Croatia Airlines' five-month wet-lease arrangement with Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum) for Bombardier CRJ1000 aircraft has come to an end. The two jets, which are both under a year old, have proven popular with passengers and have allowed the airline to launch four new routes this summer season. The first of the two aircraft left Croatia Airlines' fleet this past Sunday, while the second will follow at the end of the summer season in two weeks time. The Croatian carrier has previously said it would use the two Bombardiers, which were operated by Spanish crew and a Croatia Airlines member on board, as a trial for its future fleet expansion. However, at this point, the airline has again outlined plans to wet-lease equipment next summer season, without committing to purchasing or leasing 100-seat airframes on a more permanent basis. Croatia Airlines utilised the two CRJ1000s on services from Zagreb to Brussels, Dubrovnik, Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, Skopje, Barcelona and Lisbon.
The airline's outgoing CEO, Krešimir Kučko, previously noted that the carrier would introduce aircraft of similar capacity to the CRJ1000 in 2018 as an addition to its existing fleet. This would bridge the difference in the capacity of its Airbus aircraft, which have 144 to 174 seats, and the Dash 8 Q400 with 76 seats. He added, that the introduction of a third type of aircraft (100-seater) would further optimise the entire fleet and allow even better adjustment to capacity on the Croatian market, which is highly seasonal. Despite plans to add up to six additional jets, this will not materialise and it will be up to the carrier's new CEO, which is yet to be appointed, to make a decision on the future make-up of the fleet. Mr Kučko previously said that an aircraft from a third manufacturer, which is neither Airbus nor Bombardier, would'nt increase costs. "Manufacturer commonality isn’t such a huge advantage when you operate turboprops but want to introduce jets. For us, it’s about cost effectiveness. The CRJ and SSJ100 can take a maximum of 100 seats while the Embraer can take more. So, if your other variables are taken care of, the Embraer’s unit cost can actually work out less than Bombardier’s CRJ. But while the Embraer E-Jet has a slightly better operational performance, its heavier weight means it is more expensive to operate given its higher handling fees and air navigation charges", Mr Kučko said.
The future make-up of Croatia Airlines' fleet will also depend on its potential privatisation process. 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 capital to speed-up the airline's fleet expansion process. In addition to the one CRJ1000 still flying for the carrier, Croatia Airlines boasts a fleet of twelve aircraft. Five of them are owned by the company itself (four A319s and one A320), while the rest are on lease. Next year, the airline will have to decide whether it will extend the financial lease agreement for its six Dash 8s. Furthermore, Croatia Airlines has four Airbus A320neos on order. The first two jets are scheduled to arrive in Zagreb in 2021, while the other two are due a year later. However, sources claim the carrier is considering an interim lift before the delivery of the A320neos, meaning it could lease aircraft from Airbus prior to 2021. According to its 2015 agreement with the European plane manufacturer, Croatia Airlines is to begin advanced payments for the aircraft this year, while the remainder will be payed upon their delivery.
Comments
I think the Q400 has been quite unreliable to be honest.
https://tangosix.rs/2017/10/10/kolumna-alena-scurica-zasto-hrvatska-vlada-ceka/
Zašto hrvatska vlada čeka?
But what happens with it? Just 3 men in Croatia airlines can say.
This would be great. The neo deliveries are a long way away and by the time they do arrive the A319s will be over 20 years old.
For sure this situation is one more huge attack on CTN which will even make CTN dying faster.
Adria is not so successful also and they have some "LH strategic leasing to Swiss and Austrian" after taking Darwin as a compensation for this takeover.
10 CRJ1000
6 Q400
Would be the best fleet for Croatia Airlines.
Aircrafts are getting older,Q400's are everything but reliable and worst experience a PAX could have in "modern" aircraft,Technical services are falling aparat, people leaving everyday,...This year Lufthansa will send only 2 (!!!!) aicrafts on maintenance,Thomas Cook will send 10+ aircrafts but only because the price is 50% lower than anywhere else...Charter agents are a shame to a profession as they can't fill 1/3 of an A320 in Xmas time...Ticket prices are not high, but seriously overpriced.
OU?Yes.In this form and shape and with this board?Absolutely f***ng no!
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Croatia_Airlines_BAe_146-200%3B_G-FLTA_DBX_%284709096154%29.jpg/800px-Croatia_Airlines_BAe_146-200%3B_G-FLTA_DBX_%284709096154%29.jpg
https://www.ft.com/content/03796d60-b2c9-11e7-a398-73d59db9e399
You don't want to operate ATR's in Alps or hot weather.
Even more, they even don't know what they are doing in same time, and that by this way they destroy company much faster than if Kučko would stay on CEO possition.
žalosno je samo što ni ovaj deo "zašto ih naručivati uopšte" nisu razradili.
1. Rest of LHR slots
2. 5 more planes (one A320 and 4 A319)
3. 5 more engines
4. 3 hangars and other real estate.
5. Some rights like Amadeus.
6. Croatia Technik which is great value.
Enough for 5-6 years more on this tempo. And after that Croatia can "invest" one more time (they can do it every 10 years) and give them more planes, engines etc. to sell for another period of "profitability".
Engines?Double check,might be true.
Hangars,or better to say Technical Services are excellent value but OU didn't want to sell them apart,and at this rate they don't have to worry as the best mechanics will leave(some in days) and they will be left with bunch of inexpirienced kids,not to mention pay-to-fly programme which is ridiculous...To my eyes they are playing to be big airline but dropping every year,significantly
OU has ended number of highly profitable destinations as they're returning two leased CRJ1000.
I don't know what is going to happen in 2018, unlike Alan Suric Purger who sees doom and gloom everywhere, I think OU will do fine. However, if OU can get their hands on 4 CS100, now would be the time.
Airbus just bought majority steak in Bombardier CS 100/300 production.
The chances are Airbus will continue making A319, as it is larger aircraft than CS100, however they might market CS100 as one of the lineup out of Airbus range.
If that happens, OU would be wise to make a deal for CS100. 4 A320 NEOs are on order and OU paid first installment towards the 4 NEO aircraft, a deal worth some €160 million or 1.2 billion kuna.
From what I understood, OU will make 15 payments of 80 million for new aircraft, with first 5 payments before new aircraft arrive and 10 more during the exploration of the aircraft.
CS 100 lease to own doesn't need to be as expensive, estimated to cost between $3.2 and $3.5 million per aircraft per year.
Lease of Q400 expires next year, this is when OU will need to decide whether it'll pay final price for all 6 aircraft, the cost which won't be over 1 year worth of lease, however C and D check and life cycle of Q400 is something OU needs to consider. OU still owns 3 ATR 42 it can't sell cause no one wants these old turboprops.
- reach BEG numbers : for the most part BEG are happy with single runway operations
- reach DUB numbers : for the most part DUB operates as a single runway apt. (except during morning rush with westward departures and simultaneous use of RWYS 28 & 34)