The owner and CEO of German charter carrier Sundair is planning to launch a new airline in Croatia this coming summer. According to the “Aero Telegraph”, Marcos Rossello expects for the carrier to commence operations over the next few months. “The plan is to start at the end of April or the beginning of May. We are currently working on obtaining an AOC [Air Operator’s Certificate]", Mr Rossello told the German portal. The project involving the launch of the Croatian start-up is entitled Fly Air 41, after the IT aviation company the Sundair boss was once the managing director of. However, its uncertain whether the new airline will bear the same name. “We don’t want to comment on details yet”, Mr Rossello said.
The new airline will not be a subsidiary of Sundair and will not replace the German charter carrier, which will continue to operate separately. Sundair, with bases in several German cities, boasts a fleet of seven aircraft - two Airbus A319s and five A320s. This summer, the airline will inaugurate seasonal flights from both Dusseldorf and Berlin to Brač. According to Mr Rossello, the newly set-up Croatian company is in talks with business partners, as well as the German Schauinsland-Reisen tour operator, which sells holiday packages to Croatia, amongst others.
As a result, Croatia could see two new airlines launch operations from the country this year. In addition to the abovementioned, charter carrier ETF Airways, supported by local Croatian investors, is in advanced stages of setting up operations with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which is expected to arrive in the country as early as next month. The carrier is expected to launch services in April, if necessary permits are received by then. The aircraft will be used for charter flights under lease arrangement covering aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI). ETF intends to focus on routes from the Croatian Adriatic coast such as Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Zadar to airports in France, Germany and the UK.
Great so a German company will slowly start replacing a Croatian company (OU) on the coast. Fantastic news for the country...not.
ReplyDeleteWell its open market. Also Croatian company can start flights in Germany...
Delete+1 last anon
DeletePeople need to open their minds and think about all the opportunities the single market presents.
Why would I as customer care where the company is headquartered if i get satisfactory service?
DeleteWith CTN being passive for years and without clear post Covid strategy on their home turf it is totally expected to see airlines like ETF and Sundair picking up the falling pieces of their cake.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see another addition to Croatia. Just shows how much you can get from a country, which is visited by 13 million people annually. BWK will also receive its share.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that two airlines want to establish operations in the middle of the worst crisis in aviation history.
ReplyDeleteBut this is the easiest time to get aircraft eather to buy or to lease. You can find very very attractive arrangements
DeleteBad news for OU.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Airlines are looking to take the most lucrative part of the business - tourists arriving for the summer. It's the only part of OU's business that is profitable. They will have fewer tour operators to work with.
DeleteFlyAir doesn't sound bad
ReplyDeleteBetter than ETF that's for sure.
DeleteIf OU keeps on losing the coast (as was the case the past few years) then their bankruptcy is all but guaranteed.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news for Croatian airports.
ReplyDeleteI assume they will operate an A319 or A320.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that Sundair will operate 6 planes this summer. They have 7 in fleet so probably one will go to this Croatian airline.
DeleteAt the moment they have only three aircraft as four were returned to the lessor this month. They plan to get another three to have a fleet of six A319s later.
DeleteEmbraer E190 is the ideal aircraft for year round operations for every airline in our region.
DeleteThey will probably focus on the summer season, as I don't think there is enough demand to make profit on the coast in the winter.
Delete@An.10.10
DeleteFully agree. Actually when I read "in talks with business partners" I thought of Smile Air, which intends to start croatian operations with E190
Embraer might be ideal for the company but as a passenger I hate it.
Delete@Mad Prophet
DeleteYou have every right to like or dislike any type of plane, or anything else. But if comparing regional planes, and Embraer mostly operates on regional or relatively short flights, it is superior to all turboprops, all CRJ's, Sukhoi SSJ, even A220. It is stable, it is fast, it is quiet, cabin is high enough, overhead compartments big enough to accommodate normal cabin luggage size, 4 abreast seats make sitting comfortable, and it's long enough to have decent pitch between seats. Speaking of 190/5 of course
Busy year for Croatian directorate.
ReplyDeleteIt is not directorate - it is Agency - CCAA - Croatian Civil Aviation Agency
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Croatia doesn't have a second scheduled airline (not invluding Trade Air PSO flights here). The market seems to exist especially during summer and I don't think Croatia Airlines is fully capitalizing on it.
ReplyDeleteEven the one that does exist, needs government injections.
DeleteHow would the second one survive?
The second one can survive because market potentials are huge. The first one getting injections because of Soviet mindset, nepotism, corruption, political influence, lack of strategy, inertness and mismanagement
DeleteIt's not very competition-friendly, if you have to compete with state-sponsored enterprises, which have no problems with operating with a loss for decades.
DeleteFar far far away from being competition friendly but if I understood well, they are not going to compete with OU - they are after charter market which OU gave up long ago
DeleteOU function is not to make a profit, but to connect country both inside and outside and keep it as much as possible cost effective. Term cost-effectiveness should be looked from end user perspective and not from OU side. There is no profit in off touristic season flights. I had many Frankfurt-Zagreb last flights (from Frankfurt at 21-22h) with no more than 10 people on board. Tickets from those flights do not cover kerosene. If I own company and only goal is to make profit, lines like that will die.. fast.. but OU keeps them flying because State is helping OU to keep them running.
