Ljubljana Airport is expected to gain new connections to Tirana and Las Palmas in the near future, following a recent airline subsidy tender aimed at enhancing Slovenia’s international connectivity. As previously reported, two airlines submitted applications during the eighth round of the incentive program. The daily "Delo" reports that the planned routes will link Ljubljana with the Albanian capital and Gran Canaria Airport in the Canary Islands. While there has been no official confirmation yet, Wizz Air and airBaltic are widely speculated to operate the respective services. Notably, both routes were briefly listed on the official websites of the two carriers in recent weeks.
The Ministry for Infrastructure has announced that a final decision on whether the two airlines will qualify for subsidies is expected in early June. Both carriers have been requested to provide additional details and revise their proposals accordingly. Flights between Ljubljana and Tirana were last operated in September 2019 by Slovenia’s former flag carrier Adria Airways. The service relied heavily on transfer tranffic via Ljubljana to and from Western Europe. In its final full year of operations in 2018, Adria carried 57.594 passengers on the route. If approved, Wizz Air is expected to focus primarily on point-to-point traffic between the two capitals, following a similar model to its Skopje - Ljubljana route, which has performed well since its launch in September 2023.
Flights between Ljubljana and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands have traditionally been operated as charter services in recent years. airBaltic, which maintains a seasonal winter base at Gran Canaria Airport, currently operates scheduled flights from the island to destinations including Billund, Copenhagen, Oslo, Riga, Sandefjord, Tallinn, Tampere and Vilnius. The airline is already a recipient of Slovenian state subsidies for its Riga–Ljubljana route, which commenced in April last year.
a final decision on whether the two airlines will qualify for subsidies is expected in early June.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they doing
Holiday time in May :D
DeleteThis is an official procedure, where each phase has a 14-day deadline for completing the application, any complaints from participants after that, etc.
DeleteSo it does seem that these would launch in winter considering airbaltic has a winter base at LPA.
ReplyDeleteYes, looks like they will start in winter.
DeleteLPA will be winter seasonal.
DeleteLPA makes sense in the winter, and in the summer the possibility is that they'll make the flights available for charters only and see if agencies are willing to buy the seats. If they do it could be a year round
DeleteBoth routes have strong winter months which is definitely nice, especially considering that a lot of other ones, namely Copenhagen and Luxair, have cut winter capacity at LJU
DeleteairBaltic’s seasonal base in Gran Canaria is smart. Hope they make LJU a regular winter route from there.
DeleteThey need a few more like that to survive winter months. They are sending 10+ A220 to South Americas this winter too, would make sense to open mini hubs in Europe with local subsidies as well
DeleteCould Wizz operate TIA-LJU-LTN-LJU-TIA flights? I know London flights aren't eligible for the tender, but currently this winter there are only 3 weekly flights available for London
ReplyDeleteI am still hoping British reintroduces winter flights but a Luton option would be very nice
DeleteLooking at the loads both BA and KLM should be upgraded this winter.
DeleteKLM should definitely try with morning flights at least until January
No, I don't think so. They tried LTN-LJU with a plane based in Romania some time ago and this resulted in many cancelations due to accumulated delays and limited duty time. On the other side, is it confirmed that Wizz applied for TIA subsidy? There are some rumors it's somebody else.
DeleteWho are the rumors for?
DeleteThere were some rumors that LPA rute won't be subsidized, and they didn't even apply for it too. I don't know why Ministry didn't give us the name of the airlines lile they did before
Deletethe two routes mentioned above are not the ones that were applied for subs ...
DeleteNobody asked ministry about the airlines and routes. :-)
Delete@admin maybe it's time for direct email ?
DeleteI mean that's good news doe? Means at least one more route is due to be announced, right?
DeleteThese would be great additions.
ReplyDeleteUnexpected
ReplyDeleteLJU-TIA was one of JP's strongest routes.
DeleteBut it was all transfers
DeleteNot all, but many. Since then market changed a lot, TIA would work very well at least 3w (Adria was 7w or more).
