airBaltic has not ruled out the prospect of potentially opening a base in Ljubljana following talks with the Slovenian government on the matter last year. In late 2023, the Slovenian government held discussions with representatives from the Latvian flag carrier and discussed the possibility of the opening of a new base in the Slovenian capital. At the time, airBaltic representatives said they had no plans to open a base in the city, noting that such action would require substantial financial and organisational investment, along with the need to establish a new brand on the Slovenian market. However, asked by EX-YU Aviation News weather it has reconsidered its position, the airline noted, “We cannot comment on this specific case, but considering our fleet growth in the future, we are open to investigating different opportunities and underserved markets across Europe”.
airBaltic launched operations between Riga and Ljubljana last month, and has since upgraded the service from seasonal to year-round operations. The route benefits from the country’s subsidy program aimed at improving Ljubljana’s connectivity. airBaltic has multiple bases and opened its latest one last December on Gran Canaria island. In May 2022, it opened a base in Tampere in Finland. Furthermore, it has bases in Tallinn and Vilnius, alongside its main hub in Riga. However, the carrier’s CEO, Martin Gauss, recently said he did not see potential in establishing a base in the Balkans. "We see traffic demand into the Nordics from these regions. However, to base the aircraft in the Balkans would not make sense because we use the aircraft to and from the hubs", Mr Gauss said.
In April, the Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure confirmed the receipt of an application from Cyprus Airways for the opening of a base and the launch of several routes from Ljubljana. However, it highlighted that the application was incomplete and required modification before any decision could be made. The Cypriot flag carrier submitted its proposal as part of the Slovenian government’s open call for subsidies for the launch of new routes from the country. The Ministry for Infrastructure stated, "The aid allocation committee formally assessed the application and identified deficiencies that hinder a decision based on its merits. The carrier has been requested to address these shortcomings. A comprehensive review of the application and a final decision will be made following the necessary modifications”.
Cyprus and Air Baltic both stationing one A220-300 would be a dream come true for Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteCompetition is always good in aviation
DeleteCompetition is always good in everything.
DeleteWould fraport and the Germans allow it is the question. They won't be too happy someone to take their market share away.
DeleteSounds like a 'them' issue if they can't capture a market with their 300€+ tickets
DeleteHM, I a, not confident of Air Baltic, but EasyJet would be something that could happen. I am not sure if Slovenian Government approached EasyJet yet? Voltea and Transavia could also play important role. Problem is however, do they have any free aircraft. Atm only Ryan air is expanding fast, not sure for other airlines, even Wizz is stagnating atm.
DeleteApparently easyjet made an offer to LJU Airport after Adria went belly up but Fraport was not interested.
DeleteBravo Fraport!
DeleteTransavia was also searching and exploring options to create some new bases around Europe but idk if they ever considered Ljubljana.
DeleteHow about Vueling? I know they just stopped operating from Zagreb, but i feel like it’s still something that could happen
DeleteVueling is aligned with Oneworld, which has a pretty mediocre presence in Ljubljana as things stand (daily British, 4 weekly Finnair as opposed to 12+ daily Star Alliance and 2 daily SkyTeam). I doubt they'd open a base, but flights to Barcelona could always happen
DeleteI think this could work! I would support it!
ReplyDeleteI'd give them even more subsidies than otherwise offered under the incentives program. The A220 is an incredible jet in terms of comfort, price and efficiency. Seeing it based in Slovenia in such a nice livery would be incredible
Delete+1
DeleteThat would be nice! I would personally repaint the A220s based in LJU the colors of the flag. Keep the original livery just add a little touch for example the Etihad Choose USA livery. The Air Baltic livery with maybe the words “Choose Ljubljana”
Deletehttps://global.discourse-cdn.com/infiniteflight/optimized/4X/a/7/b/a7b69a1d83835604cd90f87e27372f540007f8f0_2_820x509.jpeg
That'd be great. But a good thing is that AirBaltic's green already suits Slovenia very well
DeleteLads, I don't wanna get excited too quickly, but...
ReplyDeleteBravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteAt leaat the government seems eager to find someone.
