The Slovenian government is in talks with several carriers over their role in improving the country’s air connectivity. Some are interested in establishing a new local airline, while others are seeking ways to use state subsidies to launch new routes. “Government representatives or ministries are talking to anyone who expresses an interest in this. Among them are Air France, Croatia Airlines, Cyprus Airways and at least one or two more companies. My feeling is that they are interested”, Slovenia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, said. She added, “The goal is to find a strategic partner that could perform approximately sixty operations per week to eleven destinations from Slovenia”.
Cyprus Airways has been in talks with several governments to establish new bases, while it is considering the possibility of a new locally branded airline in Slovenia. “In our longer-term plans we are looking at establishing several bases in the Mediterranean and possibly beyond”, Cyprus Airways’ CEO, Paul Sies, said, adding that the carrier is open to continuing discussions with the Slovenian government over a potential new national airline. Talks between the two sides were held on July 5, where the Slovenian government concluded that, “They [Cyprus Airways] are interested in establishing a company in Slovenia and possibly in some other countries in the region in the future”.
On the other hand, Croatia Airlines has shown greater interest in establishing services from Ljubljana to destinations such as Sarajevo and Pristina without necessarily basing an aircraft in the Slovenian capital, but rather incorporating these flights with its operations from Croatia. Ms Bratušek said it is too early to draw any conclusions whether the talks with any of the interested parties will be successful. The government has expressed interest in establishing a new national carrier in partnership with a private entity. However, Ms Bratušek noted, “Today, it is absolutely too early to say whether we will be able to launch a new company with a strategic partner. The subsidy tenders [for the launch of new routes from Slovenia] are the first step towards better connectivity”. During the first tender aimed at improving the state of Slovenia’s aviation sector, two carriers applied for subsidies - Air Montenegro and Luxair - with the latter to launch operations from Luxembourg to Ljubljana in September. The government has branded the lack of interest for the tender as a disappointment. A second public call was recently launched.
Wonder what that were talking with Air France for
ReplyDeleteProbbably similar to Cyprus Airways interest
Delete^ highly doubt they are interested in setting up a subsidiary in Slovenia.
DeleteThey are probably just interested in subsidies. Nothing more
DeleteI hope that if they get them they will finnaly give us daily morning departures not just 2 weekly morning departures.
DeleteBut how can they get them if they are already operating flights to CDG
DeleteMaybe for another airline in their group
DeleteKLM? They are partners with AirFrance and they would be more than welcome to LJU
DeleteMaybe they were trying to get Transavia to expand in LJU.
DeleteBut from where else can Transavia fly to Ljubljana? Orly and Amsterdam are already operating and the only other ones are Rotterdam and Eindhove which I doubt could happen
DeleteI'm increasingly under the impression that Cyprus Airways might have Croatia in its plans too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe establishing a Slovenia-Croatia airline? I don't know but they said that they want to establish a company here and some other countries in the region...
Delete^ yes that was my thought too
DeleteWould be quite cool actually. Slovenia needs a new based airline and the state of Croatian airlines isn't the best either so it would be helpful.
Deleteow how the turn-tables. so youre saying they need JAT back. and after croatia-slovenia see how great the cooperation is. only 4 more countries to join the airlines. :)
Delete@Slav.Man
DeleteYugoslavia ain't coming back. It's been 30 years already, let go of that dream (or nightmare) for good.
Dear Slav man I meant only a Slovenia-Croatia airline, as both countries need it. We don't need Jat but Air Adriatic or sth
Delete@13:56 lets keep focused, and not confuse JAT with Jugoslavia.
Delete@14:01 The entire region and all countries need JAT. and would be hugely airline.
across all south slavic nations 38 million people travel through our airports at record number.
and all countries are struggling with air connectivity and getting majority share in their home market.
the germanic nations have the lufthansa group/cartel no reason we cant.
JAT or similar is NOT going to happen. Never ever, maybe not even then.
DeleteNo sane Serb/government will ever again go for any business connections with ex yu nations. Ever!
