Low cost carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair have both held separate talks with the Slovenian government over the potential introduction of flights to the country utilising the recently adopted subsidy program which is yet to be approved by the European Commission. On January 25, Wizz Air’s Network Development Manager, Airport Development Manager and Public Affairs Manager held talks with the Ministry for Economic Development and Technology, as well as the Ministry for Infrastructure. “Due to operational needs in the event of a decision to establish scheduled international flights to an international airport in Slovenia, Wizz Air wanted to obtain information about the state aid scheme to be provided to carriers for the start of new routes, established by the Act on Aid to Ensure Greater Air Connectivity”, the government said.
On January 27, Ryanair’s Route Development Manager and EU Public Affairs Manager also spoke with the two ministries. “The Ryanair Group wanted to obtain information about the aid scheme that would serve as a basis for its decision to establish international scheduled flights to an international airport in Slovenia”, the government said. Ryanair last held talks with the Slovenian government in July 2022, while Wizz Air did so in late September of last year. At the time, both had shown interest in launching a number of routes from Ljubljana, however, both complained of high fees at Jože Pučnik Airport. Since then, Wizz Air has discontinued its service from Charleroi to the Slovenian capital, while the country remains the only in the European Union not to be served by Ryanair.
Last month, the Slovenian government adopted a bill allocating 5.6 million euros in annual subsidies over the next three years for airlines to launch new routes and boost frequencies on existing services. The state will provide a list of new destinations for which it will offer subsidies, with a public call to be issued soon. Only nonstop operations will be financed. Furthermore, airlines will be eligible for subsidies if they increase frequencies on existing services. The incentives will amount to up to 50% of the carrier’s airport fees in Slovenia. The bill now requires approval from the European Commission as it constitutes state aid.
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Bad news for Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteTry again. Think, take a deep breath and stop making jokes😄
DeleteNo need. Very bad news for Zagreb.
DeleteThis is what I call very serious condition. Expert help advised.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteJasmiiineee, vodi ovoooog!
Let's hope it is more successful than last time.
ReplyDeleteNothing will happen as usual.
ReplyDeleteZagreb could be in deep deep trouble
ReplyDeleteNot really. If you have 2 airports close to each other, the benefits could be very mutual. SKP is quite close to PRN and acts as a replacement airport or vice versa for the Albanian gasto diaspora. So is BTS a VIE alternative and vice versa.
DeleteLook.
DeleteIf Wizz steps in Lju, this will be in direct competition to FR.
If FR steps in this, especially in the winter will mean that most of the gastro routes will be shifted to Lju, as probably 50% of pax are already from Slovenia
I doubt the planned development of Ryanair's Zagreb base will go ahead on such a scale as they originally announced if they launch a base in Slovenia.
DeleteRyanair's Zagreb base is definitely already not following the development they outlined 2 years ago. But if the talks fall through, I could see them than trying to win the Slovenia market more aggressively through Zagreb.
DeleteThey did not outline any development. They made noise to generate media attention. There was never any plan or commitment.
DeleteWhen you read some posts here you have impression that Zagreb airport is solely and only used by passengers from Slovenia. Because there is no demand of whatsoever kind in ZAG 😃
DeletePozdrav; you were the first saying that flights to dubai from zag aren't being filled by slovenians, and now zagreb almost has 2x less flights to dubai compared to ljubljana
Deletecan all of you please realise we live in EU aka single market. who cares who is using zagreb airport or ljubljana. the point is customer can get as many flights as possible, more options the better.
DeleteAnon 10:52; it is important, by the end of the day if flights are from ljubljana, slovenian gov is getting taxes, and most probably additional revenue by new turists etc. Got my on-site meeting canceled because they would have to ride for 4h from Vienna to Ljubljana instead of flying - so yes it's impacting slovenia
Delete9.15 Have you ever been on a flight to Skp? Do you know Macedonians travel and have a diaspora?
Delete@An.10.47
DeleteI NEVER said there were no Slovenian pax on EK ZAG flights because they were. They are also on plenty of other flights and companies from ZAG. I am just saying that they are not that many and that dominant as some people present it. And LJU and ZAG on FR combined could be even more beneficial because there will be more options for both very close markets to choose from. The only actual difference is that I write aviation and facts, and some other people nationalism and fantasies
I flew with Vueling Zagreb-Barcelona and back and it seemed half of the plane were slovenes, including me.
DeleteAnd when I flew Adria twice from LJU to Hurghada and Sharm half of the plane were Croatians. It's very good to have lot of Slovenian pax in ZAG and lot of Croatian pax in LJU, which is exactly my point, the more possibilities we all have, we will more use it, and numbers will be bigger at both airports.
DeleteHow difficult for you is to understand that new potential FR/W6 base would take away the passengers from ZAG as many people from Slovenia fly from ZAG and that at the same time some of the people from Croatia will use LJU if the price or destination fits them better?