ReplyDeleteNot if you read their statement about Cyprus Airways.
DeleteWhat did they say?
DeleteHow they have to fix their application. Read the article.
DeleteYes the gov can't accept the incomplete application because the EU checks everything. It's not the gov fault here
DeleteYes, you don't accept half assed applications in a multi million euro deal. There's a lot of money and regulations at play, plus the whole thing is financed and screened by the EU as well
DeleteYes, you don't accept haΙf assed applications in a multi million euro deal. There's a lot of money and reguΙations at play, plus the whoΙe thing is financed and screened by the ΕU as well
Delete"However, the carrier’s CEO, Martin Gauss, recently said he did not see potential in establishing a base in the Balkans. "We see traffic demand into the Nordics from these regions. However, to base the aircraft in the Balkans would not make sense because we use the aircraft to and from the hubs", Mr Gauss said"
ReplyDeleteSounds like we are trying to make lemonade out of lemons.
Ljubljana is in the Balkans?
DeleteFor the rest of Europe Slovenia and Romania are definitely considered Balkan countries.
DeleteWhat else do you make lemonade out of if not lemons
Delete^^^
DeleteIt is an American expression that means that you are trying to make something good out of a bad situation.
He also said Slovenia need an airline
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2023/03/airbaltic-ceo-ljubljana-should-have-its.html
Anonymous 09:38
DeleteWhich means nothing for Air Baltic setting up a new Slovenian airline or even basing aircraft in LJU.
@9.38 reading that link, the air baltic CEO seem to be very well informed about what is happening in Slovenia's aviation
DeleteEuroelections are on Sunday and the government is trying to look active.
ReplyDeleteJansa+NSi already projected to get 5 seats regardless lol
DeleteAlready? Weren't the elections in Slovenia like a year ago or something. Maybe I mixed it up but I remember there was mention of it here because Bratusek was campaigning about the new national airline.
DeleteThere are elections for the seats in the European parliament.
DeleteThere are always some elections in Europe.
DeleteBut these Europa-elections are meaningless and very little people attend them-at least here in Germany.
People call European elections useless and then complain about EU-wide laws not suiting them.
DeleteI recall the last elections where Timmermans won against Vestagher as leader of the European comission.
DeleteIn the end they installed Von der Leyen although she has not even been candidate...
Not everything is perfect in the EU, but the fact is that people underestimate the importance of the European Parliament. It is not the Commission, but the EP and the Council that decide in the end about the legislation. So, if they don't vote, they should not complain.
DeleteThe statement they gave looks like they are more interested than not. We will see.
ReplyDeleteAgree. If they were not interested they would outright say it.
DeleteMost probably they saw the loads and the transfer number to their network and they figured out that basing aircraft would be a good thing. It's been 2 months now, and most probably statistics are in LJU favor
DeleteThe fact that they brought forward the service from initially planned launch date and then made it year round indicates strong bookings.
DeleteIndeed this is the case, they had LF > 70% in the first month of operations which is a big success for the new route. And (again) proving that all pessimists, claiming that there is no demand in LJU, are wrong.
DeleteLJU simultaneously has the demand of Liechtenstein and China, depending on who you ask here
DeleteAny news about Cyprus Airways? The 1 month period has passed, so that at least means that they got back to the ministry with a modified application. Maybe start of flights in November is possible? Are they expecting any new A220 this year? - Might be connected to that as well
ReplyDeleteLjubljana is listed under the destination at their HOLIDAY website, but not yet under their Airways website - I don't know for how long
DeleteMeh, they also announced how they would launch Dubrovnik this summer and in the end they didn't.
DeleteIt does not help that they are having fleet issues because of A220 engine problem.
DeleteI landed at LJU this morning on Turkish flight and whilst waiting for my taxi people in the B terminal were arguing A LOT, any idea what's happening there? I B terminal getting used nowdays? I never noticed it
ReplyDeleteThe B terminal or old terminal is still in use for check ins for some of the charter flights to summer destinations. I don’t really get it why as the new terminal offers a possibilty to handle at least 7 different flights to check in at the same time (which in Ljubljana never happens).
