Ljubljana Airport proposes €10 passenger incentive
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport has proposed for the Slovenian government to incentivise airlines by providing ten euros per passenger in a bid to retain carriers currently serving the country and attract new ones. It comes after the airport recently announced it was in talks with one of the largest airlines in the region over potential flights. The General Manager of Ljubljana Airport, Zmago Skobir, met with the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša, earlier this week to discuss the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on air traffic and potential government assistance. “The Ministry of Economy should help carriers during the initial stage of relaunching routes. We are talking about just ten euros per passengers. This is feasible under EU rules and other countries have already resorted to the measure”, Mr Skobir told the “STA” news agency.
According to the General Manager, the existing 40% to 50% cabin load factors on flights to and from Ljubljana raise the question whether some airlines will maintain their services to the city over the winter. "The situation now is no better than we anticipated back in April. It’s of paramount importance to keep these routes so they're here when passengers regain their trust in travel. There is fierce competition for air carriers among airports. Good connections will be key next year, when Slovenia presides over the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2021”, Mr Skobir said. He expressed his disappointment with the ministry, which is yet to respond to Fraport Slovenija's initiatives.
The Ministry of Economy has said it is in talks with airlines over new services to Slovenia, however, the General Manager of Ljubljana Airport said operator Fraport Slovenija has no information on this matter. He added that the state's strategic position on how to sustain key routes was unclear. “It would be more economical and sensible for Slovenia to support large airlines with a diversified network than set up a new national carrier after Adria Airways went bankrupt last year. Setting up a new flag carrier would be more expensive and time-consuming and would also require additional funds during the pandemic, so there is no added value in such an effort”, Mr Skobir said. He is convinced the airport can function normally without a national airline.
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