Croatia Airlines is yet to make a decision on the renewal of its fleet, despite reports the carrier’s management has opted to order Airbus A220 jets. Following reports that Croatia Airlines’ Supervisory Board okayed an order for fifteen A220s, the Croatian carrier’s spokesperson, Davor Janušić, told EX-YU Aviation News, “The mentioned topic wasn't on the agenda of Croatia Airlines' Supervisory Board and the company does not confirm the mentioned information". It has been almost a year since the carrier made contact with global aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing and Embraer over a potential order. The company noted, “Renewing Croatia Airlines’ fleet is of strategic importance for the company, although no final decision about the matter has been made yet”.
Croatia Airlines’ twelve-member fleet currently averages over sixteen years with both the A319s and the A320 being on average over twenty years old, while the Dash 8 turboprops are close to thirteen years old. The addition of newer generation aircraft is envisaged in the company’s post-Covid strategy, which must be approved by its main shareholder – the Croatian government. Croatia Airlines has conducted aircraft market research. Potential options with multiple aircraft manufacturers have been considered and possible fleet renewal scenarios developed. It previously said certain market conditions must be met for the fleet renewal to commence, without specifying details.
The airline had previously said the A220 would be a “perfect fit” for its future fleet, while Embraer noted, “The E2 family is comprised of three family members, from ninety to 146 seats, which will offer Croatia Airlines great flexibility to operate the ideal capacity on their future network”. Most recently, Boeing floated the idea of providing its MAX jets to the Croatian carrier saying, “We strongly believe that the 737 MAX family is the perfect choice for Croatia Airlines’ short and medium haul network. The 737 MAX offers unmatched performance for smaller markets with the possibility of increasing aircraft capacity within the same family of aircraft in order to meet increased demand, which we expect to occur on the Croatian market in the coming years”.
Nooo way is the Max suitable for OU. A220 is the perfect aircraft with the perfect size and will allow them to freely fly in the region. It can also easily fly all the way to the Canary Islands or Dubai.
ReplyDeleteThe E2 is also a very good aircraft.
Agree, A220 would be ideal for OU.
DeleteA220 is perfect aircraft for Plenkovic to buy good fat armchair in Brussels, and the decision mentioned in media already has already been made by Kradeze which controls the "Supervisory Board", and someone present there informed the public, which they now deny.
DeleteEmbraer is the better fit in capacity range, fuel consumption and the most important, much cheaper to buy.
About Dubai and Canary islands, I will just say LOL
buy = lease
DeleteDo you really think you can get a chair that cheap in Brussels? With 15 planes that aren't even made in Europe. Do you have evidence for this claim or is it just a feeling again? Čula rekla kazala
DeletePiR: Croatia is a corrupt country, as is the entire Balkans (the further south the worse). But this is not only a merit of the ruling party. Regional corruption in areas where the opposition governs is at least as great. or in healthcare. As is the people, so is the government
DeleteBoth are going to be great to slam the company financialy into the ground,.. Try to calculate the overall leasing costs for the 15... And then compare this with what they are now paying.... Tell me how in god's name will they pay these?
DeleteThe A220 is the best jet replacement on the market for the A320s.
Delete@An.10.27
DeleteRuling party did not in period of over 20 years to improve mindset and habits, generally. On the contrary, they made it worse. Croatia during last years of Yugoslavia was less corrupt, more democratic and more economically developed (which is the base for all other developments) than today. So, yes, even widespread corruption on local level by opposition on national level, is the fault of ruling party, which set us back in terms of decades
@An.10.42
Fully agree would be better to apply Air Serbia model and go for used aircraft, especially in today's lease and buy condition and prices. But, if they go for the new ones, which will probably be the case, Embraer is much better fit
@An.10.04
It's not only A220. Rafals happened recently. Feeding LH happened long time ago. There is more, which alltogether is enough for high Brussels position. Zivi bili pa vidjeli!
Did nothing, not did not
Delete@An.11.21
DeleteI love people giving statements. Even better if statements are dogma. Why the hell should we give any explanations for our statements or use our heads to think? Adeze decided A220 is the best replacement. That"s it. That's the mindset Kradeze managed to implement throughout Croatia over 30 years. That's why young and productive people are leaving country. That's why OU is, and will remain, just pathetic feeder
This individual's posts are getting sickening...!
