Applicants that have submitted bids for the introduction of new subsidised routes to Slovenia are expected to be officially revealed next week. The Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure has told EX-YU Aviation News that the grant allocation committee is scheduled to complete its review of the four applications over the following week, after which both the bidders and the proposed routes will be disclosed. The initial deadline for the tenth subsidy call aimed at improving Slovenia’s air connectivity expired on March 6. Unlike the previous nine rounds, this call also includes an additional deadline of August 31, allowing further applications to be submitted.
Similar to its previous applications, airBaltic has already announced its planned new service to Ljubljana ahead of the official results of the tender process. As reported yesterday, the carrier will introduce a new two weekly service between Tenerife and Ljubljana, although only one of the two weekly rotations has been put on sale so far. An Italian aviation portal has also reported that ITA Airways is among the four applicants, however, the airline itself has not confirmed these claims. If all four applications are deemed valid and meet the required criteria, the tenth subsidy call is on course to become the most successful to date, attracting the highest level of interest.
Some of Ljubljana Airport’s busiest unserved routes include Stockholm, Oslo, Bucharest, Madrid, Lisbon, Geneva, Hamburg and Berlin. Under the existing subsidy program, the state provides financial support to airlines covering up to 50% of airport charges for a maximum of two years from the start of operations. Eligible costs include landing, take-off, parking, passenger processing and ground handling charges at Slovenian airports. Unlike a direct discount, carriers must first pay the full airport fees and will then be reimbursed upon submitting invoices. Airlines may operate supported routes seasonally. In case of multiple applicants for the same route, those offering stronger connectivity at the destination airport or operating within the preferred time blocks will gain additional points.
Any ideas on what the other two applicants could be?
ReplyDeleteThere is no confirmation that ITA is one of them, like the text says.
DeleteWell that would mean even more new routed, an extra win in my eyes. But I don't want to get too excited.
DeleteMy coffee grounds predict Biman Banggladesh and LATAM.
DeleteDespite there is no confirmation from ITA, ITA would make sense. They have data not just from Ljubljana but also from Trieste airport to see what is a demand. They already have an agreement with GoOpti and aligned departure from Ljubljana to ITA flights from Trieste, so maybe they figure it out the demand is there.
DeleteCould it be EasyJet or Wizzair?
Delete^ fingers crossed. Could be either.
DeleteDo not get too excited. But you can ask Fraport why there is no LCC base in LJU. Fraport is the worst thing ever happened to slovenian air connectivity. Much worse than JP’s bankruptcy.
DeleteOh boy, the people who would sell their family to get a few Ryanair flights are here.
DeleteITA, WIZZ, EASY and AirBaltic.
DeleteWhich routes for Wizz and Easy?
DeleteNone
DeleteEasy to Berlin and Wizz to Tirana, maybe?
DeleteNone
DeleteWe are talking about this as if it were the most lucrative market in the world. It is a small country.
DeleteYes TIA
DeleteVery interested to see the bids
ReplyDeleteWith OSL and ARN being among the busiest unserved, it would great to see SAS apply.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteSAS has never applied for subsidies on EX-YU markets, even when they launched routes. E.g their CPH-SJJ route is not subsidised unlike Norwegian's. SAS could have applied for subsidies, and would have been eligible for those, but for some reason they chose not to. None of their other EX-YU routes like SPU, DBV or TIV are subsidised either.
DeleteIf they really got four serious applicants this time, that’s already a big step forward compared to previous rounds. The question is how many routes will actually launch.
ReplyDeleteThe real question is, how many will remain operating after one season.
Delete@9.14 - So far the only route that didn't work since the Covid was Dusseldorf, so I would say the track record is quite good.
DeleteBut several routes have been decreased like Luxembourg for example. It is symbolic.
DeleteA route that flies between March and November is symbolic?
DeleteIt's symbolic when frequencies are once per week on some months.
DeleteInteresting that reimbursement is only after paying full fees. No wonder there have been so many failed tenders.
ReplyDeleteall the conditions and rules that they have made are unappealing to airlines, especially LCCs. No wonder so few airlines have applied.
DeleteA reminder that subsidies similar to the ones in Montenegro or Macedonia are not possible in the EU.
DeleteThere are many other subsidy models which are possible under EU framework that could have worked much better. Starting with PSO routes.
DeleteAnd which route do you think should be PSO? LJU-MBX? Or perhaps the LJU-RHO for the "businessmen"?
DeleteI actually went to check the list of current PSO routes in the EU and there is only one international route and that is LCA-BRU awarded to Tui Airlines Belgium. So do please tell which routes should Slovenia sponsor as PSO routes?
DeleteStockholm, Berlin and Madrid should be absolute priorities. These are not niche routes but major European markets.
ReplyDeleteAnd Lisbon.
DeleteNo slots there
DeletePorto could be an alternative
DeleteWhy Berlin?? I’ve been there, and around there, on my way to Rügen. The area is poor and heard no Slovenians. Most German tourists come from western Germany as well.
DeleteBerlin is for sure not as rich as western Germany, but compared to the Balkans incl. Slovenia it isn´t poor. The area is however not as densly populated as other parts of Germany. And many countryside people might not be so keen on traveling abroad. But there are quite many Slovenians living around here, who would be more than happy to have a decent connection to Slovenia.
DeleteLet’s see if any LCC applies this time.
ReplyDeleteThe real success metric shouldn’t be number of applications, but how many routes are still operating three years from now.
ReplyDeleteExactly
DeleteGood to see interest growing
ReplyDeleteWould be nice if someone applied for Maribor
ReplyDeleteI don't even think the airport is fully operational.
