Air China is working to build outbound demand from Zagreb and fifth freedom traffic between the Croatian and Romanian capitals following the launch of its new Beijing - Bucharest - Zagreb service earlier this month. The three weekly flights, operated with the Airbus A330-200, are being marketed not only to Chinese visitors but also to Croatian travellers heading to China and passengers flying solely between Zagreb and Bucharest.
Passenger figures from the inaugural service on September 4 highlighted the different traffic flows targeted by the airline. A total of 77 passengers travelled from Beijing to Zagreb via Bucharest, while 56 passengers joined the flight in the Romanian capital for Zagreb. On the return service, 68 passengers were booked to depart Zagreb, of whom 48 were travelling onwards to Beijing and eighteen were bound for Bucharest. Two passengers had other onward destinations.
Zagreb-originating demand is forming an important part of the route. Croatian tour operators have begun offering organised packages to Beijing using the new Air China flights, while the airline has also been actively promoting the Bucharest - Zagreb sector, which it is permitted to sell under fifth freedom rights, with return fares of around 100 euros. Air China currently faces no nonstop competition between the two capitals. The development of outbound demand is also aided by China's visa-free regime for Croatian passport holders, which currently permits stays of up to thirty days for tourism and several other purposes until December 31, 2026.
At the same time, efforts are underway to boost inbound traffic from China. Zagreb Tourist Board Director Martina Bienenfeld recently took part in promotional activities in Beijing aimed at strengthening tourism links between the two markets. The event was attended by Air China President Qu Guangji, Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and Croatia’s Ambassador to China, Dario Mihelin. Ms Bienenfeld said, “China is a significant long haul market for both Zagreb and Croatia, with strong potential for growth and longer visitor stays”. She added that the new flights improve Zagreb’s accessibility and create new opportunities for cooperation with partners in China. The Zagreb Tourist Board is also expected to cooperate with Air China on joint promotional activities aimed at increasing demand for the route.
Ambassador Mihelin said the flights are filling “very well”, adding that visa demand had surged since tickets went on sale. Local travel agencies have also reported growing demand for holiday packages to Croatia. Air China plans to maintain the Beijing - Bucharest - Zagreb service on a year-round basis, with flights continuing into the 2027 summer season.
Good luck
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn't Croatia Airlines done a codeshare agreement with Air China? It would help both sides for this route.
ReplyDeleteIt's too early for them
DeleteSo someone would have to change plane twice to get to Beijing?
DeleteCode share to where exactly? They closed almost all non hub destinations. Bejing is already directly connected to Vrankvurt and Minken
DeleteSkopje, Sarajevo and domestic destinations
DeleteYeah, Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar are obvious ones. Popular with Chinese tourists, lots of daily frequencies, etc.
DeleteThose numbers are not that great
ReplyDeleteThe inaugural figures are not bad considering this is a completely new and rather unusual route. The real test will be how the loads develop after the initial launch period.
DeleteThree weekly A330 flights are a lot of capacity for Zagreb, especially during winter. Hopefully the Bucharest stop and fifth freedom traffic will help fill the aircraft.
DeleteKeep in mind tickets were only on sale for a bit over a month.
DeleteNumbers between Beijing and Zagreb are weak, but the loads from Bucharest to Zagreb are good.
DeleteWho on Earth would send wide body from Asia to fly in EU such small route. Of course they have great plans for Zag. It will be largest arrival point of chiense passengers for this part of Europe soon.
DeleteSomeone should have told them that OU and RO already failed miserably at OTP. ZAG route. Even with turboprops
DeleteRO and OU are two of the leading Airlines in Eastern Europe. Tarom will bounce back once restructuring is completed
DeleteYou guys are envious. Zag Otp can strive
DeleteIt is encouraging that Air China is actively trying to develop outbound traffic rather than relying almost entirely on Chinese tour groups. That should make the route more sustainable throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteA nonstop flight would be much better and help numbers
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteFifth freedom rights make this route much more viable. Without the additional passengers between Bucharest and Zagreb, operating three times per week throughout winter would be considerably more difficult.
DeleteThe return fare to Bucharest is excellent, but Air China needs to advertise it properly. Many people in Croatia probably have no idea that they can book this flight without travelling onwards to Beijing.
ReplyDeleteThe inaugural numbers tell it all.
ReplyDeletePeople are focusing too much on the first flight. One rotation tells us very little. We need to see average loads over several months, particularly during the winter.
DeleteIt will be interesting to see whether the Zagreb-Bucharest demand remains strong once the introductory fares disappear. At €100 return, it is naturally very attractive.
ReplyDeleteYeah and flying a widebody to Zagreb on such a short sector must be very profitable.
DeleteHopefully Croatian tour operators will offer more than just standard organised tours to Beijing. China has enormous tourism potential, and the flight can also provide connections to many destinations across Asia.
ReplyDeleteThis is how a new long-haul route should be developed. Cooperation between the airline, tourist board, travel agencies, airport and diplomatic representatives.
ReplyDeleteAll in vain. Route where visas are needed and 3 hours stopover have no bright future, especially in the dead of the winter.
DeleteGetting Schengen visa for Chinese to enter as part of tour groups is not that difficult.
DeleteWhat is the point then? Chinese economy is larger than EUs by far. It's just demotivating for tourism.
DeleteChina is very large with a billion people. So there is a reason for the visas. Otherwise, they would not be there.
