Croatia Airlines will take delivery of its first 149-seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft in July. The jet was initially to be delivered during the first quarter of the year but was later pushed back to June and is now expected to arrive in Zagreb next month. Registered 9A-CAE, the aircraft will sport a new livery and will be named “Zagreb”. It is expected to enter into service shortly after delivery once all bureaucratic procedures are completed. The carrier plans for the new A220-300 to operate its first revenue service between Zagreb and Frankfurt, in a symbolic nod to its first international flight back in 1992.
The Croatian State Secretary for Infrastructure, Tomislav Mihotić, who recently visited the production of the jet in Canada, said, “The aircraft is practically completed. It has now been moved for painting. Once that is done, additional equipment will be added which will enable passengers to have WiFi access onboard. This new aircraft type will enable Croatia Airlines to be more competitive on the market and launch new routes”. In a deal worth 500 million US dollars, Croatia Airlines will lease twelve new A220-300s and three 127-seat A220-100s for a period of twelve years, after which the aircraft will either be returned to their owners, or the contracts will be extended.
The carrier expects to take delivery of a second A220-300 at the end of the year, which will be named “Split”, after which six units are planned for 2025, four in 2026 and three in 2027. Following their arrival, the airline will become a single-type operator. Until the first new A220 is deployed on scheduled flights, Croatia Airlines has been forced to cut frequencies on a select number of routes as it faces a fleet shortage. In addition to wet-leasing three aircraft, a Trade Air A320, a Fly41 Airways A319, and an Albastar Boeing 737-800, the carrier has just contracted a short-term wet-lease for a fifteen-year-old Malta MedAir A320 aircraft.
Percent wise they now have more wet leases than Air Serbia last summer.
ReplyDeleteA shocker, just looking at the flight info, 50-60% of the flights are late
Apparently one of their Q400s was retired yesterday, this will make matters even worse.
DeleteBig delays in ZAG are also due to works on the taxiway at the airport. They chose the worst possible time to do it, works will be going on until the end of August.
DeleteIt's not just that, there is not enough employees to handle luggage and gate agents.
DeleteWhich Q400 was retired?
DeletePlanes are taxing 120-240 minutes?
DeleteZAG needs to invest in a concourse
DeleteZAG needs better management overall. Anyone know when ZAG is supposed to publish their financial result?
DeleteThe delays due to works are minimal. The taxiing takes just a bit longer. The main delays are due to one Lauda A320 falling out of service and Croatia Airlines having Dashes out of service and sending Airbuses to Lisbon instead of on scheduled routes.
DeleteNot exactly. My last 2 flights were delayed more than 1 hour at the departure due to work. Seating in an aircfart ready waiting for clearance to taxi. The problem is that runaway is used partly as taxiway, so that’s why there are delays due to work.
DeleteRunway and taxiway work can only be done in late spring and early summer cause it can't be done in winter months for obvious reasons. However, planning and executing whole thing is an utter mess, it is is sheer incompetence and lack of planning. Next year airport terminal has to be expanded, well works should start, but there are no concrete plans, pardon the pun, no schedules and anything announced so the public is aware.
DeleteAirport management is totally oblivious to the issues and when they designed the terminal before it was built in 2017, they didn't bother to plan Croatian entrance in to Schengen, so they built terminal with 8 boarding bridges, totally insufficient for predicted traffic and demand. Now, airport is struggling with lack of space and lack of workers. Whole thing stinks of corruption and lack of foresight.
We just returned from Croatia. We were supposed to fly KLM from EDI to ZAG with a connection in AMS. We had a really short connection in AMS (only 50 minutes) and because our first flight was slightly delayed, we missed the 2nd flight. KLM was really nice. They booked us on Croatia Airlines flight the following day and gave us food vouchers and a hotel room. Our flight experience with Croatia Airlines was rather disappointing. The flight was also slightly delayed and they publicly shamed the AMS airport. I just felt that was a bit unprofessional. My biggest disappointment was the airplane. The flight was operated by A320 (Dubrovnik) and it was about 95% full. We were seated all the way in the back and the seat pitch was the worst i have ever seen. I think it was on par with Vueling if not even worse. The staff looked completely disinterested and very cold with passengers. Also, once we landed we had to wait like 40 minutes to get our bags. The airport exit signage was disorganized and kind of disappointing for my first experience of the new terminal they built. I would definitely avoid OU in the future.
DeleteAnd still no one has an idea what the new livery will look like
ReplyDeleteThey should start teasing the people already, but obviously they have no clue when the plane is coming so they just have to wait for any promo.
DeleteAccording to flightradar24 they currently operate about 1 flight per hour. With these new aircraft they will be able to operate at least 3. What percent can we see the LF and capacity increase? I am thinking the A220s will provide a 50-60% increase in their capacity.
ReplyDeleteThey can increase capacity but will they increase their sales to fill all those new seats?!
DeleteThey need to finally start dropping prices.
