Croatia Airlines plans to strengthen operations and connectivity across Europe and the Mediterranean as it prepares to take delivery of the seventh of fifteen Airbus A220 aircraft. Davor Mišić, Croatia Airlines’ Director of Operations, said, “Our key priorities are centred around continuing the successful implementation of our fleet renewal program, with additional Airbus A220 aircraft set to arrive. Training our crew remains a top priority, as we must ensure safe and efficient operations with the new aircraft. We’re also strengthening existing strategic partnerships and exploring new route opportunities within Europe and the Mediterranean as we work to further improve connectivity and support Croatia’s economic growth”.
Looking beyond the immediate challenges of the ongoing fleet transition, Croatia Airlines has outlined the company’s long-term goals. “We’re focusing on further business optimisation, fleet modernisation and enhanced competitiveness”, Mr Mišić said. He added, “Once the fleet renewal is completed, our focus will shift to consolidating the benefits of this investment, ensuring improved operational reliability, cost efficiency and environmental performance. Over the next five years, we aim to strengthen our role as Croatia’s national carrier by continuing to provide safe, high-quality and reliable service, while supporting the country’s connectivity, tourism and economic development”.
Croatia Airlines yesterday presented the 149-seat A220-300 in Ljubljana as it looks to attract more passengers from the neighbouring market. The event was attended by business partners, journalists and travel agents. “By doing so, we emphasised the importance of the Slovenian market, cooperation with local partners, as well as the strategic importance of the largest renewal of our fleet in the company's history”, Croatia Airlines said. In May, carrier held talks with the Slovenian government over the potential expansion of its network, however, more specific and detailed proposals were not presented at the meeting.
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| Croatia Airlines A220-300 in Ljubljana |
Croatia Airlines is set to take delivery of its first 127-seat A220-100 aircraft in the coming weeks and has brought forward the type’s introduction into commercial service from October 26 to October 10. Based on the existing schedule, which is subject to change, the aircraft will debut on the Zagreb - Munich service, after which it will operate a rotation between Zagreb and Dubrovnik, as well as Zagreb and Hamburg. During October, the jet will also be deployed to Split, Skopje, Bucharest, Milan, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Brussels, Berlin and Rome. The A220-100 will be the fifth aircraft delivered to the carrier this year, and the seventh A220 overall, with another eight units to arrive by 2027, including one more A220-100.
They should have got more of the -100 series.
ReplyDeleteI agree
DeleteWe shoudn't have got any -100, only -300!
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteHe became good at corporate gibberish, impressive.
DeleteThe impression is conveyed that the current fleet was stopping them from achieving these phenomenal results.
Probably AI generated...
OU flew the Slovenian Football National Team from BSL to LJU. Good action by presenting same time the aircraft to the Slovenian Travel industry.
ReplyDeleteWill they base an A220 in Ljubljana?
ReplyDeleteNo
DeleteIt would the stupidest of all their moves, to base a plane at an hour driving distance from their base, but hell, maybe they do it.
DeleteDesperate financial times call for desperate measures...
DeleteThe distance is 2 hours and it would not be stupid. Slovenia would pay for it, there is a martlet in Ljubljana to tap into, or maybe even they could fly for Lufthansa.
DeleteA smart move would be not to base any aircraft in Ljubljana but to fly loads of W-rotations, for example from Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Dubrovnik, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Athens.
"or maybe even they could fly for Lufthansa"
DeleteBecause the current LH-feeding model works so great, so you think they should expand it by opening another hub?
And there is a proof OU loses money exactly because of flights to LH hubs?
Delete"or maybe even they could fly for Lufthansa."
DeleteNational carrier, funded by the government, to fly ACMI for Lufthansa. Peak logic.
Maybe they could fly for LH...
DeleteWhom are they flying for currently???
Finally some progress
ReplyDeleteInteresting he didn't mention anything about their finances.
ReplyDeleteWhat to say?
DeleteThe truth.
DeleteYeah don't expect that.
DeleteRyanair is expanding aggressively in the Balkans. Croatia Airlines needs to speed up its growth
ReplyDeleteThe Balkans have absolutely not seen Ryanair become aggressive yet.
