Monday, September 7, 2015
Croatian-based European Coastal Airlines (ECA), Europe’s only scheduled commercial seaplane service, has taken delivery of another aircraft, a Dash DHC-6 Twin Otter, registered 9A-TOB. The aircraft has the ability to land on both ground and water. Just a year following its launch, ECA has become a success story. Last week, it inaugurated services from Vela Luka on the island of Korčula to both Split and Lastovo. ECA plans to add flights to Italy and Montenegro next year as it continues to expand its fleet and destination network. However, services to the Italian coast, primarily Ancona, are unlikely to be introduced prior to Croatia’s entry into the Schengen Area, expected in late 2016. "If we add all our planned destinations, we anticipate having some 400 employees”, ECA says. The airline will invest a further twenty million euros in its operations in the coming period. CEO Klaus Dieter Martin, says, “Currently, we are updating our present fleet and welcoming new seaplanes to it, establishing Europe's first seaplane airline with scheduled flights, changing approaches to business and improving sales”. The carrier is also developing a fleet of "floating airports" fitted with restaurants, bars and shops.
One of the most romantic of areas of flight, seaplanes, for anyone who is an aviation enthusiast. The once glory days of the intercontinental clippers ended post ww2 but something exciting remains about the idea of island hopping via air. Especially in the adriatic.
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