No airline has applied for the Slovenian government’s ninth public tender aimed at encouraging carriers to launch new flights to the country in return for subsidies. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the Ministry for Infrastructure confirmed that no applications have been submitted so far, with the tender set to close on Saturday. The Ministry has allocated 1.35 million euros for this round, with an additional 1.2 million euros per year to be made available in 2026 and 2027. To date, the state has concluded agreements with airlines worth two million euros, of which 670.000 euros have been paid out under the previous eight tender calls, five of which were successful.
Only airlines registered and based in the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) are eligible for the subsidies. The ECAA is made up of states that are part of the European Union, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Iceland, Macedonia, Norway, Kosovo and Montenegro. Applications must include a detailed business plan showing that the route can become profitable beyond the subsidy period. This plan should include projected passenger numbers, profitability forecasts and marketing strategies. If no business plan is submitted, carriers must provide a binding written declaration committing to operate the route for at least as long as the period of aid. Airlines may operate supported routes seasonally rather than year-round, provided they comply with the submitted business plan. Applicants must also set the maximum one-way economy fare (excluding taxes and baggage fees), which will be assessed if multiple carriers apply for the same route. The Ministry has clarified that aid cannot be combined with subsidies from other states for the same route.
The previous subsidy calls produced mixed results. Over the past eight tenders, Luxair, airBaltic, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Iberia, Eurowings, Cyprus Airways and Air Albania submitted applications, although not all met the criteria to qualify for funding.
The Ministry has not ruled out the possibility of establishing a new national carrier, although such a development appears unlikely at this stage. In a recent statement to Bloomberg Adria, the Ministry noted, “The possibility of establishing a national airline is still a relevant option”.
Meanwhile, Ljubljana Airport is preparing for a strong winter season, with four new routes set to launch, followed by two more next summer. During the upcoming 2025/26 winter season, which begins this Sunday, the airport will offer 640.510 seats on scheduled flights, representing an increase of 16.5% compared to last winter. Apart from scheduled services, there will be charters to Italy, Portugal, Spain, Iceland, Turkey, Netherlands, Malta, Egypt and Jordan.
Bravo Alenka!
ReplyDeleteWatch them do it again for a tenth time...
ReplyDeleteTender 10: The Return of No Applicants.
DeleteDisappointing
ReplyDeleteWell there is still a chance that someone applies on Friday or Saturday.
DeleteI really don't think any airline staff will be sitting in their office on Saturday in order to apply for the Slovenian subsidy tender.
DeleteNo surprise here. You can’t expect airlines to apply when there’s zero long-term strategy and a tiny budget.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the subsidies are just too low for many airlines to consider.
DeleteEspecially LCCs
DeleteLjubljana airport isn't even bothered to add Vueling and Air Dolomiti logos to their website and sent pout press release for winter schedule that's factually wrong (10x Air Dolomiti to Munich and 18x Turkish Airlines instead of 14x TK and 3x TBA)
ReplyDeleteThat tells you all
That press release also announces 2nd daily KLM flight so there are some positives...
DeleteI'm subscribed to their PR stuff but never read it because there are always so many mistakes, I just checked today's one and Flydubai is write at 4x weekly instead of up to daily ans they once again "forgot" to mention Wizzair to Podgorica next year.
DeleteIncompetence or collusion with some airlines? The difference between promoting EasyJet and Wizzair is stark
DeleteWhere is 2nd daily AMS announced?
DeleteLjubljana press release sent out this morning. I think STA already published it
DeleteSome of the media are reporting that there are going to be double daily to AMS, while others are saying just one daily. Really weird.
DeleteOne daily this winter double daily next summer makes sense
DeleteThat's what you get when you can't put out a proper press release. I counted EIGHT mistakes from just what I know as a frequent flyer
Deletefrom the same source as for EDI, Canary island etc i can tell you it will be double daily ... thats why transavia left ljubljana
DeleteThat's great news. When will they start double daily, summer season? And do you know if it's going to be a morning or evening flight?
DeleteIzboljšanje povezljivosti bo podprla še družba KLM, ki bo ponudila dodaten (jutranji) dnevni let v Amsterdam
DeleteFrom Ljubljana press release
But is it gonna be double daily with their E100 which they use now? If that is the case the capacity will still be less than what we had now with Transavia.
Delete"Letalska družba Vueling bo nadaljevala z leti v Barcelono, Easyjet bo z aprilom začel leteti v Edinburg, družba KLM pa bo ponudila dodaten (jutranji) polet v Amsterdam." - rtvslo
DeleteNa spletni strani KLM sta je za konec junija 2026 na voljo le en let dnevno.
