Croatia Airlines is set to offer the highest number of seats for a winter season in its history as it advances its transition to an all-Airbus A220 fleet. Between October 26 and March 28, the airline plans to operate 9.811 flights, providing a total of 1.184.020 seats. This marks a 21% increase in capacity compared to the previous winter. Notably, it is the first time in seventeen years, since the 2008/09 season, that Croatia Airlines will exceed one million seats during the winter period. The upcoming schedule will encompass 27 international routes.
As previously reported, the carrier is extending its seasonal summer services from Zagreb to Barcelona and Berlin, as well as from Dubrovnik to Rome, into year-round operations. In addition, flights from Zagreb to Stockholm and from Split to Istanbul will continue into parts of the winter season. Much of the capacity growth is being driven by the ongoing transition to the Airbus A220 fleet. Croatia Airlines currently operates five A220s, with three additional aircraft expected to arrive by the end of the year, including one of the smaller -100 variants. This fleet expansion will coincide with the retirement of the airline’s last remaining A320, scheduled for February next year, and the continued phase-out of its Dash 8 Q400 turboprops.
While Croatia Airlines will offer record seat capacity this winter, improving load factors remains a key area of focus. During the fourth quarter of last year, the airline registered an average cabin load factor of 66.4%, which declined to 59.9% in the first quarter of this year. The carrier has stated that its growing winter operations reflect its commitment to reducing seasonality at Croatian airports. In line with this strategy, Croatia Airlines has already committed to launching a new service between Zadar and Munich during the 2026/27 winter season next year.
When does wet leases of prop aircraft start? 2026?
ReplyDeleteYes in 2026. But we still don't know which ones.
DeleteI think they will have to make public by the time they need to apply for PSO routes.
DeleteThis marks a 21% increase in capacity compared to the previous winter...
DeleteRead; it marks a corresponding drop in PLF
Most likely.
DeleteIf the management decides to wake up one dayto smell the roses that will be a great day for OU. In my opinion the only way to salvage what is left of OU is by being more aggressive and more competitive with other carriers. Have you seen OU and BA prices recently from London to Zagreb during the summer? Return flights between €400-€600 but hey, nothing beats that complimentary glass of water onboard, right?lol. No wonder BA has decided to cut some of its Zagreb route and even reduced its winter schedule because they flying half empty too.Let me remind you that I can fly to Brasil for £600 return with air France. Your prices doesn't match the service you provide so I think it's time to get realistic and offer flights to Europe from £49+ one way if you want to take your Ryanair and BA passengers back? It's an easy task,it takes a little bit of planning but the rewards could be enormous. You need passengers for growth and what better way to do that than to go after transfer passengers which you neglected for many years. I'm hoping that with extra airplanes you have can now fly East, Africa and Middle East and go after those connecting passengers. Put up a fight a little, it'll be a good learning lesson because Zagreb on it's own cannot fill your planes. Zagreb has a small catchment area and you definitely need transfer passengers. While Ryanair is thriving with its second daily flight to London, OU, on the other hand can barely fill one airplane? Now is the perfect time for changes, whilst BA is contemplating his next move. I would be the first to return to OU if the price is right. But until you realise how airlines are competing it'll always be a loosing battle for you. And, until you make some drastic changes, and yes you don't some fancy consultant agency from the USA to tell you how to run business or be profitable, it's a common practice in aviation sector that the only way to get profitable is to have passengers. Destinations+Passenger + transfers+ price = profit. Simple right!!
DeleteKnowledge plus constructive criticism from your fellow supporters from here, is all you need to take OU to a next level. I believe in you, so go make this reality. Because we don't need another Malevbor bankruptcy or another airlines. We all want OU airplanes to fly for the next 100 of years. Go make us proud.
Correction >>>>> BA has fully suspended Zagreb flight for winter season claiming poor load factor. Well, that explains everything what's written in my article.In other words, they simply couldn't compete with Ryanair prices. And, until OU takes some drastic changes, poor Croatian taxpayers will continue paying for OU to stays afloat.
DeleteI've been writing what you just wrote for about a decade. And what you suggested to be done, and what I 've been suggesting, will never happen. And ZAG will never become real hub for OU. Because OU does not have management. They have politically appointed aparatchiks instead of real management, DELIBERATELY appointed to continue the treason Ivan Mišetić committed by surrendering croatian aviation market to foreigners, for his personal benefits. Therefore, the word "proud" from your last sentence, and OU, unfortunatelly don't fit together, and even worse, never will. Pozdrav iz Rijeke
DeleteImpressive capacity growth but those load factors are concerning.
