Ljubljana Airport in “extensive discussions” with 28 airlines

Ljubljana Airport’s operator Fraport Slovenija has held talks over the past month with 28 airlines regarding the potential introduction of over thirty routes, General Manager, Babett Stapel, has said. Ms Stapel noted that airport charges are not off-putting carriers but conceded the size of the Slovenian market is a deterrent for some. “We would like to set the record straight - our charges aren't keeping airlines from taking flight. In the last month we've been in extensive discussions with 28 airlines, both legacy and low cost carriers, about more than 30 destinations. One recurring reason emerged for some airlines opting out. Market size matters: legacy carriers often find their economic viability in feeding hub airports. These hubs are already well-served, making them less interested in new destinations. Additionally, the demand for "non-hub" routes might not be substantial enough to justify the investment”, Ms Stapel wrote in a Linkedin article.

The General Manager noted the airport is on the mend, with passenger numbers on flights to Belgrade, Brussels, Istanbul, Paris, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, and Zurich expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023. “For 2024, we expect to reach pre-pandemic levels for Frankfurt, Munich, Niš, and Skopje, and, looking ahead to 2025, we have Helsinki in sight. It's like rebuilding an intricate puzzle, piece by piece, with full recovery expected in 2026”, Ms Stapel said. On the other hand, figures on charter flights are expected to see a full recovery this year. “Charter flights recovered actually one year earlier than anticipated. Hence, our efforts to establish a charter hub at Ljubljana paid off”, Ms Stapel added.

Last week, Ljubljana Airport handled its millionth passenger of the year so far, the first time it has managed to do so since 2019. The airport anticipates surpassing 1.2 million passengers by year’s-end forecasts 1.36 million in 2024. “For the full year, Ljubljana Airport is expecting to serve 1.2 million passengers, a remarkable 23.5% increase from 2022, and a solid recovery of 70% compared to 2019 or 80% if one excludes transfer passengers - we are talking about 200.000 [travellers] - who cannot be recovered since the Balkan hub established by Adria Airways has been replaced by point-to-point traffic. For the next year we are expecting a further passenger increase of at least 10%, resulting in about 1.36 million passengers”, Ms Stapel concluded.