DeleteLJU-TIA was briefly available on Wizz Air's site yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAny idea about the frequency? I hope for 3x weekly
DeleteProbably start 2 weekly and slowly climb up if the performance is good and as planes return from maintenence. That's how SKP started and they're at 4 now
Deleteskopje started with 3.
DeleteWe have already TIA from TRS 2-3x times x week. Slovenian leisure travellers using it already. I doubt TIA will work out from LJU. Some Kosovars in Slovenia flying to Skopje and very few from TRS to TIA.
DeleteDon't the GP Aviation flights to Priština serve the diaspora from Kosovo?
DeleteAlso doesn't the fact that Slovenian are using TRS flights show there's demand for another operator on a different route? The Albanian diaspora in Ljubljana and Kranj is pretty big, so there's definitely demand
Deletewow very nice
ReplyDeleteI still firmly believe that AirBaltic is looking at opening a Ljubljana base.
ReplyDeleteA few routes would be ideal for A220 such as Barcelona, Berlin, Stockholm...
It would be nice, but not sure if they would be open for such an adventure considering their financial position.
DeleteairBaltic and the GOV have already discussed the possible base at LJU.
DeleteBravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteYeah this had absolutely nothing to do with them. Especially since they weren't even targeting these routes.
DeleteYes, we all know that Fraport is only responsible for airlines not starting routes to LJU. If they start though everyone else is responsible for that success except the airport operator! 😀
DeleteLJU has too much potential to be this underused.
DeleteSo many years in and people still don't understand how little say (~0) airports have in specific new route development.
DeleteI'm still amazed by TIA skyrocketing numbers, nevertheless, good job to them!
ReplyDeleteIt goes to show how important are LCCs to airports that ain't global megahubs.
DeleteAlbanians are having 11 million pax flying through their airport without having to spent their money funding a state run airline.
W6 and FR competition was great for TIA.
Delete@10:27 they're not paying for a flag carrier, but are paying millions for subsidies. At the end of the day the money is going to a carrier, and the local tourist economy boons from it
DeleteWhat subsidies does Albania pays to which airlines?
Deletelol @ 17:08
Deleteyeah just keep telling yourself that.
@17:08 Nice lie
Delete^ Truth hurts like nothing else.
DeleteBoth would be great add ons.
ReplyDeleteIs there really point to point demand between TIA and LJU?
ReplyDeleteAsk Kranj, Velenje...
DeleteAlso Albania is a tourist hot spot in the recent years
DeleteFrom Velenje there is a bus too: more baggage, no airport hassle.
Delete@10:16 how long does this take?
DeleteTirana route has potential. Lots of Albanians live in Northern Italy and Austria who’d use it via Ljubljana.
DeleteTeuta tours, bus from Velenje, Kranj etc to Kosovo. I don't know how many hours it takes. You can call their phone number.
DeleteThere is also Fati Turs (and others) from Velenje etc to Kosovo. Many operators but only phone numbers and Facebook. These agencies don't have a web page as I know. It's "old style", you ask someone using it, he will tell you...
DeleteI asked a Zhitia Tourist driver who runs the route to Pristina. Anywhere better 11 and 14 hours, apparently. Depends on how much the border stops clog up
DeleteYes , when Adria Airways was still on the run, it had around 50k people that were travelling. Slovenia is close to Austria and Albania's only connection with Austria is Vienna. Also Austrian Airways it's not a cheap airline. I know there is a connection with Wizz Air and Ryanair & Air Albania Vienna-Tirana and the other way but still it would be profitable. People would also visit Slovenia and Albania, so personally it would be a +1 country that I would visit.
DeleteWhen will the next tender be announced?
ReplyDeleteLet's hope these actually get approved.
ReplyDeleteWhen some are saying wow to this, you realise how low LJU have set the bar.
