Slovenia to target individual routes in new subsidy scheme


The Slovenian government plans to maintain subsidies for airlines in order to improve the country’s air connectivity in 2023, however, it aims to introduce a number of changes to the scheme. So far, Slovenia has provided limited funds for airlines already flying to the country but now intends on encouraging the launch of new routes. The Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Matjaž Han, said focus will be put on regional routes, as well as several others in Europe. Mr Han emphasised Skopje as one of the destinations the government will provide subsidies for. The Macedonian capital was one of Ljubljana’s busiest regional routes prior to the collapse of the former national carrier Adria Airways.

Commenting on the matter, Mr Han said during a visit to Skopje, "We know that with the bankruptcy of Adria Airways, we no longer have such connectivity with Skopje, despite the fact that it was one of the busier routes. Next year, the Ministry for Economy and the Ministry for Infrastructure will subsidise flights across Europe and also across the region. Skopje will be part of it, which is very important for our economy and tourism". Some of Ljubljana’s busiest unserved routes based on indirect traffic data include Bucharest, Copenhagen, Skopje, Helsinki, Berlin, Prague, Stockholm, Barcelona, Hamburg, Tirana and Sofia. Athens, which is also among them, will be introduced by Aegean Airlines next summer.

The Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure recently noted, “It is of vital importance for Slovenia to be included in global trends. As an export-oriented economy, we can only compete by being physically present on global markets, which is precisely what regular and reliable airlines provide. Solid air connections are even more important for the tourism sector, as we want to attract as many foreign guests from more distant markets to Slovenia as possible. This segment is also of great importance for congress tourism". It added, “Additional short-term measures need to be implemented, namely subsidising additional new routes and incentivising an increase in frequencies to the most important destinations for our economy and tourism”.

Recent talks between the Slovenian government and several low cost carriers, which were seeking subsidies in order to introduce new routes from Ljubljana, have all ended without an agreement. Talks with Wizz Air were last held on September 28, easyJet on September 9 and with Ryanair on July 8.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    Pay JU to increase to 21.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:55

      +100

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:54

      with the current schedule? maybe okay for morning flights if good promo ... but flights are really not full enough to send anything larger than atr at the moment

      Delete
    3. Mozda da uvesu jos po 1 iz ini i kvo

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    And the busiest unserved routes are mostly former Adria routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:03

      Also dispels the myth that all regional routes were just feeders.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    This is a smart idea. Well smarter than the current subsidy model.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ako dobiju bar 5 novih bice dobro

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:04

    May I ask how come there is a KLM plane in the photo. As far as I know, they don't fly to Ljubljana.

    As for the subsidies, I guess when you reject Wizz, Ryan and easyJet it is the only way to go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      They were flying this year some days on behalf of Transavia.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:05

      Because Transavia used KLM B737-700 once a week during the summer.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:07

      Thanks. I hope we see KLM flying on its own behalf to LJU soon :)

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:07

    I'm surprised with the demand from/to Helsinki.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:10

      Unfortunately Finnair left.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:10

    Basically nothing will change. They should have struck a deal with one of the LCCs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:17

      Not necessarily. Perhaps by targeting particular routes they will attract some of the LCCs.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:10

    I can only see Wizz Air as a potential operator on LJU-SKP route.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous09:17

    The saga continues.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous09:18

    Hope it helps with LJU's recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous09:18

    Great. This is much cheaper and more effective than setting up a new airline.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      Effective? Are you serious?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:02

      It's not even cheaper if you consider that we gave few millions for literally no improvement of LJU air connectivity in past two years. Not to mention what is the effect of poor connectivity to Slovenian economy.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:19

    I hope this finally means we could see more flights from easyjet and Wizz and maybe even Ryanair comes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:20

      They just rejected all three airlines and you think the peanuts they will offer (like in the existing subsidy program) will somehow attract all sorts of airlines.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:23

    4 years too late.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:23

    This is really becoming a joke.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous09:24

    Good. LJU will bounce back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:27

      Hahahahahaha

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:45

      Well their numbers are improving. They will have almost 1 million passengers. Almost all P2P. That's not so bad considering the circumstances.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:56

      TK is increasing flights next year, Lufthansa too, Air Serbia, Aegean is starting flights... It's not all gloom and doom.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:07

      Did you guys checked figures for LJU and compared them to other airports in region? It's a disaster! Not to mention that for 3 years (since collapse of JP) there is always: "with summer schedule things will improve" and similar BS. If we are honest LJU has not recovered even one route in all those years (even FRA is not covered as it should be), but somehow you see that we are improving. I will say it again, it's a disaster!

