Croatia Airlines has postponed the entry into service of its new Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Initially scheduled to commence operations on July 29 between Zagreb and Split, the carrier yesterday updated the planned deployment of the aircraft, with the first service now moved to August 14. Further changes remain possible. The airline had scheduled a total of sixty flights with the aircraft between July 29 and August 14 from Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik to destinations including Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, Skopje, Paris, and London Heathrow. In August alone, the aircraft was scheduled to operate 120 flights, with an average of four flights per day.
Croatia Airlines’ incoming A220-300, bearing the temporary Airbus test registration C-FPBE, before being re-registered as 9A-CAE, operated its second test flight at Montreal’s Mirabel Airport overnight. The aircraft flew for one hour and 35 minutes before returning to the Canadian airport. It had previously operated its first test flight lasting three and a half hours on July 8, including an engine run, taxi check, and a rejected take off. Airbus typically conducts one to several test flights, depending on performance, prior to delivery to the customer. Croatia Airlines had initially planned to take delivery of its first A220-300 in February, which was eventually pushed back to July.
Flights which were scheduled to be operated by the A220-300 between July 29 and August 14 will now be maintained by a mix of Dash 8 turboprops and A319 aircraft. Despite the delay, Croatia Airlines remains optimistic about the future introduction of the 149-seat A220-300 to its fleet. The new aircraft is expected to bring several benefits, including improved fuel efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced passenger comfort. The A220 is a crucial component of Croatia Airlines' modernisation strategy, with the carrier planning to operate a single-type fifteen-member fleet by 2027. The airline has said the A220 would produce and enable the carrier to expand into new markets.
Will they even get the 2nd one before the 1st one is out of service? :P
ReplyDeleteBut realistically, will they get the 2nd one by the year-end?
Second will probably arrive by the start of Summer Season 2025.
Delete^ that actually sounds most realistic.
DeleteIt will probably be pushed back once again, my guess is September. This will lead to more delays, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it since plane is operating test flights.
DeleteIf they don't start experiencing problems with engines
DeleteThey moved it forward 2 days ago and this is just reverting that decision
Deleteff they were reverting the decision they would have moved it back to 30 July like they originally planned. But they delayed it until 14 August.
DeleteWhy the delay?
ReplyDeleteCould be a number of reasons. They certainly won't tell us.
DeleteDisappointing
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteOh wait...
Grotesque.
ReplyDeletelol
DeleteSo what will be the first flight now on 14 Aug? Still ZAG-SPU?
ReplyDeleteNo, it is now ZAG-FRA. But like the article says "Further changes remain possible"
DeleteI think it will be ZAG-SPU in the end.
DeleteThat IS the most important thing
DeleteDidn't say it was. Just wondering.
DeleteI think the plane will arrive around 1st of August but will probably rake 2 weeks to undertake bureaucratic procedures.
ReplyDeleteExpected
ReplyDeleteIf we have waited this long, we can wait another 2 weeks.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope it's just two more weeks.
DeleteAnd when it finally arrives all of OU's problems including poor load factors, poor connectivity, and losses will magically disappear, like Jasmin keeps telling is.
DeleteFirst it was supposed to come in February, then, June, then July, now August.
ReplyDeleteWith the aircraft having now completed it's second test and past history with deliveries to others, it should be reasonable to expect delivery before end of July.
DeleteAt this point someone is doing this on purpose. How can there be a delay when they announced a July start 2 days ago
ReplyDeleteThey didn't announce anything.
Delete^ they put tickets on sale and in the system.
DeleteNot only did they put the tickets and sale and in the system, they said multiple times that the plane would be in Zagreb in July.
DeleteInteresting those would be
DeleteAny pcs of the plane from the test flights? I''m surprised there are none.
ReplyDelete*pics
DeleteNot yet unfortunately.
DeleteInteresting pictures that would be
Delete:(
ReplyDeleteFeel sorry if someone bought tickets specifically to fly on the plane.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI'm sure aviation enthusiasts were careful enough to buy flexible tickets, knowing OU ;)
DeleteWhat sort of fleet issues will this produce for them?
ReplyDeleteThey will probably have to extend wet leases.
DeleteMost of the wet leases will remain even when the first A220 arrives.
DeleteSo they downgraded some flights that were supposed to operate with 149 seat A220 to 76 seat Dash 8s... loads must be fantastic.
ReplyDeleteMy thought too
DeleteThere is a reason their load factor is below 70%
DeleteI think that the Dashes 8 got deployed on some of these flights because they dont have any other available aircraft. But still, your comment also makes sense @09:24.
DeleteGood observation
DeleteThis is up to the manufacturer, not OU.
ReplyDeleteOU didn't have to schedule flights just a few days ago if it wasn't certain when the plane would arrive.
DeleteIf we waited this long, we can wait a few more weeks.
ReplyDeleteLet's just hope there won't be more delays.
Delete^ i wouldn't count on it.
