Croatia Airlines has outlined its planned new operations for the 2017 summer season which will include the launch of four new seasonal routes from Zagreb. Starting this May, the carrier will introduce services to Bucharest, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. Operations to the Romanian and Swedish capitals will commence on May 19, while flights to Helsinki and Oslo will launch on May 21. None of the four are currently served out of the Croatian capital. The services will run until mid-October. With exception to Oslo, which will be maintained twice per week, all other flights will operate three times per week.
Croatia Airlines will wet-lease two 100-seat Bombardier CRJ1000 aircraft from Spanish regional carrier Air Nostrum, also known as Iberia Regional, in order to cater for the expansion. The jets will be deployed on flights to Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm, while Bucharest will be served by Croatia Airlines' regional 76-seat Dash 8 turboprop aircraft. The CRJ1000s will also be utilised on several other of the carrier's existing services, replacing the Fokker 100 which was leased from Trade Air last year. The Croatian carrier has never operated scheduled flights to Bucharest, Helsinki or Oslo. On the other hand, it suspended operations to Stockholm in the early 2000s.
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| Air Nostrum CRJ1000 |
Commenting on the new route launches, the company said, "This is the second consecutive year in which Croatia Airlines will expand its network with four international routes. Last year, the company introduced direct flights from Zagreb to Lisbon, Milan, Prague and St. Petersburg, which will also be performed this tourist season. Thus, within a period of 365 days, our passengers have been offered as many as eight new international routes. This way, the company provides strong support to the development of Croatian tourism and the overall business sector". The General Manager of Bucharest Airport, Liviu Radu, noted, ”I would like to welcome our new partners and congratulate them on choosing Bucharest as their newest destination. We are fully dedicated to deliver services of the highest quality to passengers and airlines and I am convinced that this is just the beginning of a long partnership between Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport and Croatia Airlines”.
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Great :) I was hoping they would be year long though, not seasonal.
ReplyDeleteThe new routes they launched last year are becoming seasonal this year so maybe these will become seasonal next year.
DeleteYou mean year-round :)
Deleteyes
DeleteI agree also. Kiev too would be worth trying. maybe next Summer season ans see how it goes.
DeleteIf it goes well it should be kept for the whole year.
Nice! and the CRJ 1000 is a much better options than the Fokker 100s.
ReplyDeleteThat's a rubbish plane. Still, good to see they're "expanding" their fleet. :)
ReplyDeleteThey are not expanding their fleet, they are expanding their network by using someone else's fleet. It will be interesting to see how these routes will perform, because wet-leasing aircraft and crews in the summer is the most expensive time of year to do so - meaning they will need to charge high fares in order to recover costs and make a contribution to their cost base. That said, they have chosen wisely because they will have no direct competition on these routes, allowing them to charge the higher fares they will need in order to get any benefit from operating these flights...
DeleteI meant why is the CRJ 1000 a 'rubbish' plane?
DeleteIt's not a rubbish air frame, it's just the posters baseless personal opinion. Yawn, move on, next......
DeleteAir Nostrum has some 6 years old CRK, but there are also a lot of new ones in their fleet.
Delete6 years is really young, especially compared to 25-30 year old ATRs and Boeings :)
DeleteYeah, great airframe. A 7 times stretched business jet from the 80's. Very comfortable for the passengers.
DeleteYes, but those 25 year old ATR's and Boeing 737's are 100% owned, so no ownership or leasing costs = 100% goes into the airline's pocket unlike expensive short term high season wet leases, which goes into someone else's pocket.
DeleteThink about that one ....
I do - thank you - and rest in peace with my opinion.
DeleteEver considered the maintenance time, efforts, costs, and the worse reliability causing trouble to your customers? Let alone the reputation of those birds and thus lower reputation of the airline company as a whole?
Also, if you own those birds, u have to employ people for them (and those are not few), insure these old birds which is very expensive, plus they also consume a lot more fuel than modern aircraft.
Nothing is worse, or more expensive then leasing additional air frames for high season long term if you have no where to fly them in a sustainable manner on a yearly basis. Even worse having to park them.
DeleteIf you think that it costs more... You are free to have that opinion...
DeleteI think it's a good collection of destinations and with the other 4 launched last year they now have a pretty good spread. The only thing I am dissapointed about is the fleet. They promised between 4 to 6 regional planes and none of this has materialised yet again.
ReplyDeleteProbably no money for RJs.
