Croatian start-up charts development with growing fleet


Croatian start-up carrier Fly Air41 Airways, which began operations this summer, has taken delivery of its third aircraft. The Airbus A320 jet, registered 9A-SHO (pictured), is twelve years old and previously operated on behalf of Air Arabia and Air Cairo. Since its registration, the plane has been stationed in Dusseldorf out of which it has been operating holiday flights. The carrier’s other two jets, an A319 registered 9A-BER and A320 registered 9A-IRM, are also operating out of Germany in cooperation with leisure carrier Sundair. Speaking at a recent Aviation Arena Webinar, Fly Air41’s Accountable Manager, Branimir Vuković, said, “Fly Air41 and Sundair are separate companies. One is Croatian and the other German. They are linked through the owner. The same person owns both airlines. We are trying to completely separate these two companies. Each has their own accounts, postholders and so on. Each company looks after themselves. However, we have inherited some of the agreements Sundair has with its strategic partners. These are German tour operators”.

Commenting on the prospects of commencing operations out of Croatia, Mr Vuković said, “Coming to Croatia and launching flights out of Croatia is the next step. We will work with Croatian tour operators at a later stage. For now, in the beginning, our fleet is fully utilised”. He added, “As a charter airline, we are in talks with various stakeholders. For example, we held talks with Osijek Airport. However, in our industry, things move quickly. We are part of a global system and we have constant expenses, meaning that we must generate revenue. So, whoever is the quickest to offer us a contract, we will accept it. If a tour operator from Germany offers us a contract, we will take it. The game is to make those contracts as durable as possible, as well as to make firm agreements with the other side. No one is going to wait for an airport in Croatia or anywhere else. If an airport asks us to fly somewhere, we respond that our aircraft is available for the next three years. That means that we have made an extensive and firm agreement and positioned ourselves on the market. Therefore, it is not a choice. It is about securing contracts. We don’t think that we need to force Croatian destinations but, of course, we are open to discussions with everyone”.

Fly Air41 Airways was established at the end of last year and started the process of obtaining an Air Operator’s Certificate in February 2021. It received the permit in August and has cooperated with another newly established Croatian-registered charter airline ETF Airways. “Currently, the situation is quite favourable for start-ups. Previously, they were considered as problematic and risky compared to established airlines, while acquiring aircraft was expensive. The current situation is such that existing airlines have significant debts, problems and risks associated with them. This means we can independently talk with aircraft owners, which are leasing companies or banks, and we are confident that we have negotiated sound terms for our jets”.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Interesting concept. I wish them good luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:46

      It's cheaper to run an airline in Croatia than in Germany. Especially the social standards and costs when it comes to the company's employees. That why the owner founded the new airlines which now fully operates for Sundair.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:03

    Is it less expensive to register s plane in Croatia than say Germany?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:21

      Not neceserly. But it might be quicker and easyer with papers and so on.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:34

      Nonetheless it's good for Croatia.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:40

      Croatia have airlines with 8 aircraft added this year.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:46

      It's cheaper to run an airline in Croatia than in Germany. Especially the social standards and costs when it comes to the company's employees. That why the owner founded the new airlines which now fully operates for Sundair.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous16:23

      But it is still good that this company employs Croatians and this way gives space to expand the sector in the country.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:06

    Pity that Croatia does not seem to be part of their plans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:32

      They literally say it's the next step in their plans.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:07

    I see they have adopted Air Montenegro's strategy in terms of livery :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      One of the planes is in Sundair livery.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:12

      Yes but I hope they get their own.

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    3. Anonymous10:30

      As a charter airline, they really don't need to.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:09

    First of all, big congratulations. It had been just 3 months since they started flying and they already have 3 planes.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:46

      It is not hard to get aircraft. Challenge is to finance fixed and variable costs of having them.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:08

      They seem to be to relatively well. All their planes are in the air.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:11

    I find it odd that no other airline has not tried to do more in Croatia, like Dubrovnik Airline did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:13

      Precisely because they don't want to end up like Dubrovnik Airline.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:14

      The market is not big enough for two local airlines

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:35

      Dubrovnik Airlines went bankrupt when they wanted to do more in Croatia and compete against Croatia Airlines.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:10

      Why do you think so?
      Greece and Bulgaria, for example, have several airlines on the market.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:13

      Because for starters, Greece has more than double the population of Croatia and Bulgaria has an additional 3 million people living within its borders, not including double the size of the diaspora of both.

