Croatia Airlines trims network to three routes


Croatia Airlines has further reduced its route network as a result of the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak. The airline, which on Tuesday indicated it would maintain essential services from Zagreb to Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and London Heathrow, will temporarily suspend operations to the Dutch capital as of April 4 until April 19. On April 4 itself, Croatia Airlines will operate a number of repatriation flights for its nationals as well as those from Slovenia. These include the following routes: Zagreb - Rome, Zagreb - Lisbon - Madrid - Zagreb and Zagreb - Stockholm. The Croatian government has called on its nationals to return home as soon as possible and has hinted at the possibility of closing Zagreb Airport for commercial traffic. In addition, a recent ban limiting Croatian nationals from leaving their place of residence is expected to have a further impact on the country’s air transport sector.

Commenting on the current state of operations at Zagreb Airport, Coordinator Dragutin Škrlec, said, “Currently, on average we have six to seven flights per day. It has all come down to these few flights. Before, we used to have between thirty to forty, depending on the day. Croatia Airlines flies to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London and Brussels, while Qatar Airways maintains its service to Doha. As for April, we can’t speculate. As they say, it is in god’s hands now. We will see what happens with this entire situation”. He added, “We honestly hope that all of this will be over as soon as possible and for us to be able to resume normal operations to some extent in April”.

The airport in Zagreb is currently the only one with commercial flights in Croatia and the wider region. “Zagreb Airport is open for several reasons. First and foremost, to repatriate Croatian nationals, as well as others trying to get home. Cargo and humanitarian flights cannot be halted. It is possible there will be a complete ban on commercial flights or there will be more moderate restrictions. It remains to be seen”, Mr Škrlec noted.

Comments

  1. Anonymous09:33

    Unfortunately seems like they will close the airport in the end.

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  2. Anonymous09:35

    What are the frequencies of these the routes?

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  3. Anonymous09:36

    Eurowings flies as well in addition to BA. https://www.eurowings.com/en/discover/destinations/flight-schedule-april-2020.html

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  4. Anonymous09:38

    Well done to them for managing to maintain some flights.

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  5. Anonymous09:40

    What is the point of still flying?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:41

      Like it says. To provide vital links to key hubs

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:15

      What is so vital at the moment with these links and who are they linking in these hubs, if people are not allowed to travel? You don't repatriate stranded masses with scheduled commercial flights that are flying at 10% - 15% capacity. Brussels is just the cherry on the top. All bureaucratic meetings can be done online these days.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:24

      Well they obviously have some calculation or reason for keeping some flights.

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    4. Anonymous10:27

      I don't think so

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    5. Anonymous10:52

      Neither do I.

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    6. Anonymous11:07

      It is possible that the government told them to keep flying.

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    7. Anonymous11:51

      Presidency of CRO to EU, some repat flights and eventual cargo flights.

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    8. Anonymous12:53

      Well Eurowings, BA and QR obviously do noth know what they do by flying to ZAG.

      https://www.eurowings.com/en/discover/destinations/flight-schedule-april-2020.html

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:42

    Something is better than nothing.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:27

      Not under these circumstances

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  7. Anonymous09:48

    Sad what it has come to

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  8. Anonymous09:58

    Nice that they are repatriating Slovenian passengers too.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:02

      Ljubljana airport is in function for cargo and repatriation flights.

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  9. Anonymous10:05

    Why were these routes in particular selected?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:06

      Because they offer good onward (still functioning) connections and they can still fly there.

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    2. Anonymous14:33

      Air Malta is also operating just London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

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    3. Anonymous20:02

      And Emirates is resuming Heathrow, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich on 6th of April.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous10:15

    Both Airport Zagreb and Croatia Airlines were great corporate citizens during this time of crisis. They both surely lost a lot of money, however, they served the citizens which are paying taxes for their existence! I am VERY PROUD of my Croatia Airlines which served Croatia during hard times from 91-95 when no one wanted to risk flying to Croatia and now! Many of my friends and co-workers returned home these past few weeks.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:23

      Most of the Ooher countries provided mainly free charter flights for repatriation of stranded citizens. But, ok. Don't wanna rain on your party.

