Adria to lease CRJ900s

Two CRJ900s for Adria

Adria Airways will lease two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft as a replacement for its aging and smaller CRJ200 version, which it plans to progressively phase out of the fleet. As the “Sierra5” portal reports, the first of the two aircraft is set to arrive in Ljubljana early next month. The Slovenian carrier has already grounded one of four CRJ200s (registered S5-AAE) and plans to sell it in the near future. The grounded aircraft was delivered new to Adria sixteen years ago. It comes less than a year after the airline sold another one of its CRJ200s, last September, to SCAT Airlines from Kazakhstan.

In June the Slovenian carrier plans to lease a second CRJ900, bringing the total number of aircraft of the same type in its fleet to six. As a result, it will replace the CRJ200 registered S5-AAD which is also earmarked for sale. The airline has begun to ease its reliance on the gas guzzling jet in line with its new business strategy announced late last year. “The CRJ200s are only suitable for the development of new routes. Our strategy is to operate larger aircraft and fewer frequencies. This way we can offer cheaper prices”, the airline’s CEO, Mark Anžur, said recently. Having a unified fleet is one of the key components of the carrier’s new full fare – low cost hybrid business model.

As a result of the arrival of new aircraft, Adria will recruit four new co-pilots and seventeen new cabin crew members. It is unknown from whom the Slovenian carrier will be leasing its two new CRJs but it is being tipped the carrier could receive a diverted order originally made by Iraqi Airways. Although produced in 2012 the jets have never been used. Adria currently has eleven aircraft in its fleet – four CRJ200s (one of which is grounded), four CRJ900s, two A319s and a single A320. The airline recently announced it will be adding additional seats across its Airbus and Bombardier fleet in order to increase capacity.