..than
DeleteSlav.Man 14:59
Delete"38 million people travel through our airports"
What?
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2023/01/former-yugoslav-airports-handle-over-26.html
@16:17.
Deletedon't quote me and cut it short. if you read the sentence to the end. 38 million travelled through all our airports in the year 2019. this was our highest record.
i googled air travel of each country and just added the numbers they had listed on their wiki page.
thanks for reminding me of the 2022 numbers which is below our record year of 2019 and still recovering from the covid lockdown/restrictions.
Out of those three Croatia Airways actually sounds pretty possible with W rotation flights to the likes of Sarajevo, Pristina, Tirana or Prague.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBased on her comments, does not seem a new national airline will be launching next summer as many were predicting
ReplyDeleteWell they initially said 2025 and I think it will be like that. Maybe late 2024 or early 2025
DeleteStart of summer 2025 is most realistic imo.
DeleteI wonder who the other one or two interested airlines are? Maybe an LCC or is there a possibility for AirSerbia?
ReplyDeleteJU were repeatedly asked recently if they are interested in base in Ljubljana and their CEO said they have no interest whatsoever.
DeleteMost of these will fail in the end because the market is just too small. If you combine LJU and ZAG both airports will have between 4.7 and 5 million passengers this year. This is considerably less than PRG, OTP, BEG, SKG, TIA, SOF... there is simply no volume split between the two to sustain a meaningful operation.
ReplyDeleteAdria is dead, Croatia Airlines is dying, Wizz Air almost completely withdrew from LJU and they never returned to ZAG, FR has been shifting capacity left and right instead of growing in ZAG...
All of this shows that these markets are struggling to provide enough passengers to airlines that are focusing on them. Best is to help airlines introduce flights from their hubs and in such a way improve connectivity.
Both markets are sandwiched between BEG/JU and VIE/OS while LCCs have small bases all around.
Just to add, the only way these markets could work just fine is if Croatia and Slovenia built a joint airport on the border and to be managed by both countries jointly. They could extend a rail link to both capitals to make access easier.
DeleteHowever I don't see their egos going for that option and then there is the issue of corruption. So now ZAG and LJU will fight each other for crumbs while giving massive tax payer funded benefits to large European corporations like Lufthansa or Ryanair.
Airport in Cerklje is half way between Ljubljana and Zagreb.
DeleteThey should jointly invest in that airport, at least for LCCs as neither LJU nor ZAG are exactly successful as airports. I think Slovenia would go for it as they practical and reasonable. It's Croats who would shoot down the idea. Just imagine the debate in Sabor.
DeleteThere are many crazy (if not even stupid) ideas here..but this one tops others.
DeleteCan you please tell us why you think two international airports so close to each other are better than one common airport to serve these two relatively modest markets?
DeletePlease go back to your computer game and continue to install new infrastructures to your city with one click.
DeleteInstead of insulting me can you please tell me what is the commercial benefit of having two relatively small airports so close to each other? I would understand if both were extremely profitable and doing well but they are not.
DeleteIf you are going to insult me again please don't bother replying. I want facts, black on white facts.
I suppose you are from Croatia and are proving my point.
Look man I am Slovenian and this idea is just stupid to be honest with you. You think that the two countries who have quite a few arbitration problems between them just jointly build the airport on the border overnight and shut down the other two?
Deletethis is actually really good idea (but before both airports got renoveted)
Delete@10:57
Deletecooperating together on an airport to benefit both countries is a step to improving those arbitration problems whatever they are.
like if you want things to be better you have to do something. If not a shared airport. a shared/cooperative airline.
but would EU allow it though, thats another issue.
cause since JAT doesnt exist Lufthansa cartel and LCC have come to take advantage.
Thats what I meant with the EU not allowing it atleast not a shared airport. But a Slovenian-Croatian airline is better idea which actually is a possibility and would currently help both countries as one doesn't even have one and the others one is in a sad state
DeleteSince I'm the one with original comment about stupid idea (later comments are not mine), let me share you some details on why your idea is no less than stupid:
Delete1. both airports, LJU and ZAG are profitable.