DeleteI said back in February too, but giving the fact that both E2 and A220 have similar capacity, engines (thus speel) and fuel consumption the purchase price is the thing to look at for OU:
DeleteA220 (USD 70-75 million) is like 30-40% more expensive compared to E195 (USD 55 million), while having the same characteristics. The difference in purchase price for one place is already more than the whole deposit they have with Airbus currently. I therefore believe E195 is best fit for OU.
E195 is more convenient for OU. Cheaper, faster, less fuel consumption.
DeleteWith what money? Lol
ReplyDeleteThis is my question too. Their financial results are such that banks don't want to offer them loans. Ordering 15 brand new planes is expensive. I don't think even the government would be able to provide a reason why they would finance it.
DeleteEU money.
DeleteThere are many ways they can finance acquisition of newer planes. Loan guarantees by government, sale and lease back arrangements, sale of existing owned fleet....
DeleteWhat I don't understand is that they plan to replace their ENTIRE fleet with one type. But what are they going to do on thinner routes and in winter. Makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteI also don't think they should get rid of the Q400s.
DeleteI think they need to invest in more Q400s.
DeleteIdeally they would have 10 Q400s and another 7 A220s.
DeleteIdeally, they should convert A320 neo order to A321XLR for long haul, and change and grow entire existing fleet with Embraer family. Of course it will not happen because Plenkovic will buy his new and desired position in Brussels with inadequate and too expensive A220,
Deleteand they will continue to be humiliated irrelevant servant and feeder to LH
How should the A321 XLR be paid for? How many of these should be bought?
DeleteThey should buy at least 4 A321XLRs so they can open up these routes:
DeleteNew York EWR - 7x
Chicago (if the XLR can reach it)- 4x
Boston - 2x
Toronto- 4x
Montreal- 2x
Washington DC - 2x
China, Korea and Japan would also be great markets but unfortunately I believe that the XLR doesnt have the sufficient range for these types of trips, they would have to look into 2 A330s if they ever want to start them up.
When it comes to the payment, the government would have to pull through. Hopefully they could get a discount for them like Delta did.
Discount for what? You know they're not getting A321XLRs anytime soon right?
DeleteAlmost a year since they started looking for new planes and still nothing.
ReplyDeleteActually if they are making such a big decision that will affect the company's entire future by replacing the entire fleet, a decision shouldn't be made hastily and should take a year or even more to finalize.
DeleteSomething tells me they won't make a decision even after a year passes.
DeleteActually more than 10 years. Remember they did order NEO's and still nothing.
DeleteConsidering the government still hasn't signed PSO contracts (it is already 2 years late) and has caused huge damage to Trade Air and airports by its laziness, you think they are going to rush approval for OU's plane order?
Deletethis ain't happening
ReplyDeleteI have lost all hope
DeleteThe A220 is a fantastic plane. Hope they go for it.
ReplyDeleteI flew it on Air Baltic two weeks ago. Very uncomfortable, absolutely nothing fantastic about it, especially its price
DeleteI have often flown the Swiss A220. Very good plane. From what I hear, the passengers rate it very well. It's also selling a lot better than the E2. But we humans have very different perceptions, don't we PIR
DeleteI have also flown with Swiss' A220 and found the plane to be great. But I can't imagine using it for a flight from Riga to Dubai, like air Baltic.
Delete@An.10.10
DeleteOf course we have diferrent perceptions, based on diferrent factors. My perceptions are based on 30 years of aviation industry experience. How about yours?
He would say the same thing if OU were planning to order Embraers. A220s are the best option and Embraers are inadequate planes. I have 30 years experience so your opinion is invalid.
DeletePozdrav, you know nothing about aviation except to criticise everything Croatian. Your earlier post proves you are a communist anti Croat! We'll get over it communism is dead!
DeletePOZDRAV : just an obsessed sick boooring person !
DeleteHahahahahahahaha, I was never one single minute in KPJ KPH but 90 % of KPJ KPH joined Kradeze. Unfortunatelly, Kradeze bots cannot comprehend they are ones with communist, actually it's not even communist, it's Bolyshevik state of mind
DeleteMuch better to be obsessed, boring and even sick, than to support fully convicted criminal organization which set the country back for 3 decades or more, emptied Slavonia and made HR, together with BG, the poorest country in EU, country which was light years ahead of all Eastern Europe
DeleteAnd I am obviously doing very good job, taking into account all spitting of Kradeze bots, especially today.
