Croatia Airlines has said it plans to grow its number of flights and capacity next year, although they are still unlikely to reach 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer, Slaven Žabo, noted, “We plan to expand our network of international flights during the summer of 2024 and increase the total number of operations compared to this year. During the 2024 summer season, we plan to increase flights by 6% and capacity by 7% on this year. As we anticipate the delivery of our first of fifteen new, modern and eco-friendly [A220] aircraft in mid-2024, we will be able to offer more seats and greater comfort”.
Croatia Airlines intends on adding new routes in 2024, as well as extend seasonal operations so they are maintained for a longer period. "We will know exact details on the introduction of new international routes for the coming summer season following the autumn slot conference", Mr Žabo said. The 153rd IATA Slot Conference is taking place in Dubai next week. EX-YU Aviation News will attend the event and will bring you any new developments. The Croatian carrier also plans to resume a number of its seasonal routes earlier, in late March rather than late April, and end them further back during the summer season, in late October, rather than September. For the 2024/25 winter season, which begins at the end of October of next year, the airline is considering introducing services from Dubrovnik to Paris.
Croatia Airlines operated 16.972 scheduled flights during the 2023 summer season, offering 1.803.624 seats on the market. This was down 12.9% and 13.9% respectively on 2019. A 6% and 7% increase next year would still mean the carrier would maintain a reduced schedule compared to the pre-pandemic era. During the first three quarters of 2023, Croatia Airlines handled 1.350.237 passengers, with an average cabin load factor of 65.9%. The carrier is due to take delivery of its first A220 aircraft in June of next year with another unit to also join the fleet in 2024. It will be followed by six in 2025, four in 2026 and the remaining three in 2027. It has not been specified whether the airline will first take delivery of the 127-seat A220-100 or the 149-seat A220-300.
Zagreb Airport is hoping for Croatia Airlines to expand its operations from the city in the future. The airport’s recent Connecting Capital Cities Incentive Model, which motivates airlines to introduce flights from Zagreb to up to sixteen European capital cities have been geared towards the carrier, however, so far it has not applied. Croatia Airlines has been increasingly expanding its network from the country’s coast since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and is yet to restore a number of routes out of Zagreb which were discontinued as a result of the global health emergency.
With just 6% increase in flights in 2024, it means we will see max 1 new route in summer.
ReplyDeleteIt probably means several new routes from Split with 1 to 2 weekly frequency.
DeleteNo, it means new stable growth with vision towards stable profitability and lowering carbon footprint in more and more competitive environment making Croatia Airlines leader in European aviation market. Bravo Croatia Airlines, Bravo Hrvatska!
DeleteOk, now it is obvious that you are a troll
DeleteHa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
DeleteIs this from the ChatGTP? Completely disconnected from reality. The only thing we can agree it's the lowered s.c. footprint (even though it's a farce), you've lowered it oh yes you did by being absent from flying.
Be negative towards Croatia Airlines as much as you want but Croatia Airlines management is doing unimaginable in order to make of OU European number one!
DeleteI must visit ophtalmologist. The post above I can't read....
DeleteHave they completely given up on exapnding in ZAG?!? What the hell
ReplyDeleteTheir revenge for TAV getting in bed with Ryanair in Zagreb.
DeleteThey are hurting themselves more than ZAG with that strategy tbh.
DeleteZagreb couldn't care less that Croatia Airlines is cutting frequencies on its half-empty Dash flights in response to Ryanair's packed A320s.
DeleteI think that by 2026 Ryanair will have a bigger passenger share in ZAG if something does not change soon.
DeleteWhy 2026, they were already neck to neck this year. With the next expansion cycle in April, Ryanair will certainly have more passenger share in ZAG by 2024.
DeleteThe expansion is looking huge so far. Basel goes to six weekly!! That's proper competitive against Croatia Airlines' Zurich flights now.
DeleteWhat is Croatia Airlines' average passenger share in Split?
