The Slovenian government held talks with representatives from airBaltic last week and discussed the possibility of the opening of a new base in Ljubljana. The Latvian carrier will introduce two weekly flights between Riga and the Slovenian capital from May 2, 2024 after it successfully applied for state subsidies which will cover 50% of the airline’s fees at Ljubljana Airport. Both the Ministry for Infrastructure and the Ministry for Economic Development and Technology said, “We pointed out that we are very interested in all forms of cooperation that would contribute to Slovenia’s improved air connectivity. Our external partners presented key findings of the analysis on Slovenia's air connectivity with possible Public Private Partnership models”. The analysis refers to a study on the establishment of a new flag carrier in Slovenia, which the state is using as a framework for the launch of a national airline.
airBaltic representatives said they currently have no plans to open a base in Ljubljana, noting such action would require substantial financial and organisational investment, along with the need to establish a new brand on the Slovenian market. However, they expressed interest in further discussing the matter after examining the findings from the study on Slovenia’s air connectivity. airBaltic noted they look forward to the launch of the new Riga - Ljubljana service, which they say is already showing solid demand. airBaltic has multiple bases and will open its latest one this December on Gran Canaria island, with flights to ten destinations. In May 2022, airBaltic opened a base in Tampere in Finland. Furthermore, it has bases in Tallinn and Vilnius, alongside its main hub in Riga.
Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News earlier this year, airBaltic’s CEO, Martin Gauss, said, “I am very sad that Ljubljana doesn’t have an airline anymore. Looking at Latvia with 1.8 million people, being in the northern end of Europe and having connectivity with more than 100 routes from just one airline, Ljubljana should have its own carrier and have that connectivity”. He added, “Adria Airways failed and nobody else stepped in. What we have done in the Baltics is take a bankrupt company to where we are now. The same development is possible in Slovenia. Why not do what we do and start out with five planes out of Ljubljana and just establish connectivity. Don’t try to compete with Ryanair and Wizz Air and carry 200 passengers for no money from A to B. Establish connectivity, with a proper plan. Important for these kinds of models is to have the right aircraft. For example, in Tampere we put an aircraft and established flights from an airport from which nothing was happening, and we have now built up a network. We are not connecting Tampere only to leisure destinations, which of course works as well, but we connected it to the hubs of our key codeshare partners and then you have proper connectivity with proper timing”.
I think this could work! I would support it!
ReplyDeleteThis is the best move Slovenian government made last 10 years for sure, full support !
DeleteFrom the statement, looks as if air bltic hasn't completely ruled out the idea
ReplyDeleteHad no no idea airBalric was opening a base in Gran Canaria!
ReplyDeleteWild.
DeleteThis would be best
ReplyDeleteAt leaat the government seems eager to find someone.
ReplyDeleteNow THIS is what I call a real hub. Same fleet, good and distinguishable brand, one of the most punctual airlines in the world. Numerous prestigious awards and very cool logo. It will be a good win for LJU is this ever happens. But knowing how the aviation business is there, w might expect yet another telenovela eslovena....
ReplyDeleteI think "very cool logo" is a bit of a stretch.
Delete@12:37
DeleteAgreed! It is pretty basic.
That would actually be great. Surprised that the Slovenian government want Air Baltic for this but this is definitely a good surprise. They are very well run airline and I think with the financial support from Slovenian government they would be down for it. Also the aircraft type is perfect. Hoping for a positive outcome!
ReplyDeleteThis would probably be the best thing that Slovenian government ever did for the aviation in Slovenia
ReplyDeleteI agree.
Delete+1000
DeleteAirBaltic with base in LJU - my dream!
ReplyDeleteI knew that the Riga-Ljubljana route would be successful. This is a terrific option for flights to CPH, ARN, OSL and other destinations in this region. It also allows for some more interesting destinations in BT network.
ReplyDeletelol they didnt even start yet
Delete"airBaltic noted they look forward to the launch of the new Riga - Ljubljana service, which they say is already showing solid demand."
Delete@9:59 you didn't even read the article.
DeleteI am very surprised that it is possible to tell this far in advance that the route is promising. It might just be what they say.
DeletePersonally, I don't think RIX is a great location for CPH or OSL, but it is for ARN.
it is pure PR
DeleteWill there be a national airline last? Or is it a negotiation because the government wants a JV with others?