DeleteYeap, flying London, Vienna and any competitive destination for 19 euros, for months and all of this at the same time will be sign of their aggressive approach and intent to get rid of key competitors, especially when they smell blood. That being sad, I think they gave OU some break they usually don't gift to others.
DeleteCTN should commence flights from Ljubljana ASAP. there is even no need to base an A/C there due to proximity of ZAG anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhich new routes could they add next?
ReplyDeleteThey should start with anywhere FR doesn’t fly to yet because OU cannot compete with them in their Current State
DeleteMLA, LCA, HER, RHO would be good.
DeleteThey can't compete against Ryanair to MLA or LCA (Ryan serves Paphos)
Deletesummer seasonal ZAG-OHD could work.
DeleteFor whom exactly? Croatian tourist going to Ohrid or diaspora transferring via Zagreb to Munich/Frankfurt? Or?
DeleteFor people from west Macedonia and east Albania spending summer at Croatian coast, maybe even working there...
DeleteThey have now Albania for summer work.
DeleteThey have a plan? lol
ReplyDeleteBravo OU!
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣
DeleteLooking forward to seeing what new routes OU has chosen
ReplyDeleteThey will fly Zad-Muc this winter
DeleteExciting times ahead.
ReplyDeleteA220 appears to be a game changer for OU.
In doubling their debt, yes.
DeleteIt’s about time Croatia Airlines ramps up its routes and capacity. I’d love to see flights to more destinations in Eastern Europe too.
ReplyDeleteThey can't do it anymore now they have the A220. It's too large.
DeleteThey could sooo easily offer connections via ZAG from from the north to the South. BER-ATH via ZAG and so many more. Rome via ZAG is so feasable from the northern markets if the introduced direct ZAG-ATH/FCO and other. So much demand.
DeleteThere are at least 2 to 3 daily flights between Berlin and Athens direct, plus countless connecting options already. Surely almost every major city in Europe is connected with Rome with one low cost airline or another.
DeleteWhilst OU should be better at connections the question is where to? Back in the day they were great at connecting Sarajevo and Skopje with western Europe, but those cities nowadays have a good level of direct connection.
No place for Croatia on (wider) European transfers anymore, it's occupied. They can only fight with long haul, but they don't want to, so their destiny is sealed if you ask me. They'll depend on the state money as long as state sees interest in financing OU's indolence and that's it.
DeleteOk zama academy expert
DeleteIt all sounds great and exciting and then you see their financial report and realize what a huge negative impact these expensive planes are having on their bottom line. I can't help but think that there must have been a cheaper alternative with which this welcomed growth could have been achieved.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteEmbraer was always going to be a cheaper and more suitable option for capacity too.
DeleteIt is not cheaper at all.
DeleteFinally something happening at OU
ReplyDelete09.28
DeleteYeah. More shit is happening. And bigger shit. Everything remains the same except additional costs for lease of planes which were till recently owned. Political influence and corruptive acts, single type fleet decision included, remain. Their main purpose as feeder to LHG remains. They offer almost no connections anywhere and have no proper waves, and it remains the same. They are totally invisible on foreign markets, tiny and irrelevant which remains the same. No plans for long haul in next 5 years, which is the biggest unused potential from Croatia and the way something to start happening. Remains the same. Incompetent management remains the same, almost non existing marketing remains, finances will only go worse or in the best case remain the same, so sorry to disappoint you and your view through the pink glasses but unfortunately nothing is happening in OU, except as I said in the beginning, more shit and bigger shit.
Moderator, why is this individual’s foul language tolerated on the portal?
DeleteThank you!
Because that individual is speaking painful truth you desperately want to hide.
DeleteYou are welcome!
+1
DeleteI’d love to see Croatia Airlines add more flights to Scandinavia and Nordics, especially from Zagreb cities like Oslo and Helsinki. There’s a big Croatian diasproa and it would be a great connection for tourism both ways
ReplyDeleteI don't get that SAS doesn't fly to ZAG. Odd
DeleteNow that they have become part of Sky Team it is a possibility. Makes more sense than PRN which they flew until recently.
Delete@9.52 PRN and SKP have a huge diaspora in Scandinavia.
DeleteHow convenient, OU has couple of daily flights to Scandinavia so now SKP and PRN, with their 3 daily flights to ZAG, have one way more to get to destination. Oh wait...
