Croatia Airlines will reduce its network to nine international destinations from Zagreb this February, as European Union member states continue to enforce and widen their entry restrictions and requirements, crushing travel demand. Next month, the Croatian carrier will link its hub with Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Rome (via Split), Brussels, Copenhagen, Zurich, Paris and Skopje. Services to Sarajevo and Vienna, which were in operation for part of January, will be suspended throughout next month. The airline will continue to maintain nonstop flights from Split to several international destinations including Frankfurt, Rome and Munich. Furthermore, the company will run an extensive domestic network throughout the month.
Croatia Airlines is primarily focusing on maintaining flights to major European hubs where onward connectivity can be offered through its partners. The carrier’s CEO, Jasmin Bajić, previously said, “Croatia Airlines is a regional carrier with the prime purpose of connecting Croats with Europe and the rest of the world through major European hubs with connections to the networks of our Star Alliance partners”. He added, “We will continue to connect major European hubs as this is our strategy and it will remain unchanged. However, we will also provide connections for Croatian people to fly within the country and we will continue to provide direct links to Croatian holiday destinations from around Europe. We believe that the hub and spoke system will survive. Croatia Airlines is a strong regional operator with a clear goal. It is also well connected with many other airline partners through its interline and codeshare agreements and part of the best alliance in the world - Star Alliance”.
Mr Bajić also previously commented on the airline’s prospects in the post-pandemic era. “Being a small airline may be an advantage to surviving the global turmoil - we can be more flexible during this time and more daring in seizing any new opportunity on the market. There is a downside as well - there are fewer means for investment compared to the bigger carriers. We are considering a few scenarios for the post-pandemic Croatia Airlines and each of them has the goal of positioning the company onto new markets and strengthening its position in existing markets”, he said.
This model will lead them nowhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you suggest? That they fly full schedule with empty aircraft?
DeleteNot full schedule, but flying 2 per week to Zurich? You either fly at least 5 times a week, be competitive and attract more passengers or stop flying.
DeleteOr fly twice per week during the pandemic.
DeleteIs there much point operating some routes just once or twice per week?
DeleteWell you can be shocked and angry but there simply is no demand. No tourism anymore, locals are staying home. What do you expect?
DeletePeople are still flying. Some airlines have found certain air corridor routes which work and have increased flights, advertised them and generated new demand. Some airlines just sleep.
DeleteSo what will happen with the excess state aid they got? Their expenses will be lower now since there won't be as much flying. ZAG is saved by subsidized domestic flights otherwise it would be a very quiet place these days.
ReplyDeleteNothing as usual.
DeleteI like OU and their service but I agree they should be more proactive. But this hasn't been the case before covid and is not the case now.
DeleteFebruary will be the harshest and hardest month ever. There will be many reductions everywhere. The exceptions remain charters.....
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteImagine what Tuesdays will look like.
DeleteJust 15 departures from ZAG today out of which 6 are subsidized domestic flights. Including two flights to OSI.
DeleteDon't complain so much: nearby Ljubljana has zero (0) flights today and one (1) tomorrow:Frankfurt with LH.
DeleteOU isn't cancelling flights for the fun of it. There simply is no demand.
ReplyDeleteSorry but are they suspending Zurich also?
ReplyDeleteno. They will fly. But just 2x per week.
DeleteWow 2?? That's nothing. What are the travel restrictions right now?
DeleteMost of these destinations they are flying to are just 2 per week. With few exceptions.
DeleteGuys I don't like this at all! Please make it stop.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...
DeleteThe carrier’s CEO, Jasmin Bajić, previously said, “Croatia Airlines is a regional carrier with the prime purpose of connecting Croats with Europe and the rest of the world through major European hubs with connections to the networks of our Star Alliance partners”. Small minds without a vision. Pity Croatia.
ReplyDeleteOnly vision that Croatia should have is to make profit. When they achive it, OU would deserve a praise.
DeleteThe good thing for Croatia Airlines is that they will have a lot less competition on certain routes now.
ReplyDeleteWith a good reason. No demand.
DeleteThere will be no passengers so therefore there will be no competition. So it's good for no one.
DeleteBut despite it OU will be flying these routes where competitors gave up.