DeleteI'm still happier with the CRJ 1000 then the old Fokker. A step in the right direction and it is good for them to test the plane if they ever actually think of something to fill that gap between the Dash's and Airbuses.
DeleteExcuse my ignorance, but has OU choose not to use Trade Air's horrible Fokker's any more? If yes, then's it's a wise decision on OU's behalf.
Delete^ Yes it says in the article. Two CRJs are replacing the F100.
DeleteOU will take new RJ's after the leasing deal for the Q400's to replace them. i think the leasing contract ends next year...?! and the new ones w(sh)ould be hopefully Cseries 100. The same house like Q400, Bombardier.!
DeleteAnd when does it expire?
DeleteOh no - I really hope they do not replace their workhorse Dash with a much less efficient and much more fuel consuming jet aircraft for the short haul routes of sometimes just 25mins duration. That would be an economical and commercial damn dumb suicide.
DeleteI must conclude it is a wise decision for once from OU management that they now seem to have introduced a strategy of leasing some more planes every summer rather than their initial plan of buying planes for which they will have no use for during 5-6 months each year. The costs for seasonal leaeses must be much lower. The downside being that they will have to keep a number of routes only seasonal, however that should be rather an advantage given the low demand in winter time.
Very good move from OU actually.
Leasing planes for 5-6 months per year during high demand summer is very expensive.
DeleteYep, which means high fares...
DeleteNot as high as buying new planes, hiring pilots, cabin crew, mechanics etc. for them, maintaining them, insuring them, and so on.
DeleteAnd then using all that for only 5 months per year, the rest you are paying for all of the above too - but with no income.
Think again.
Q400s are staying in the fleet, it was lease to own, OU now owns the aircraft, well final payments for these aircraft will be made this year.
DeleteThis will free fresh capital to agree on new lease to own 4-6 brand new aircraft.
Bombardier is preferred choice, CS100 most likely choice. We'll know in 1 year time.
AnonymousMarch 5, 2017 at 4:22 AM
DeleteThank you. Indeed great info's. So we can count the days to have +/- 20 planes in the fleet. . Even better.! then 2021 4 new A320neo's. And who knows..2 wide body aircraft's. A330neo's.? Do we need more? No.! For our small country pretty enough. Kind regards from PUY.
@AnonymousMarch 5, 2017 at 12:22 PM
DeleteMost likely fleet mix say 2022.
4x Airbus A319 100
6x Airbus A320 200
6x Bombardier CS 100
6x Bombardier Dash 8 Q400
So around 22 Aircraft in the fleet, don't see A330 200 NEO joining the fleet, would be nice, but unlikely before 2025.
For small country this is a decent sized fleet for a national carrier. Not sure more aircraft are needed as there's so much competition in Croatia right now, it'll only get worse as time goes.
About time they went after the Scandinavian market.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteNorwegian and Croatia Airlines won't clash on their new ARN-ZAG flights. Norwegian will fly on Tuesday and Saturday while OU will fly on Mon., Wed. and Fri. So that's good.
ReplyDeleteThumbs up!
DeleteAdria again couldn't make the deal with another client (Nordica being the other). Still don't get it, why are they trying to become an ACMI operator. Clearly, they don't have what it takes. And surely SSJ100 and greater availability of the pilots aren't going to solve any problems. Management, what are you smoking and can I have some?
ReplyDeleteWhy dont they fly to more german destinations? Not even DUS is on their list. its crazy
ReplyDeleteBecause the German market is covered by Lufthansa/Germanwings although I still think there is room to expand.
DeleteCompletely agreed!
DeleteDusseldorf is THE destination to go for, for OU! There is ZERO competition as no other airline serves this route, its a high yielding, high income and very large market covering the whole german rhein-ruhrgebiet-area and it is more econimical, much shorter compared to Scandinavia! For sure, OU could secure codeshared with 4U/EW/LH. They would be able to fill their airbusses there.
OT - as reported on Index.hr a few days ago, just wondering if the broken/cracked windows on the new ZAG terminal been fixed yet ?
ReplyDeleteNe, sve je popadalo. Odgodit ce otvorenje zbog toga. Steta.
DeleteBaš bi bilo steta.
DeleteTolko sve propada, da razmisljaju o tome da ga uopce ne otvaraju.
DeleteNot true, fake news!!!! Every issue will be delt with thank you...
DeleteSense the irony, man.