DeleteScandinavians are seasonal flyers. Why would they go to Zag in summer when Split, Dubrovnik and Zadar are far more appealing. Split receives multiple daily flights from all over Scandinavian.
DeleteIt's going to be a great year for Zagreb Airport next year again. That's for sure.
ReplyDeleteWithout doubt. Plus I expect new routes from Ryanair.
DeleteLots of plans...
ReplyDeleteSeems to be more of the same
DeleteLooks like they have a good and ambitious plan to transform themselves.
ReplyDeleteLOL 😂😂😂😂😂
DeleteThe funny thing is that they already had a fleet with which they could launch new routes in Europe and the Mediterranean.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
ReplyDeleteThe Airbus A220 is a solid upgrade for Croatia Airlines. Fuel efficient, quieter and more comfortable for passengers.
ReplyDeleteFrom some of passenger's point of view, it might be a slight upgrade, although majority of passengers don't care at all which type of plane they fly and they don't even know the difference between types. From business point of view, it's pure downgrade. All services they are now introducing or planning to introduce were possible with the old fleet, and operational costs of new fleet will not be lower enough to compensate for price of its lease compared to former Airbus family fleet which was paid off and owned.
DeleteBullshit take. You can't operate 30 year old overused Airbuses efficiently.
DeletePIR: Have you ever flown on an A220? What was your impression?
DeleteAdvantages of the Croatia A220 vs. the very old A320 from my passenger perspective: USB port and holder for mobile phone, internet access (even 10 minutes free), much larger windows, one row has only 2 seats, more space in the toilet, more space for hand luggage, new seats, speaker system much better and more understandable, more pleasant lighting during night flights, good seat pitch
Deletehow many people really care about this when most flights are around 2 hours not 4 plus I thought the A320 and the A319 were perfectly comfortable.
Delete12.48
DeleteI did. Several times. Swiss and Air Baltic. For me, the plane is absolutely nothing special. Personally, haven't noticed it being quieter or having more space in the toilet or having better public address system. Also USB ports and device holders as well as internet, again from my point of view, are irrelevant for majority of one hour feeding services that OU operates. The only advantage of the plane is being new, but I see zero cabin comfort advantages compared to direct competitors. And in operational costs and overall price it's incomparably worse to its direct competitor, Embraer family, which even has more diverse and wider capacity range variants. A220 as single type fleet in OU is political decision "covered" by BCG highly corruptive deal and the single type A220 fleet is totally opposite of what requirements of the croatian market are
Interesting, thanks for the feedback. In my opinion, the majority of older passengers see it the same way you do—there's no significant difference. For the younger generation, things like USB ports, internet, and larger compartments for hand luggage are relevant, even on short flights. They're always online, even when they're watching a movie in the cinema. You might miss something :-)
DeletePIR
DeleteAnother bullshit take. If A220 was so much worse, then it wouldn't dominate the market against E2.
16.37
DeleteWhere did I write E2? Maybe you should read more carefully before calling anything bullshit? But it's interesting that mentioning shit in my previous post provokes "bullshitting' on me. Središnjica has obviously propaganda staff both Goebels and Stasi can envy on.
15.30
DeleteYounger population use much much more LCC than legacies. OU passenger structure consists much more of older than younger generation. Therefore, thanks for proving my point. And please, in future, don't judge people by date of their birth, because we are not all the same, and some "old' people are much younger in spirit than ones young by birth date only 🙂
"Središnjica" has nothing to do any people here and you know that well. It's only that you have no arguments against facts.
DeleteLOL 😂
DeleteJak ti je argument 🥴
DeleteSorry, but with this management nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteThey keep saying how they will reduce costs but A220 isn't a magic plane. Most of their losses are result of a flawed and lazy strategy, not aircraft.
ReplyDeleteOnly thing is I don’t get is what’s the point of single type airline, if you have to wet lease several aircraft of different type.
ReplyDeleteNew York, Seoul and Singapore/Bangkok could all work for OU. Pity they have no other plans than to shuttle pax through FRA/MUC.
ReplyDeleteWith A222?!?
Delete^ obviously not.
DeleteI think there is even more potential. China and Japan even.
DeleteCroatia Airlines could have launched long haul flights over a decade ago and been profitable on long haul services long ago. It would be ludicrous for them to do it now. They have one of the lowest average load factors in Europe. Under 60% and that's just on European flights.
