Slovenia wants to bring life back to Maribor Airport and is therefore holding intensive talks with the low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air. The latter carrier is expecting a subsidy of one million euros for the start of a flight connection to Skopje.
Airport manager Smiljan Kramberger explained to Radio Maribor that negotiations with the Hungarian low-cost airline will continue, but that a short-term Wizz Air start in Maribor is not to be expected. A few weeks ago, this was heard from politicians still completely different.
The manager told the radio station, among other things, that Wizz Air wants a subsidy of around one million euros for the start of a seasonal flight connection between Skopje and Maribor. That seems to be too expensive for Slovenian politics, which is why talks with competitor Ryanair were intensified at the same time.
Unlike its Irish competitor, Wizz Air has never flown to Maribor Airport. Ryanair was briefly present in 2007 and 2008 with a connection to London Stansted. This also put pressure on Graz Airport. Ultimately, the continuation failed at both airports because the low-cost airline demanded ever higher "marketing subsidies". Nevertheless, Ryanair confirmed that the possibilities for a comeback in Maribor and a possible expansion in Slovenia are being intensively examined.
Maribor Airport will not be completely without flights in the summer of 2022. Charter flights operated under the Skyalps brand by Luxwing with de Havilland Dash 2022-8 aircraft will be offered between late June and mid-September 400. These can be booked and run through local tour operators towards three Italian cities.
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