DeleteLufthansa Group just inspected the new terminal, and were more than happy. From what I heard they said they haven't seen something this good in the region ever.
DeleteHi anonymous@4:37, pls a bit more on lufthansa group inspection of ZAG new termimal if you can or may...thnx :)
Delete+1
DeleteGood news!
ReplyDeletei'm happy! ;) Why not? it is a small step..but a good choice with routes and aircrafts. btw aircrafts..would they be painted in CTN livery or they stay in Iberia Regional colors with "operated by Croatia Airlines" logo? Would be great to see them in Croatia Airlines colors.!
ReplyDeleteI don't think they will paint them because it is a relatively short wetlease. They might be all white or have a Croatia Airlines sticker on them. I agree that it would be nice to see them in CTN livery.
DeleteHow can it be operated by Croatia Airlines if it is crewed by Iberia staff flying in an aircraft owned by Iberia ?
DeleteWhat you meant, was you hoped that the aircraft would be painted in OU livery, with the required disclaimer that the aircraft is operated by Iberia
These are the different types of leases available on the market.
Deletehttp://www.globalplanesearch.com/aviation_library/leasing_definition.htm
Leasing an aircraft with crew saves OU the trouble of short term crew recruitment.
The guy abaove probably meant "operated for Croatia Airlines"
DeleteWhen Air Nostrum has operated the CRJ900 on temporary wetlease for SAS the aircraft has been all-white with stickers: https://www.netairspace.com/photos/EC-JTT/Scandinavian_Airlines_SAS_Air_Nostrum/Bombardier_CRJ-900ER/DUS_EDDL_Dusseldorf_International/photo_106977/medium.jpg?uq=820201
DeleteI don't think so. It will probably just be a Croatia name on fuselage just like on Fokker last year
ReplyDeleteThis should bring some modest growth to OU. Yes it is wet leased for the high season, but honesty that's all they need.
ReplyDeleteWould like to see the CRJ 1000 on some local Croatian routes so I can fly on one. This is one air frame I've never flown on yet.
I found ZAG-DBV-ATH 2 weekly CRK
DeleteWonderful thanks, I'm going to book a ticket today thanks.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteI hope they start Dublin next year. I think that route would gave potential.
ReplyDeleteYeah, so it seems no Dublin or Moscow this year.
DeleteNo Dublin as of yet - though the diaspora is really growing there, high income in Ireland and yet there is not a single connection to Zagreb or anywhere close in the region from/to Dublin.
DeleteI am sure there would have been a better development potential to DUB compared to HEL.
Really dont think that HEL and LED make sense!
All other new destinations introduced during last 1,5 years seem to be a very smart choice.
Absolutely agree there. I've a few Croatian friends here in Ireland and they're disappointed that there's still no Dublin connection. The charter flights in December/January gone by had got their hopes up.
DeleteHopefully next year.
So basically it become quite clear what destinations with potential and perspective are left to be introduced by OU:
Delete- DUS
- DUB
- maybe FCO non-stop
Don't think MOW fighting against SU would be a healthy decision.
Dublin, Lyon, Dusseldorf and Edinburgh is my best guess next year.
DeleteScotland and Ireland will need to be connected with Croatia, loads of Irish and Scottish tourist in Croatia and some 20-25000 Croats live in Ireland now, some 70 000 Irish visited Croatia in 2016, no direct link between the two brotherly nations (very close due to catholic connection).
Lyon, cause there's massive number of French Tourist in Croatia, 550 000+ and many come from Burgundy and central France.
Dusseldorf, cause it is major airport, 4th largest, 1.st Frankfurt, 2nd Munich, 3rd. Berlin. And OU already flies, Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin.
German Wings covers Stuttgart, Koln/Bonn, Hamburg and Berlin.
Some 500 000 Croats live in Germany, and 2.25+ million Germans visit Croatia each year.
DUB lacks premuim business PAX, it's workers, friends and family mainly so I see Ryanair or Aer Lingus before Croatia on this route
DeleteDUB lacking premium or business pax? You clearly have not been to Dublin before. Every second world famous company has a head office or European main office in Dublin due to low tax rates, English speaking country, and EU membership.
DeleteTendency is that other enterprises with EU head office in London will move to IRE during next three years.
Of course DUB has premium pax, I meant bussines pax who travel between DUB and ZAG.
DeleteAnd yes, I have been to Dublin before.