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    2. Anonymous10:27

      OU is too.

      "On April 4 itself, Croatia Airlines will operate a number of repatriation flights for its nationals as well as those from Slovenia. These include the following routes: Zagreb - Rome, Zagreb - Lisbon - Madrid - Zagreb and Zagreb - Stockholm."

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    3. Anonymous10:33

      So it is more than sufficient in these times.

      Anything else is really strange in the time when Austrian, LOT, Turkish, Emirates and many, many other airlines do not fly.

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    4. Once again same BS, probably by same person, about OU being the only which served Croatia 1991-1995. Sorry to spoil your party again, but Aeroflot and Swiss Air started flying Croatia 1992 and all others, including AF, OK, LH, OS, BA 1993. What OU is doing now, OK, but please don't lie again about 1991-1995, period when under cover of war, Croatia was robbed through criminal privatisation

      Delete
    5. Anonymous00:37

      I’ve been reading your posts for ever, and they are always soaked with nostalgia for a system that all of Europe rejected, what we call here in Croatia yugo-nostalgija please learn to live in 2020 LOL

      Delete
    6. Anonymous00:41

      BTW, stop lying “Mr. pozdrav iz Rijeke”.....

      OU was the ONLY airline that linked Zagreb and Split, and that is why Croatia Airlines is an Icon and Hero company of 91-95, not for its inter-Europe flights.

      Delete
    7. I remember flying Zagreb-Split-Zagreb in 1994. Had to fly a 'great circle route'.

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    8. @00.41
      Lie again. Anic Airways flew domestic at the time we discuss

      @00.37
      Not true at all. Yugoslavia had specific and unique system. Therefore "all of Europe" couldn't have rejected it. And Yugoslavia was destroyed in blood precisely because its system was potential danger and model. And btw I learned long ago to live in today's rotten system. I just have my critical opinion about it. If you are not able to accept someone having different opinion, that means you belong to the past, just not Yugoslav, but Soviet, where most of those who sold Croatia, belong as well

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:23

    I think they are being optimistic about things getting better in April unfortunately.

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  12. Anonymous10:33

    Have the circumstances changed in AMS? I don't know why on Tuesday they announced they would fly there and today all of their AMS flights have been removed from the system.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:42

      No. They are working at reduced capacity but things are surprisingly smooth at AMS at the moment.

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  13. Anonymous10:40

    If people want to come home back to ZAG, they should definitely hurry.

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  14. Anonymous11:06

    Has the government outlined any aid for OU?

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  15. Anonymous11:25

    I wonder what the loads are on all these flights.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:35

      Not great, as one could expect in such circumastances.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous12:09

    Considering they are clenching onto that Brussels flight, has Croatia really done anything, as presiding member of the EU, regarding this Corona outbreak within the EU block. Any coordination of activities or leadership initiative to minimise the impact of the pandemic? If so, then perhaps the Brussels flight can somewhat be justified.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:34

      I haven't seen anything

      Delete
  17. Anonymous17:35

    Seems like OU is about to suspend operations. On 5th April just one flight (FRA)

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:39

      Yep seems like they will discontinue flights from 6th April. But let's wait and see.

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    2. Anonymous17:39

      It was unsustainable to keep going this way. Even more so than being grounded.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:42

      How will EU presidency continue without Brussels flight if all flights are discontinued from 6 April?

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    4. Anonymous19:18

      It makes sense especially with Easter coming next week.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous22:56

    A sheer coincidence being the EU presidency keeps the airport running.

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    Replies
    1. Some dude on Cro TV was saying when Croatia held the presidency for the former Yugo it collapsed and now that Croatia is holding the EU presidency.... lol

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    2. Anonymous12:06

      Coincidence. LOL

      Delete

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