Croatia Airlines has made a definitive decision to add regional 100-seat aircraft to its fleet next year after several delays. The carrier is currently wet-leasing two Bombardier CRJ 1000 jets from Spanish regional airline Air Nostrum on a trial basis until the end of October. The type could be reintroduced next year on a permanent basis. However, the airline has also said it is looking into Embraer and Sukhoi jets, noting that the introduction of a third aircraft type to its fleet, which is currently made up of Bombardiers and Airbuses, would not generate additional costs. The aim of the 100-seaters is to replace the 76-seat Dash turboprops on popular routes during the summer, as well as the larger Airbuses during the winter, when demand for travel is weaker. As a result, this will allow the carrier to lease out its Airbus fleet during the winter months.
Commenting on the future fleet expansion, Croatia Airlines' CEO, Krešimir Kučko, said, "In accordance with the company's development plans, we intend to introduce aircraft of similar capacity to the CRJ 1000 as an addition to our existing fleet. This will bridge the difference in the capacity of our Airbus aircraft, which have 144 to 174 seats, and the Dash 8 Q400 with 76 seats". He added, "The introduction of a third type of aircraft (100-seater) will further optimise the entire fleet and allow even better adjustment to capacity on the Croatian market, which is highly seasonal". The financial lease for two of Croatia Airlines' six Dash 8s expires next year, although the current management plans to extend the leasing agreement.
The future make-up of Croatia Airlines' fleet will depend both on its privatisation process and management. Mr Kučko has said the airline is in contact with financial institutions, as well as investment funds and could draft a proposal to the carrier's majority owner, the Croatian government, over plans to seek a new strategic partner by year's end. A new partner would provide much needed financial backing to speed-up the airline's fleet expansion process. On the other hand, the Croatian Ministry for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure is seeking out potential new CEOs for the airline, which could result in a strategy shift. Mr Kučko is in the running together with former Zagreb Airport General Manager Boško Matković, aviation expert Josip Milošević, the Croatian Tourist Board's Country Manager for the United Kingdom, Tonko Rilović, and the Director of Controlling and Internal Audit at Croatia Airlines Jasmin Bajić. Discussions with the prospective new CEOs are ongoing.
Comments
Thank god they have already started doing this with the CRJ1000s and replaced Dashes on routes like Copenhagen.
It would be a better business strategy to just keep quiet and actually do something rather than constantly release statements about the future which are never realised. It can't be good for employee morale.
Apparently the 1000 has almost same operating costs as the 200 plus bit more fuel use of course. That is very economical I reckon.
Downside is that the cabin height is quite low in the 1000. But unless you are taller than 1.95m it's fine.
:)
https://tangosix.rs/2017/23/05/croatia-airlines-dobiva-novog-ceo/
It is the most reliable turboprop ever!
Where do you get your "information" from?
Croatia Airlines won't order SSjs even if they were free. Unlike Slovenia, Croatia has policy towards Russia which can be described as best, buy Russian only as a last resolve, Last time Croatia bought anything from Russia was in 2010, Mil 171Sh helicopters.
Lesson from that is, never buy things from Russia, the experience was at best, excruciating. Space parts, support for helicopters and blackmail by Russians, ensured Croatia will never ever buy anything Russian.
Croatia will buy Russian oil and natural gas if price is right, however even there is issue, Russians like to blackmail countries, reason why Croatian oil and gas imports come from Libya, Algeria and Qatar.
So SSJs are no go. If Russian plane manufacturer was the only plane manufacturer in the world, perhaps than Croatia would purchase SSJs, reluctantly.
No it didn't MRJ was in ANA livery.
Q400s will remain in the fleet, they were bought through lease to own deal, OU paid 135 million for all 6 aircraft, with 10 annual payments + 2% interest.
Q400s will be used only on regional network, with in 550km radius of Zagreb. Vienna, Milan, Venezia, Budapest, Sarajevo, Skopje, Pristina, Dubrovnik, Bucharest, Munich, Nice, Lyon, Marseilles... (some of the destinations OU doesn't fly yet).