ReplyDeleteA really good airline. My wish is that you BT or Cyprus Airways should start serious negotiations with the government.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Currently it seems that CY is more eager to do it and willing to invest more.
Delete+1
DeleteYes, seems CY is willing to invest whereas BT not so much, or not at all.
DeleteThe best option to launch new " Adria". Good name will be airBalkan или airAdriatic, airLjubljana, airAdria
ReplyDeleteNo thanks, the state can not be a manager.
DeleteBT with airAdria would be just great.
DeleteBase 3-4 A220 from Air Baltic, 3-4 E145/ATRs from Amelia and go in 50/25/25 partnership. That way airlines aren't loosing that much in the first years and government has a fully functioning airline - especially as the private partners are planned to being bought out in the latter stages
ReplyDeleteE145 is an aircraft that wouldn’t be profitable even in LJU. Other than that it isn’t a bad idea but it willing probably come down to just one of them so either Amelia or AirBaltic
Delete*it will probably* typo
DeleteThat's the best idea I've heard in a while
DeleteWhere is left to exactly fly to? Seems like AF, LHG and BA have most of Europe covered? It's not as if the local population is big or a large diaspora exists. LCCs are not interested as they cannot fill large planes.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? From my point of view even FRA is not covered entirely, not to talk about LHG flights to certain destinations few times per week in the middle of the day. That's not connectivity which we used to have here.
DeleteExactly. Balkan is not covered with the likes of Sarajevo, Tirana, Sofia and Bucarest. There are talking about LHG there are still no Vienna flights even tho Adria used to fly twice daily there. Iberian peninsula does not have a good coverage and so does not Scandinavia (at least in the winter when there is no Finnair). There is also missing a connection to a non London destination in Britain (Manchester) and as well as Dublin.
DeleteDid Adria ever make any money flying to places like Vienna? There is a good reason OS doesn't want to burn money flying to LJU. Were the likes of OTP, SOF and TIA for locals or low hanging fruit with transfers?
DeleteWell Skopje was considered as a transfer destination and now Wizz launched it and 3 weekly flights work very well and are full. So I don’t see why Tirana or Bucarest couldn’t work.
DeleteWe have Tirana in Trieste with Wizz Air.
DeleteWho is "we"?
Delete@11.57 you compare relations between AL and SLO and MK and SLO that have lived 50years together in one country? and no Skopje was never considered a transfer destination, ever since Adria seized their flight
DeleteWell there is a significantly larger amount of Albanians living in Slovenia than Macedonians so from that point of view, yes.
Delete12:21
DeleteSlovenia
Anon 17:22 I've heard that are Kosovars and Albanian Macedonians in Slovenia but from Albania? I don't think so.
DeleteThan you clearly haven’t been in Slovenia. Yes the most of them are kosovar but there are a lot of albanians as well. Much more than macedonians for example
Deleteits the NLB guy again, pmsl
DeleteOfficial number of new and renewed permits for residence and work (in Slovenian: enotno dovoljenje za prebivanje in delo) issued in the Kranj area in the period 2018-2022 (covid time included): 8668 with Kosovo documents, 102 with Albania documents. These are official data.
DeleteSad news for Slovenia that they have to resort to this. But very surprising how much air baltic has grown and what it has achieved.
ReplyDeleteShows that if OU was well organised and good company they could have been the company to base some planes in Ljubljana
If they open s base in ljubljana it will have effect on ou
DeleteThat is for sure.
DeleteExactly! OU could be a West Balkans version of Air Baltic, for Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. Or if we view the EU alone, at least for Slovenia and Croatia.
DeleteAnd then if only our politicians could let go of nationalism, or rather false nationalism for once, Croatia and Slovenia could create a common air carrier equivalent to Air Baltic. It could be called Air Adriatic. Or Adriatic Air.
Moreover, Slovenia and Croatia combined have a similar population to that of all three Baltic states together - about 6 million. Our combined economies are similar size too and the purchasing power of Slovenes and Croats is similar to the purchasing power of the Baltic states citizens.
Slovenia and Croatia run a nuclear power plant together, and now there are no borders between us any longer.
It just makes perfect sense and would benefit both countries, but of course something like that will never happen, precisely because it's too rational...and more importantly, too focused on the wellbeing of all the citizens of Slovenia and Croatia, when the main purpose of OU isn't even the wellbeing of all Croatian citizens. It's rather the wellbeing of Croatian politicians.
