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No airline has applied for the Slovenian government’s seventh tender call aimed at encouraging carriers to launch new flights to the country in return for subsidies. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the Slovenian Ministry for Infrastructure confirmed that no carrier submitted its application by the set deadline on February 24. The Ministry for Infrastructure previously allocated a total of 16.8 million euros in funds for airlines between 2023, when the first public call was made, and 2026, when the last call is expected, although it can be extended if funds are left over. So far, just over one million euros have been used up. The funds equate to covering 50% of the carrier’s fees on the new route.
The previous public calls garnered mixed results. Luxair, airBaltic, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Iberia, Eurowings and Cyprus Airways have applied over the six previous tenders, although the latter did not submit complete documentation. Luxair (Luxembourg) has been granted 257.960 euros for operations between September 14, 2023, and May 31, 2025. airBaltic (Riga) will receive 284.408 euros for operations between May 2, 2024, and October 31, 2025. Norwegian Air Shuttle (Copenhagen) has been granted 557.518 euros between April 29, 2024, and October 31, 2025, while Iberia (Madrid) was the recipient of 18.774 euros between July 29, 2024, and September 5, 2024. The value of Eurowings’ subsidies has not been made public. So far, all the newly launched routes have been seasonal, with exception to airBaltic, which maintains year-round services, and Luxair, which operated throughout the 2023/24 winter and the 2024 summer, but has only a handful of flights this winter season.
The Ministry for Infrastructure had previously said it was in talks with a number of carriers in order to find a solution for the country’s perceived lack of air connectivity. “The Ministry for Infrastructure is continuing to rigorously seek out solutions that will improve Slovenia’s air connectivity long-term, including talks with airlines that present their proposals for improving connectivity. The fact is that basing a few aircraft at one of our international airports would increase connectivity and also improve flight frequencies on individual air routes. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia will decide whether the establishment of a national carrier is the most appropriate solution for improving connectivity, after all options to increase connectivity are presented”, the Ministry said last year.
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