The likely choice is CS100 or CRJ 1000, however CS100 is more likely as Canadians are offering a really sweet deal on CS100.
Emberer 190 is also potential, it is very efficient aircraft, very good value for money, however getting a good deal on E190 isn't easy. Brazilians won't sell E190 under $33 million, price OU paid for brand new A319, and even A320 NEO deal is in the region @$47 million.
CS100 deal is much better, @$32 million, also Canadians offer great lease to own deal, so 6 aircraft can be bought for $200 million.
What do you want? That I copy 15 pages of analysis here on blog?
His head.
@AnonymousJune 27, 2017 at 12:34 PM
No they don't. OU flies 6 Q400s for nearly 10 years, so far only 3-4 incidents across entire Q400 fleet. That is nearly 80 000 flight operations and only 3-4 incidents.
Q400 is quite reliable and easy to maintain aircraft. Very cheap to run, and perfect for routes up to 700km distance. OU flies Q400 on Vienna, Zurich, Milan, Skopje, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Prague, Munich, Rome and Bucharest route.
It did fly Q400 to Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam at some point due to lack of aircraft, but it no longer does. Reason why OU is looking for 100 seat jet CA100/E190 type of aircraft.
For Croatia, very easy to refuse. In fact SSjs won't be considered even if offered for free.
First EU sanctions, 2nd, Croatia has really bad experience with Russians, in fact terrible experience. Mil 171 Sh and Mil 8 support contracts were a real nightmare for Croatia.
A lesson Croatia won't repeat again. SSJ has no chance in Croatia, no Russian company has. Even Russian investments in to Croatia are looked on in very negative light. Croatia is not Russophobe, but more cautious due to Russian state using underhand tactics to get its way.
Fine example, where Russians were told to sod off, and Government stepped in.
As I've said, Croatia is very cautious when dealing with Russia. Visa regime for Russian tourists, despite 140 000 Russians visiting Croatia. Even in heyday when 200 000 Russians visited Croatia, visas were kept on.
Croatia has some really bad experience with Russia and Russians. Mil Helicopters and Mig Fighter jets was final straw, the parts Croatia tried to get from Russia for both fleets of aircraft was so difficult to get, and blackmail Russia resorted to, ensured Croatia is least likely to buy anything Russian.
The fact that you don't like Russia is fine but don't present your views as state policy because it's far from the truth.
I'll need to ask OU mechanics than, some are posting on other Croatian aviation forum, one took pictures of Q400s are they were maintaining them, and I don't remember ever reading there was an issue with Q400s. I/e out of the ordinary or expensive maintenance.
However, Croatian Airlines employs ~150 maintenance engineers, wast majority from Croatia, some from Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, France & Canada.
Clearly, we should be asking all of them, especially Canadians who are seconded from Bombardier, perhaps they can shed some light on Q400 problems.
OU is looking for 100 seaters, not 90 seaters.
CRJs are relatively unstable during cruise flight (from a pax' point of view) - I felt the same on all of my so far 4 CRJ flights (all on CRJs 700 and 900s). Nothing major but still...
Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Turboprops (Dash and ATR) do not give me the bit "shakey" feeling - only those CRJs do.
Actually they did, always. However during the summer seasons yes Croatia relaxed visa regime to allow for more Russian visitors.
After Croatian EU entry, the visa regime remained permanent.
No Serbs employed, not on en-mass, 6 were employed in 2013 and 2014, got fired and deported cause they worked in Croatia without working visa. OU fined 500 000 kuna for employing workers without proper documentation. EU working visa are essential requirement for work in Croatia. Also 3 Bosnians worked and a single Macedonian. But all left after EU laws applied.
I am sure OU would not hire people just like that.
he is fighting for his survival, so he has to manage the perceptions of him actually doing something.
So no, they havent delivered on all their promises
Sa uzivanjem citam tvoje postove na T6, ali postoji jedan problem.
