Today, the government of the European country of Slovenia published a list of eight airlines to which it will issue a subsidy. These are the airlines that met the tender conditions set out by Slovenia, designed to figure out a way to award almost one million euros (1.2 million USD).
The winners and losers
In a news release published today, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of Slovenia published a list of airlines that will receive one million Euros (1.2 million USD) between them in the form of a subsidy. The airlines are:
- Turkish Airlines: 148,530 euros
- Swiss International Air Lines: 22,050 euros
- Air Serbia: 98,130 euros
- Montenegro airlines: 45,450 euros
- Deutsche Lufthansa: 371,040 euros
- Air France: 176,160 euros
- Wizzair Hungary: 80,340 euros
- LOT Polish Airlines: 43,620 euros
The Ministry lists the aim of the tender as: “to maintain the existing scheduled international airlines, to encourage the re-establishment of scheduled airlines of carriers that have already stopped flying to Slovenia due to the pandemic, and to encourage new airlines to fly to Slovenia.”
Explaining why the money has been allocated to begin with, Slovenia declared that it is “extremely important for Slovenes as well as for foreigners who will want to continue their economic or tourist activity in Slovenia” to have air connectivity.
The subsidy comes after devastating news for the aviation industry in the country over the past 12 months: Adria Airways, the flag carrier of Slovenia, went bankrupt in 2019, while COVID-19 has decimated air connectivity.
More money for airlines that offer more flights
The tender has been set up in such a way that more aid will be received by airlines that operate more flights to Slovenia.
Interestingly, Swiss has been awarded a share of the money even though it does not meet one of the fundamental criteria of the tender process. This was that the airline applying must have operated flights for a minimum of two calendar months between Monday, March 30th and Wednesday, September 30th this year.
Also interestingly, Lufthansa has received by far the greatest share of the available funding. Its 371,040 euros ($442,000) is higher than the money awarded to LOT Polish, Wizz Air, Montenegro Airlines, Swiss, and Air Serbia combined.
In order to be eligible for the subsidy, Slovenia has further added the explicit requirement that the airlines above will need to operate passenger flights to the country for at least two months, twice a week, in the period from March 28, 2021, to October 30, 2021.
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Further tender deadlines are coming up
Slovenia has also put aside €2.3 million euros ($2.75 million) to be given out to airlines for the implementation of air operations at any time in the period from October 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021.
There is also a third tender for €1.2 million ($1.4 million) for the conduct of air operations at anytime between June 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021.
What do you think of Slovenia’s subsidy for airlines that used to fly there this year and for airlines that will fly there next year? Let us know what you think of this story in the comments below.