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:24

    All this fuss for a route or two, meanwhile Ljubljana airport has entered some kind of Influencer era and is promoting their restaurant instead of the routes on their social media

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:25

      I noticed that. They also haven't promotoed new Aegean route (haven't even announced it). Maybe you need to have a separate agreement with Fraport Slovenia for marketing?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:57

      probably. they most often do TK and AF on insta ...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous14:00

      the influencer highlight of the month is probably the holiday video - boarding trade air, taking of with airfrance haha

      Delete
    4. Anonymous16:53

      do you think it would help if the strategic board consisted of Vegans???

      Delete
    5. Anonymous19:27

      hahahaha anon 1653 sure, then not only marketing would boost, Slovenia would get a new airline because the PM would be so happy environmentally-conscious people run the airport... lmao I'll see myself out haha

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:24

    Focus on LCC

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:28

      Their focus is on Cartel.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:56

      True

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:08

      Of course, with no gastoz around the world and very limited tourist capacity! Smart move!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:27

      I don't know where you are getting this that Slovenia has limited tourist capacity. It has quite a lot of tourists. LCC presence would further develop that.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:36

      Have you even checked tourist segmentation in Slovenia? Nights of stay for example? It's very different to those who goes to Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Spain...That's why those countries are more interesting to LCC then Slovenia. We could have more flights of course, but to be dreaming that any LCC will place aircraft of two at LJU, no way...

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:44

      But we know now that both Wizz and Ryanair wanted to base aircraft in LJU in return for some subsidies. Both were rejected.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:37

      Do you know how much were they asking for? Because I know that they would base aircraft on the moon for right amount of money.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:25

    Riga as a gateway to Northern Europe? Please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:26

      Who mentioned Riga?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:28

      Nobody. This is a problem.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:34

      They haven't even covered some major European capitals like Madrid, Copenhagen, Rome, Prague... Riga is probably not a priority at the moment.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:58

      AirBaltic - please

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:28

    Instead of wasting so much money on subsidising foreign carriers, why not set up their own flag carrier, at least the money will be spent on themselves instead of lining the pockets of other countries!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous09:46

    Absolutely every airline has complained about Fraport's high fees at LJU. Why are they so big?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:58

      That's what you get when you SELL the airport. Not give it up for concession like 99% of the world has done but actually sell it. Interestingly it is the same people who so successfully sold Adria. You really wonder why they are not in jail and instead they are in government.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:40

      they are having a great time flying falcon instead of Adria with the rest of the peasants

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:47

    Support domestic airline Amelia, for example route Faaa Tahiti International to Bora Bora they are operating. Prices on the route are astronomical and could use subsidies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:29

      Solinair came with a very clear plan and vision to set up a national airline for Slovenia. They were also turned down by the brains trust at the ministries.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:42

      money must go for rail not aviation mentality

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:52

    Oh wow mainly JP former routes that may be LCC routes. ZAG already took advantage. Obviously there is room for P2P traffic in LJU but LH won't allow it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:29

      And more and more neighboring airports are taking advantage. Trieste, Klagenfurt, Graz...

      Delete
    2. notLufthansa18:28

      Stop with that LC bull…t, Low cost carriers need huge numbers of passengers or/and many routes/frequencies. Slovenia can’t provide neither. Customers pool is too small. Bedides, 150 km in any direction there are low cost airlines at every airport, so why bother. There are only two sulutions: streamlined and well run national carrier or heavy subsides to LCC mafia.