DeleteA220 is incredibly efficient and comfortable. They'll be able to drop prices, no doubt
DeleteWell they should but
DeleteI think they plan premiumizing their business when A220 arrives, so no price drops for sure...
Delete@anon 09:24
DeleteI'm not buying that "efficient" corporate bs since VW found cheated on CO2 emission. A220 can't fly for free with <50% LF even if it burns like a cigarette lighter.
The wait is almost over
ReplyDeleteMake that August …
ReplyDeleteIf they don't start experiencing problems with engines
DeleteOr September 🥲
DeleteThis is up to the manufacturer, not OU. Financial losses will be sustained by both. Despite the fact that OU is owned by the Government, the Government exerts no influence on how OU is managed. OU is an orphan left to inapt parents (the GoV and the management).
DeleteI am disgusted that their first flight is to Frankfurt. Why? To pledge allegiance to their German overloard who was destroying them for years and years? To make sure Lufthansa knows that they are still loyal to their business plan?
ReplyDeleteWhy not deploy it to London, Paris or Brussels? Especially Brussels or London where they are getting overrun by Lauda.
Dont you have better things to do in life than be disgusted by which route a random airline deploys an aircraft to?
DeleteOr maybe they simply deploy it there because it's their busiest route with highest level of business passengers.
DeleteThe reason is stated in the article.
DeleteAnon 09.14
DeleteHow is your comment related to my post? Did you give any argumentation or did you just come here to express your bitterness?!
And yes I am disgusted because this shows that OU has no plan to become independent from Lufthansa which is slowly killing it. Just look what is going on in MUC-ZAG! LH is slowly building its presence in ZAG and will push OU out.
So yes, I am disgusted that OU doesn't realize this and that they are blindly serving Mutti
They already said their goal is to keep feeding Lufthansa hubs, so I don't know why you are surprised
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/05/croatia-airlines-rules-out-long-haul.html
FRA is no big surprise, although BRU made much sense just for the sake of being the EU capital and where the administration is.
DeleteIt is just the first flight that is to FRA. They will put it on other destinations right after the first one.
DeleteFrankfurt is Croatia Airlines' busiest route and the first international destination.
Delete0910, German overlord? What on earth are you talking about? And why does the admin allow such political statements based on nothing??
Delete^ how on earth is it political? It is referring to an airline. And you really think Croatia Airlines hasn't throughout its entire history been a Lufthansa feeder? Its CEO openly says that and is proud of itm
DeleteAnon 12.12 what's wrong with it? Are you one of those woke chaps who is offended by anything and everything? Lufthansa is OU's German overlord and that's a fact no matter how triggered you are.
DeleteAnon 12.14
Yes and that is why OU has such phenomeal financial performance. With all that is going on this year it will be even worse.
First route should be Croatian one, Dubrovnik perhaps. Croatian people should benefit most of flying in new and modern aircraft. But I see priorities are somewhere else.
DeleteFrankfurt was their first international route.
Deletewell i Love LH and a lots of people love LH. Business model that OU has is logical, we are logistacally streched country with ZAG, SPU and DBV being far apart. BEG can have a hub and spoke model, Crotia cannot! BEG is easily reachable from any serbian region, while that is not the case with ZAG. Plus, we are a very tourist destination, unlike Serbia, double smaller in size, double smaller in diaspora and with all this taken into account, OU DOES have the right business model. I really love LH, OS and LX, to start with punctuality and customer service and for me, as a person from Split, OU is extremly important and I love the connection we have from Split through the LH group.
DeleteLH, OS punctuality and customer service??? Have you flown with either of them in the past 4 years?
DeleteIf we waited this long, we can wait one more month.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It will be splendid to see and fly new birds, and far less splendid to continue to pay for the uhljebistan called Croatia Airlines!
DeleteCan't wait to see the livery. Hope they don't stuff it up.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI wish they also changed the bland crew uniforms to go with the new livery.
DeleteWhere did they get the 500 million from?
ReplyDeleteYou and me
DeleteIt's better then giving the money to Ryanair!
DeleteJoke's on you because they gave money to both OU and FR! Lauda just got it through discounts.
DeleteDiscounts does not equal getting money.
DeleteCroatia Airlines was eligible for the same discounts and chose not to take them.
I am just wondering from where they will find money after 12 years for the new contract if they are still in operation then.
DeleteYou do realize it's a lease so the 500mil is spread out across the 12 years. No way are they paying all that upfront
DeleteIt's a lease which will be paid per year. Anyhow, huge amount for OU.
DeleteWith what we are seeing with Bulgaria and Cyprus Airlines, even once they get them they won't be operational for long
ReplyDeleteI believe the new A220s that are being delivered now do not have the engine deficiencies.
DeleteBulgaria got them a year ago and one of them is recently grounded, the second one was grounded a few months ago.
DeleteCyprus got then last year, and one is grounded, although admittedly the Cyprus birds are a couple of years old but were stored
Both Bulgaria and Cyprus belived also…
DeleteCyprus and Air Bulgaria got older planes.