ReplyDeleteThey have decided to improve load factor by having flash sales and "outlet" sales on routes in the middle of summer in high season. Says everything on how well they are performing.
DeleteI am affraid, they would just increase capacity, but LF will remain low, hence more losses.
DeleteNot sure for how long the government is allowed to provide state support for them without the EU putting on the brake
You making a comment without understanding, and i mean, really, teully understanding what type of people work there. They couldnt survive a day out in the private sector.
DeleteBravo OU!
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahaha
DeleteSo they’ll have eight A220s by year’s end? Curious how many more they’ll need to completely retire the Dashes and A319s.
ReplyDeleteWell they will be completely gone by 2027. That's in just 2 years.
DeleteAlmost all airlines have or are in the process to retire their A319 fleets.
DeleteIts economics are very bad compared with modern aircraft.
I think if people here in the comments would be running OU, the airline would be at the same stage or even better 59% load factor is a mess
ReplyDeleteAnd it will only get worse because while it is great that new planes have arrived, nothing has been done to improve sales or scheduling. That's the biggest problem with OU. The management has chosen to only deal with the fleet as a magic wand to all their problems without actually taking a deep look at the airline. Because if they did that, they would have to fire themselves.
DeleteExactly, they are not doing anything seriously in terms of pricing/marketing in order to increase that load factor. Wouldnt be surprised if Q1 average loads end up being around 50% with this capacity
DeleteGloom and doom only about OU, haters' favorite target. The transition is underway and going fine. Business model is ok, the onla thing left is the pricing policy which is the main but not also the only reason behind modest LF.
Delete^ Their record losses perfectly fit your attitude that they are doing an amazing job.
DeleteOU is doing fine, everything else is a conspiracy theory!
DeleteNever said such things! You need to learn how to read and understand what you read!
DeleteHe doesn't care to read and understand because he is here with Party duty to advocate crime, corruption and incompetence in OU, and keeping status quo in it, as LHG feeder
DeleteI'm sceptical about these "upgraded" routes considering half of their new routes this summer have been reduced in frequnecies and some are operating 1 weekly for some weeks.
ReplyDeleteRome-Dubrovnik year-round is a welcome surprise. Shows there’s a market if properly served. Hope they add more winter routes from the coast.
ReplyDeleteWe will see about that. Prolonging routes doesn’t mean that there will be passengers
DeleteI'm wondering if this is in response to demand or in response to ITA becoming part of Lufthansa.
DeleteGood question
DeleteStill not sold all of this will work when I see the promo sales for mid summer flights and frequnecy reductions on new routes. But I hope it does and wish them good luck.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere how they are 'increasing' ZAG-LHR from 3 to 4 weekly in January but this isn't true. They always increased LHR from 3 to 4 weekly in winter from January so it's the same as last year.
ReplyDeleteThey can't do anything at LHR until they buy or lease more slots.
DeleteThey could have been smart and introduced 2 weekly LGW in response to BA suspending ZAG over winter.
Deleteor LCY with the A220-100...
DeleteWhen was the last time OU responded to any market developments?
DeleteAgree with @9.14. They could have done LCY with the -100!
DeleteThey need to buy more Heathrow slots.
DeleteToo expensive and very difficult to do. They should have never have sold them in the first place.
DeleteKucko sold them to show profit that one year.
DeleteKucko sold them to cover debts, losses, and mess and tragedy that Mišetić left
DeleteYes, Kucko destroyed the Airline just to make a quick profit.
DeleteNo. Mišetić destroyed company and Kucko acted as firefighter
DeleteTheir Q2 results will be interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteWhen are they expected?
DeleteI think at the end of next week.
DeleteThank you
DeleteIt is good that they do not delay the publishing of their results for months and months.
DeleteActually in recent years they have been delaying it by a month or so.
DeleteCompared with the rest of Europe, not to mention our region publishing results within a month of the quarter's end is impressive.
DeleteThey publish it because they are obligated by law to do so since they are on the Zagreb Stock Exchange.
DeleteGood job on behalf of the Zagreb Stock Exchange.
Delete1009, it's the law, which part don't you get?
DeleteNice pic!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI have to admit the A220 looks really good in OU livery.
DeleteImagine how good A330 or B787 could have looked in OU livery if they weren't humiliated miserable insignificant loss making feeder
DeleteFeeder? LOL
DeleteOU can't make its short haul routes profitable for 35 years and counting, let alone long haul.
DeleteYes, it cannot because it is political entity run by Kradeze aparatchiks. With potentials of Croatia (cpuntry) and wider region, competent management could have made wonders, long-haul included
Delete@9.38 I lovr it too.
