Croatian Airlines signed an agreement with Airbus for a firm order of six A220-300s, which will be complemented by nine more to be added through leasing, bringing the total number of aircraft of that model that it will operate to 15, partly replacing previous-generation aircraft.
“Today’s signing of a contract for the purchase of state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft is a very special moment for all of us at Croatia Airlines. It marks the beginning of a new period of aviation, a new period in the life of Croatia Airlines, a new period for our passengers, and a new period for Croatia’s tourism and economy as a whole,” said Jasmin Bajić, CEO and President of the Management Board of Croatia Airlines.
“We are thrilled to add Croatia Airlines as a new A220 customer. The A220 is ideally suited to Croatia’s aviation needs, providing operational flexibility and efficiency allowing its airline to pursue its ambition for both regional and international connectivity without compromising on any aspect, be it passenger comfort or trip and seat cost economics,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International.
Airbus also highlighted the long history they have with Croatia Airlines, which began 25 years ago when they incorporated their first A320 aircraft and continues to this day by operating a fleet of five A319s and two A320s.
There are currently more than 230 A220s operating on 16 airlines around the world serving 325 destinations on more than 800 routes. At the end of October the order backlog exceeded 780 aircraft.
Croatia Airlines has its main hub in Zagreb, from where it serves a network reaching 19 European destinations.
Cirium data indicates that in November the airline had an offer of 179,724 seats on 1,765 flights, which represented a recovery of 90.4% compared to the same month in 2019, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. In December, the recovery would reach 93%.