Awesome!! Now the entire Scandinavia is fully covered and I'm positive these flight will all be super full and this move super successful! At every level; booming tourism, developing business ties and the diaspora - Croatian and Bosnian alike.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note...this February Zagreb airport has had 244 flights less compared to February last year. Thankfully, they still managed to get approx. 1,500 pax more. On 244 flights less. That on top of 80 flights less in January. Demand is clearly here, so what's going on?? Hopefully it
*Hopefully it's got to do with the move to the new terminal?
DeleteDemand is there and with new flightsstarting in May...numbers will go up nicely. ZAG will so well. 10% to 14%...for now I wouls say 3,1 mil pax is secured. Hopefully there'll be some more seasonal charters that will contribute with 20-30k...
DeletePetar +1
DeleteSo no news about other possible carriers starting ZAG, Petar?
DeleteThere are serious of negotiations takin place. It's hard to say if some will materialize already in 2017, Christmas Advent season or in spring 2018. Overall, ZAG has secured a healthy and nice growth for 2017. The idea is to keep it in 2018.
DeleteZAG management is doing a great job so far, not much talking, just work!
DeleteYes...I've been calculating today, based on what I consider will be the minimum growth this year at 7%, with including additional 13-14% on last year only over July and August. So just those two months.And I got the result of 3,12 million.
DeleteI've just been wondering as to why has there been 324 flights less over the first two months this year, compared to the first two months last year. Especially since the the demand is clearly there, like I said. It's worth noting that they've actually managed to achieve 13,000 passengers more during these first 2 months. And that on 324 flights less. Now that is seriously impressive!!
That's so impressive that it resulted in a 1% increase lol
DeleteLess # of flights is easily explained, here... swiss paused flying this winter, turkish reduced 4 x weekly this winter, ou paused pristina this winter as well, TAP was still active last winter with 3x weekly flights, flydubai was active last year's winter...etc.
DeleteI actually this it's an axcomplishment that ZAG is managing to stay in black this winter. February would have been +5% had there been 1 extra day like last year. The new increases will be heavy but they will be seasonal in 2017. All is unwrapping as expected so far...
Consider last February's extra day a bonus. This February is the norm.
Delete@Anon at 10:35 PM Hoe very hilarious. Are you that bad at English, or Maths, or both? That is 1% increase on 324 less flights. That many flights usually mean around 30,000 passengers. Yet we haven't had 30,000 pax less, but instead 13,000 more. If that's not impressive...you don't know what the word impressive meams.
Delete@anonymous at 12:02 AM - the point was not to say that ZAG had a killer February, nor was the point to make excuses for ZAG having a reduced winter schedule, but rather to point to the fact that most growth will come from seasonal traffic, and that there is a growth in demand - even in winter which is evident when looking at #of flights and "1 day difference" which would have yielded in February having higher growth. I am not comparing ZAG's Ferb numbers with other airports in the region, just saying that February for objective reasons is not indicative of how ZAG will do in 2017. overall. Hopefully I was a bit more precise. Thanks.
DeleteSure thing. If ZAG hits 7-8% YonY growth, that would be great.
Delete@AnonymousMarch 5, 2017 at 4:50 AM
DeleteThat's Emirates alone, they're sending A330 with 360 seats daily !!!
This starts in June if I am not mistaken, 130000 seats available both ways,
OU's four new destinations will yield at least 45000 extra pax, I am not even mentioning other airlines increasing yields and capacity and OU increasing number of flights out of Zagreb.
Zagreb will hit 9% bare minimum, 15% if all goes well. Anything above 15% would be nice and welcoming.
Zagreb will hit 3 million this year easy, 3.2 million if we get some extra surprises in form of new carriers coming to Zagreb, as is 3.15 million 99% dead cert.
It's triple 7 of Emirates, not A330
DeleteConservative calculations yield in 3,1 mil pax at ZAG for 2017, which is rougly +12%.
DeleteEK: daily 773
Monarch: 5 x weekly (Gatwich + Manchester)
Air Transat: 1 x added weekly, 18 extra flights with 345 seater
LOT: added 3 weekly flights, all flights switched from Dash 8 to E-175/95 (july-october)
CSA: added 3 weekly flights (the entire season May-October)
Norwegian: 1 to 2 weekly to ARN
Iberia: extra 2 weekly flights to MAD throughout the summer (june-september)
Lufthansa: daily increase by 72 seats (2 x daily with A319, instead of CRJ-900) to FRA
OU: 4 x additional routes (HEL,ARN, OSL, OTP)
There's still time for additional announcements...I would say few more weeks. Charters could also get increased, which is something that becomes known throughout April and May.
not to mention that ZAG will now be more appealing to some pax seeking higher comfort. That alone + better connections should motivate some additional pax from the geographical catchment area to use ZAG...so higher LFs...