DeleteLooking at their website Klasjet flight is 3 hours late. I think it's VIP aircraft, as Kompas - White Airways fall though.
DeleteYep, White has been screwing Kompas over, so now they're going with KlasJet. Saw one in LJU last week heading to Prague I believe
DeleteKompas is paying premium for aircraft holding 105 pax instead of 150 now, whilst having to pay 50 people off as they don't have enough seats. What a mess
DeleteI think they will learn their lesson. Better that they stuck to Trade Air charters.
DeleteKompas costumers will be happy - imagine going on a vacation with an airplane made for professional sport teams
DeleteAnother reason to have a national carrier. Tourist companys can do this packages with them just like it was the case when Adria was around.
DeleteB terminal is used for all nonschengen flights (turkey, dubai, serbia, charters). Passport control is only in between A and B terminal since the renovation
DeleteThat would actually be great. They are very well run airline. The aircraft type is perfect. Hoping for a positive outcome!
ReplyDeleteYes 2 or even 1 A220 in LJU would be optimal.
DeleteKnew they would be successful with their Ljubljana route.
ReplyDeleteI remember airBaltic being mocked on the Slovenian subreddit. Then it turns out it's the most potent of all subsidised routes
DeleteIt's about time the government set up a new national carrier. Forget E.U laws and put Slovenia first!
ReplyDeleteThe government had several airlines express interest in a PPP airline or a base (Air Serbia, VallJet, Air Dolomiti, Croatia Airlines, Wizz Air) yet the government shut all of them down.
DeleteThe issue is the government, not EU.
From those you mentioned, only two provided written proposal (one to the previous and one to the current government) and both were extremely expensive and unacceptable.
DeleteI will trigger a few people now but Slovenia is past that stage where the Minister of Infrastructure/Economy/Finance or whatever will be the one ordering which airline will fly where and how often. It is a free market, anyone can come and start flights, if they see a financial benefit from it.
DeleteThat's clear and nobody is doing that any more. But what can be (and should be) done by the government is to launch incentives for the routes of strategic interest to the state to encourage (or create additional benefits, if you wish) airlines to establish those routes, bringing back benefits to the national economy.
DeleteCan anyone tell me if Slovenia needs a permision from the EU to launch the inicietives or can they do it without the spproval?
DeleteThe incentives have to be alligned with the guidelines and they have to be approved by the EC.
DeleteTo be fair doing W flights in winter sounds like a good start.
ReplyDeleteOperate Riga-Ljubljana-Berlin-Ljubljana-Riga flights and see how it goes. If that works, add more and more W flights until it's basically cheaper to base an aircraft out of Ljubljana
They could also launch flights with LJU as stop and kill two birds with one stone. Something like RIX-LJU-FCO or RIX-LJU-MAD
DeleteSo W flights with extra steps...
DeleteYes, but it allows passengers from Riga to fly to that destination without the need to disembark in Ljubljana and shortens turnaround timers
DeleteA really good airline. My wish is that you BT or Cyprus Airways should start serious negotiations with the government
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of talks in the past few months even in the last year but yet still nothing happened no agreement no deal nothing. Same goes for that Qatar airways flights. Just talks as always in Slovenian aviation.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhere would they fly to from LJU? Most destinations are covered.
ReplyDelete1. Berlin
Delete2. Madrid
3. Barcelona
4. Manchester
5. Amsterdam
6. Prague
7. Stockholm
8. Oslo
9.Bucharest
10.Tirana
11. Rome
12. Larnaca
13. Malta
14. Sofia
15. Budapest
16. Vienna
17. Milano
18. Dortumnd
19. Cairo / Hurgada
20. Antalya
And much more
I agree that Berlin and the Spanish destinations are a must.
DeleteAnd Dublin, Hamburg, Dusselforf, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Pristina, Sarajevo…
Deleteand you have enough for one or two weekly on E170 jet.
DeleteFrom my point of view even FRA is not covered entirely
DeleteFRA is good enough. Maybe the missing 6pm rotation similar to munich
DeleteEverybody is obsessing over FRA and Germany and whatnot. Sure it is profitable but not having flights to SJJ is embarrassing.
