Croatia Airlines plans to operate flights to twelve international destinations from its hub in Zagreb during the coming winter season, which begins on October 31. This is compared to 24 filed by its low cost competitor Ryanair, which will have its network fully operational from December 1. At this stage, the Croatian national carrier plans to maintain flights from Zagreb to London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Rome, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Sarajevo and Skopje. They will be complemented by its domestic network comprising of Dubrovnik, Split, Pula and Zadar. Unlike the pre-pandemic 2019/2020 winter season, the airline will no longer run flights to Mostar, Dublin and Barcelona.
Over the winter period, the carrier plans to run the greatest number of flights from Zagreb to Frankfurt, followed by Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Sarajevo and Brussels. On the other hand, the most capacity will be deployed to Frankfurt, followed by Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Vienna. During the winter, the Dash 8 turboprop will operate the majority of flights, some 56.1% of all Zagreb operations, followed by the Airbus A319 with a 31.1% share and the A320, which will be deployed on 12.8% of all services. Due to the evolving epidemiological situation and changing travel restrictions, the airline’s winter line-up is subject to change.
Croatia Airlines will not compete directly against Ryanair on any route, although the low cost carrier will fly to secondary airports serving Rome, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt and Copenhagen. The Croatian airline recently noted, “The start of 2021 was weaker than expected, while the second quarter marked a slow recovery in traffic, which is still well below pre-pandemic levels. The spread of delta variant of the coronavirus and an insufficient number of vaccinated people, as well as various restrictions in international operations makes recovery uncertain in the short-term. The company is undertaking all necessary measures to actively monitor liquidity and optimise operations. It continues to apply rigorous cost-saving measures”.
This would be the news if those were 12 NEW routes. But no, they will operate what they operated before. Not a single new route despite FR. Why I am not surprised?
ReplyDeleteAttacking best professionals in the industry is malicious. Croatia Airlines will thrive and show how big mistake you made, FR for them is a market savior not a competition!
DeleteBest professionals in the industry hahahahahaha hahahahahaha hahahahahaha I can't stop laughing. Is that new complex name for uhljebs who managed to destroy all potentials for croatian aviation during the last 30 years?
Delete@pozdrav iz Rijeke Croatia airlines know what they are doing and what's best for them during the winter season when there isn't high demand to ZAG unlike in summer, They will develop strategies and combat FR threat with help of BSG
Deleteit's safe to say that there are governments bots in Croatia as well :)
Deletepozdrav iz rijeke probably has other interests by constantly attacking best in class people. Look at the results and you will see best mega market moves made by best management in the industry!
DeleteHahahahahaha hahahahahaha hahahahahaha
DeleteI find it crazy that Ryanair's network will be double the size of Croatia Airlines
ReplyDeleteLet's see what sticks in the end, they reduced Sofia to 1 weekly in November. I know many attack OU but maybe they are slightly more realistic when it comes to their network? Maybe demand has not recovered that much.
DeleteSOF was scheduled that way for a while. It's nothing new
DeleteAt the same time Rysnair increased Charleroi to 4 weekly.
DeleteSo a change from 2 to 1 is nothing new? Since it was not reported anywhere then it's news now.
DeleteExactly, CRL is a gasto route so that makes sense. Brussels was always a solid performer for both OU and JP. FR knows where to hit.
No it's nothing nrw since it was discussed here weeks ago. Despite your excitement.
DeleteCan you please provide a link for that discussion?
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/07/ryanair-prepared-to-launch-domestic.html
DeleteGod bless you.
DeleteI don't see in that link where the discussion is on the reduction of ZAG-SOF from 2 to 1 weekly.
DeleteWell try to look harder. You will find it.
DeleteThey only need a few hundred staff so so much for "rigorous cost cutting measures"
ReplyDeleteAnd imagine, most of the routes to Frankfurtu, Munich, Zurich and Vienna. Bravo uhljebi, tako se to radi!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately they are doing their job really well, that is the one they were put there to do. ;)
DeleteI agree to that. Serve Mutti and feed LH on expense of croatian taxpayers with immense crime and corruption is where they are really good at
DeleteYeah but does it really matter? I mean they don't care because there are no consequences for their actions.
DeleteAnd something like a 100 FRA flights and up to 4 weekly for the rest.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite low number of routes but good to see no major route cancellations compared to Sept.
ReplyDeletePoor Mostar, it won't have any flights this year again. I was expecting OU would resume it.
ReplyDeleteMe too :(
DeleteThe route was not very busy before corona either. Imagine now
DeleteThere were flights with just 1 passenger. Then again OU is to blame because they created an idiotic flight schedule, some connections were missed because of 5 minutes.
DeleteWhat about frequencies on these routes?
ReplyDeleteLH group hubs most frequent like it says in text.
DeleteWonder if they are seeing an impact on the routes they are (indirectly) competing against FR. Did ticket prices go down?
ReplyDeleteI really don't see who would choose to fly to Rome on a prop via Split instead of nonstop on a B737.
Delete+1 last anon
DeleteI would rather fly on a Dash 8 then a Ryanair 737 max and risk my life in the air. I have more confidence in being safe on a Croatia Airlines flight then Ryanair. Ryanair cut corners to save money and disaster will happen one of these days.
DeleteLol
Delete@anon14:10 i challenge you ,) try to figure out whats the percentage of accidents per ops operated by OU and FR. I thint it favours FR
Delete@An.14.40
DeleteYes, Ryanair is the one using butter to lubricate the doors LOL
They will face fierce competition with FR on the Brussels route. FR already increased the frequency to 4 weekly starting November. It seems like an underserved route yet normal because of EU institutions.
ReplyDeleteAre they doing anything about it? OU I mean?
DeleteThey slashed the prices from what I noticed.