DeleteNobody said that ZAG won't have any passenger anymore, but people realistically observe that ZAG will suffer because of this new LCC base in LJU!
Jesus!
Don't speak His name with dirty mouth! That's the first. Second, some LCC services are likely to happen from LJU. LCC base you talk about, not so sure. The third, bigger offer creates bigger demand, and two close by airport are often used combined by travellers, and make synergy, that's what you need to understand. And finally the fourth, few years ago same argument was used when BNX was to receive FR flights, doom and gloom for ZAG was forecasted by "good people" here, and ZAG didn't feel it at all, on the contrary, it increased its numbers.
DeleteThe passenger numbers for both ZAG and LJU will grow, that´s for sure.
DeletePay attention and control your sick behaviour pozdrav! That's first of all!
DeleteYou wish LCC not to have base in LJU although we see it is going to happen.
Synergy, right! Is that a synergy you all from Croatia are talking about when you cry about the closiness of other airports like BUD, VCE, TRS? No, at that time all these airports are competitors while they take the passengers from Croatian airports. Suddenly, LJU with LCC will have synergy with ZAG!
Try to sell it to someone else amigo!
There's not a word of any base in LJU, only potential routes, but here we go again...the ZAG doom and gloom brigade is out in force, lol! The "brigade" being 2 same trolls every time, coping.
DeleteBalkan attitude at its best!
Speaking of best, ZAG has just had the best January on record, after already having had the best December and November.
Cope harder I guess. :))
Ps. Good luck to LJU!
Good luck and all best wishes to LJU from me as well. Always liked Brnik and used it a lot. And just btw one of the symptoms of mentally disturbed persons is to project their behaviour and their thoughts to others, usually those they hate, as totally opposite of what they are
Delete@11:37 You have some mental problems, man!
DeleteI hope the government doesn't mess this up
ReplyDeleteI'm optimistic. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
ReplyDelete6 new lines max
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they lower the fees??? SJJ and TIA already did it and many other airports in the region. Enough of this ego! I guess the Cartel is kissing Fraport's arse and making the talks harsher...no other explanation.
ReplyDeleteWell SJJ also offered subsidies and unfairly limited it purely to LCCs.
DeleteWho is part of this cartel? Explain your conspiracy theory please.
DeleteHahahaha "conspiracy theory" LOL
DeleteI would also like to understand this conspiracy theory and why it only applies to Slovenia, not Fraport's ventures in Greece, Bulgaria etc.
DeleteOf course, LCC(s) will base few aircrafts for 5 mio of subsidies which will be distributed among airlines flying to LJU.
ReplyDeleteBravo LJU. Go ahead!!!
ReplyDeleteThey should fly to LJU. LJU really needs this and I hope it happens.
ReplyDeleteAt least they are talking and it is good to see that both are interested in Slovenia.
ReplyDeleteRyanair and Wizz are interested in Ljubljana but Ljubljana Airport isn't interested in them.
DeleteLJU is only interested in Cartel.
Deletewhy ryanair and why wizzair? the second one has no interes on Slovenia... both are so big even easyjet also that could take over MBX for very low rent...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I hope nothing comes of it. The government destroyed every possibility of me working as a pilot
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be in your interest for an airline to base couple of aircraft in LJU then?
Delete* in the country where I pay taxes. I am forced to commute, yet the government (and concerned taxpayer's brigade) is more than happy to take my money. I feel betrayed. I really hope Slovenia will never proper air connectivity.
Delete@9:32:
DeleteFor that to happen, I would already have to be employed by either Wizz or Ryan or whoever decides to base an aircraft. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball.
Where do you commute? Do you fly from ZAG for Lauda?
DeleteNope. I commute from VCE and I fly all around Europe.
DeleteOh, the horror, commuting from one of the closest airports to Slovenia.
Delete@12:00
DeleteWho said I was based in VCE? I COMMUTE from VCE and spend 20 days away from home dragging my a** through different hotels in Europe.
I bet you’re one of those concerned, proud and fearless taxpayers who drives 15 minutes to work and knows everything about everything. Oh, the horror.
Not a pilot but just out of curiosity, how does this work? My idea was that every pilot is based in one airport, not flying randomly throughout Europe.
DeleteFor both legacy and LCC airlines, you are right, it's the case in 99% cases. But, if one works for an ACMI company, his/her base is the city person lives in, or the airport one determines to be his/her base. Your airline sends you than as a passenger from your chosen airport (VCE in this case), to the airport of the company or organization that leased your airline's aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, and from there you fly according to your roster for a period of time, usually between 2 weeks and one month, and after that you fly back home as passenger to have your rest period, which is usually one half of your work period
DeleteWell said pozdrav. Like I said, I really hope that the situation in LJU never improves.