      Delete
    3. Balkan Carsija18:40

      levels of understanding: LH cartel & LCC mafia

      Delete
  22. Anonymous09:54

    But people on here said that getting rid of JP was the best thing to happen to the airport and that others would rush to step in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:57

      Letting go of JP or not having an immediate alternative for it is one of the biggest mistakes in recent history in Slovenia.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:32

      +1 Adria is surely missed @SKP believe me

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:55

    Still hoping OU have not given up plans basing an aircraft in LJU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:57

      Forget it. The government rejected both OU and JU.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous10:03

    What I find most interesting in everything is Fraport. They are far from a poor operator and have done very well at other airports they manage. But in Slovenia they seem to be completely disinterested in developing traffic. I can't believe that the Slovenian market is of no interest to any airline considering the number of secondary nearby airports with almost the same or greater traffic. Adding one airline per year (last year Flydubai, this year none, next year Aegean) is far from enough especially when at the same time you loose airlines or routes (Iberia, Finnair, Charleroi...)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:28

      Fair observation. Maybe because they own LJU compared to the other airports where they are concessionaires and have to answer to the government.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:57

      Fraport got state financial assistance for new terminal, financial assistance in attracting airlines, is against national carrier... They have a great deal in Slovenia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:24

      Very true yet very strange. They recently announced the expansion of VAR and especially BOJ that is already quite packed in summer,

      https://seenews.com/news/fraport-twin-star-to-invest-over-70-mln-euro-in-bulgarias-coastal-airports-805665

      They managed to station 3 Wizzair aircraft in VAR and recently manged to resume BEG flights.
      SKG is receiving lots of new destinations in 2023 and AYT is booming. The Greek airports are also growing all the time. It is only LJU that is stagnating in their entire group.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13:45

      eh it's okay, there is not enough staff planned to hire for S23... who will handle more flights and airlines??

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:07

    No another JP please. Slovenia is not that rich to feed all the parasites that were putting big money in their pockets and left huge debts to be paid by others.
    Find a solution for Skopje, few other destinations in the summer season and that's is.
    Everything else, of interests, is already covered by low cost from nearby airports or demand is not that strong that is worth a hassle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:30

      The idea is not to let nearby airports outside of your country profit. Instead you could be getting revenue from those tourists and passengers.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:47

      @10:07:
      The parasites you are referring to are actually running the government now. Bostjancic was a former CEO of Adria. Don't worry, you'll be paying other debts now and Adria's will seem like a drop in the ocean. Hope you're still dancing.

      Delete
  26. Anonymous10:12

    Market will take of itself they said...

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous10:30

    I wonder if things would have been the same or different for LJU had covid not come along.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:45

      Definitely better but still wouldn't be anywhere near to pre-Adria bankruptcy traffic or connectivity.

      Delete
  28. Anonymous10:58

    Which new airline could Ljubljana realistically get?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous10:59

    Great news for Ljubljana Airport.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:04

      I agree. It is good news for Ljubljana Airport which needs more destinations and airlines.

      Delete
  30. Anonymous10:59

    I'm hoping Vueling will start flights from Spain if Iberia no longer plans on returning to LJU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:00

      Vueling already flew to Ljubljana, as well as Iberia, and it didn't work out.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:03

      Adria also failed on flights to Spain.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:04

      True, but times have changed a lot since then. Go on any Venice-Madrid flight in summer. It is filled with Slovenians.

      Delete
  31. Anonymous10:59

    I think Spain is underserved from Ljubljana and I also think there is potential for more flights to the Scandinavian market

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous11:08

    It's like we are being held hostage to the EU rules. Yes, they are applied equally but Slovenia does not have the deep pockets of France or Germany to bend the rules the way they do to support a national airline. On the other hand both JU and Turkish are able to provide assistance to their national carriers and flourish.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous11:27

    looks like Wizz is gonna get cash for SKP on both ends of the route

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous11:27

    I noticed that Swiss is starting to send a320s instead of a220s so maybe 2x daily is coming soon?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:48

      it's already 2x daily on some days

      Delete
  35. Anonymous11:29

    LJU-SKP:

    Wizz and Croatia Airlines are candidates in that order

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous11:57

    Manchester or Liverpool, please.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Slo govt should kick out fraport asap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous19:29

      should but no can do

      Delete
    2. Anonymous01:18

      Exactly. They can't do it with the contract they have with them. If it were a concession agreement would have been a different story.

      Delete
  38. Anonymous12:11

    KLM for Amsterdam, SAS to Copenhagen and Stockholm, Vueling to Barcelona Croatian to Skopje, Eurowings to Hamburg, Easyjet to Berlin, Aer Lingus to Dublin, ITA to Rome, Jet2 to Manchester, Austrian to Vienna... if one of them happens I would be extreamly suprised

    ReplyDelete

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