Air Montenegro cancels Tivat‑Ljubljana line amid competition and controversy over alleged free ticket
Air Montenegro announced it will not restore the seasonal Tivat–Ljubljana route for the current year, citing increasingly strong competition on the Montenegro‑Slovenia market. The airline will instead concentrate on its regular Podgorica–Ljubljana service and has said it will not enter a price war, opting to compete on service quality.
At Tivat Airport, passengers have faced long queues and lack of shade. Žarko Radulović, president of the Montenegrin Tourism Association, called the situation a “terrorist act against Montenegrin tourism” and urged authorities to act.
A political dispute also erupted after DPS spokesperson Sonja Popović claimed that state secretary Pavle Tripković received a free Air Montenegro ticket. Air Montenegro’s director Tihomir Dragaš refuted the allegation, presenting the ticket and an invoice showing a purchase of €114.94, bought twice due to a booking‑agency delay. Dragaš demanded an apology from Popović, while other airline officials called her statements misleading and accused her of lying.
Entities: Air Montenegro · Milojko Spajić · Pavle Tripković · Sonja Popović · Tihomir Dragaš · Tivat Airport · Žarko Radulović
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Air Montenegro cancelled the seasonal Tivat–Ljubljana route for 2026. (e1ff55e1-b3b4-4dd3-bbeb-10d2b2105201)
- [DISPUTED] DPS spokesperson Sonja Popović claimed that state secretary Pavle Tripković received a free Air Montenegro ticket. (af7ad80c-0fb7-46fc-bfcb-a5c1ab6ae494)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Wizz Air operates regular flights between Podgorica and Ljubljana using Airbus A321neo aircraft. (e1ff55e1-b3b4-4dd3-bbeb-10d2b2105201)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Air Montenegro said it will not enter a price war, preferring to compete on service quality and punctuality. (e1ff55e1-b3b4-4dd3-bbeb-10d2b2105201)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Žarko Radulović described conditions at Tivat Airport as a “terrorist act against Montenegrin tourism”. (ca3ec13e-3fdb-473b-9b99-37af554ad338)
- [DISPUTED] Tihomir Dragaš presented evidence that Tripković purchased a ticket for €114.94, not a free ticket. (af7ad80c-0fb7-46fc-bfcb-a5c1ab6ae494)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Air Montenegro will focus on its regular Podgorica–Ljubljana service. (e1ff55e1-b3b4-4dd3-bbeb-10d2b2105201)