Deletev nedeljo bo objavljen zimski vozni red. za KLM je informacija 100% da gre na dvakrat dnevno, žal pa nimam informacije ali v zimskem ali v poletnem voznem redu. Je pa informacija direktno s strani fraporta in ni iz "gostilne", kot radi nekateri poimenujejo insiderske informacije ...
DeleteWill easyJet continue flying to Manchester in the summer?
DeleteIts expected but not yet announced, Manchester - at least judging by how its selling should be at least 2x weekly in the summer too, maybe even more
DeleteIt is unbelievable that a serious company could make such a blunder. In any case, Fraport’s official communication through its “press release” is a complete fiasco and demonstrates the company’s utter lack of professionalism in public relations.
DeleteNot to mention their “News & Media Room” webpage, where the latest news dates back to August 21, with no later updates anywhere to be found.
DeleteAll these errors on the page and the press release, together with the fact that gate A1 still has no jetbridge, tells u all about the topmgt of Fraport LJU. Wondering what background Mrs Stappel has. Does she has 1-2 decades long experience of airport related business or is she just a Fraport Aparatshik, well eduacted on paper, but without real drive?
DeleteThey must have a person in charge of public relations. That's really not the CEO's job. Her should be developing strategy, managing operations, overseeing finances... These is where she should be competent.
DeleteList of every mistake Ljubljana airport made with todays press release:
DeleteNumber 1: "Prevoznik Air Dolomiti bo namesto Lufthanse opravljal lete v München." - not true, Lufthansa will still operate 3-4 weekly flights on the route
Number 2: "Aegean Airlines dvakrat tedensko v Atene" - not true, they won't operate from Jan till March
Number 3: "flydubai štirikrat tedensko v Dubaj" - it's up to 7 weekly most of the winter schedule
Number 4: "Lufthansa dvakrat dnevno v Frankfurt, Air Dolomiti desetkrat tedensko v München," - once again the same mistake
Number 5: "Luxair dvakrat tedensko v Luksemburg" - it will be UP TO 2x weekly, but most of the winter schedule the route will not operate
Number 6: "Turkish Airlines do osemnajstkrat tedensko v Istanbul" - for the full winter schedule TK will have exactly 14 weekly flights
Number 7: "pestro ponudbo čarterskih destinacij. Direktno iz Ljubljane bo mogoče poleteti na....Španijo (Gran Canaria)" - Gran Canaria is a scheduled line and to today does not have additional chartered flights scheduled
Number 8: The press release fails to mention already announced Wizzair line to Podgorica
Number 9: Attached to the press release is a map, where LPA is shown to be next to Barcelona, the graphic department forgot to add dotted line, as they did with Dubai
Number 10: In the press release they announced flights that carriers didn't yet - Barcelona in the summer and KLM double daily, with morning departure, which confuses anyone that reads the news and tries to book the said flights
Note - mistake 2 and 4 are there because they managed to add "easyJet do sedemkrat tedensko" - so UP TO seven flights, which should be present at Aegan and Luxair too.
Amazing work by Fraport!
I wonder when Ljubljana employee will read this and fix it, and when they do, logos are still missing and SAW is still mentioned somewhere on your website...won't tell you where, you are smart enough to find it
DeleteDon't worry Ljubljana Airport still has FlyEgypt listed as active carrier...an airline that's been shut down a YEAR ago
DeleteThe top mgt has to ensure that PR messages are correct, even though they are not publishing them by themself
DeleteBetter not start with their website — it looks fine at first glance, but the number of errors and inconsistencies is ridiculous. “Letališče Manchester” made me laugh, and those charter destinations with random airport names in all caps are just annoying. And seriously, how hard is it to add airline logos?
DeleteEnglish website still only has "LUX" listed as destination as they forgot to add the full name. It's been like that for 2 years now
DeleteEnglish just add additional mess. There is also only LPA and Riga is also an airport, even "RIX Riga Airport (RIX)".
DeleteThey like to add information that some destination is an airport, very randomly, it's not just "Letališče Manchester", Italian version has Aeroporto di Atene, Aeroporto di Copenaghen and Aeroporto di Manchester.
DeleteI have never encountered an airport with so many errors and inconsistencies on its website. Especially since there isn't much information on their website.
Deletewow
DeleteActually the winter season looks pretty good with 16.5% growth and new routes. Better than constant negativity, finally some progress at LJU.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot that previous winter was a disaster.
DeleteAnd 640,000 seats this winter is nice but still way below what Ljubljana had before Adria collapsed.
DeleteIt's even below what has been published few weeks ago
DeleteIt is still pretty solid growth.
DeleteNo other way than PSO, surely they can't be stupid enough to keep this going?
ReplyDeleteI really hope something comes out of the PSOs but they don't seem to be mentioning lately anymore.