DeleteCroatian Airlines lacks the aircraft to increase @Zagreb, once all A220s are delivered around 2027/28, OU will start to offer more routes out of Zagreb, till then, Zagreb will stagnate when it comes to OU expansion. Ryan air on the other hand will be more than happy to take its larger share at Zagreb.
DeleteI believe 2028 is too early. How about they postpone it a bit? And just btw, two more aircraft compared to current fleet is just enough to open more Vrankvurt and Minken from croatian secondary airports, as ordered by Misetic and written by BCG in the biggest corruptive deal OU signed which is cementing its feeder role. So you can try to sell your fairy tale to other potential customers
DeleteMisetic was the best C E.O ever. The passenger experience was excellent under his leadership, the company had modern new Aircraft delivered and plenty of Assets. It was Kucko that put OU into a downward spiral, sold everything off and cut all the lucrative routes.
DeleteLOL
DeleteZagreb is lost for them, and they know it, that's why they are fleeing to the Coast.
DeleteMisetic turned OU to feeder. He concluded the most of the most corruptive deals, Q400 double lease deal included. Most of the lucrative routes were suspended during his time, in order to funnel pax to LH. He broke all ties with unions. He named his nephew Chief of Training with no experience and no qualifucations for the position. He was sponsoring sports teams and other organizations with public money. He left company in such poor condition and so wasted that Kucko HAD to sell assets to cover the debts Misetic left. And are you for real comparing "passenger experience" with surrendering the entire market to LH for position in Star Alliance Board of Directors? Btw not even that was his achievment - 10 he inherited it from Katicic, Prebezac and Kunjko. And please stop blaming Kucko, who was as well far away from being perfect, for things gravedigger of croatian civil aviation Misetic did to OU.
DeleteKucko before becoming CEO was a baggage handler. Only got the job because he is a longtime friend with Milanovic..... Crazy Croatia! So sad what she has become.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteStill not reaching your 2019 operations in the year 2024 is anything but bravo, especially since the country has been open for international arrivals since mid 2020
DeleteHahahahahahahaha, how delusional some people are. And one needs nothing else but to take a look across the eastern border....
DeleteIt’s really nothing to do with Croatia. It’s about irritating everyone with a repeated banal comment which doesn’t qualify for deletion under current rules. It’s about provoking, but in a sugarcoated way.
DeleteKad krenu da placaju Todoricu ukinuce i vozove kakvi avioni.
DeleteThe Bravo guy is a troll. Ignore all versions of it.
DeleteMali Losinj-Munich
ReplyDeleteDidn't see this coming, comment of the day! :)
DeleteWhat about Mali Losinj - Frankfurt?
DeleteVrankvurt and Minken are sure bets.
DeletePula - Minken is also missing, Rijeka, Zadar and Osijek to Vrankvurt too, so plenty more opportunities, but those are probably left for further stages of their amazing growth and development. And absolutely no way ZAG-SPU-FCO-SPU-ZAG to be changed to ZAG-FCO-SPU-FCO -ZAG. No, no, no, big no, it should stay as it is, and wait the fourth development stage, around 2050. And after that they will start looking into dictionaries to find out the meaning of "long-haul" and "wide-body '. Well done OU!!! Bravo Hrvatska!!!
DeleteBut only during winter season, summer is reserved for Muttihansa and its pack of offsprings
DeleteThey already know they will be below 2019 levels. How about you use these 6 months until summer 2024 and do something to increase numbers? They are so passive
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI knew there was some catch when I read the headline. 6% growth in flights and 7% in capacity is literally nothing.
ReplyDeleteFully agree.
DeleteIf we just remember than 10 years ago they were way ahead of JU and where are they now?
That's what you can squeeze out of optimizing (read: administratively, on paper lower the flight time even below actual and shortening turnarounds) the current fleet.
DeleteAnaliticar reported that they will lease 2 TradeAirs A320s next summer - which doesn't make sense with only 6% increase
ReplyDeleteIt may make sense if they retire their own A320s, which I wouldn't be surprised. It is likely that wet leasing Trade Air planes is cheaper than leasing the A320s/A319s.
DeleteYou really trust him? He is full of BS
DeleteNo, no, no (@ 0928), you don't understand the business model, it won't be cheaper...
