Croatia Airlines’ winter expansion

Croatia Airlines leasing small jets for flights from Osijek
Croatia Airlines will expand operations from its secondary hubs such as Dubrovnik and Osijek this winter season. The Croatian carrier will introduce all year long flights from Dubrovnik to Munich, which will accompany the existing winter services to Frankfurt, Paris, Rome and Zagreb. Flights will be inaugurated on October 28. Croatia Airlines’ flights from Dubrovnik are subsidised by local authorities and plans are being made for additional subsidies for domestic routes. Recently, financial advisors found that flights between Zagreb and Dubrovnik are producing losses but should be kept within the network due to the state subsides. It also found that Munich is the airline’s most profitable destination.

Meanwhile, Osijek Airport has been given some good news. So far this year the airport has had to deal with the departure of Ryanair as well as financial problems and management issues. However, Croatia Airlines will introduce daily winter flights from Osijek to Zagreb and Split. Two thirty seat aircraft will be leased and exclusively used for the abovementioned services. The flights will be partially subsidised by the Croatian Ministry for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. The services are set to launch on October 30. They will be scheduled so as to connect on to Croatia Airlines’ flights to Western Europe.

Croatia Airlines had had a solid 2012 so far. It has managed to handle a record number of passengers in the first half of the year despite industrial action and problems with its pilots in early 2012. Furthermore, it has also managed to somewhat reduce its losses. The airline’s new CEO, Krešimir Kučko, will take over the reins from September 1. His first moves will be closely watched.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:06

    wonderful at a time when all airlines are moving away from small aircraft due to their bad economic performance, Croatia Airlines is introducing them.
    Croatia has good roads so I do not see how they can be price competitive from Osijek to the coast. Maybe the only one that could make a difference is Dubrovnik.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:21

    They will also introduce winter flights from Dubrovnik to Zurich, 2 times per week as Dubrovnik is becoming 365-days destination. (source: dubrovnikairport)

    ReplyDelete
  3. JATBEGMEL10:45

    offtopic:

    Tuzla based charter airline, Sky Bosnia went out of business a few days ago. Their Airbus A320 a/c (E7-SKB) had been on wet lease to Iraqi Airways flying from Dubai to Baghdad, Erbil and Najaf, who have cancelled the contract with them. The aircraft was constantly having maintenance issues, to which IA were unimpressed with. Crew have returned back home.

    I guess another Bosnian airline goes bust. I wonder how much longer will JA exist.

    --

    back to the topic, I dont see the point for flight to OSJ considering both ZAG and BEG are with a few hours reach offering more destinations with better frequencies. Maybe some LCC can offer some flights, but i think OU is wasting money on this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Purger10:21

      The only flights from OSI that is logic is bypassing ZAG: OSI-RJK-SPU-RJK-OSI-DBV-OSI-RJK-SPU-RJK-OSI. That would make:

      OSI-RJK nonstop
      OSI-SPU 1 stop
      RJK-SPU nonstop
      OSI-DBV nonstop
      RJK-DBV 1 stop

      Also waste of money will not be OSI-RJK-STR, OSI-RJK-FRA, OSI-RJK-MUC. But total waste of money is OSI-ZAG-STR where OSI-ZAG is less than 2 hours by car and ZAG-STR where OU plan to fly there with 30 seat turboprop compare to Germanwings A319.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous11:33

    ...and DBV-LHR twice per week, and ZAG-STR.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:57

    OT: Another AGX charter from LCA to BEG today; is AGX authorized to operate the 732 into Western Europe?
    When was that airframe built and what was the fate of their 727?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:02

      The AGX 737-200 is one of the last ones to be produced I think in 87. It’s younger then some of JUs 737s

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:22

      Sight of BEG's appron in the 80's until 1991 had to be quite impressive, with only JU and AGX fleet having 50~ aircrafts + wide-bodies such as Qantas etc...not dreadfully boring as it is today where an 321 looks like something exotic among the deadly-plain mix of 737/320.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous12:11

    Please write headline article, new direct flights:
    Triete - Mostar from 31st August 2012
    Trieste - Nis from April 2013

    starting info here

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aeroporto-Trieste/109547342458250

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous18:33

    Croatia is lucky to have money in abundance...
    being able to subsidize all those flights.

    ReplyDelete

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