I mean, never say never. In all honesty, it might take place at some point but unfortunately not any time soon. In my opinion. That isn't even sad, it's bloody frustrating!
As a Slovenian, I completely agree with you and would love to see that. But I doubt that OU is the right carrier to do that.
DeleteI can actually for the first time in a while say that I can see this happening. If Slovenian government would give them financial support I think they could be down for it.
ReplyDelete"...they currently have no plans to open a base in Ljubljana, noting such action would require substantial financial and organisational investment..."
DeleteSounds more the opposite when the government states, that Baltic has 'key finding' - translated - 'no go's'
If anyone had doubts, now it is blantantly obvious: Slovenian politicians have NO idea, let alone strategy in aviation sector. They are just buzzing from one idea to another fixating on idea, that somebody else should take the risk. In the Balkans we say “hoče da jebe, al da mu ne udje”. Mission impossible. It is just painful to watch this…Air Baltic CEO just told them what to do, but they don’t have the guts to do it. In respect to environmental protection, it is probably for the best. Adria was heavily reliant on moving people from Balkans to other destinations, but it worked, because they had a wide net of destinations. Without that and with clever utilization of fleet, any new Adria is doomed before it even starts operating. And my guess is, none of the decision makers is even aware of the fact, that more time passes from demise of airline and re-establishment/substitution, the harder and exponentially more expensive it is. In this moment in time we are probably talking arround 100 mil €, taking into account probable loss in first three years….
DeleteWith EU passporting rights, it will be very very easy for BT launch a base in LJU. The A220 will help them not only regular routes, but leisure destinations as well. Similar to many countries in the region, the local tour operators MUST work and popularise new places. Look what happened with Dubai....? FZ usually sells packages with agencies with special prices via DXB. The LJU-DXB route now is busier than ZAG-DXB so imagine LJU-UK routes which will for sure be successful. More routes are needed to Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin. And more Iberian routes similar to what happened with Serbia.....more flights to Barcelona, Málaga, Lisbon, Valencia and restore the successful routes that once JP had. The A220 is the PERFECT plane for LJU.
ReplyDeleteSo, BT and CY are very similar, both EU airlines with the same type of aircraft. Let’s see if one of them is willing to do it. For me CY seems more ready to do it.
Delete“I am very sad that Ljubljana doesn’t have an airline anymore. Looking at Latvia with 1.8 million people, being in the northern end of Europe and having connectivity with more than 100 routes from just one airline, Ljubljana should have its own carrier and have that connectivity”
ReplyDeleteHe can be sorry as much as he likes, but he's comparing apples and oranges:
Latvia has (to have) that connectivity. It is far in the north, and the only way to get to rest of the continent is by flying. Also not many other airports where you could just drive to and take a flight. From Slovenia you could drive to many places and also few airports not so far away with good connectivity.
By that logic just close LJU and use other airports. Amazing idea.
DeleteThat’s not what he’s saying. But we need to be realistic, not emotional.
DeleteI like what he’s saying but in Slovenia you have to compete with Ryanair. Those Slovenes who travel, have got so used to going to ZAG or VCE to fly with Ryanair, that you have to be able to compete with FR to get those back. Regarding what he said about connectivity, it’s already being provided through the likes of Swiss. Not entirely but again, you’re not filling an unfilled void. I think we should stop acting as though LJU has a potential at 3 mio passengers when it doesn’t. People rarely fly, tourists come by car mostly and diaspora is tiny. Plus, it’s not in the north of Europe but in the centre, with most main economic links 6 hours driving away. So I think any potential LJU realistically has left, is filling up pretty fast.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how only LJU has no potential 😃
DeleteShould have done this 4 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or does the air baltic CEO seem to be very well informed about what is happening in Slovenia's aviation? It seems to me they may have already looked at the prospect of establishing a base there.
ReplyDeleteApparently they thought but they are waiting for a euro for a little more.
DeleteMeme
ReplyDeleteJust wander why my post was erased earlier today, where I said BT CEO said the same what I 've been saying for years concerning Croatia /Slovenia, and corrupt politicians in two countries are guilty and responsible for both Adria' s end, and Croatia Airlines disastrous results. What I said wrong? Whom I offended? What was there against policies of ex-yu blog? Would appreciate the answer from @ex-yu
ReplyDelete