DeleteWhat new routes would make most sense for them from ZAG?
ReplyDeleteTake your pick! there are so many unserved routes. Any one of those destinations from the incentive list would make sense.
DeleteBerlin!
DeleteOsijek - Frankfurt :D
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised. The reason they are focusing on secondary Croatian cities is not because of their love for places other than Zagreb but because they have worked out a model with airports and local tourist boards to subsidize their new flights.
DeleteTrue
DeleteBravo OU!
ReplyDeleteFor what? Incompetence? Corruption? Crime? Nepotism? Uhljebs? Aparatchiks? Going from bigger to smaller? Going from own to leased? Serving as pathetic feeder? Having no growth at all or the smallest growth in Europe? Living on public and hidden subsidies? Not taking one single advantage of the market? Not responding to competition? Not operating long-haul? Withdrawing from the charter market? Leaving their hub in ZAG? Selling assets? For what of the above listed Bravo exactly?
DeleteYou can always rely on “bravo” and “pozdrav”. What would this forum be without them? I like this routine and constant repetition
DeleteWho doesn't like constant repetition? 🙄
DeleteThere is one guy here posting regularly Bravo Air Serbia as well. Have you guys read one single time my reply to that post? No you haven't. There was no routine and no repetition. Because Air Serbia makes fantastic progress and deserves Bravo. OU, on the other hand, deserves nothing but criticism. And as long as someone hails Bravo to failed project, I will repeat why Bravo in that situation is not applicable, not appropriate and not acceptable. Hope I made myself clear and kindly asking you to comment AVIATION in future, rather than ME.
DeleteEvery comment you make on “Bravo Hrvatska” is a thematic repetition. We can all read about it here. I'm not saying that I think that's bad or wrong.
DeleteThis was not comment on Bravo Hrvatska. It was comment on Bravo OU. And my comment on Bravo Hrvatska earlier was not thematic repetition, but mere advice to look across the border. But the main issue is not content of my posts, because I comment on aviation, be it even boring or repetitive. Main issue are comments of the people who do not comment aviation, but other posters. For "my disease", very simple cure exists : skip, scroll over, do not read. Because for sure I will not stop writing it because one or two anonymouses think it's repetitive
DeleteOU is growing. Jasmin is very smart and use every opportunity for OU growth. New planes coming. Look Hungary, bigger country, almost two times more money makes in tourism and doesnt have national carrier. Jasmin is genious. And OU is going to exists in 2035.
DeleteOU is not only stagnating but shrinking. Jasmin is aparatchik. New leased planes are coming to change own planes. Everyone of us can point finger at something ; you point on Hungary, I will point on Latvia, Greece, Serbia, Iceland.... Btw tell me the name of croatian LCC operator, one of the biggest in Europe 😆. Of course OU is going to exist in 2035, I keep my fingers crossed to it. Just hope not the way and in the shape it is now, irrelevant humiliated feeder, and not with people like you, advocating its failed model
DeleteIn few years OU will exist in form simmilar to Air Dolomiti - empty shell with a name and total slave to Mutti, which keeps such badtard children alive only to use them where it suits her (i.e. where stakes are high and profit margins low, but routes are kept alive just to drive away competition). OU is shrinking number of seats and underincreasing new routes.On which drug driven planet is this receipe for sucess?
DeleteJasmin is Genius. His feeding is normal, politically Craotia is sub to Germany in every way. To be humiliated feeder is only way for OU to exists. You cant compare Serbia and AS. Tourism in Croatia is very seasonal, while Belgrade market works whole year. Everything is different. Greece has huge diaspora. Craotia has 3.5 million people. It is small market.
DeleteOk, if you say so. Oh wait, Latvia, 2 million people, no tourism, not even seasonal. I believe Jasmin, being such a genious is BT shadow CEO, or main consultant, minimum. So, komsija, take your pill and good night!
DeleteIn my opinion, their main focus should be Zagreb and trying to deal with Ryanair.