2. setting an airport around Krško would mean that you're puting an airport in one of the Slovenian poorest areas. For what? To serve Croats?
3. I'm from Slovenia, working in aviation. Not from Croatia, and certainly not from Posavje, like you, I assume.
4. Ask Germans and Turks about commercial benefit of having two airports
5. There is not a single case in the world with idea like yours. And no, that doesn't mean that until now nobody had such a brilliant idea, it means that your idea is stupid.
@14:16 you havent heard of europort? which is shared between france, and switzerland and only 1 hour away from zurich and basel. its profitable and works. it even has 25 routes
DeleteI guess we should close LJU and ZAG and build brand new airport. Also close down VIE and BTS and build new airport. And PRN/SKP or TIV/TGD/DBV. Also BSL wasn't replacement for any airports in region like you suggest we do here.
Delete@Anonymous 15:22
DeleteEuroport, or Basel-Mullhouse airprot is located 80km from Zurich. And it's a very poor example of what you would like to present.
My suggestion: stick to your line of work.
Hoping for a positive outcome
ReplyDeleteCyprus Airways would likely work best.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Sounds a lot like the plans 4K Invest had.
DeleteCroatia has probably similar idea than Dolomiti a few years ago - to establish LJU base and feed mamma LH for a multimillion EUR support from the state.
ReplyDeleteDolomiti actually wanted to base a plane in Ljubljana. I don't think Croatia Airlines plans to do that.
DeleteYes, they do.
DeleteNo they don't. they want to operate W flights
DeleteYes they do, they offered a base option too.
DeleteWell we will see. But I would absolutley love if they really based an aircraft at LJU
DeleteHave a feeling nothing will come out of this as usual.
ReplyDeleteI actually for the first time in long time can say that I feel positive about this. And I am usually really sceptic about any news like that in Slovenian aviation. But our government has finnaly started to do and help the aviation sector and I also silently think that the second subsidy tender will actually have a serious outcome.
Delete^ Hope so
DeleteSafest would be to form partnership with Amelia Airlines if they are interested as was reported.
ReplyDeleteIt is always good to have concurence to find the best solution in the end (more airlines interested). But I agree that Amelia would probably be the best
DeleteAgree. It would be good if the private partner is a Slovenian airline
Delete+1
DeleteAmelia has no slots, no booking system, no alliance memberships etc... They are by far the worst option.
DeleteI fully agree with @anon 10:05. I have no idea why everybody is so enthusiastic about Amelia, who is lacking most of the functions needed for successful (independent) airline. Yes, they are very capable to operate an ACMI service, but so was Adria and many others.
DeleteI think that air france would go in this tender with amelia. After all they are partners as amelia is flying for them inside France... So they would probably use Amelias aircrafts, tehnik, training... plus the knowledge of slovenia... but air france would use their booking system...
DeleteThat’s possible and would be just great.
Delete“The goal is to find a strategic partner that could perform approximately sixty operations per week to eleven destinations from Slovenia”.
ReplyDeleteInteresting
Things are finally moving in the right direction
ReplyDeleteOther than talks and ideas being thrown around, nothing is really happening.
DeleteFinally there are some serious plans for a new national airline. Good luck and hope this ends well.
ReplyDeleteThat's one beautiful A350 :)
ReplyDeleteI think AirFrance will base two or three of them so Slovenia can finally get Kigali (Rwanda) flights!
DeleteShould have all been done in 2019.
ReplyDeleteBack then ee were being told that the market will take care of itself and that everything will be great and dandy without Adria.
Delete* we
DeleteBravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteOnly issue is Fraport has nothing to do with any of this.
DeleteIssue? That actually a good thing that they are not part of this.
DeleteFraport keeps increasing traffic in LJU.
DeleteFraport keeps winning.
The Saga continues. Season 3.
ReplyDeleteI heard that the season 8 will be great! The only neverending comedy-drama show that the world has seen.