DeleteVery interesting.
Hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteThey talk about new markets. Any guesses which it could be?
ReplyDeleteIt's all PR
DeleteIn my opinion it would be wise to base 1 Dash in LJU and launch several key routes.
DeleteThey exited from many markets in 2021. Maybe they return.
DeleteIncluding SPU?
DeleteSPU?
DeleteYeah, from LJU.
DeleteWould it be successful?
If you think about SPU-LJU route, no. Adria was flying that route 3pw around 2010. but when A1 moyorway opened, most of people started using cars to get there. Then in 2012. i think they resumed route only on seasonal basis 1pw for tourist, but i dont see whole point how it can work.
DeleteI see your point.
Deletea tour operator from slovenia has been trying for more than 4 months to agree on cooperation with croatia airlans on the establishment of flights ljubljana brac in the 2021 season where they would rent seats on flights but for now still without success ....
Deleteit is the same when tour operators from serbia asked for the introduction of the belgrade brac line on which they would rent 70 seats on the flight but the same was also unsuccessful because croatia airlans has no interest ....
Well, they might agree considering OU will countiue Brac charters this year out of Graz.
DeleteOU has a very good network and good fleet. Things will improve once pandemic subsides.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt say that its very good, it is not great for potential they have but also isnt terrible. It is best desceibed with "solid".
DeleteI'd say that their network is fare at best.
DeleteVery good network? No connections which enable travel between North and South Adriatic and Slavonia and Istria/Dalmatia. No flights in the UK except LON, UK being one of the biggest emitive tourist markets. No Germany flights except for MUC and FRA while half of Croatia working in Germany. No nonstop flights to Rome. No year-round flights to Scandinavia except CPH. No Eastern Europe at all. No North Africa. No Middle East except TLV. Miserable coverage of ex-yu destinations. No long-haul. Almost no charters. Almost no cargo flights. If that is very good network I am Elizabeth the Queen. For the fleet : dozen of planes for flag carrier of the country with 12 million tourists yearly and 4 million diaspora on all continents, half of that dozen turboprops, and 320 the biggest type in the fleet, if that is good fleet I am Emperor Hayle Selasye
DeleteHahaha
DeleteWell let's see what will happen regarding OU.
ReplyDeleteI think you already know the answer to that .... they will continue to do what they have been doing for the past 20 years and the govt will continue to provide them with funds from time to time to cover their losses. Nothing will change - nothing ever changes - it will simply move along as it has done without setting the world on fire. So ho-hum
Delete^ At some point that strategy will become too undistainable.
DeleteOuch.
ReplyDeleteI hope things improve
ReplyDeleteNot any time soon
DeleteDoes not seem like they will restore Stockholm, Oslo or Helsinki this year.
ReplyDeleteLisbon either.
DeleteFor 2021. summer season they are not selling flights from ZAG to LED, OTP, LIS, PRG, MXP, ARN, OSL, HEL and TLV. From SPU to ATH and BEG. And from DBV to VCE and TLV. Frequencies to other destinations except SKP have not been reduced. At least it seems so.
DeleteThey are pretty much drafting their schedule on a month by month basis so I'm sure some of those will be back.
DeleteThat's a VERY long lisr of cancelled routes.
DeleteThat's tragic!
DeleteTerrible list!
DeleteI think KLM is killing them at the moment. They are really aggressive with the price. I booked flight to Zurich with KLM (it was one time cheaper than with Croatian Airlines). I also noticed many airlines are "screaming" that ticket you buy is flexible, as a consumer i didn't notice that with OU.
ReplyDeleteThe new measures in Netherlands definitely won't help KLM.
DeleteOU doesn't care because they will just cry to the government which will bail them out. Profit is not their priority.
DeleteIf nothing let's hope this wakes up the management and they really seize some opportunities as they have left many slip.
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteFor years now OU's strategy was to rely on LH Group hubs and to feed their growing networks. Judging by CEO announcement, does not seem this will change.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I don't get. That strategy has not worked for them financially. Why not try something else.
DeleteTheir problem is not flying to LH hubs but having bad hub and spoke system, unatractive prices, small amount of routes out of SPU and DBV, and wrong priorities in opening routes and distributing frecuencies (sending same capacity from ZAG to LED and SPU to London)
DeleteGood luck OU.