DeleteThey should simplify the rules.
ReplyDeleteThey don't have to simplify the rules, they need to increase the compensation.
Delete+1 last anon. Rules are straightforward.
DeleteIf the state really wants routes, then negotiate directly with airlines
ReplyDeleteProbably the smartest comment I have read here in years.
DeleteMaybe increase the tender budget? 1.35 million euros is nothing.
ReplyDeleteExactly. 1.35 million euros isn’t even enough to paint a single Ryanair aircraft. Increase the budget
DeleteRyanair earns that in a weekend selling scratch cards :D
DeleteIndeed
DeleteCapacity is 2.3% down compared to the info published 18 days ago: https://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/10/ljubljana-airport-poised-for-strong.html
ReplyDeleteI have a strong feeling that the airlines will keep on revising their schedule at LJU.
It’s funny how every other country gets results with similar schemes but in Slovenia not.
ReplyDeleteSmall markets can still attract airlines if they focus on specific niches.
DeleteAt this point, Ryanair will solve everything. Just give them the airport and they’ll connect us to 30 destinations in a year.
ReplyDeleteI want to smoke what you are smoking.
Deleteand you think they would do it for free?
DeleteOf course they would not do it for free. Passengers would pay for their tickets and additional services
DeleteSure. Im not talking about who would cover Ryanair’s costs… but airport’s.
DeleteThe ministry should tender for someone competent to run aviation policy instead.
ReplyDelete😂😂😂
Deletegood one
DeleteIf passengers really want flights, routes will survive without government money.
ReplyDeleteRoutes cant work if there is no routes :). The world is not only in Germany, Netherlands, UK ... Just give some Spain and Greek island destinations ffs
DeleteYou can have as many tenders as you like but if airport charges stay high and fees aren’t competitive, nothing will change.
ReplyDeletePeople travel from Ljubljana, just not through Ljubljana Airport. That’s the real issue nobody wants to talk about.
ReplyDeleteYes, so thats why people go and fly from TRS, ZAG, VCE, VIE, BUD ...
DeleteWho needs flights when we have highways to Venice and Zagreb?
DeleteI hope someone applies last minute.
ReplyDeleteIf the government truly wants long term connectivity, they need a multi year framework not a new tender every few months.
ReplyDeleteWho puts a deadline for things like this on a Saturday?
ReplyDeleteIts because the law ends on 25th too
DeleteIf they really want routes offer free kremšnite to every airline CEO.
ReplyDelete😂
DeleteNice pic of the airport complex :)
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHiw they dont care about whats published, you can see on the flight map, where Las Palmas on the Canary Island is where Valencia is. I just dont undestand how Frapoet is so superficial.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that on Wizzair there are only 3 instead of 4 weekly connections between Lj and Skp next summer. Also Norwegian is offering flights starting in may and ending in september.. ?
ReplyDeletewizz is probably not updated. uploaded the schedule from last winter
Deletesummer*
DeleteStrategic mistake of selling infrastructure is bearing fruits for how many years now Alenka?
ReplyDeleteLjubljana Airport is preparing for a strong winter season, with four new routes set to launch, followed by two more next summer.
ReplyDelete-Barcelona
-LPA
-Manchester
-EDI
-Podgorica
Which one is the fourth route for this winter?
Air Dolomiti to Munich. it says routes, not destinations.
DeleteWell, Podgorica is also not a new route.
DeleteSorry, destination :)
DeleteIf Air Albania wouldn't fail, we would've had flights between Tirana and Ljubljana today
ReplyDeleteWizz should apply for it
DeleteI think WIZZ will open a base in Ljubljana. Flying to: Podgorica, Skopje, Tirana, Rome, London, Brussels, Berlin, Prague, Malaga, Malta at the beginning ...
Delete@14:08 I dont think there is such a need for Prague from Ljubljana. Maybe Greek islands in the summer and Canary islands instead. But i would agree for all other mentioned
Delete+ with starting Malaga route they would attack FR from ZAG and KLU to Alicante
Delete@14.08 don't you think they would have applied for any of the 9 subsidiy tenders if they were to open a base? They seem to be avoiding the Slovenian one and only launch flights by applying to tenders and incentives by other airlines.
DeleteNoup. They are waiting for the PSO tender… under the new law
DeleteIn the summer Manchester should for example be Wednesday and Saturday, just as Adria used to be.
ReplyDeleteWill there be more tenders after this?
ReplyDeleteObviously yes
Delete"with an additional 1.2 million euros per year to be made available in 2026 and 2027."
In the last few months there have been more airlines announcing flights to LJU without subsidies than actually applying for these tenders.
ReplyDelete