Low-cost airlines & Slovenia

A week ago Ryanair stopped flying to Maribor (from London Stansted). Official reason was, that the route was not profitable. The real reason was that it was just not profitable enough, and local tourism industry just wasn't willing to pay enough to make it THAT profitable. And it's not like this is first time something like that happened. Easyjet, the only remaining low-cost carrier flying from Slovenia at this time canceled the route from Ljubljana to Berlin almost two years ago. And Wizzair (Polish-Hungarian low-cost airline) canceled flights to London Luton, and few months ago finally canceled its only remaining route from Ljubljana (to Brussels Charleroi). It seems like an epidemic. And it's not happening only in Slovenia. Ryanair reduced the former daily route from Celovec (Klagenfurt) to Stansted to 3 times a week. It also pulled out of Pula and Zadar during the winter season (the cancellation of Pula routes might be permanent). Yet all these airlines keep expanding- to the east. Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bolgaria, Baltic states are hot destinations at the moment. I guess all those workers who migrated to Western Europe after EU accession are the generator of this move, as well as potential market and cheaper destinations. Let's face it- British stag parties aren't looking for culture, but cheap beer and accommodation. And with property prices so low in these new parts of EU the flow of the people is in both direction.

The happier days for travellers- Ryanair's takeoff from Maribor airport

Where is Slovenia's role in this? Well I guess having (regular) national airline (owned by the state) flying from only one fully equipped airport doesn't really help bringing new low-cost routes. Brnik airport is expanding quick enough (at least according to its management) so it doesn't need to lure potential low-cost airlines and (what is probably more important to them) reduce one of the highest airport taxes in this part of Europe. Government's lack of interest is almost legendary- if I recall well- it didn't do anything to help Maribor airport find new routes at all. So much about equal regional development. So- the end result is obvious- we the citizens of this "paradise on the sunny side of Alps" are forced to either pay more than our East-European neighbors, or travel far by road to the nearest airport offering privileges of low-cost flights. And everybody from above are trying hard to make us believe it's out of their hands. Sure it is. Don't understand me the wrong way- the biggest cause of the trend is the race for profit of the airlines- but please, don't tell me there's nothing we can do about it.