Slovenia devises Adria contingency plans
The Slovenian Minister for Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, has said the government has developed contingency plans in case Adria Airways ceases operations. The comments came following a horror week for the national carrier during which it has been in the media spotlight for cancelled, delayed and merged flights, as well as financial mismanagement by its owners, lack of staff, unpaid compensation claims, the alleged involvement of its former managers in the collapse of Switzerland's Darwin Airline, and suspicions its yet-to-be-published financial report for 2018 does not reflect the company's actual financial state. Commenting on the situation, Ms Bratušek said the government has no means to aid Adria until 2021, as the company was a recipient of state funds in 2011. Under European Union regulation, the government is barred from providing further financial assistance to the airline until a ten-year deadline has passed.
Speaking at a press conference, the Minister noted, "In the event Adria can no longer connect Ljubljana with European capitals, the government is exploring when and how to offer incentives for certain routes that are key for the state. This is all the government can do at the moment". Over the past week, a number of public figures have called for the renationalisation of the flag carrier, which was sold for 100.000 euros and an additional one million euro capital injection in 2016. The arrangement also involved the Slovenian government providing an extra 3.1 million euros for the carrier, which is now 100% privately-owned.
Meanwhile, dissatisfied pilots have held talks with Slovenia's Prime Minister, Marjan Šarec, expressing their anger at the company's management. Following the meeting, the Prime Minister said, "They [Adria Airways' owners] already bankrupted one of the airlines in Switzerland, and this practice is obviously going on here too". Slovenia's former Minister of Public Administration, Gregor Virant, has announced he is planning a class action against Adria due to the delays in compensation payments for cancelled flights and delays. Mr Virant said that it is taking Adria up to eight months or more to process the compensation claims, even though the legal deadline stands at eight weeks.
Adria's management has remained silent during the latest crisis which has engulfed the carrier. Its CEO, Holger Kowarsch noted earlier this year, "Slovenia needs its airline, because it is very important for Slovenian society, tourism and economy that a national carrier operates from Ljubljana Airport". At the time, he added that the company would not file for bankruptcy, "contrary to what many wished for".
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