KONCEPT NÁRODNÉHO LETECKÉHO DOPRAVCU V SLOVENSKEJ REPUBLIKE: VÝCHODISKÁ A POTENCIÁL

Abstract

Slovak Republic, as one of the few countries in the European Union, does not have its own flag carrier airline. Several domestic airlines tried to survive on the Slovak air transport market, however, the influence of various exogenous and internal factors led to their decline. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to design a concept of an air carrier, taking into account the current market, in which it would have sufficient potential to establish itself. By examining the legislative framework relevant to the European Economic Area, this paper seeks to provide a conceptual overview of the various forms of subsidies in aviation, as a contribution to a more holistic understanding of an economic relationship between the carrier and the state. Based on a purposive sampling methodology for the selection of individual decisions of the European Commission, existing forms of subsidies and the possibility of their application for the proposed concept of an air carrier are identified and categorized. By constructively evaluating the analytical document prepared in 2018, the paper draws attention to the incomplete and irrelevant outputs of the "Analysis of the establishment of a national air carrier". These relate in particular to the carrier's financial management estimates, the proposed route network, the absence of an in-depth analysis of the end markets and the design of the air carrier's business model. Moreover, this paper examines the link between the air transport industry and macroeconomic indicators of Slovakia, and indicates the trends and identified consumer behavior of domestic passengers. The output of the performed analysis and observations is the design of a hybridized business model with predominant aspects of traditional air carriers. This business model specifies the nature of the services provided, the target segments of passengers, the network of routes and frequencies, horizontal cooperation with partner carriers, pricing policy, ownership structure and recommendations for the air carrier's fleet. This paper also identifies threats arising from the complex market environment, which is demonstrably influenced by the passive policy of the state in matters of air transport development. Among other things, it emphasizes the growing tendencies of competing carriers and the threat of adverse economic cycle changes. In connection with the threats, it outlines individual scenarios of their fulfillment and the risks, which the proposed air carrier should approach rationally.