TRIP REPORT: Croatia Airlines and LOT, Osijek - Warsaw

TRIP REPORT

Written by jsg

In the first part I of my Croatian adventure, I travelled through Pula to the capital of Slavonija. For the second half of my holiday, I planned to explore Dubrovnik and Zadar.

Bravo Hrvatska - part 2

Osijek. It is not easy to reach Osijek city centre from Osijek Airport, as the shuttle bus service was temporarily suspended, with no information on when it might be reinstated. The only way to get to Osijek is by calling a taxi, which I did. It takes about 10 minutes for the taxi to arrive, and to my surprise, it is a shared taxi that holds four passengers: a young couple, a middle-aged lady, and me. We drive through the expansive lowlands of the Pannonian Plain. After crossing the city limits, we pass a peculiar monument featuring a red Fiat and a tank. The young couple discuss it between themselves, but I have no idea what they are talking about. Later, I discover that the monument is called "Fićo gazi tenka!" (The Fićo stepping on a tank!), commemorating the Battle of Osijek in the early 1990s.

The September Genoa Low brings rain to central Europe as well as to Osijek. My four-day plan to explore Slavonija was reduced to visiting Osijek, when the rain subsided enough to allow me to explore the city. My hotel is located in the Upper Town, which serves as the starting point of my sightseeing. First is the elegant Trg Ante Starčevića (Ante Starčević Square), which occupies the heart of the Upper Town.

In the eastern part of the Old Town lies Tvrdja (Citadel), known for having the best-preserved Baroque buildings in the country. It is described as a unique example of an eighteenth-century Baroque military, administrative, and commercial urban centre. Today, it is a complex of squares, cobbled streets, defensive walls, and buildings that are worth exploring, even when the weather is less than favourable.

Later, I walk to the city centre along the embankment of the Drava River until I reach the Osijek Hotel, where I make a U-turn and return to the Old Town, passing a string of well-preserved Secession-style buildings along Europska Avenija. I promise myself that I will return to Osijek to better explore the city and Slavonija.

OU 624 Osijek - Dubrovnik. It's a nice morning today. The rain has finally gone, and the sun is shining over Osijek. I picked the wrong time for my visit to Slavonija and managed to do very little from my list due to the rainy weather over the past four days. Perhaps it’s a good excuse to revisit Osijek in mid-summer, hopefully with better weather.

The only way to get to Osijek airport is by car, so in my case, a taxi is the only option. I even downloaded the mobile app of a taxi company to make ordering a taxi as smooth as possible. The taxi is ordered, and I wait for the pickup. After a few minutes, the driver calls me and asks if I can speak Croatian. When I say no, we continue in English. He tells me he will arrive in 10 minutes due to traffic in the city. After another few minutes, he calls again to confirm he should arrive in 5 minutes, but he cannot enter the Old Town area and asks if I can wait somewhere outside of it. I quickly move to the corner of Europska Avenija and Istarska Ulica and inform the driver of my location. In a few minutes, my taxi arrives. The ride to the airport goes by quickly as we chat about my holiday in Croatia, the city, and some general topics. The taxi drops me off in front of the terminal building.

The check-in is not yet open, so I head to the café at the back of the building, where I order a cup of coffee with milk and a Cola Zero (5.45 EUR). While sipping my drinks, I watch a Sprint Air aircraft departing for Rijeka as flight C3 819. This reminds me that I’ve never been to Rijeka; perhaps one day I can combine a trip to Osijek with Rijeka.

Through the glass partition, I notice more passengers gathering inside the departure area, and I assume the check-in must now be open. Indeed, it is. There is no queue, and in no time, my bag is tagged for Dubrovnik, and I receive my boarding pass.

I then move to the security control area, but it’s temporarily closed. After 10 minutes, the area opens. First, my boarding pass is scanned and cross-checked with my ID, and then I go through security. Everything is done in no time.

Inside the departure lounge, I take a seat and look around. The area is small, with a tiny café, a compact shop, and one gate. The terminal dates back to the early 1980s, and it doesn’t seem to have changed much since then. It feels like a time capsule, giving a vintage impression of what domestic travel might have looked like in Yugoslav times.

At 13:26, the aircraft arrives on the tarmac. It’s flight OU625 from Dubrovnik, landing 11 minutes behind schedule. Just over 20 minutes later, at 13:50, the airport staff opens the door and announces the start of boarding. No additional boarding pass check is carried out, as it was already done before security.

The walk to the aircraft is short. The flight to Dubrovnik is operated by a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400, registered as 9A-CQE, and nicknamed after a cultural region in northern Croatia, ‘Zagorje’.

Inside, I am greeted by a mixed cabin crew of two and move towards the rear of the plane. I notice that my seat, 18A, is taken, so I move to the empty row 20 and take seat 20A. Since the flight isn’t full, I have a bit more space around me, and no one is seated next to me. The interior of the 14.4-year-old aircraft feels somehow less "worn" than that of the aircraft "Lika," which is two years older than "Zagorje."