DeleteWe can discuss if there is possibility to run OU with less loses, but there is no way it could be run profitably outside of touristic season. IMO.
at least these guys are from the aviation industry
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI hope that these ideas will become a reality.
ReplyDeleteWell they are already trying to get AOC. So it's a good sign.
DeleteWhere could this airline be based at?
ReplyDeleteThey probably would not have a fixed base. They would fly wherever tour operators require it to fly.
DeleteIt is impossible not to have designated airport where the plane will be based and maintained. You cannot get your papers if that is not determined. Yes, you can send plane and the crew to any airport from which flights are operated but the plane, and the crew, must have designated base where they commence the duty /operation.
DeletePlenty of aircraft around are operated without a fixed base, namely ACMI and bizjet operators. Maintenance can be done wherever the aircraft is at the time, you only need a licenced engineer and required tooling and spare parts. Heavy checks are often done away from home base even for the largest airlines.
DeleteCrew base is just a matter for flight time limitations, and than can be changed if the aircraft moves around.
Wherever the aircraft is at the time, together with licensed engineers, tooling and spare parts, is called operational base,or temporary base, or sub base,which does not mean it is the same as home base. It is also the base used for calculations of crew time limitations. That's how ACMI function. For the heavy maintenance, absolutely correct, it is very often, I will quote your words :"done away from home base". Now would you kindly answer, if the plane does not have fixed base, or home base, or permanent base, how heavy maintenance can be done outside the home base?
DeleteMaybe it will be In Brac if Sundair flies there. Do they fly to any other city in Croatia?
DeleteCan Barč Airport handle an A320?
DeleteWith so many restrictions in place across the European market, this feels to be somewhat premature. The Croatian tourism industry relies heavily on the German, Scandinavian, British and Irish markets and so far none of these countries have a clear idea when they will let their people to travel abroad w/o any restrictions upon returning.
ReplyDeleteI read that czechs believe this summer will be worse than last year. I fear the same. If there is third wave in Europe in April than summer will be horrible.
DeleteLet's wait and see. The second wave is just ending niw,
DeleteTravelservice /Smartwings at the moment have daily 737 flights planned from PRG to both SPU and DBV, plus daily train Prague to Rijeka. Not saying will happen 100% but it's the plan
DeleteThe only third wave is the wave of fascist human rights and freedom restrictions.
Deletetake it easy amigo.
DeleteLibertas +1000
DeleteLibertas -1000
DeleteThis company does not have 7 aircraft. They only have 3 A-319s.
ReplyDeleteI've lost all trust in Croatian start-ups but this seems like an interesting idea. Good luck to them anyway.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a promising market niche
ReplyDeleteShuttling tourists to one of the biggest coastal tourist markets in Europe certainly is but it is very competitive and very seasonal.
DeleteHow does Croatia rank as a coastal tourist market in Europe compared to; Portugal, España, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey? Just wondering.
DeleteNumber of Tourists in 2019
Delete1. France 91 mil
2. Spain 84 mil
3. Italy 64 mil
4. Turkey 52 mil
5. Greece 31 mil
6. Portugal 27 mil
7. Croatia 19 mil
I didn't know this, but if the data is correct, than its a big wow for Croatia : The first three, France, Spain and Italy, have approximately the same numbers of population and tourists, and Croatia has tourists as 5 times population. Wow !!!
DeleteThanks for posting the toroust numbers above. So Croatia is not one of the biggest coastal tourist markets in Europe. But does have impressive population to tourist ratios. But that figure is not important in terms of revenue.
DeleteCroatia does not yet reach 19 million. 13 yes but not 15.
Deleteinteresting, but there are so many open questions. good luck.
ReplyDeleteThe big question is will this be a seasonal airline or will they have flights from Croatia all year round?
ReplyDeleteProbably seasonal, why would they want to fly empty in the winter? In the winter these charter airlines fly from (Northern) Europe to African resorts.
Deleteit seems this guy purchased Adria Airways brand....
Delete^ wow that would be interesting (and make sense)
DeleteWhich guy?
DeleteIf only....
DeleteWhile everyone discusses the benefits of a German setting up an aorline or a Croatian setting up an airline with a couple of 737's a week, much more important to me as an incoming tour operator is RegioJet the Czech train operator!! Daily trains from Prague, through Budapest and Zagreb to Rijeka and Split will carry about 1,000 passemgers everyday in June, July, and August plus 3 to 5 times a week in spring and fall!! We are comparing apples and oranges when a rail company can bring in 7,000 vistors a week, vs a couple of new flights!!For myself and everyone in this group, augmenting the return of tourists to Croatia should be the basis for every conversation!!!
DeleteThis could be really good, especially if the new companies succeed in their initial business model...then with enough ambition and skill, given the potential of the Croatian market, they could expand the model as LCCs operating on a more permanent basis.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, the utter lack of creativity at the OU, could result in healthy competition driving the prices down, while opening up more routes.
Fingers crossed!
Fly Air41 Airways d.o.o. assigned ICAO code BER and ICAO callsign Berlin.
ReplyDelete