DeleteDo you really think that pax seeking higher comfort, from the ZAG catchment area, didn't use ZAG up until now??? Petar, you are really pushing it with this one.
DeleteI am not pushing anything. It's a legitimate presumption. More direct flight options plus 20x better airport experience...yes I think this will work for some...did not say for all. ZAG product will not be for everybody.
DeleteI think what is most important for Zagreb airport is that is has great offer on the table. If Zagreb airport can attract most of the European legacy carriers that currenrly are not flying to Zagreb, SAS, Finnair, Air Baltic, Ukraine International, Tarom, Aer Lingus, TAP, Iberia (year round, not just seasonal), Alitalia and Agean, has good choice of destinations, add to this EasyJet, Vueling, Monarch and few more LCCs...
DeleteThings are looking up. And I can see Zagreb taking traffic from Bosnia, Slovenia big time, South-West Hungary and Southern Austria, North East Italy, numbers will go up[ fast.
Add Emirates, if Air Canada Rouge comes to Zagreb, with Air Transat, Korean Air increasing their service from current 20-40 flights per year to say 50-70 per year, sort of regular charter.
Zagreb could hit 8 million pax really fast, by 2025 easily.
Even more carriers come in, Say Singapore Airlines, Air Canada year round service, United to JFK and ANA to Tokyo, we are now talking some serious traffic here, 10-12 million by 2030 easily.
I no longer discount the possibilities, look at Riga Airport. Look at Gdansk, Krakow, Vilnius...
Things are possible if plans are put in to action and
You are very optimistic and enthusiastic, but not realistic.
DeletePeter...you nailed it. 3,1 million is the absolute conservative estimate. I got 3,12 million by literally using worst case scenarios. The next year tho will be the real indicator, with the new terminal in full swing the entire year,with new carriers and new routes.
DeleteBut for you who said that Zagreb will hit 8 million by 2025. easy - get real.
@MichaelMarch 6, 2017 at 9:39 PM
DeleteI said if all the airlines come and all the potentials are exploited, figure of 8 million is quite possible.
Michael - I am glad you got this too...I literally calculated every extra available seat and took conservative LFs...did not even include the generic increase in LFs due to higher demand...This year, with adding new flights ZAG managed to cover all major european hubs/major regional airports etc. I am proud of ZAG. Now what I see as a next step for 2018. is to add Dublin, and establish Athens and Rome direct without stop-over. Seasonal Bejin and NYC would be superb as a long haul seasonal 2pw addition. Many other frequencies on already established flights would be nice if they increased...such as ARN, HEL, OSL, MXP, LED etc. Through couple of years we could/should see CDG, AMS and LHR go triple daily as well... What ZAG could use are several LCC routes (Birmingham, Bordeaux, Palermo, Paris Orly, Lyon etc.) and charters to Greece and Mediterranean.
DeleteI bet OU flight crews and pilots union are really happy with this decision. I mean their jobs are being outsourced under their noses.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dumb comment ! capacity is being leased in with operating crews included - nothing to do with existing OU operations or crews. It will complement what OU already has...
DeleteThey could be happy, because in 2nd/3rd year of operation these flights could be flown by the mainline 319s/320s.
DeleteThis way OU can develop routes which are too long for DH8-4.
+1 last two anons!
DeleteLast year or the year before, OU crew were complaining that they were being overworked during the busy summer months so they probably don't care if someone else is taking up some of their workload.
DeleteThis isn't about job sharing, it's about job security and working conditions. Would you be ok with you if OU replaced all it's domestic FAs with, say Filipinos, or other foreign workers because they are cheaper?
DeleteSo I think OU flight attendants probably care.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe wages for the crews on these leased aircraft coming this season could be twice what OU crew are getting at this time so I don't think they are a threat.
DeleteWell why didn't OU dry lease the aircraft and hire local people?
DeleteTo train up new crew for 4 months. That's a massive investment and wouldn't be worth it.
DeleteBut if they had planned to buy/lease CRJ1000/900 as a part of fleet expansion in the near future, that investment would be well worth it. The problem is that there has never been any kind of long term planning, sequentially and with a purpose.