Deletefrom what money are they supposed to get new planes from? The aid they are just about to receive from the government?
ReplyDeleteThis fleet renewal has become a new saga.
ReplyDeleteSequel to the A320 order, which turned into an A320neo order, which has no turned into this.
DeleteThey have made so many statements about fleet expansion that their fleet should have been double the size it is now.
ReplyDeleteWorld Champions in statements - last place in actually doing anything !
DeleteLots of talks and no action.
DeleteThose Airbus planes are getting rather old.
ReplyDeleteI hope they hurry up and finally start replacing them.
DeleteYes, all except 1 A319 are over 20 years old.
DeleteDefinitely time to renew them. At least with younger Airbuses, they don't have to be new.
DeleteHow many planes does Croatia Airlines own?
ReplyDeleteAccording to airfleets.net,the they have 5 A319s, 1 A320 and 6 DHC-8, so a total of 12 planes
DeleteI mean how many do they own. I assume most are leases but I know they also have ownership of some.
DeleteI believe they own the dashes and maybe a couple of the Airbuses, but not all.
DeleteThey own 5 airbuses. 4 A319s and 1 A320. The Q400s are on financial lease. They are not owned by OU.
DeleteI would do anything to sell OU. Give to Aegeann for free.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure any airline would want them currently in these circumstances.
DeleteOh and also I don't think the government should be hasty in selling OU. Look at what happened in Slovenia, except the economic effects of OU going bust would be much worse for the entire tourism industry.
DeleteI think that if they sell all their planes to Air Serbia, it will be such a profit for both
DeleteBest of luck to OU
ReplyDeleteOU changes its strategy every few months because they themselves don't know what kind of business they want to be.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be crazy to buy new aircraft knowing the financial status of the company. Better to lease out older planes.
ReplyDeleteI think they are going AdriaA ways.
DeleteKroatovanje
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhat is the status of the OU Q400 that had a hole in its fuselage that everyone thought it was a gun shot. Have they ever identified what was the cause of it?
ReplyDelete"Zamor materijala" as it is said.
DeleteNot good
DeleteThey have been an Airbus customer for decades and bought planes directly from them so I'm sure they will manage to sort things out.
ReplyDeleteWhy so much focus on their fleet? I think it is an area in least need of attention at OU.
ReplyDeleteAir Serbia: Should we launch China or USA? Lets go with both
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines: Should we buy A320 or A320neo? Lets go with none
OU is the airline of missed opportunities.
DeleteLooking from 15 years ago people would think back then it would be the other way around.
DeleteLaunching Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Vienna from LJU with A220 would be a sucess for them.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a widebody plane to start some long haul flights?
ReplyDeleteI dont think that leasing a widebody would be a viable option at the moment. They should maybe start long haul flights from popular distant markets, but not with widebodies. Rather they should invest in a couple of XLRs and open up North American routes.
DeleteThey are never going to decide
ReplyDeleteSeems like it.
DeleteI haven't seen any positive development at OU for the last 3 years.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have seen negative development over last 30 years
DeleteWould be cool if they could work out a deal with Airbus and start replacing existing fleet.
ReplyDeleteGreat news!
ReplyDeleteWhat is? That they still haven't decided which plane they are going to get?
DeleteEppur si muove...! In a way!
DeleteI would love to see Boeing make a comeback to OU fleet.
ReplyDeleteThe 737 might be too big for the airline
DeleteWhy would they be too big when they fly A319/A320.
DeleteThey only fly 1 A320. Capacity increase is the last thing they need.
DeleteThe whole process is Kafkakian style of exercise between government, corporations and misinformed public. Basicly this is small exercise of dividing economic market in post Covid world by large corporations. Judging by selection of Rafaels by Croatian government ist absolutely obvious why OU said that A220 is "perfect fit" . It totally depends on some other political "trade" not related to the needs of OU and public and market in Croatia if and when purchase of A220 by OU manifests.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteA320: we're buying it
ReplyDeleteA320 neo: we're buying it
A220: we're buying it
This is called a pattern.
It's called Kroatovanje.
DeleteWhat fleet renewal? They are barely surviving.
ReplyDeleteSad
ReplyDeleteAs expected, nothing will come of this.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised that news of them ordering 15 A220s posted by the other site was false lol
ReplyDelete