      Delete
    6. Bulgarian diaspora is not bigger than Croatian. Bulgarian black sea coast is twenty percent of Croatian, both in terms of quantity and quality. Market in Croatia not big enough is mantra only, simple lie, constantly repeated, in order to become the truth. Croatia is European champion in terms of unused potentials in civil aviation, with no strategy for development and constant obstacles for all carriers which are potential treat to OU. Only those having majority of its operations outside of Croatia, like Trade Air, ETF, or this newest Flyair 41 are allowed to exist and operate. All others which wanted to compete directly against OU - Anic Airways, the first and the second Air Croatia, Dubrovnik Airline, Air Adriatic and Dalmatian were prevented, and banned, sooner or later, on one or the other way, from direct competition, but not because of the "market not big enough but about the market "too much regulated/protected"

      Delete
    7. Anonymous18:50

      I think that after these new airlines there will be more. In my opinion, in a few years Croatia may have about 10 airlines.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous21:09

      Let's hope one will actually stay in Croatia and that they won't all be operating for foreigners.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous03:14

      In my opinion, OU airplanes haven't been utilised enough because the management is too slow to react with any new developments when it comes to aviation in general.

      Here's an example;
      Ryanair is aggressively expanding in Zagreb and now has a greater network out of ZG than Croatia Airlines and OU so far has not responded to Ryanair's arrival in Zagreb.

      They should open new routes to Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,Israel, African countries, Montenegro, etc. and fight for transfer passengers that they can shuttle to Western countries.

      Why not lease A330 and start flights to Canada?So much potentials in there. Am I the only one that see that.



      Delete
  7. Anonymous10:31

    Things making more sense now. My guess is Osijek Airport asked FlyAir to operate flights to Munich for two months to test the waters and they probably declined. Because OU is going to fly OSI-MUC for just two months and then they said they would consider three years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:39

      Most likely.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:09

      Let's see if OU continues these flights past December.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous10:33

    Nice that ETF helped them out during the AOC certification process.

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  9. Anonymous10:34

    Who knew corona would prove helpful for start ups.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:41

    I am surprised at how fast they are growing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous10:41

    Nice livery...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:02

      9A-IRM has a nice livery
      https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghokvNiuEWQNuzSWixDw2q39aD6P7EogNsI31IhHDKrilV0Dpo4rrKg7sAPFBGRwUCa0L8vfsr1-mIkQ58Gqzpke8rRN4ifTrvdQsCpxTbUr-lSkqjQeW-qhhVl76LDzswfFTv3eGFaWXj46YCb0X4Qyhv1XUOUO5q3u00lp9rWU0ag_wRSuKA67D2ug=s800

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:12

      That's a hybrid livery from. The blue is from Indian Go First which operated the plane before them.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:12

      Otherwise Sundair really doesn't have a livery either.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:50

    Will they add more planes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:02

      Maybe next year.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:13

      Nice. This is definitely a good start.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous11:05

    Maybe next year Croatia may have more new airlines.
    Now have:
    Croatia Airlines
    Trade Air
    FlyAir41/Sundair
    ETF Airways
    ACI Air (2022)
    Pragusa One (maybe 2022)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:15

      What happened to Pragusa One and ACI?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:16

      ACI plans to start next summer
      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/11/new-croatian-start-up-plans-summer-2022.html

      Pragusa is a joke.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous11:15

    FlyAir41+Sundair have 8 aircraft.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous11:21

    Are there other new start up companies in Croatia?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:30

      There was a start up called Smile Air a few years ago but I don't know what happened to them

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:41

      ^ Maybe it still metalizes

      https://www.exyuaviation.com/2019/02/croatian-start-up-targets-2020-launch.html

      Delete
  16. Anonymous12:46

    Seems like a smart guy. What he is saying makes sense. Wish them good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous21:14

    Who knows maybe they operate contracts for Germany-Croatia leisure flights next summer.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:04

    The name.

    ReplyDelete

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