ReplyDeleteLJU is a missed opportunity for them.
ReplyDeleteA missed opportunity to burn more cash
DeleteWhy do you think they would burn money? With Q400, crew still based in Zagreb so no costs for relocation, LJU being an underserved market I think it could work.
DeleteIs LJU really underserved or is it just the real state of its market? These are not the best times for these kind of adventures.... OU is just looking to survive
DeleteRight now is not the time to fly from LJU: it's partially the market plus the never ending covid tragedy in Slovenia.
DeleteThey can make a try from July 2021: EU presidency of Slovenia.
Croatia Airlines will get all the money it needs to survive and will never go bankrupt. I'm not too concerned about them.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Croatia Airlines will be around for a LONG time!
DeleteCovid-19 made things much easier for Croatian Government, no more EU restrictions on funding, so they can fill money into OU at will for many years to come.
DeleteMontenegro Airlines had the same idea
DeleteOnly difference is that same goverment got reelected in Croatia in 2020. while in Montenegro Djukanovic's party lost.
DeleteBut Croatia will always have EC that can anytime order "loan" given to them before pandemic to be returned.
DeleteAnd that's it.
These entry restrictions are really having a terrible impact on airlines.
ReplyDeleteHow much are Croatian citizens restricted from entering EU countries?
Deleteits not about not being allowed to enter. Its about additional 200€ of travelling costs (if you travel for more than 2 days) because you need test when travelling to another country and when entering your own.
DeleteIt is about being allowed to enter.
DeleteNo matter how much money you have as SRB/BIH citizen you can't enter Germany for example
The only commendable thing are the international Split flights.
ReplyDeleteThere have always been
DeleteI know but it's commendable they have kept them.
DeleteVery bleak winter for everyone in terms of flights and passenger numbers.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the circumstances it's understandable
DeleteExpected unfortunately
ReplyDeleteThe losses must be huge.
ReplyDeleteyes for all airlines at the moment...
DeleteThis are unprecedented times and we are all learning and adjusting to it. I cannot imagine what the airports and aorlines are going through
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe that suspended Sarajevo. This was one of their key routes for transfer.
ReplyDeleteBosnian citizens for the most part can't enter the EU so...
DeleteP2P passengers need now to fly from SJJ to ZAG via BEG
Delete"Being a small airline may be an advantage to surviving the global turmoil - we can be more flexible during this time and more daring in seizing any new opportunity on the market."
ReplyDeleteI agree! It would just be good if they actually did this.
But flag carriers ultimately, regardless of their size, aren't flexible.
DeleteCan you imagine OU being so flexible to base 1 aircraft in Faro and another one in Turku in 2 weeks time, if it turns out there would be enough demand? No? Because that's what flexibility looks like.
:(
ReplyDeletewhat is interesting, as amount of flights sheds quite quickly, there is an opportunity for other players, so who will start probably will win. it is not reasonable to make low cost prices - as nothing flies, price could be such, that even 50LF would be proffitable. If there are no other options, pax will pay. Last year between feb and aprill it was same in Estonia. One sneaky guy started to offer left and right air taxi with 7 seater and what you would imagine? with enormous prices, totally f*%!d up, people were paying - as getting from Helsinki for example to Tallinn was impossible at all - no ferry no flights no nothing :) It is an example, someone looses, someone gets rich and very fast.
ReplyDeleteThat turned out to be a real success for Wizz
DeleteWhat is OU's busiest route at the moment?
ReplyDeleteI mean international route not domestic
DeleteFrom tomorrow on, all pax entering CH by plane needs a PCR test, will be checked before boarding
ReplyDeleteSmart advice for Croatia Airlines would be to wind down operations now and implement incentives to airlines that could offer ZAG market short and mid haul routes, similar to incentives given to long haul airlines to bring tourists to Croatia. Ramp up of incentives should be in synch with market recovery from pandemic. It is easy to demonstrate significant advantages of that approach over providing continuous support to Croatia Airlines. Only party uhljebs at OU are expected to oppose and object.
ReplyDeletebeggining of the end
ReplyDelete