DeleteOk, continue dragging you butt through different European hotels then
DeleteSeveral Slovenians are experts in hadron collider nuclear research. Does this mean that Slovenia should built its own large hadron particle collider so that they work at home and not commute to Geneva, where is the only LHC in the World?
Delete@00:03
DeleteWow, that is one of the stupidest analogies I have ever read. :D LHC is a one of a kind, where as almost every country has a national carrier (I'm pretty sure that every country does not have a LHC). Anyway, I'm not proposing to set up a new national carrier, but I am sure as hell not going to pay taxes and have foreigners take my job.
I know that is too difficult for you to understand, since it's pretty obvious that you have difficulties with reading comprehension.
When Adria went bankrupt, I was extremely sorry, especially for the company's employees. I followed some of the career paths of individuals who saw the loss of employment as a challenge and today are successfully working abroad. I am aware that it is not easy for everyone, but when I read the comments of individuals who exude extreme contempt and arrogance, I can understand why some ex-Adria pilots today are much more satisfied with their jobs in other carriers and talk about the toxicity of the working environment at Adria.
Delete@11:17:
DeleteYou have someone specific in mind? I sure hope you're not referring to me, the one who has an issue paying taxes in country that forced me abroad. If you're referring to particle physicist above, then you're right. Although I'm not sure he worked for Adria.
I expect that only SKP-LJU will (3x per week) be outcome of those "fresh talks". Wizz will get subsidies from both government for this route.
ReplyDeleteIf they start flights that means the end to any chance of Slovenia getting a national airline?
ReplyDeleteMost probably
DeleteWhat do you mean with "start flights"? If they establish base with 2-3 aircraft then most probably it means there won't be national carrier. But if they start with 2-3 flights then combination of national carrier and some LCC flights is perfect for Slovenian connectivity.
DeleteWhich routes could these two launch?.
ReplyDeleteLJU needs all the destinations it can get in Europe.
DeleteRyanair 0, Wizz SKP-LJU/MBX
Delete10 yrs ago, Ryanair proposed to start flights from Ljubljana to Dusseldorf, Madrid, Oslo and London. They would still make sense toay.
Delete* today
DeleteJet2 to Manchester would be nice, as well as some other UK routes. If only to stop the boring and tired default comments about 'cartel'..
ReplyDeleteIt is probably just one person polluting the comments.
DeleteBetter choose Ryanair. They are less likely to pack and leave after a year.
ReplyDeleteImagine if both establish bases in LJU :D
ReplyDeletebefore that, they will base an aircraft on Moon :)
DeleteThere is basically 0 chance of either of them establishing a base. Wizz will maybe start flights to SKP but that is because of Skopje and not Ljubljana.
DeleteMaribor is more suitable for Ryanair than Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
DeleteWhy wouldn't Ryanair be suitable for Ljubljana??
Deleteit's time for LJU to start growing again
DeleteMaybe a Ryanair base in Ljubljana? It's always nice to dream.
ReplyDeleteIt would be fantastic to finally get some scheduled flights to Spain and Scandinavia
ReplyDeleteIt would be good if Ryanair wins. Wizzair is not so reliable today as an airline because of their cancellations. LJU definitely needs not only EU connections, but also leisure destinations.
ReplyDeleteUK and Ireland are an absolute must. 70 million market and many UK airports. Iberian peninsula and Greece.
Tenerife or Gran Canaria are also options.
For an airport like LJU its very dangerous to go to bed with Ryanair.
ReplyDeleteLJU has absolutely nothing to lose any more.
DeleteI guess being in bed with Lufthansa is better?
DeleteSomeone has to pay off the new terminal and it's not going to be Ryanair.
Delete9:51 please explain why it's "dangerous" to go to bed with Ryanair. I'm not sure if you know, but many Anglo-Saxon companies are usually very successful. Socialist times are well gone.
DeleteIt is what we always hear in these comments. Ryanair is "dangerous" but Wizz Air which abandoned Sarajevo in one month is not. It's just nationalism and taking sides because Wizz is in BEG and Ryanair is in ZAG.
Delete@An.10.24
Delete+1000
Anonymous10:24: "It's just nationalism and taking sides because Wizz is in BEG and Ryanair is in ZAG."
DeleteI think you getting a bit in imagination. Wizz and Ryanair shareholders both sit and drink pint on City of London while they are using strategy of "divide and conquer" to extract the best possible deal. The thing is this and it is very very simple and that it is the end of time for this neo liberal economy that was based on exponential capital extraction. And now it is finished because the resources are finite but greed is not. This Slovenian government is not serious almost childish. They are talking and talking for what 2-3 years, to base 1 or 2 planes in Ljubljana. Really?!!!