DeleteThe engine issues affect older PW engines. The new production models should not have the defect.
DeleteWhat a surprise that FRA is the first route :D
ReplyDeleteYes really, Germany was their first international market, Lufthansa and LH Technik provided their first aircraft during the war and helped them become an airline. Then Germany recognized Croatia first after the proclamation of independence. And the largest diaspora lives in Germany for a good reason, Frankfurt is their biggest int. destination.
DeleteI still don't get the point of wifi when almost all flights average one and a half hours.
ReplyDeleteIt is 2024 so they should have wifi
DeleteIn my opinion they should have focused more on investing into their business class product. Serving people cookies in a box served on a tray can't be passed off as business class.
DeleteAgree about business class.
Delete+1 about business class as well. But onboard wifi for business passengers is a step in the right direction. Hopefully they start serving a better choice of beverages next
DeleteI feel like the exact same argument can be made about business class product. Honestly for a 1-hour flight, functioning Wi-Fi brings so much more value in 2024 for all passangers. Airplane food (on medium haul flights) will never ever exceed even the most averege airport establishment like Pret or 7-Eleven.
DeleteBravo OU!
ReplyDeleteWasn't it just days ago that a commenter here adamantly kept replying to everyone that the delivery will be in June according to schedule?
ReplyDeleteIt's a well known fact in Aviation that Airbus deliveries of Aircraft are currently running 1.5 months behind schedule!
Delete@9.49 original schedule was in February for first aircraft.
DeleteAn A220 can fly 3,450NM. A flight between ZAG and JFK is 3,730NM. If only the A220 could fly an extra 280(let’s say 310NM) They could start flying to JFK. Not ideal but eh.
ReplyDeleteThey said just a week or two ago that they have no interest in long haul flights.
DeleteThey couldn't because even if it had extra range it would not be enough since flight path is not direct, there are winds and they need extra fuel for eventual holding and diversions. Also imagine trying to compete in JFK with JU's A332 and OS' B787/777/767.
DeleteGood luck.
Neither JU nor OS are significant here. Traffic goes via FRA, AMS, CDG and LHR.
DeleteActually JU is. Based on stats that were published for 2019, when JU had much fewer flights to both US and Zagreb, it was the fifth busiest transfer airline to New York from/to Zagreb. Although it is true Austrian was way down the list.
DeleteOh and based on that list AF was just behind JU.
DeleteTrue. It is funny to see that someone would be competing with JU.
DeleteA220 can't fly ZAG-JFK. A321XLR could but OU didn't order it and don't want to fly long haul. A220 switch is very expensive as it.
Delete"This new aircraft type will enable Croatia Airlines to be more competitive on the market and launch new routes"
ReplyDeleteThey have been repeating this line so many times, I think they now actually believe it. What is stopping you from launching new routes now? You have a more versatile fleet now!
Fleet age is stopping them, C-Checks take ages to finish, as on 25 year old aircraft with 48000 FC or more, there are findings. They have waited for too long for this, although, I am not very optimistic about A220 due P&W to engine issues. And also, I can confirm that deliveries are late from Airbus for a month now, on average. With a fleet of 93 Airbus A320NEO’s, I think I have a good sample, where 70-80 which came in the last 6 years.
DeleteWould it not make more sense to use it first to Dubrovnik or Split from Zagreb?
ReplyDeleteZAG-FRA is a lot more prestigious.
DeleteI hope they name all the A220s after cities in Croatia.
ReplyDeleteThey obviously will...
DeleteHaha, surprise surprise! The saga goes on.
ReplyDeleteWhat saga?
Delete9A-CAE - "Mutti"
ReplyDeletehahahah good one +1
DeleteWhy are these aircraft being leased and not purchased?
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's about business uncertainty - if you don't clearly see using that same aircraft in 15 years, don't buy it. We may be only a couple of years away from new tech breakout; or from EU decision to ban some flights or plane types, for example. Who knows... This way you don't end up with a plane that is not useful to you any more.
DeleteAnd, I guess, lease looks better in the books...
Because it would cost over a billion dollars if they were to own them.
DeleteAnon 13:02 that also helps explain why JU doesn't purchase aircraft. Experts already know this, except self-proclaimed ones.
DeleteBig difference in leasing 20 year old planes like JU and brand new ones like OU. Reliability, comfort, efficiency and noise levels should be a lot better.
Delete^ The average age of JU's fleet is 14 not 20 and in fact it has had a younger fleet than OU for 3 years now. But your issue with JU has more to do with the country than airline. Time to get over it after 35 years.
Delete@01:48 I feel sad that you would even raise this. How old are YU-APK, YU-APA, YU-APB and YU-APD. Big hint: they are 20 years old!
DeleteThe average age of the fleet is 14, younger than OU. The fact that you felt the need to involve JU in an unrelated article is the sad thing. Again, move on.
Delete