Slovenia to subsidise new Ljubljana flights
The Slovenian government has adopted plans to subsidise airlines for the launch of new routes to and from Ljubljana's Jože Pučnik Airport in an attempt to improve the country's air connectivity by 2021. The Slovenian Tourist Board recently launched tender procedures aimed at advertising and marketing services which will be provided on behalf of airlines establishing new flights to Ljubljana from markets deemed to be "of strategic importance for Slovenian tourism". This will also include subsidies for airlines increasing frequencies on existing services. The state-run Tourist Board will provide 150.000 euros in marketing and promotional activities on an annual basis for each new route launched, while 90.000 euros will be offered to airlines increasing frequencies on existing flights.
Slovenia has identified a number of countries as being of strategic importance to the country's tourism industry and from which air connectivity should be improved. These include Germany, Finland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Israel, Ukraine, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Japan, the United States, as well as Gulf Cooperation Council member states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The operator of Ljubljana Airport, Fraport, has welcomed the subsidy plan noting, "Attracting new carriers is a continuous and never-ending process. We are constantly in discussions with at least fifteen airlines".
Fraport believes there are several markets from which new nonstop flights could be established to Ljubljana. "These are mainly from Northern Germany, the United Kingdom, Arab countries, Scandinavia, Spain and Italy. A more diversified network of direct flights is unrealistic, since it is not economically viable for carriers in the given circumstances", the operator said. This summer season, foreign carriers will boost their presence in Ljubljana. British Airways will launch operations from London Heathrow Airport with its Airbus A321 jet, while Air France HOP! will add an extra weekly flight for a total of ten and increase capacity from the Embraer E170 to the E190 jet. Furthermore, Aeroflot will up capacity from the Sukhoi Superjet 100 to the Airbus A320, while LOT Polish Airlines will maintain all of its services from Warsaw to Ljubljana with its Embraer jet-engine fleet instead of the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop. Adria Airways suspended flights to both Moscow and Warsaw over the past year.
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