ReplyDeleteWhat about trying to restart discontinued flights from Zagreb like Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, Barcelona, Lisbon, Milan? Dublin, which they restarted since Covid has been disconitnued.
ReplyDeleteThey really do not fly to Barcelona or Milan???
DeleteBecause it's not prudent... If you don't fly every day there is a high probability that the passenger will return with somebody else, thus causing the flight document to be issued on somebody else's stock.
DeleteVery conservative plans, still not reaching 2019 levels...
ReplyDeleteYes, most airlines have already surpassed them or will in 2024.
DeleteCroatia Airlines' growth opportunities are becoming smaller and smaller, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteAgree unfortunately?
DeleteBravo Croatia Airlines! Things are going in the right direction finally!
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha
Deletekindly asking you to comment AVIATION in future, rather than ME.
DeleteI am not commenting you, I am commenting Croatia Airlines which is NOT going in the right direction, on the contrary it's going in totally WRONG direction for twenty years already. And please, do me a favour and tell me where and how exactly I commented on you
DeleteBtw no matter how hard you try, you will not manage to shift focus from my message u, which is all about failed project of tiny humiliated servant and pathetic feeder Croatia Airlines
DeleteOU IS going into right direction if Luftšupak is final destination….
DeleteAnother Bingo by @notLufthansa😃😃
DeleteGood luck OU.
ReplyDeleteIt has absolutely nothing to do with luck. And no, luck can't help if you have wrong strategy or no strategy at all, when you are used by politicians for their own benefits, when you are led by incompetent people who are not only incompetent but not interested in company's future, and when you agree to serve others instead developing yourself despite you have all preconditions for it.
DeleteSo what is the long term strategy?
ReplyDeleteMore of the same.
DeleteMinken Vrankvurt, Vrankvurt Minken, with more costs for lease of new aircraft, and peanuts received for feeding, like now
DeleteWhy are you always ruining everything with long term projections, plans...
DeleteLive in the moment, live for the moment
Ok, you are right, let's go today : Minken Vrankvurt, Vrankvurt Minken 😆
DeletePula would be a good option for their future expansion.
ReplyDeleteDo they fly from Pula to any other market other than Germany?
DeleteZRH twice weekly in the winter, which baffles me as they do not fly there in the summer and there is no codeshare with LX on the winter flight, so for customers like me who need to fly to PUY in the winter who could fly regionally from BRS in the UK to connect on the the ZRH-PUY flight, makes the ticket very expensive. Mind you, they do not even connect that well from LHR to PUY via ZAG, so not surprise really! Once upon a time there used to be AMS-PUY on a A319 in the summer and that disappeared as well. Even LHR-RJK used to operate which was a good alternative but not anymore.
DeleteHow about launching some new routes from Zagreb? Tthey could start MAD, WAW, IST, DUS, BER, SOF... There are many opportunities
ReplyDeleteIn the end, the biggest winner will be the coast
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThose poor chaps at Zagreb airport with their m scheme do not realise the world revolves around two cities in Germany not around capitals …
ReplyDeleteZAG will regret losing Croatia Airlines' dynamic growth. lol
DeleteIt is really hard to say who is more pathetic with growth - ZAG or OU.
DeleteIn general the issue in todays society and whether we talk about companies, education institutions, healthcare etc that it is not based on merit. So democracy should evolve into meritocracy. Otherwise it is self destructing.
ReplyDeleteIn Airlines too, people who run the company should be there based only on merit.
Can't wait to see the new destinations.
ReplyDeletePula-Minhen and Mali Losinj-Frankfurt
DeleteIncreasing frequency from LGW to SPU and re-introducing LGW-DBV at least a few times a week is a no brainer, especially with A220. If LGW is not possible then they should move their operations for coastal destinations to STN or LTN. British market is huge.
ReplyDeleteWould London City make any sense?
DeleteNothing makes sense for OU except Minken and Vrankvurt
DeleteSo how many new routes can we expect in 2024?
ReplyDeleteWith 6% increase in flights maximum 2 new routes with low frequency.
DeleteUnderwhelming
ReplyDelete