Ljubljana Airport seeks China flights

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport is actively seeking to enhance its connectivity by attracting Chinese carriers, however, the process it expected to take time and any concrete developments are unlikely in the immediate future. Speaking to the “Finance” business daily, Ljubljana Airport’s Head of Airline Management, Janez Krašnja, said, “We've been in talks with Chinese carriers for years about launching flights to Ljubljana. However, long-haul routes like these come with significantly higher business risks. A flight between Ljubljana and Beijing, for example, takes around eleven hours, with operating costs exceeding 300.000 euros per round trip, which is no small figure”.

Ljubljana Airport sees the value in connecting to one of the world’s largest aviation markets, however, the reality of launching long haul flights is far more complex. “China is already well connected through established global hubs, making the need for nonstop flights less urgent. That means, if it happens at all, it will likely take some time before we see the first scheduled service between Ljubljana and China. Breaking into long haul, intercontinental routes is always a major milestone for any airport, but it's also a leap that involves substantial risk, which is something airlines are naturally cautious about, especially when passenger demand isn’t guaranteed”, Mr Krašnja said.

China has proposed for the establishment of nonstop flights to Slovenia. The announcement came during visit by Slovenia’s Minister for the Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matjaž Han, to China along with a high-powered business delegation late last year. Ling Ji, China’s Vice Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative of Commerce, said the country would work on “establishing an air bridge” between the two countries, noting that introducing flights would significantly enhance convenience, as well as encourage greater movement of people and goods.

There have never been scheduled nonstop flights between the two countries. In 2013, Ljubljana Airport held talks with China Southern Airlines, upon the initiative of the airport’s CEO at the time, while a year later, the airline expressed interest in acquiring a stake in then flag carrier Adria Airways, as well as Ljubljana Airport. The government eventually settled to sell Adria Airways to a German turnaround fund, while the airport operator was sold to Germany’s Fraport. In 2016, the Chinese Embassy in Ljubljana launched an initiative for flights between the two countries to be established, with a proposal for Hainan Airlines to operate its service from Beijing vis the Slovenian capital. Ultimately, the airline launched operations to Belgrade via Prague. In 2017, the Slovenian government advanced discussions with the Civil Aviation Administration of China after a carrier expressed interest in introducing flights between Xi’an and Ljubljana. However, the proposed service never materialised.