DeleteThey will most probably train their own crew member to be a part of the 2 crew operation. Spanish purser and OU flight attendant in the back.
Not really because it would of cost OU more resources to crew two additional short term leased air frames in house, than out source. If any thing it's guaranteeing the existing staff, and crew job security because funds will be better managed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us the management point of view.
DeleteDoes that same argument apply to other government employees? Like outsourcing police services, fire protection, doctors in hospitals?
What a stupid comment!
DeleteLet me explain management point of view - when you have demand for services and you can't provide it with internal resources then you go for external resources.
OU grows by network expansion, while some other grow by network reduction.
I always prefer the company that have organic then artificial grow. That's what busines is for.
Chill with the insults dude.
DeleteAnd why can't you provide increased demand from internal resources?
Actually good question, we out sourced some really productive police service's back in the day when needed through Black Water, and Washington contractors.
DeleteThey were actually so productive we didn't need to out source fire protection, doctor's in hospitals because they finished the job in record time. They were very productive, and did a kick ass job.
Regarding our airlines business I'm sure the pro's know what they're doing.
"I'm sure the pro's know what they're doing"
DeleteThis is a very worrisome statement.
Worry some as in you speculating, or do you have the expertise, and credentials to back up your concern.
DeleteI would love to see any factual material you have to present in the field of aviation management, but first show us your educational background, degrees, certificates, employment history, and present day job qualifications please so we're assured your a professional.
"I'm sure the pro's know what they're doing"
DeleteSo tell me if you think these pro's knew what they were doing when they ran the following airlines:
Pan Am
Air Adriatic
BH Airlines
Air Srpska
Dalmatian.hr
MAT
Montenegro Airlines
JAT
Get the point Jackie?
That's a really nice list of defunct airlines you got there, but since the thread is regarding OU, what are you so concerned about?
DeleteObviously OU isn't on your list. It's a fully operational airline for decades now moving pax from point A to point B, it's profitable, it's expanding, so what's all the drama about sun shine???
Please stick to factual substance/reality, and don't get carried away with meaningless speculation/fantasy.
I guess you missed the point about pro's knowing how to run an airline, like anon at 4:54 stated.
DeleteWell they don't always know what is best. Try to follow the flow of discussion, don't just jump in. No one was attacking OU.
The context of my reply was the pro's, or employees of OU since it's the threads topic. They're still alive and kicking so I really cant get why your persistently trying to get at with your crystal ball speculating.
DeleteEither your hoping/speculating for a flop, or you have no clue what your talking about. There are no other ways to twist what your getting at. Your all over the place, get back on topic.
Man you have a problem with reading comprehension. Not only are you missing the point, but your arguments are weak.
DeleteI am trying to protect workers at OU from management bypassing them and outsourcing their livelihood.
Try to be less self centred and more open minded.
Goodness, that schedule for the OSL flights really strikes me!
ReplyDeleteIt lands back in ZAG at 21:35 in the evening - that is just after the last wave of flights has departed. Therefore, that route can only be P2P.
Stupid planning!!
Actually, SJJ departs at 22:00, DBV and SPU depart at 22:05 and SKP at 22:10. Summer timetable. But still, it's going to be veeery tight considering the new airport scheme etc.
DeleteOU's waves were always messed up. thy can easily push back all the mentioned last flights or is there a curfew at ZAG?
DeleteSorry then I checked against the last dep wave in the winter timetable. Was not aware that the wave is moved backwards during summer.
DeleteWhat they did not manage to adjust in all those years is logical timing and regular intervals. Take the newly introduced HEL for example...a let's pick a random TUE; arr at ZAG at 14:45. Dep to SPU 14.40 (OU380), the next flight to SPU is at 22 (OU658), and then again at 22:05 (OU656) (which is yet another paradox for itself). What they've been failing to introduce it's say dep at around 16:15 to SPU and DBV. But due to many flights from SPU/DBV to some european destinations they must position the aircraft and thus introduce the commercial flight to match the timing (therefore flights at 6AM with 30 pax, or out of 3 daily flights, 2 depart within 30 min difference etc.). Instead of trying to bridge the gap between (in this example) 14:40 and 22, there is another flight purely technical and yet commercial at 22:05 because they need the plane(DH4) the next morning for the SPU-MUC and/or SPU-ZRH, SPU-VIE to name just a few.
Delete