DeleteSarajevo was a huge loss maker for JP, why would anyone even think about starting it again?
DeleteI don’t know maybe because it is in the region. Air Serbia’s flights to Mostar are not that profitable but the government is funding it to improve ties between The Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Maybe we should take notes from Air Serbia because as we can see they are the best airline in the region and more profitable than all of these wannabes will ever be.
DeleteSarajevo is a rough one, considering it attracts very little business traffic and is a solid 5 hour drive away. Adria managed to make it work due to transfer capabilities. Tirana would work a lot better
DeleteWhy all the wet dreams over Berlin, it has never worked from LJU, whatever airline.
DeleteSure easyjet flew there for more than 3 years and it was losing so much money on it. Expert.
DeleteFor younger generation Berlin has for sure a bigger appeal than sarajevo.
DeleteLol many young tourists go to Sarajevo because it's cheap and there are 200k Bosnians in Slovenia who can either use a 9h bus or drive for 6h
DeleteI wish Air Baltic much success, but I do not see, mid term, a bright future for them.
ReplyDeleteObviously I am not the only one. They did refinance their junk bond just recently, but the yield was whopping 14,5%.
This mean for the approx. 360 million euros they took, they will be paying 50 million annually in interest costs.
Good luck with that and good luck to Air Baltic.
Completely agree. And the airline was already on the brink of bankruptcy once.
DeleteWell they clearly have some strategy no matter how bad going. Who knows maybe LJU will become their golden goose and take them out of their problems.
DeleteThat was Europe’s highest-yielding bond in 2024. Speaks volumes about desperate state they are in.
DeleteI could see this happening. If Slovenian government would give them financial support I think they would be interested.
ReplyDeleteI read an interview recently where Gauss said they are looking at several bases across Europe.
ReplyDeleteAny links?
DeleteWell you know what Gauss can go and open those bases and leave LJU alone.
DeleteIt is interesting how ex-Yu region suddenly came onto air Baltic radar after so many years.
ReplyDeleteThey don't deny that it has become important to them because they lost the Ukraine and Russia market.
DeleteSo they killed Adria because it was "eating too much public money", and now they are going to give foreign airliners to do the job of Adria and will eat much more public money? Who is crazy here?
DeletenotLufthansa well you know the Balkan mentality! It is better to let others run things for us no matter good or bad than to gosh forbid let our own run things no matter how successful!
DeleteShould have done this 4 years ago.
ReplyDeleteYes that made a lot of sense during height of Covid.... Do you remember that back then LJU barely had a few thousand passengers per month.
DeleteFour years ago? Do you people educate yourselves the tiniest bit before coming on here and spewing random things that come to your mind?!
DeleteWell well well. Air Baltic wants to start a base in Ljubljana. Never thought this would be happening…
ReplyDeleteMe neither!
DeleteInteresting that Slovenian government was quite keen for Air Baltic to open a base. They don't seem so keen about Cyprus Airways though.
ReplyDeleteWell, Air Baltic has 41 operational A220s and Cyprus have 1, so that might explain the difference in "enthusiasm"
DeleteYeah like what was your point in commenting this? So what if they were not keen maybe you should go and open their eyes or perhaps even better, join the management and ✨transform them✨
DeleteI think it could work. Additional one daily Frankfurt, London and Paris. And few times weekly Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Rome, Warsaw. Plus charter.
ReplyDeleteEh but at the end of the day who cares enough about LJU to have that many flights. Just go to BEG or whatever else is closest.
DeleteI saw in some article few weeks ago that the government intends to launch new tender. Yes, I know the outcomes were not fantastic on the previous ones but maybe AirBaltic could apply again to base an aircraft in Lju. 4 or 5 destinations for the start and if successfull than they can expand.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of tenders they have launched is more than the amount you get in a standard McDonalds nugget meal.
DeleteYes thats true but they said that they will keep launching them until money meant for the subsidies runa out. If Cyprus will be successfull with their application, then there will probably be no more tenders.
Delete