DeleteI hope it works out. It's a good airline to have within the airport's portfolio.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the final outcome, it is great to see another intercontinental airline investing in Zagreb. The airport now needs to help ensure the route becomes established rather than treating the launch itself as the achievement.
DeleteThe service could also attract passengers from Slovenia and Bosnia if the fares and connections are competitive. Zagreb’s local market does not have to support the entire route on its own.
ReplyDeleteThat is why a codeshare with OU would help
DeleteIs a codeshare needed? Aren't they both in Star Alliance anyway?
DeleteUseless Party entity filled with uhljebs, inert, incompetent and corrupt. Expect absolutely nothing from them. Except feeding Mutti in Minken and Vrankvurt
DeleteAir China should offer attractive connections beyond Beijing. Zagreb alone may not generate enough demand, but access to Japan, South Korea and other Chinese cities could transform the economics of the service.
Delete+1 ladt anon
Delete*last
DeleteI wonder how many passengers travelling between Bucharest and Zagreb will choose Air China once they realise they are flying on a wide body aircraft. It is certainly a more comfortable option than a regional jet.
ReplyDeleteThat's only option actually
DeleteThis route has more potential than some people think. Trade between Croatia and China, organised tourism, local outbound passengers and fifth freedom traffic all contribute different sources of demand.
ReplyDeleteWe will see
DeleteWill the visa free arrangement be extended?
ReplyDeleteMost likely. Dec 31 is already an extension on before.
DeleteLet us see the figures in November and February.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with the expected Air Serbia expansion announcement? I thought it was going to happen at the end of September.
ReplyDeleteThe first flight carried 133 passengers to Zagreb when the Beijing and Bucharest traffic is combined. That is not spectacular for an A330, but it is a reasonable starting point for a new route.
ReplyDeleteNot every new route must immediately be declared either a spectacular success or a complete failure. Sometimes a market simply needs time to develop.
DeleteThe service is good news, but Zagreb still needs a proper nonstop connection to Beijing. The Bucharest stop adds time and makes the product less competitive for business travellers.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about the onboard service between Bucharest and Zagreb. Do passengers receive anything?
ReplyDeleteA trip report would be nice :)
DeleteYes! I would love to see a trip report from someone flying Zagreb–Beijing. Information about the Bucharest stop, meals, cabin comfort and transfer options in Beijing.
DeleteI'm booked on OTP-ZAG next month, will try to do one if I can.
DeleteLove it! Well done to all involved
ReplyDeleteNice to see state/ city actively supporting the route
ReplyDeleteWhat are the PEK-OTP-PEK sector loads like?
ReplyDeleteSome Romanian site wrote about the loads to OTP (on the inaugural) and they were not great either. Again can't judge everything on one flight.
DeleteCould the stop eventually move from Bucharest to another city if Romanian demand underperforms?
DeleteLove how you just assume that OTP could underperform and ZAG not.
DeleteSome concerned commenters are very upset about Air China flying to ZAG.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why that is.
It's an aviation site and people are discussing. I don't see anyone particularly concerned. Or would you only want to read 100 comments saying Bravo and well done? There are those too. You can always write that yourself and actually contribute to the discussion rather than being bitter.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteIf rumors of Ljubljana getting direct China fights are true, it could spell the end of these flights. Or maybe Ljubljana gets Shanghai and Zagreb keeps the Beijing route... We'll see in about a month or so
ReplyDeleteIn both cases that would reduce connecting traffic to China for JU
Delete^ I'm pretty sure you are the first to claim that they don't have connecting traffic at all, it just depends on the news. And of course it won't affect Air China in Zagreb. It will affect JU.
DeleteIn my case, I avoid JU to China, I use them for USA (and even that has now been taken over KLM with the morning departure), so I think MAYBE 4 pax both ways per return will be the cost per JU destination combined
DeleteGreat. Good for you.
DeleteI'm the author of 11:05 JU base in Ljubljana consists of about 70% of connecting traffic from LJU, but from my experience about 2-5 pax on the any ATR from or to LJU are connecting to the long houl flights of JU. Most of them use these flights to connect to intra EU (last time I flew about 10 were bound to OTP). So JU will lose about 2-5 pax if LJU gets direct China connection, which isn't tragic at all. I think JU will lose way more if LJU gets LJU-OTP, LJU-SJJ, LJU-PRG, LJU-FCO...
DeleteI don't think JU would lose much. If demand is lower, they will fly less and move the plane to another airport. They can grab some passengers from LJU by just flying to Gratz.
Delete10.56
DeleteYou mean the same as flydubai ended operations in Zagreb when Ljubljana started, which was similarly announced (hoped for)?
There was some article here that the ambassador is also talking with Cathay. Now that would be huge.
ReplyDeleteYep
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/06/croatia-holds-talks-with-cathay-pacific.html
Hong Kong would be fantastic. Especially with Cathay.
DeleteA bit weird, I’m not sure EU airline would be allowed to fly between two Chinese airports, right?
ReplyDeleteThey wouldn't
DeleteThere is too much airport rivalry in the comments whenever Zagreb gets a new service. A stronger long haul network anywhere in the region is positive and may encourage other airlines to take a closer look.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteAbsolutely agree
DeleteFeeder traffic from the Adriatic region would be much easier with coordinated connections between OU and CA.
ReplyDeleteGive them some time. They only launched the flights a few weeks ago.
DeleteI would not expect that ZAG would get flights to China ahead of US.
ReplyDeleteAir China is a serious player, so well done ZAG.
ReplyDelete