diaspora in Australia
3. More demand for UK and Europe.
4. Will be tricky to fill 3 or 4 planes per week.
5. Little or very small number of Slovenes working in the Gulf region.
Lol again you. Said same thing for Flydubai but now this is a different story? Give it a rest.
DeleteIt is different story. Dubai is tourist mecca and lot of Slovenes go there P2P. Doha has basically zero P2P traffic, it is transfer only, and at the moment flights probably couldn't be success, similar to FZ/EK in ZAG, which rely on transfers. However, once we return to normal, and it will probably be soon, QR could work from LJU and serve for Japanese and Chinese tourists primarily.
DeleteHad the chance to fly with them finally for the first time 9 days ago. Wow what a great airline and service. Really well done. Hope we see more of them in the region.
ReplyDeleteAgree. One of the best.
DeleteGreat news. With world cup being hosted in qatar in a few months numbers will continue to go up. Good luck to QR.
ReplyDeleteThey fly to most neighboring airports with widebodies
ReplyDeleteGood to see gulf airlines paying more attention to Slovenian market.
ReplyDeleteIt would make them the only One World airline in Ljubljana right?
ReplyDeleteNo, there is AY.
DeleteHow long would this flight last for?
ReplyDeleteDoha - Ljubljana - 5h50min
DeleteLjubljana-Doha - 4h50min
Are you sure just 4.50 on the return?
DeleteOk, what is the realistic timeframe when these flights could launch.
ReplyDeleteThey could launch any time, especially considering QR had to discontinue Kyiv and Odessa because of the war (and I doubt they will come back any time soon). So they have aircraft available.
DeleteHahaha, yes, and their first thought was Ljubljana
DeleteWell there are not many capital cities in Europe that they don't serve.
DeleteI think there is more of a chance of them starting Tirana then Ljubljana.
DeleteWith QR no longer under blockade and able to fly to other Gulf market, I think these flights could work well.
ReplyDeleteOther than Dubai (if they offer competitive fares compared to Flydubai), I don't see a lot of transfers for elsewhere in the Gulf.
DeleteThere was an article here last year showing where do most people from LJU travel to in the gulf. After Dubai it was Muscat. QR offers good transfer options to there.
DeleteInteresting. Do you have the link for it?
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/08/flydubai-readies-for-ljubljana-launch.html
DeleteInteresting stuff. Thanks
DeleteThey have been hiring a lot of Slovenian crew lately.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't mean they will start flights.
DeleteQatar will come to Ljubljana sooner or later
ReplyDeleteI really hope this materializes.
ReplyDeleteI remember back when Pahor was begging QR to buy Adria. Shame it didn't happen. Maybe they would still be around.
ReplyDeleteUnexpected but good to see.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see their bird parked in LJU.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed.
DeleteLju keeps on winning
ReplyDeleteIt sure does lol
DeleteFraport and Wizzair just announced new routes from Burgas and Corfu and was hoping to see a new Slovene route at least. Interestingly, they are also now targetting smaller Hungarian airports as well.
ReplyDeleteMakes you wonder what is the problem with Fraport Slovenia?
DeleteLogical. Only ex-yu market for Qatar left to launch which makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIf they were considering it several years ago, it probably means LJU is on Qatar Airways' shortlist.
ReplyDeleteFraport Slovenia should rename itself into - WAITW - We are in talks with...
ReplyDelete