Ljubljana - Air traffic in Slovenia will only reach the level of three years ago in 2026, says the Transport Association at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS), which has singled out a lack of air links as the main reason for Slovenia having the slowest recovery in this field in Europe.

The association, which is proposing the government extend the subsidies scheme for regular flights to Ljubljana airport, quoted on Friday Eurostat data showing that Slovenia still had 42% fewer flights this August compared to 2019, which puts it at the bottom in Europe in terms of air traffic recovery.

It pointed to a lack of flight connections as the main issue, with one of the reasons of course also being the bankruptcy of flag carrier Adria Airways just prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019, Ljubljana airport had regular links to 29 destinations, while this year the number is 19. Of the destinations flown by Adria, flights to Copenhagen, Prague, Prishtina, Skopje, Sofia, Tirana and Vienna have not be restored yet.

The association is in favour of any solutions that would improve links, especially when it comes to strategic destinations for the country. It argues that subsidies to carriers for flights to Ljubljana secured in 2021 and 2022 were effective and should continue until there is a full recovery.

Its head Robert Sever said the association was not against the mulled launch of a new flag carrier, but it expects a cost analysis comparing this to subsidies will be made first.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects a full recovery of global air traffic in 2024.