DeleteI think MBX can not handle aircraft with more than 12 pax until they fix some paperwork or something like that
DeleteIm waiting for the day when Maribor saga ends.
DeleteGovernment is not interested in it except for offering it as some kind of sale package to someone.
DeleteBravo Fraport!
ReplyDeleteFor what? The government offering subsidies for airlines to fly there while giving up the airport in the first place so they would not have be exposed to such costs?
DeleteHoping for eastjet from Berlin.
ReplyDeleteWhat is with this Berlin obsession on here?
Deleteits just from one person, there is no obsession
DeleteFR from TRS has Berlin with good timings for 70€ return in May for example. I think it covers most of the little needs for it from SLO with that…
DeleteLittle needs from SLO to Berlin? You have no idea. I have been living in and around Berlin for many years and there is plenty of demand. Lots of Slovenes regularly visiting Slovenia, alos our relative and friends coming to Berlin. And tourists from Slovenia visiting Berlin/Eastern Germany. FR from TRS? 3 flights per week, timing might work for people who are flexible, but not if you have a family and are limited to school holidays. And your 70 € rise quickly if you add luggage and still need to get from TRS to somewhere in Slovenia. Ryanair quite often isn´t cheapt and convenient.
DeleteAs I have said many times if BER was a cash cow the route would be in operation yet again by now.
Delete^ keep in mind that costs at both LJU and BER have changed since the route was last operated, including taxes in Germany. LCCs pay a great deal of attention to all of those.
DeleteThat is good news for LJU and Fraport!
ReplyDeleteVery good for Fraport yes. Financing its horrendous taxes with tax payers money.
DeleteExactly, I have never seen such a twisted concession.
DeleteActually to correct myself, the one in PRN is also twisted with the state dictating airport fees.
DeleteThere is no concession in LJU!
DeleteLooks like LJU's fantastic performance will continue throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteVery good year so far
DeleteAre we going to get Vienna flights?
ReplyDeleteMy guess would be no, especially now that Austrian is no longer wet leasing turboprops.
DeleteThere is a positively good motorway all the way to Vienna.
DeleteI also don't see why VIE would be a priority considering its proximity. There are more important cities which need to be connected to LJU.
DeleteWould be interesting to see if Cyprus Airways applies again (this time with proper documentation). I think Larnaca remains an unserved market and I've read here several times that the operator of Larnaca airport said they are trying to get flights to LJU.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the current situation, I doubt it.
DeleteIf Tuzla can get Cyprus flights then so can LJU.
Delete^ well those are cancelled
DeleteTemporarily due to the current situation.
DeleteFinally
ReplyDeleteCould Ljubljana-Thessaloniki with Aegean work maybe?
ReplyDeleteYes, but probably not with a320.
DeleteLJU - RHO would work very well
DeleteAgree. Same way as the Canary routes are working, many leisure destinations could work well from LJU.
DeleteWouldn’t be surprised if at least one application ends up being rejected after the review.
ReplyDeleteWhy? It only happened once with Cyprus Airways.
DeleteUltimately, Ljubljana needs at least one carrier to build a small base. Subsidies alone won’t replace a home carrier strategy.
ReplyDeleteNo one in the government seems to understand that.
DeleteGoverment would like to see this happen and is eager to support, but Fraport is not interested.
DeleteExactly, Fraport is not interested in making money. The things you read here..
DeleteSlovenia is still so poorly connected to Germany, outside FRA and MUC. I hope we see at least one new German destination.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWell Eurowings didn't work out. So perhaps there is an issue with demand.
DeleteEurowings with its useless schedule was there exactly for the reason to prove the Krasnja’s mantra about “no demand”. Look at the schedule they had and you will see why they failed. Beside the schedule we all know Eurowings has as much strategy as OU. None.
DeleteOh please, German routes do not work for a reason.
DeleteSorry 13.11, you are wrong. OU has strategy, firm and strong one - to continue being shameful LHG feeder on expense of croatian tax payers. For EW none strategy, I agree
DeleteWill SJJ from LJU ever return again?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean? The route is operating with Bosnaexpres.
DeleteWizz Air seems like they only option that is somewhat realistic, unless a SkyAlps-like airline chooses to base a turboprop in either SJJ or LJU.
DeleteNo LCC will ever operate Sarajevo to Ljubljana. If you wanna travel between the two drive it or take the bus.
DeleteAdria Airways used to fly daily between two cities...
DeleteIf there is ZAG why not LJU
DeleteFlights between Zagreb and Sarajevo often operate less than half empty. They were workable as part of a connecting wave, but stand alone there is insufficient demand. Adria flew bombarider jets to Sarajevo during a totally different economic landscape. A 30seat tubro-prop operation might work, but demand from BiH to Slovenia is covered by road transportation.
Delete@19:04 Adria had an average load factor between 30 and 40% on the route depending on the season. It was one of the routes being constantly under scrutiny for losing money. It was kept alive as a political decision and that political decision also brought Adria to where it is now.
DeleteEasyet surely needs to open Geneva or Bern with the pharmaceutical industry so large in Slovenia
ReplyDeleteDo you even know where the pharmaceutical companies are based in Switzerland?
Delete@14:26 no he does not
DeleteFFS Bern, do people actually know what they are talking about on here?
DeleteCould it be Tirana?
ReplyDeleteif Wizz applied, it could be.
DeleteCan someone explain to me why airbaltic said it would be a 2 weekly flight to Tenerife yet they are still selling just 1 weekly. Is it that difficult to load the second weekly flight when you announce it?
ReplyDeleteif it were an ex-Yu airlines, people would be having a meltdown right about now.
DeleteI'm wondering that too.
Delete