DeleteThey can add all the seats they want, but if they don’t improve pricing and marketing, those planes will fly half-empty.
ReplyDeletehalf-empty on A220 would even be a positive surprise after around 60% last year with mostly Q400
DeleteBravo for keeping Berlin and Barcelona year-round!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy too but I can't believe we are celbrating the fact that they will fly to two major European capitals year round.
DeleteMake Croatia Airlines great again
DeleteJasmin is will make it great again as soon as he finishes drinking his coffee. After all, writing he and orange clown are about the same age, so really fit making things great again
DeleteCA is slowly becoming Lufthansa Jr. with all these Munich and Star Alliance-driven routes.
ReplyDeleteSlowly? It's been there for many years.
DeleteJust another conspiracy.
DeleteNot the LDS* sufferer again!
DeleteLDS* Lufthansa Derangement Syndrome
Yeah, tell them Berlin boy!
Delete@09:57
DeleteAre the Lufthansa people in the room with you right now? 😄
Lufthansa HQ are in Cologne, not in Berlin.
DeleteCongrats
ReplyDeleteSo this means even in winter we will continue seeing A220 on their Skopje route🥳
ReplyDeleteThey operate A220 to SKP last winter, why would you not see it in SKP this winter?
DeleteYes right but it was mix of A220 and A319/320 now it is only A220 :)))
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteFor having losses in OU while the profits go to LH? OK, Bravo, you are right 😂
DeleteWhat are you talking about???
DeleteI am talking about sad reality, and about feeding LH for peanuts
DeleteUntil things change inside the airline from the ground up, this sort of new will be meaningless.
ReplyDeleteI recently flew from MUC to ZAG on an evening flight — there were 52 passengers on the Q400!
ReplyDeleteI bought the ticket two weeks in advance for €240.
I don't get why such a high price on 68% load factor.
DeleteI have been on flights with them where load was 40% and costed me 200+. I booked it 1 week in advance. I checked it 3 weeks before for the same flight and price was 160.
Delete@9.47 68% load for Croatia Airlines' standard is outstanding :D
DeleteI think Berlin and BCN will be successful and they may also get some additional transfer passengers
ReplyDeleteIt took just 17 years to have over 1 million seats again in winter...
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never. lol
DeleteIstanbul from Split is a very smart seasonal extension. Hope they look at adding more eastern destinations in winter too. Plenty of potential.
ReplyDeleteYes, but it's Croatia. Mo 21.07. IST-SPU 38 pax
DeleteYikes! What aircraft type was being used?
Delete@12:16 it was CTK, an A320, so load factor was about 22%
DeleteSource, trust me bro
DeleteI was on this flight and was shocked at how empty it was. On the other hand, the outbound flight from SPU to IST on Friday evening was quite full, with probably more Turks/foreigners than Croatians.
DeleteThat's a poor load on high season.
DeleteCroatia Airlines has great potential, but they need to act like a commercial airline not just a national symbol flying half full.
ReplyDeleteThey are not national symbol. They are national shame making profits for Germans.
DeleteGermany is not a neighboring country to Croatia.
Delete@11:48 what exactly is your point?
DeleteHis point is airlines fly only to neighnouring countries 🤣🤣🤣
Delete@11:48 was a response to a Fanboys comment which was deleted.
DeleteBut one thing I can't understand : being fanboy of JU, which grew immensely from Jat Airways ashes and now have really impressive network for relatively small and not exactly rich country, that one I can understand, despite sometimes those fanboys exaggerate and lack objectivity and personally I am very much against fanboy idea. But once again, at least they have some basis for their acting. But being fanboy for total failure which OU is, especially taking into consideration all potentials it had and still has, and being fanboy for miniature miserable feeder full with crime, corruption, nepotism, incompetence, political influence, irresponsibility, inertness, laziness, missed chances and opportunities, which is still existing only by forced donations collected by poor croatian citizens, that kind of fanboys I will never be able to understand. Pozdrav iz Rijeke
DeleteOh, it's this guy again, raging as usual! Boring...
DeleteIt was exactly a century ago when we realized not everything offered will be sold. I just hope this is part of OU’s greater ambition. Cause if not it will be hard to watch them trying to collect money…
ReplyDeleteGood to see some progress.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteSo much for all those annoucnments how they will add Medditeranian destinations to their network.
ReplyDeleteIt would be outside of the Frankfurt-Munich triangle.
DeleteCorrection : Vrankvurt and Minken. That's how they pronounce it at the 3rd floor in Buzin
Delete