Croatia Airlines has confirmed it has entered negotiations with a number of plane manufacturers over the purchase of new 100-seat aircraft. The airline plans to expand its fleet next year, as well as add an additional four Airbus A320neo jets in 2021. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier said, "Croatia Airlines is intensively considering all options for redesigning its fleet, primarily regarding the introduction of 100-seat aircraft, which will enable the company to bridge the capacity difference of the currently used Airbus A319/320 and Dash 8 – Q400 aircraft". It added, "Accordingly, the company's Management Board has initiated negotiations with all global producers of 100-seat aircraft, including the Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace, the producer of six Dash 8- Q400 aircraft, which are already a part of Croatia Airlines' fleet".
Earlier this month the carrier's CEO, Krešmir Kučko, said two jets would join the airline's fleet in 2017. Bombardier is believed to be the front-runner and the aircraft could potentially replace the aging A319s in the future. Initially, it was planned for two aircraft to be introduced this year, however, the airline ultimately arranged for a wet-lease of a Trade Air Fokker 100 until late October. In 2018 Croatia Airlines will also have to decide whether it will extend a financial lease agreement of its six Dash 8 turboprops or opt for another aircraft type altogether. The Japanese-produced Mitsubishi Regional Jet, which has the capacity to seat between seventy and ninety passengers, is seen as a possible alternative for the Dash 8s, with the plane manufacturer itself confirming that Croatia Airlines is one of its core customer targets in Europe.
The average age of Croatia Airlines' twelve-member fleet amounts to 11.7 years. Five of the aircraft are owned by the carrier itself (four A319s and one A320), while the rest are on lease. The airline's CEO previously said the company's fleet expansion will not be influenced by its ongoing privatisation process. "It is part our medium-term strategy and its realization does not depend on a strategic partner. However, it will impact on the pace of the acquisitions. Our aim is to renew our fleet as soon as possible. We have given this serious consideration", Mr Kučko said.
Comments
So just another troll from ZAG then ha?
Basically we are talking about 2-3 gangs fighting for their loot. Each has its political backing and will fight for 30 more years if necessary.
MRJs look interesting, wonder what will come out of that, but I think best option for OU now are CRJs, hopefully at least two in 2017.
I.
http://www.b92.net/biz/vesti/srbija.php?yyyy=2016&mm=05&dd=23&nav_id=1134796
Today is exactly one month to go before official JFK launch. A330 cabin refurb is underway in AUH with real pictures (not renders) coming up in a few days. New cabin interiors are much needed for marketing, from updated pics on the web site to the New Wings of Europe III ad video.
INN-NS
This guy is the CEO of Announcements and not much else
Seasonality just didn't occur out of nowhere.
So what have they been doing to try to solve and address it ?
All other European carriers have the same dynamic - nothing new with this, yet they manage.
Talks with Bombardier have been going on for ages now, agreement is in hands. Q400s will remain on lease to own and CS100 will also be on lease to own, once the last A319 is retired, additional A320neos will be bought on lease to own and additional four CS100s will be bought. this is what I think it'll happen.
Što se tiće zamjene A319 sa CRJ, to je nešto što je Kučko naglašavao od prvog dana na javnim okupljanjima (i nije naišlo na odobravanje pilota). U svakom slučaju zamjena tri A319 sa četiri CRJ900 bi značilo nešto manje kapacitete ali mogućnost večeg broja frekvencija (i/ili linija), bolji LF, a samim time i veću proftiabilnost. Naravno popunjen A319 donosi daleko više novaca po sjedalu nego jadnoko popunjen CRJ po sjedalu. No, ako ne možeš popuniti bar 75% A319, onda je svakako bolje imati CRJ 900 sa 75% popunjenosti, nego A319 sa manje od 50%.
Još 2010. u Analizi sam predložio flotu:
6x A320
10x CRJ 900
6x Q400
dobra alternativa (ali ne i realna jer se CTN ne može izvaditi iz ralja ugovora za A320neo) bi bilo:
8x CS300
8x CS100
6x Q400
Oh, so true, so true...
Yes CS100 is a detcert, however it won't be all Bombardier fleet, it'll be mix Airbus and Bombardier.
OU needs to maintain A320 family in its fleet cause of maintenance centre at Zagreb, 4 hanger is expected to go up sometimes in 2017, and there are plans to expand one of the hangers before 2020.
OU can do D-checks on A320 family, C-checks on B737 family and Bombardier. Airbus is big business for OU, they need to keep Airbus in their fleet. A319 wasn't most productive aircraft, A320Neo should prove far better aircraft, especially in summer months. CS100s will be used year round, OU needs 8 CS100, 8 Q400 and 4 A320s by mid 2020.
INN-NS
INN-NS
Still, from time to time, there are similar comments. Now, the new mantra is "nobody starts long haul flights with only one plane". Well, how many would you have? Two? So, one can stay in reserve, waiting for the first one to go tech? That's one pretty expensive insurance policy. Or, if the second one was to fly revenue as well (and of course it should), then, how is exactly having two planes if one goes tech better? One long haul flight will have to get cancelled, you just get to pick which one is it.
Or you can use second A330 on a route that can also be served by a narrowbody like BEG-AUH. That's very expensive, but in extreme case that A330 could be used as a backup for JFK while AUH route could be covered by other A319/320. Not cheap by any means.