Ljubljana Airport to double traffic in 2022
Ljubljana Jože Pućnik Airport expects to welcome some 400.000 passengers through its doors this year and to double that figure in 2022. As a result, the airport anticipates handling 47% of its pre-pandemic traffic next year. Ljubljana’s Airport long-time General Manager, Zmago Skobir, who stepped down from his post last week after more than fourteen years and is now an advisor to the management, believes the government will play an important role during the recovery period. "The Slovenian market is interesting for certain carriers, especially larger ones. I’m not worried about flights being maintained to key cities. However, the role of the state will be very important. Given the current number of passengers, carriers will need incentives”, Mr Skobir said.
Airlines that currently maintain flights to Ljubljana are recording an average cabin load factor of between 60% and 70%. As a result, Mr Skobir believes Ljubljana flights are on the verge of profitability for carriers. "Lufthansa says that the subsidy is key. The current aid should be extended. It will then be seen whether the market will take care of Slovenia's connectivity itself. Otherwise, the country will have to find a model for cooperation with a few key carriers offering connections to the world. I am not worried about Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France, as they want to serve the Slovenian market. However, the state will have to work closely with them", Mr Skobir noted, adding that establishing a new flag carrier would be costly. This year, the Slovenian government is providing 1.7 million euros in subsidies to airlines maintaining operations to Ljubljana.
This October, fourteen carriers will be operating flights to the Slovenian capital. They include Aeroflot with a three weekly service, Air France with six weekly rotations, Air Montenegro with two weekly flights, Air Serbia eight times per week, British Airways five times per week, Brussels Airlines three weekly, easyJet two weekly, Flydubai three weekly, LOT six times per week, Lufthansa with sixteen weekly rotations, Swiss five weekly, Transavia two times per week, Turkish Airlines five weekly and Wizz Air with two weekly flights. In December, Wizz Air will launch a three weekly service from London Luton, followed by easyJet on March 27, while Windrose Airlines is due to introduce flights from Kiev next April. In addition, Transavia will inaugurate services from Paris Orly on April 24. Ljubljana Airport is hopeful Iberia, which maintained flights between Madrid and the Slovenian capital for one month this August, will expand its operations next year. Babett Stapel has now assumed the role of Ljubljana Airport’s new General Manager.
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