Slovenia gives up on new national airline
The Slovenian Prime Minister, Marjan Šarec, has said it is highly unlikely for the government to set up a new national carrier, three months after Adria Airways filed for bankruptcy. The Prime Minister noted, “The creation of a new national airline, be it fully or partly state-owned, is highly unlikely. In the meantime, many of the routes formerly operated by Adria have been taken over by foreign carriers since they proved to be of interest to the Slovenian public”. Over the past three months, the government has been studying the prospects of establishing a new national airline jointly with a regional carrier. In November, the Slovenian Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, who has become increasingly isolated in his pursuit to set up a new airline, said talks with the potential partner had “come a long way”.
The Slovenian state-owned Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) drafted a business plan for the country’s potential new national airline. Under the proposal, the carrier would have reportedly operated a fleet of five Bombardier aircraft and counted some 200 employees. Based on the Assets Management Company’s calculations, the airline would have recorded a twenty million euro loss in its first year of operations. Since Adria’s collapse, three foreign carriers have entered the Slovenian market, while the majority already serving the country have increased frequencies or plan to do so next summer season. In 2020, Iberia will become the latest airline to start operations to Ljubljana.
Meanwhile, parties that submitted bids for Adria Airways’ remaining assets have complained over the slow pace in announcing the results of the tender, which closed on November 10. Adria’s receiver has since held talks with the five bidding subjects, however, the results of the public call, which were to be announced by November 25, are yet to be made public. Bidders include the Slovenian ultralight electric aircraft maker Pipistrel, Slovenian businessman Joc Pečečnik, who is the founder of Interblock Gaming, as well as businessman Izet Rastoder, a banana importer, seller and real-estate developer.
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