Good luck Slovenia
ReplyDeleteAt least there is still some interest being shown
ReplyDeleteInterest to be paid to fly. Otherwise no interest.
DeleteThis could be a gamchanger for Ljubljana.
ReplyDeleteLet's wait and see the actual outcome. There has been too much false hope for Ljubljana in the last year.
DeleteWith Ryanair or Wizz Air base, LJU might actually reach those Adria era passenger numbers.
ReplyDeleteI see possibilities of flights to London, Weeze, Sofia/Bucharest and Stockholm being launched.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see some comments I am really thinking if some people heard for aviation first time this morning. LCC base in LJU, really guys!?!?! :) Stop dreaming..
ReplyDeleteWhat are you on about?
DeleteYou will see on what I am about in 3 weeks. A can only say that some people has really high expectations.
DeleteFirst they sell and not lease the airport, then they sell national carrier fo peanuts, when LJU is almost totally disconnected from the world, they give out subsidies for high fees at the airport. Each action isolated from others is stupid, all combined are act of crime. I would leave it as it is. Let them bancrupt and then buy the airport back at the auction. Unfortunately, there is just enough of revenue to keep them going. What was govt thinking back then? Police air force and special unit are based there, military ATC and part of heli units are based there…etc. Now govt is held in limbo where they can’t afford to let airport to close down. Perfect “negotiation” position for Fraport.
ReplyDeleteWell I think for all PAX it will be perfect to have LJU and ZAG as options.
ReplyDeleteWe only need good public transport between LJU and ZAG
@An.11.30
Delete+1000
Like every hour bus service Brnik-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Pleso and back
DeleteThat would be perfect especially since there is no border control anymore.
DeleteYou do realise that subsidies are going to end in Fraport’s pocket? Every year slo taxpayers will give 17 mio € to private owner of the airport.
DeleteThe most probable outcome of this is Wizz launching flights to SKP and maybe they get back Charleroi and add a weekly rotation more to Luton. Even though there would still be space for Ryanair to launch a few routes like Madrid, Stansted, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, etc., I think it's unlikely to happen. The subsidies will probably be used by LH to introduce additional daily flight to FRA and by AF for CDG flights. It would be very nice if another airline applied like SAS for Scandinavia or Iberia for Spain (if Ryanair wouldn't launch these flights), but I doubt that as well.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAgree, probably most of the subsidies will be for flights to major EU hubs, almost certainly for morning and evening flights to Brussels Zaventem, not Charleroi.
DeleteI agree but those could be operated by ryanair or brussels airlines but wizz could bring back charleroi as well as of these subsidies if wizz is interested
DeleteSubsidies will be allocated for individual routes, so if the government will decide subsidizing just Brussels Zaventem it will be Brussels Airlines (or possible someone new, that is quite unlikely) since Ryanair closed base there.
Deleteoh okay i didn’t know that ryanair closed the base there. What about tui for brussels?
DeleteDue to diversity TUI would be more than welcome, however it has only holiday destinations for Belgian tourists out of BRU. On the other hand BRU from LJU is primarily for EU employees and Slovenian representatives in EU institutions and EU working groups and bodies.
DeleteI just don't see these two LCCs being given a list of destinations by the Slovenian government and having to fly those routes.
ReplyDeleteThat's not how it's going to work. Wizz and Ryan will give the list of destinations to the government and then the government will announce the tender with those destinations under the terms dictated by either of the two airlines :)
DeleteYou are wrong anon
DeleteI'm surprised that these two airlines constantly keep coming back for talks with the government. If the Slovenian market is that important to them just start flying out of there.
ReplyDeleteCould Barcelona, London, something in Scandinavia, Skopje, Bucharest, Prague and maybe even Vienna work for these two in Ljubljana?
ReplyDeleteThey can, especially by Ryanair but I think Vienna will be covered by Austrian (I think they are probably going to apply for subsidies).
DeleteAccording to today's Delo newspaper, the subsidies will be for the establishment of new flights or for more frequencies on existing routes. They will make it possible to provide routes to destinations that are important for Slovenia both from the point of view of tourism, economy, and connectivity of the country with the world already for this summer season. It is of extreme economic importance for Slovenia to maintain and establish regular air routes to the most important European centers. Subsidies will be allocated for individual routes. So when we think about possible routes and carriers, we need to keep this in mind. Most of the subsidies will probably be for flights to major EU hubs, almost certainly for morning and evening flights to Brussels. So, yes, I think Vienna will be there and Austrian is the most logical choice.
DeleteAgree, plus maybe a few LCC tourist routes.
DeleteThis is only spin to put pressure on ZAG management, nothing will come out of this.
ReplyDeleteWhy would Wizz Air put pressure on ZAG management. They don't fly there and I don't think they have the intention to any time soon.
Delete🤣
ReplyDelete