ReplyDeleteGreat news. Ljubljana needs more direct connections, especially to southern Europe and holiday destinations. Hope both routes get green light
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI flew the old Adria Tirana route a few times. It made sense when there were connections to Frankfurt or Brussels. Not sure how it will work point-to-point.
ReplyDeleteLas Palmas, finally!
ReplyDeleteWizz Air is smart to go after Tirana–Ljubljana. There’s a growing Albanian community in Slovenia and solid VFR potential. Also tourism is growing.
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteLas Palmas before Barcelona, Lisbona is criminal..
ReplyDeleteBut is has some business logic - LPA does not hurt LJU transfer traffic (via LH group hubs). BCN, LIS and many other destinations (like PRG, BER) would hurt LH much more.
Delete@10:52
DeleteI see you are still suffering from LDS* and think that W6 cares about LHG transfers from LJU...
*Lufthansa Derangement Syndrome
Canaries are basically top destination among Slovenes so it is completely logical to start it before Mad or Bcn especially since its already a long flight even when you dont have to make a stopover or drive 3 hours to an airport
DeleteIt's the LDS guy again, at this point I'm convinced it's a paid Fraport intern
DeleteIt's Krašnja :)
Deleteit was also my thought. but thanks god its las palmas and not das flores in azorean archipelago or lampedusa
DeleteHaha, but azores also have potential along with funchal but defenitely not enough for a full season timetable at the moment - ps. Completely different guy commenting, not the Fraport hater, just eu atlantic pool fan 🙂
DeleteWe need more main European capitals.
ReplyDeleteI really wish that AirBaltic applied for more routes to serve the likes of Rome, Stockholm, Barcelona, Berlin and Bucharest. It would be nice to have one plane stationed at Ljubljana as they were considering it in the past. But it is definitely a lot to ask for.
ReplyDeletePrevious CEO was keen on Ljubljana, let's hope this one is even more
DeleteThe engine situation needs to be stabilized first before AirBaltic goes into expansion mode.
DeleteRight now they are one of the most affected airlines in the world from the Pratt issues.
AZ will come to LJU.
DeleteAnn 15:25 when and where?
DeleteWould love to see more eastward connections too. What about LJU–Sofia or LJU–Bucharest? There’s more untapped demand than people think.
ReplyDeleteOTP is one of the busiest unserved routes.
DeleteIt would be nice if LJU finally became more than a feeder airport for FRA and MUC. Direct leisure and regional routes are the future.
DeleteLet’s not forget Tirana is booming. New routes there make sense
ReplyDeleteWhen will LJU attract routes based on actual market demand, not government incentives?
ReplyDeleteKLM came without incentives.
DeleteW6 doesn't get any subsidies for the TIA route.
DeleteLas Palmas is a brilliant addition if it goes through. Canaries in winter are a dream, and scheduled flights would finally make it more affordable
ReplyDeleteMiss the days when Adria flew to half of Europe… good to see at least some of that network being rebuilt step by step.
ReplyDeleteSome will tell you here how it is fantastic without Adria.
DeleteHalf of Europe? You basically have the same network now as in Adria times. The only stable "missing" routes are Sarajevo and Tirana.
Delete57,594 passengers on Tirana in 2018 is not bad. Wizz could probably match that just on point-to-point if the price is right.
ReplyDeleteAnd LF of almost 70% which was Adria's fourth best LF of that year (just behind TLV, MAN and AMS)
DeleteDo you know what was the LF for those other three routes?
Delete2018: TLV 75,2%, MAN 72,1%, AMS 69,9%, TIA 69,3%. Average JP LF was only 61,1%. One more fact: TIA was the route with most transfers, on average around 2/3 pax.
DeleteWhat is the LF LJU-RIX?
ReplyDeleteIn September 2024 LF was 87,6%. 2334 pax and 2664 sheduled si3368ts. November had 1866 pax and 2368 sheduled sits , LF 78,8 %
DeleteDoes anyone know how DUS-LJU is performing?
ReplyDeleteThese would be fantastic.
ReplyDelete