DeleteStill don't get what Cyprus Airways has to gain from opening bases and local airlines across the region.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Adria Airways actually.
DeleteWould love to hear their full plans for LJU (and the region).
DeleteCyprus is money laundry heaven within the EU. That's where the answer is.
Delete^^^
DeleteSo that means that they have the necessary funds for such an investment. Good to know!
AirFrance meeting could indicate KLM flights and more fights to CDG, I don't see anything else happening
ReplyDeleteEither that or they want to increase frequencies on CDG flights.
DeleteHoping for KLM flights
DeleteLet's see what happens.
ReplyDeleteThis is painful to watch. No Slovenian govt (left, central@right) has no idea, no strategy for aviation sector. They are all just buzzing from flower to flower, like deranged bee. The Central Comitee Ligue of Communists in sixties had more vision and courage, when they ordered establishment of airport and Adria. Bratusek is totaly incompetent for the ministry she is running. She was good pm, but this is beyond critical. It is obvious that they (govt) have no firm stance on how to solve lack of aviation connectivity. Some would do mothing (“market will solve it”), some would start state owned company, but for peanuts and also have no clue what gigantic endevour this is, some would give out subsidies, some would have joint venture…but all they do is endless talks with no solution on horizon. I have lost all hope something will move in near future. At the end, we will have some kind of hybrid frankenstein: some subsidies, some agreement with Cyprus or whomever, Lufthansa feeder and god knows what else…all but national carrier with clear goals.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Slovenia my friend!
DeleteNo one:
DeleteAbsolutely no one:
Slovenian and Macedonian governments: IN TALKS ABOUT POSSIBLE FLIGHTS
And you forgot : interested in possible flights or hoping for new flights
DeleteA national carrier's only real goal in such a small market is to hire as many party aparatjik brothers and cousins as possible.
DeleteAnd the surest result will be tens of millions (if we are lucky) of losses every year.
Sounds promising. Or maybe not.
Ok
DeleteI said, there is no clear strategy. Where did you find cousins I don’t know. But what I do know is, that politicians who were strongly against helping Adria had no moral scrupuls asking for id 90 tickets (and not stand-by)
Delete@notLufthansa
DeleteAnd you want these politicians to start another airline? Seriously?
No, I want them to decide how state perceives aviation industry in Slovenia and act upon that decision. Do they want a state owned airliner? Stat behind that and do eveything necessary. Do they want a system of subsidies? Stay behind it. Do you want existing company to take role of “state owned airline”? Stay behind it. But they don’t. They just leave all doors opened and hope for the best.
DeleteI could imagine (but just imagine!) that JU could move its ATRs to Ljubljana, open EU company and starts flying. Of course, once when ATRs are replaced with E190/195.
ReplyDeleteAnd then easy easy increase fleet size by numbers and aircraft size.
In 2020 Duncan Naysmith, then CEO of Air Serbia had talks with Slovenian government over doing that. But that was back when they thought Covid would wipe out the aviation industry. I don't think the new (current) management has any plans to base aircraft in Slovenia but who knows.
DeleteWell the article says that there are one or two other airlines interested and maybe JU is one but who knows. Hope that everything will soon be published together with OU and Cyprus plans
DeleteJU CEO Jiri Marek said 2 months ago they have absolutely no interest in opening a base in Ljubljana. He was asked that exact question.
Delete+1
DeleteThat's because he is sane. There is *so* much more growth for JU that can/needs to happen in BEG before they should think of branching out
DeleteCyprus ain't gonna do anything in LJU they don't even have a complete network in LCA lol.
ReplyDeleteCyprus has 12xA220 on order and they said 4-5 is more than enough for LCA. This is the reason, why they are looking for other underserved markets.
DeleteThat is what I thought as well. A220 is also a perfect aircraft for LJU and I really hope something will eventually happen from this. I hope that they publish their plans soon
DeleteYou know it expert
ReplyDeleteSlovenia and Croatia need a joint airline like SAS ... Maybe ASCA - Adriatic Slovenia Croatia Airlines :)
ReplyDelete