DeleteOf course not
DeleteFR operates to CRL, which is in Wallonia and not Brussels but it is still a pretty cool airport and very well connected to the capital. BRU is a quite expensive one.
DeleteI hope it stays at this number during the winter season.
ReplyDeleteWinter is going to be tough
ReplyDeleteLast winter they cancelled many routes like Vienna, Skopje and Sarajevo while Paris was operating once per week. Hopefully it won't come to that again.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how SKP is performing for them. Wizz Air slashed its network there for September, hopefully there are enough transfers and cargo to keep this route alive in covid winter.
DeleteSo many flights to Frankfurt, so few to other places.
ReplyDeleteIt's the number 1 transfer destination to/from Croatia.
DeleteThere is not much else they can do. If the demand is not there...
ReplyDeleteSeems like they really got value out of the BCG engagement ... Bravo, money well spent (not !)
ReplyDeleteYou could have got this plan from someone out of the local retirement pensioners village !
+1
DeleteHahaha you made my day mate ☺
DeleteWhat is happening with the employees? Have they fired any? This will be a pretty modest operations so it makes me wonder what they will do with excess staff.
ReplyDeleteThey are not competitive to capture the post covid market
ReplyDeleteLet's see how things turn out. I wish them good luck.
ReplyDeleteIt can only turn out worse than planned. Not better.
DeleteThey should have gone harder and earlier against Ryanair. They have basically given up without putting up a fight.
ReplyDeleteTrue. But in their first full season of competing against FR in Zagreb they do more of the same as they have done the past decade.
DeleteThis strategy will lead them nowhere
ReplyDeleteAgree. Another deep sleep for OU.
DeleteHope for the best.
ReplyDelete12 routes with Dash and active fleet less than 10 aircraft... it's called a regional airline.
ReplyDeleteJust recently they were talking about how they will launch new markets and basically nothing. They won't have a single new route from Zagreb for 2 years.
ReplyDeleteJust PR on their side.
DeleteThis airline makes me do angry. They could be doing so much more. Instead they do nothing.
ReplyDelete*so
DeleteWill be interesting to see what OU and LH do about MUC in the end. Still a long way to go but seems like MUC really struggled in covid.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet again not a single route out of Osijek, and we have a huuuge diaspora wanting to get home and VFR traffic wanting to be connected with western Europe. National flag carrier should do these routes even regardless of load factors (which was always 95%+ on Ryan) — it's doing right thing for our people.
ReplyDeleteDidn't they plan to expand in southeast europe and offer connections via Zagreb so they can compete against Ryanair?
ReplyDeleteThey did. In the end their only two routes in SEE are Skopje and Sarajevo.
DeleteThey are doomed
ReplyDeleteWould love to know what advance bookings look like especially to places where they are competing with FR.
ReplyDeleteMany missed opportunities. Even in 2020 and 2021.
ReplyDeletehibernation
DeleteYes, this is unfortunate. I am sure some opportunities presented themselves as a result of Covid. Some unserved route became more popular. But OU is in deep sleep.
DeleteFor the size of the company, this is a nice and descent network for the winter
ReplyDeleteReally? 12 international routes for an airline with 13 planes?
DeleteDon't forget the maintenance of the airplanes, that more companies do it in winter.
Delete*most
DeleteBut FR with three aircraft will have double the network than Croatia Airlines from Zagreb
DeleteOnce or two weekly per destination?!!! Tell me about it
DeleteAll are at least two per week while some are more like London, Rome, Brussels. In fact London is daily with Ryanair in winter while with Croatia Airlines it will be 4 weekly.
DeleteAll routes that are 2 weekly with FR and its high density B738 could have been operated at least 4 times with OU's Q400.
DeleteThe only thing being issue is potential of croatian market to have flag carrier 3 times size of OU. Or more. With the same number of administrative staff, or even less. Comment on that decency?
DeleteBel Cielo@10.41 .... what are you talking about maintenance of a/c in the winter ? Their fleet has been grounded for the better part of 18 mths ! So what have they been doing all this time ? You don;t do maintenance if the a/c haven;t been flying, moreover, you don;t do it now when there are signs of recovery !
DeleteThe airline needs a radical change in management. If something isn't working - fix it
ReplyDeleteIt's been like this for 30 years and not fixed. Why do you think will be fixed now?
DeleteThe fish stinks from the head .... if anything needs to be fixed first, it is the Minister in Charge and then the Supervisory Board. Mgt doesn't move if instructions don;t first come from the top. The fact that this situation has existed for far too long, reflects on how things are decided and in what decisions come down from above. Fix that and then you might get some movement from the mgt. The truth is that no pressure is exerted from above and so the rest of the organisation is impotent as well.
DeleteQuite disappointing really.
ReplyDeleteOU needs to launch new routes if it wants to compete against Ryanair, especially in the region.
ReplyDeleteAgree. They should explore new market opportunities.
Deletetoo late
DeleteI was hoping this situation would wake up the management and that they would seize some opportunities as they have left many slip but nothing came of it of course.
DeleteOU desperately needs to launch Odessa and tap into the lucrative and large Ukrainian market.
DeleteMy friend, if it would only be Odessa and Ukraine.......
DeleteNo Tirana?
ReplyDeleteIn the end it will probably be launched by Ryanair too.
DeleteNo Tirana. OU CEO's are known of giving statements "da ne zele da im Siptari prljaju avione" (My apology to all my Albanian friends)
DeleteThose Dashes are really valuable during this winter.
ReplyDeleteYesterday Cyprus and today Norway tightened entry requirements for Croatia. With rising covid numbers I expect more to follow. OU is smart and they are not too adventurous. They know a difficult winter is ahead of them so they want to avoid adding and then cancelling flights. They can always add more flights and frequencies in September if there is a need.
ReplyDelete