New Q400s line up
Two Bombaridier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft have arrived at Zagreb’s Pleso Airport over the weekend finalising the delivery of 6 ordered aircraft of this type. The 2 new Bombardiers have been named “Zagorje” and “Primorje” and have arrived in the Croatia Airlines livery. Compared to the other 4 aircraft of this type, these 2 are NextGen versions. This means that the aircraft have updated cabins, lighting, windows, overhead bins, landing gear, as well as reduced fuel and maintenance costs.Meanwhile, the airline partied with one of its Airbus A320s, registered 9A-CTM. The aircraft ended its service with the airline last week.
Croatia Airlines now has a total of 13 aircraft. It has 4 Airbus A319s on order, which are due to be delivered in 2012 and 2013. The airline also has 4 more options for the Q400.
why aren't all the aircraft Nex gen?
ReplyDeleteOnly one of the two new aircraft has been delivered.
ReplyDeleteThe first ( originaly second to be delivered) 9A-CQF has made the first pax flight on Saturday morning ZAG DBV ZAG.
The second aircraft, (9A-CQE) is still in Toronto, while some minor technical issues are resolved. The delivery of this aircraft is expected in about 10 days.
The reason why, all aircraft are not next gen is simply that these were not yet available when CA made the initial order.
Since these aircraft are made in Canada, I have always wondered, how do they get across the ocean, especially considering the fact that they have relatively short range capability. They fly over Greenland, Iceland or maybe shipped by boat?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Oh great! Maybe they'll finally commence ZAG-BEG flights! I would like to see that happen :)
ReplyDelete@Anonymous - yeah, they definitely fly over Greenland to Iceland for a tech stop (refueling) and then continue to Europe for another refueling stop until they reach their main hub ;)
@anonymous
ReplyDeleteThese delivery flights of such aircrafts are usually routed via KEF (Iceland) and SNN Shannon, all depending on what range they have.
Some might stop even in Gander already.
Definitely nothing going via Oceanfreight..
Congratulations to the airline on the new planes, likely to prove their worth when oil prices skyrocket again. A shame JU and JA won't upgrade their ageing AT7s...
ReplyDeleteI still believe the airline should have ordered a 7th Q to better serve short-range destinations and better build its hub at ZAG.
@ Anonymous (#3)
YYZ-YYR-RKV-NCL-ZAG was the path taken - whilst not the most direct, it allows these planes (with a much limited range compared to an A320/737) to keep close to emergency airports and land for refueling.
@ JU500
ZAG-BEG was the plan, yet put on hold. If OU is serious about launching the flights, they really need to make sure they are twice-daily (morning and evening) to pay their way.
I wonder if the flight was made by some lucky OU pilots or Bombardier pilots?
ReplyDeleteGood stuff OU.
BTWm imagine OU raided the Serbian market and launched flights not only Zagreb Belgrade but also Pula, Split and Dubrovnik Belgrade????
Politics aside, it would be a great move by OU with this aircraft!
Yeap! 2 weekly flights BEG-DBV, BEG-ZAD, BEG-PUY via SPU and of course at least one daily BEG-ZAG :D
ReplyDelete@ frequentflyer/JU500/JU520
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on delivery path. Never heard of (YYR) Goose Bay Airport before :)
So, Croatia Airlines can use it Qs to start fllights to JFK and YYZ :)
@ Sam
ReplyDeleteDamn right it can! :) with several transatlantic stops, but who cares :)
@ JU500
ReplyDeleteI don't mind stops either. I have to make 2, 3 stops flying Lufthansa as well. With Croatia, I would be able to see all those exotic airports like Goose Bay and Reykjavik :)
That's what I'm talking about :D
ReplyDelete@ Sam
ReplyDeleteJust one slight problem, there's no possible way a 76-seat Q400 would be financially viable to fly ZAG-JFK, though I could see the benefit of easy connections to SPU, DBV, SJJ, SKP, PRN etc
@ JU500
Again, looking at frequencies that are too low to be justified. Thrice weekly should be seen as the *minimum* benchmark, and in time daily BEG-SPU would be achievable.