DeleteWhat are the busiest unserved long haul routes from Zagreb?
Deleteat 10:21. Please tell me that you're not serious. Do you realise the economics of long haul flying and the need to FILL seats, especially premium ones. OU is the flag carrier of a country of 3.8million people. For its size and seasonality the airline should stick to its current size and concentrate on profitability and state connectivity.
DeleteBut it is chronically unprofitable for years. Even the restructuring they had after burning through 100+ million euros of state aid was a failure.
Delete10.40
DeleteHe or she is serious and I share the opinion. I also think he/she missed to list Chicago, Delhi and Peking. Yes, Croatia has 3.8 mil people but it has huuuge overseas diaspora and 2 million tourists from long-haul markets who are at the same time in good percentage high yield passengers. It also has entire Balkans as transfer pool. Empty seats on medium range fleet are result of incompetent management, and with proper professional management, decent regional network, adequate fleet and good marketing those seats wouldn't be empty. On the contrary, long and short haul would feed which other and complement to which other. The last sentence which says they should remain within the current size speaks for itself because only GROWTH, long-haul included, is solution to save OU from Adria destiny. Except for those advocating political and economic crime and corruption which led to both current size and current state and status of OU
I mean, if there are foreign companies flying long haul from different parts of the world to Croatia, of course there's room for Croatia Airlines. But it requires cutting the ties with LH which, I think, OU can't do on its own...
DeleteIt doesn't require anything but a good planning.
DeleteYour living room manager should definitely advise airlines like Aegean on long-haul
DeleteDa postoji ikakav ozbiljan potencijal za long haulom u Zagrebu, ali i regiji općenito, možda bi strane aviokompanije reagirale kao što i reagiraju na potražnju za short haul letovima. No eto, sve je to jasno, bijedno i nikakvo.
DeleteEventualno Dubrovnik ima ozbiljniju potražnju za long haulom.
Iz jednog grada u regiji prometuje pet cjelogodišnjih long-haul linija na kojima lete tri aviokompanije.
DeleteAjde molim te opet pročitaj komentar.
Delete13.33
DeleteYou really compare foreign airlines compare to single destination with synergy of home based carrier and its hub? It's incomparable my friend and it's the situation that creates demand. But you obviously don't get it.
Foreign airlines flying to single destination
Delete13.01
DeleteIcelandair?
TAP?
Air Azores?
Neos?
HiSky?
Air Serbia?....
Do they have living room managers as well?
And how many of them have been economically successful overall over the last 10 years, without government subsidies? Even TAP has to sell off part of its assets to survive in a larger alliance. Just like Air Europa. In the long run, we all know where this is headed, just look at the US market.
DeletePIR
DeleteSorry, ali stvarno mi je nejasno o kakvoj "sinergiji domaćeg huba" pričas? Imati hub u Zagrebu nije apsolutno nikakva prednost i daleko je bolje imati "sinergiju domaćeg huba" u New Yorku nego u Zagrebu. A zašto stranci ne navaljuju na long haul u regiji, a sve vrvi o potencijalnim putnicima od Ljubljane do Skopja je nešto o čemu valja diskutirati, no eksperti poput tebe očito nisu spremni za tu diskusiju.
15.36
DeleteAll of them are much more successful than OU. Like all businesses, they have ups and downs but OU is continuos disaster with no single positive result and eternal debts and losses, which does make the difference, and what you refuse to admit
16.33
I am not comparing New York and Zagreb but Zagreb with and without real hub. I am not claiming to be an expert, but we can't talk if you don't understand or pretend not to understand what do I talk about
Bio hub u Zagrebu razvijen ili ne, ne važno je za razvoj long haula koji ponajprije ovisi o premium putnicima, a kakvih u regiji (koja je geografski logično područje za otvaranje feed linija za hub) gotovo i da nema. Ima li smisla long haul u Croatiji? Da, ali ne na način da se stvara megalomanska kaša od mreže sa letovima za Delhi, Bangkok, Peking, Seoul, Rio ili gdje god već ne.