DeleteWith what we are seeing with Bulgaria and Cyprus Airlines, even once they get them they won't be operational for long
ReplyDeleteI believe the new A220s that are being delivered now do not have the engine deficiencies.
DeleteBulgaria got them a year ago and one of them is recently grounded, the second one was grounded a few months ago. Cyprus got then last year, and one is grounded.
DeleteI also believe Air Baltic has many grounded A220s.
DeleteExcellent track record.
DeleteBetter than a 737 Max.
Delete+1. There is nothing more frightening then flying on a 737 Max. I'm amazed Lot and Ryanair ,still trust them?
Delete7 out of 47 Air Baltic A220 are in maintenance, not necessary all due to engines.
Delete@17:31 Because every other day a MAX crashes right?
DeleteThe MAX is the epitomy of decline of the west... No innovation, no investment in something new, loss of knowledge, cheap patch-ups, lying, cover ups,
DeleteI am sure Boeing is regretting not buying the CS300 program itself. Would have been much cheaper than developing a new type itself.
DeleteIt's a well known fact in aviation that Airbus deliveries of aircraft are currently running 1.5 months behind schedule.
ReplyDeleteoriginal schedule was in February for first aircraft.
DeleteIt's also well known that the A220 is being produced at a net loos. Remember, it's a failed project it used to be called C series. And it's not only the engines that they had trouble with in the beginning. There was more.
DeleteStop with your conspiracy theories. The product is successful because it is selling out. The program was not initially successful because of poor sales due to the entrenched Boeing and Airbus duopoly. It is one of the best clean sheet aircraft types every developed and both passengers and airlines love it.
Deletesurprise surprise
ReplyDeleteThe saga continues.
ReplyDeleteLiterally. This OU fleet renewal process has been ongoing since 2013.
DeleteIt's a burlesque
DeleteWhen people wrote here how there is no chance for the plane to be in service in late July like Croatia Airlines said some they were attacked by commentators and were told "cope harder". So much for that.
ReplyDeleteThe cope harder replies are always trolls
Deletethey say August, not which year. Which is indicative lol.
ReplyDeleteTrue :D
DeleteThese things happen. I'm surprised OU even held off this long until scheduling flights. It's just a bad look that they have to change that schedule just a few days after it went online.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunate
ReplyDeleteOU is done. What we will see some months after will be really really bad. Grounded A220 and network cuttings.
ReplyDeleteIf you say so
DeleteAn11:01 +1
DeleteI can only imagine the pandemonium if this was anther ex-Yu airline.
ReplyDeleteHighly doubt now that the second one will arrive this year.
ReplyDeleteMost likely it won't.
DeleteConsidering it is scheduled to arrive in November, you are right that it will likely arrive in January 2025.
DeleteDate is still highly flexible. Could be a few days before, or a few days after.
ReplyDeleteHoping for before rather than later.
DeleteJasmin Bajic's deal of the century.
ReplyDeleteThis delay really has nothing to do with him.
DeleteWell he decided to get the A220 which has big backlog and all deliveries have been delayed.
DeleteHe decided NOTHING
DeleteHe decided NOTHING
DeleteOk, who decided then?
DeleteThe owner of the company. He is not the owner he is a scribe
DeleteThis is embarrassing. Can they not wait until they have a clear confirmation as to when the plane will even be in Croatia??
ReplyDeleteThey probably did have clear information and then got word from Airbus (or Croatia CAA) that plane can't be in service that quickly. I doubt they were that reckless to schedule planes on a whole load of flights and then just days later remove it all.
DeleteCroata would never do such a thing. It's a responsible, meritocratic, competent environment committed to excellence in the industry. Further more, it's staffed with people who embody these principles on every level of the company 24/7/365 since the 7th century
DeleteIt really makes you think what is going to happen with the delivery timeline. Remember this plane was supposed to be in ZAG in February.
ReplyDeleteKroatovanje.
DeleteGreat aircraft. Makes lovely whale sounds on approach. Worth waiting a bit longer.
ReplyDeleteWhale sounds?
DeleteThe orca sound due to the bleed valves
DeleteBetter late than never.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know where the OU pilots did their A220 training?
ReplyDeleteFrankfurt Lufthansa
DeleteChanging capacity on some of these flights from Dash to A220 isn't a small thing like some of the flights that were originally scheduled. How do they plan to sell an additional 60 tickets in each way on these flights in such a short time?
ReplyDeleteThat's immaterial. The important thing is that the airplane is arriving. It says in the airplane brochure that it's modern, cost efficient, fuel saving and had USB C plugs.
DeleteThey are trying to copy the Air Baltic model because they too got rid of their dashes and 737s when introducing the A220. The theory is cost are reduced by operating a single type which outweighs reduced load factors in the short term.
DeleteThe difference being that Air Baltic did not have one of the lowest load factors in Europe when it began its fleet transition.
DeleteThe other difference is the geographical location, try to get to Vienna or Munich by car from the Baltics.
Delete