@ frequentflyer
ReplyDeleteWe were joking about Q400 to JFK. I am not aware of any airline using it for transatlantic flights. It was just my and JU500's imagination :) Instead of Q400, Croatia could use A319 or A320 with maybe one stop in Shannon or Reykjavik. However, I believe that airlines from Croatia are still banned from flying into the US.
Of course we were joking about KJFK flights! :)
ReplyDeleteWho normal would be flying those kind of insane routes! :D
But sure, daily basis BEG-SPU and BEG-DBV plus double daily BEG-ZAG would do the magical trick! :)
JU500 are you in the US?
ReplyDeleteNope, unfortunately I'm not... I live in Belgrade, but I would die to see JU500 BEG-JFK route! :)
ReplyDeleteI suppose you are in the States :)
Yeah, I know. Would be so nice to see non-stop flights from N. America to Ex-YU again. JAT really did a great job in the past. They even had service JFK-DBV. Their long-haul network with DC10s was pretty impressive. I think if anyone starts those flights from the US side again, then it's going to be Delta or Continental as they already serve many other micro-hubs in Europe.
ReplyDeleteYes...I am from the States, but coming to LJU this summer again :)
You have msn?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@ Sam
ReplyDeleteI realise you're joking, sometimes though humour doesn't quite translate when written down!
If OU are so serious about being their inability to shake off debt etc, why not open these flights up to passengers for a true 'once in a lifetime' experience? How many people on this forum would be interested in a trip like that, for example? It's not something everyone could say they have done - and would be made even more unique by only a small amount of pax available to fly the route.
@ JU500
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe JAT used to do it once a week JFK-DBV-BEG during summer months (I guess there were many tourists from the US flying to DBV). I will add you to my msn once I get home. At work now and can't use it here. I am lucky they don't block this website :)
Huh..AA has pretty crapy airplanes...olds MDs and worn out B767s. They seem to be the worst one of the big 4. My favorite used to be NW with its new A330s. I used to fly them to Europe via DTW and AMS. Great product and very nice airport in DTW! Now they are part of Delta and can't find those flights with connection to LJU or ZAG anymore.
ReplyDelete@ frequentflier
I would not mind trying the transatlantic Q400. After flying so many times from the US to Europe, I am getting tired of those huge airports like FRA, LHR, CDG..and the constant crowd. Flying across Atlantic with stops on Iceland, Greenland and those remote airports of Canada would be a lifetime experience
@SAM and JU500
ReplyDeleteyep JU was operating JFK-DBV-BEG or JFK-LJU-BEG. Of course they also operated BEG-ZAG-JFK or BEG-ORD-LAX and they had flights to Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
In 1989 I flew BEG-ORD-LAX and returned on JFK-DBV-BEG.
Don t forget even PAN AM was flying to BEG, ZAG and DBV in the 80s until 1990, when they got bankrupt. I remember PA flying with Boeing 707 from LHR to BEG or they were operating 727 from ZRH-ZAG-BEG or ZRH-DBV. At the peak PA came with the A310 JFK-ZAG
AC was flying 767-200 from YYZ via ZRH to ZAG in the late 80s or early 90s.
I flew once ZRH-ZAG on AC and once ZRH-ZAG-BEG on PA 727
I m sure one day we will see nonstop flights from the US to a city in the former YU again.
@ JU520 BEGLAX
ReplyDeleteI can't wait that day again. I never knew that AC was flying to ZAG.
Wish I could find some pics of JU's DC10 landing in LJU or DBV. Did they make any stops like in Shannon before crossing the ocean or it was non-stop BEG-ORD?
@Sam
ReplyDeleteNo JAT flew nonstop to Chicago with DC10's. You should find photos of JU DC10's on www.airliners.net
Don t see any for DBV and LJU, but u find photos of LAX,JFK,MEL, I think even Canada, SYD
To the east they flew:
e.g. BEG-DXB-SIN-MEL-SYD