DeleteBudapest is showing ZAG (also other large ExYu airports) how it should be done. Next summer BUD is getting two new seasonal transatlantic routes:
DeleteAmerican Airlines PHL-BUD 787-8 starting May 21, 2026
Air Canada YYZ-BUD 787-9 starting Jun 6, 2026
PIR
DeleteThey are not all successful businesses.
Comparing to OU, they are. More than just successful.
DeleteOU nije parametar uspjeha, a samim time je besmisleno dokazivati nečiji uspjeh usporedbom sa OU.
DeleteThis article is about OU. In this sub-chapter others started comparison with Aegean to beat my arguments. I just continued with comparison, listing 6:1. And then, suddenly, no comparison allowed when OU in question. Everything clear to me, hope to other readers as well.
DeleteBože moj... Aegean je uspješna aviokompanija i zato je smisleno raditi usporedbe.
DeleteZanimljivo da ni jedna od tih 6 superuspješnih firmi ne leti ni za Delhi, ni za Seoul, ni za Bangkok, ni za Peking, ni za Tokyo.
Croatia is state owned, Aegean is private enterprise. Greece has saturated long-haul market with many airlines operating, rep. of Croatia does not have and that is where growth space is, which long-haul passengers are instead of own growth funneled to LHG and voluntarily handed to others. So, situation of Greece and Croatia are not "smisleno" comparable. And, every single market has it own specifics, long-haul included, and 6 listed companies not operating some of destinations that could suit OU means nothing. But I do understand that crime and corruption which led to midget size and shameful feeder role of OU must be advocated by any means in order for everything to remain just as it is
DeleteO čemu ti pričaš? Koncept za koji se zalaže je nemoguć što god da napravio.
DeleteYes, I know it's impossible with criminal organization in charge whose members care about their pockets only instead of social and economic development on all levels within the country. And I write as an attempt to change things which are currently impossible. Sad you can't see it.
DeleteNe, ne moguć je zbor tržišta koje ne podržava takav koncept. Korupcija s druge strane prevenira dolazak kvalitetnog kadra koji bi učinio kompaniju uspješnom.
DeleteWe have diferrent opinions on our market as both emitive and receptive, much more receptive, of course. But let me try just with one argument for just one last time convince you why do I think you are wrong : OU's disastrous market share of 13 %. Just try to imagine that market share is trippled and upped to 35-40 %. Do you still think, with 13 milion pax, 2 mil from distant markets, big part of them high yielding, that there is no space for scheduled long-haul with few selected strongest North American and Asian destinations with strong partners and numerous code shares on both sides? And this was more or less rethoric question and I presume you will keep on with your opinion, the same that I will do with mine. Therefore this is my last post on this topic. Btw I would like to thank you for civilized and argumented discussion despite our diferrent views and opinions.
Delete" Do you still think, with 13 milion pax, 2 mil from distant markets, big part of them high yielding"
DeleteZa ovo imam nekoliko pitanja:
Pod broj 1, koji je izvor za ovo
I pod broj , što točno znači "high yielding".
I da long haul u OU nije nerealan, odnosno potreban je, no to nema veze sa nerealnim idejama o letovima za Bangkok, Delhi i gdje god već ne.
Time to privatize.
ReplyDeleteLong overdue
DeleteJudging by the presentation yesterday, I think there is a big chance of them stationing A220 in Ljubljana next year, operating summer destinations, as well as charter flights, that's why they presented the aircraft to tour operators. The tender that's active until 25.10 is the last one before PSO flights too, so we could see a big shift in the market then
ReplyDeleteBritish Airways is stopping the LHR-ZAG route in October. The three OU flights remaining at LHR are poorly timed unless you want to stay in Zagreb. Hard to get anywhere..no buses/coaches etc. I know OU sold slots at LHR but any chance of some new flights from maybe LGW.
ReplyDeleteRyanair is hurting them with their very competitive fares from STN to ZAG ( and yes you pay for luggage and chosen seat on OU just as you do with Ryanair..hardly a single advantage to flying OU.
Personally i dont like STN and i have business connections that are south of London.
OU will probably wildly increase fares to/from LHR as BA's end of route approaches.
OU should introduce LCY with new A220-100.
DeleteAs soon as Jasmin finishes his coffee 🙂
DeleteIt would fly half empty most of the time, but yeah it would look cool however! I would suggest Dubrovnik London city however..x2 weekly in summer.
Delete