It comes following the first round of talks with the Slovenian government over the potential launch of flights from the country. The Maribor recruitment events will be held on August 30 and August 31. Those interested in applying can do so through Crewlink’s website. Applications must be submitted by August 29.
Slovenia is in dire need of improving its air connectivity
During its talks with the government last month, Ryanair officials emphasised that Slovenia is the only market within the European Union that is currently unserved by the budget airline and criticised Ljubljana Airport’s high passenger fees. On the other hand, the Slovenian Ministry for Economic Development and Technology pointed out Maribor as an alternative to Ljubljana. It also conceded that Slovenia is in need of improving its air connectivity, which has suffered since the demise of Adria Airways and has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Ryanair has considered introducing flights to Ljubljana on several occasions over the past decade and has previously proposed routes such as Dusseldorf, Madrid, Oslo and London from the Slovenian capital.
Ljubljana Airport’s General Manager, Babett Stapel, noted last year, “We have already held talks [with Ryanair] and we are ready to continue them. We welcome all airlines that fit into our business model.” However, Ms Stapel said at the time the airport was satisfied with its existing LCC customers, which include easyJet, Transavia and Wizz Air. The majority of Ljubljana Airport’s busiest unserved routes are in Europe. According to global aviation intelligence and analytics provider OAG, these include Bucharest, Copenhagen, Skopje, Helsinki, Berlin, Athens, Prague, Stockholm, Barcelona, Hamburg, Tirana, Sofia, Pristina, Oslo and Dusseldorf. The largest number of passengers transferring through other airports to reach Ljubljana, despite existing nonstop flights, originate from London.