Tvoje tekstove jednostavno na tom portalu niko ne proverava pre objavljivanja i zbog toga ti se ponekad dogode greske kao prosle nedelje da napises kako Etihad leti za ZAG (umesto Emirates) sto bi neko svakako trebalo da proveri. Ocigledno je da je ta greska nastala ne zbog neznanja vec zbog brzine pisanja teksta ili jednostavnim previdom.
Pored ove greske bilo je i dosta slovnih propusta sto ipak ne bi trebalo da se dogadja. Pokusao sam par puta da ostavim komentar na T6 i ukazem na taj propust ali su moj svaki, ali bas svaki post kad sam to u najboljoj nameri ukazao obrisali.
Zato ti ovde (mozda i neprimereno) sa najboljom namerom skrecem paznju na to kako bi tvoji tekstovi na T6 pored sadrzajnog utiska ostavili i utisak pregledanog i prekontrolisanog teksta.
S postovanjem, Nebojsa
Better survivor skills as in ability too get millions of euros of taxpayers money? That's not going to work anymore.
http://www.msn.com/de-de/finanzen/unternehmen/air-berlin-passagiere-hatten-schon-schwimmwesten-an/ar-BBDkRmj?li=AAaxdRI&ocid=spartandhp
Дакле, Q400 није баш ваздухоплов без проблема. Али добро, рачуни за одржавање су мало већи али ако се све супер одради нема фрке.
I am sure their management would be better at fighting foreign competition along the Croatian coast. OU certainly doesn't know how to.
Why are you people so obsessed with something that doesn't belong to you?
The information was already posted on this blog about it, with the links. This was posted over 2 years ago. Sorry i am not going to look for the links.
OU hired staff with qualifications, they didn't even knew individuals were only Serbian nationals, at least with one of the Serbians was that he had Croatian mom, and had right to live in Croatia. This in fact under Croatian law isn't correct. only people born in Croatia to Croatian citizens have automatic right to Croatian citizenship.
Also, getting a work permit in Croatia before 2013 was really easy, or even a Croatian passport, issued in Mostar, affair that exposed sale of 6000 Croatian (fake) passports through Mostar General Consulate.
Getting work permit these days for non-EU nationals is very hard, as work permit also allows for free movement in the EU, such permits are never issued lightly.
State took over Agrokor, to keep Russians out.
ATCO
Словенија је у ex-YU региону.
It is when it comes to JU, but it is everything else - frustration, jealous etc. - when it comes to OU and Croatia.
To copy 15 pages here? You are joking right? You do know that you can not print here more than 1/2 of page, so you need 30 comments to do 15 pages. Isn't is easier to read it on link if someone want so. I am trying to sell my expertise? To whom and on what way exactly? And why would I do that?
Nebojša hvala na komentaru.
Gledajte ja te tekstove pišem 10-15 sati, najčešće noću sa subote na nadeljelju i nedjelje na ponedjeljak. Svaki pasus čitam nekoliko pute, te cjelokupni članak još dva puta nakon što sma ga napisao da smanjim broj grešaka. I potom kad se objavi pročitam ga još jednom te eventualne pronađene greške ispravim i nakon objavljivanja. I svejedno ostaju neke greške iako sam se ozbiljno trudio da se to ne desi i da ih pronađem tijekom prva dva čitanja. Stvarno mi nije jasno zašto je to tako. Uz sve check spelinge, uz kontrolu tijekom pisanja, dva čitanja, te još jedno ispravljanje uredništva (hvala Dina). I duboke isprike za to, ali očito je da će se to dešavati i u budućnosti. Ogromni tekstovi, velika mogućnost pogreške.
U svakom slučaju nije brzina. Jer 10-15 sati svaki tjedan to svakako nije, zar ne. Svakako se jako trudim da se to ne desi, no eto... Sorry.
Kucko can be downed only by the government!
State can't be racist, lol
There's EU embargo on Russia, what Croatia is doing is implementing EU wide policy.
If we hated Russians so much, we would't let in 140 000 Russians visit our coast each year, would we???