The doors are closed, the cabin crew completes all pre-departure procedures, and after a short taxi, we take off towards the city of Vinkovci.

In economy class, the onboard service is limited to a glass of still or sparkling water. During the flight, I read an article about Tirana in the current issue of CROATIA in-flight magazine. Later, I decide to take a copy home for inspiration for my trip to Tirana in June next year.

The remainder of the flight is smooth. Soon, we enter the airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina near the city of Orašje, continue over Mostar, and re-enter Croatian airspace near the village of Visočani. At 14:41, the captain informs the cabin crew about the upcoming landing. We fly along the coastline towards Dubrovnik Airport in Čilipi, where we land five minutes behind schedule.

After disembarking the aircraft via the built-in steps, we are bussed to the main terminal building. At belt #1, I collect my bag and then go to the stand to buy a bus ticket to the city center. Dobrodošli u Dubrovnik.

Flight statistics:

LF: 55 %

Distance: 325 kms (282 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 13:50/14:06

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 14:45/14:49

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 55 min/0 h 43 min

Dubrovnik. I can never get enough of Dubrovnik; no wonder tourist brochures call it "the pearl of the Adriatic." I have been there several times and explored most of the city's attractions, yet I am always happy to return. Dubrovnik, along with Stockholm and Lisbon, is one of my favorite places in Europe, and one day I would like to visit all three in one trip. Perhaps one day I will move to Dubrovnik to enjoy living in Croatia at a slower pace.

OU665 Dubrovnik - Zagreb. After a heavy rain and thunderstorm that disrupted air traffic over Dubrovnik, the clouds have now cleared. It takes 50 minutes to reach the airport from the bus station in Gruž, and I watch the dramatic south Dalmatian coastline pass by, feeling a bit sad to leave the Pearl of the Adriatic. After passing the village of Močići, we finally arrive at the airport, which is named after Ruđer Bošković. Intrigued by the name, I quickly look him up and find that he was a true polymath: a physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, diplomat, poet, and theologian from the Republic of Ragusa.

Check-in is already open. I check the display boards to see which desk I should report to desk #7. There is already a queue, but I notice that two more desks have been assigned for the flight, though they aren't listed on the board: #8 (economy) and #9 (business). There’s almost no queue at desk #9. In front of me is a Korean family of three traveling to Zagreb, so the check-in process goes smoothly, as does the security check via fast track. Yes, I’m traveling in business class this time, as I found a favorable business fare from Dubrovnik to Zadar via Zagreb. So, why not treat myself to a business-class flight?

Following the check-in agent’s instructions, I head upstairs in search of the business lounge, Adriatic. It’s located on level +2 and offers a superb view of the runway. Today, the lounge is quite busy, but I manage to find a seat. The selection of food and beverages is average, with no hot food available. There are small sandwiches (tuna, chicken, turkey, and veggie), a tuna salad, some sweets, a limited selection of fresh fruits, and hot or cold beverages, including alcoholic ones, most of which are Croatian.

Boarding for flight OS 732 to Vienna begins, and some passengers leave the lounge, freeing up tables near the window. I quickly move there for a perfect view of the runway, where I observe an ATR 72-600, registered as YU-ALZ, departing at 15:22 as flight JU723 bound for Belgrade.

With some time to spare, I start typing this report. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see the arrival of the 9.8-year-old Airbus A319-112 (reg. number 9A-CTN) from Zagreb, which will return to the Croatian capital as flight OU665.

At 15:53, boarding is announced via the airport speakers at gate 10. It takes me a few minutes to get down two floors, and when I arrive, the gate has been corrected. After scanning my boarding pass, I board a bus, which quickly fills up with an international crowd of passengers. Once the bus is full, we drive to the aircraft.

There are two doors for boarding the aircraft. As I climb the stairs, I watch an Aer Lingus Airbus 320-214, registered as EI-DEM, depart for Dublin as flight 477 EI. The second bus arrives, bringing the rest of the passengers. Inside, I am greeted by the mixed cabin crew and take my assigned seat, 1A. Today's flight is full, and even in business class, all the seats are taken.

Boarding is soon completed, the doors are closed, and the safety demo is presented in Croatian and English. After a short taxi, we take off, making a U-turn over the village of Popovići before continuing along the coastline and entering Bosnian airspace near the city of Bosanska Krupa.

After reaching cruising altitude, a member of the cabin crew offers onboard service. This month, business class passengers receive a set of "Okusi Kvarnera" (Flavors of Kvarner Region) with a selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. The set includes a 15g pack of "Kobasica s ružmarinom" (sausage with rosemary), a 40g pack of "Krekeri sa žlahtinom i kaduljom" (crackers with Žlahtina wine and sage), and a 15g pack of "Keksi s kestenom" (chestnut biscuits). In addition to the snack box, I receive a refreshing towel, a set of cutlery wrapped in a tissue, and a cup. I also order a 250ml bottle of Karlovačko beer to accompany my snack.

Meanwhile, we re-enter Croatian airspace near the village of Veliki Obljaj, turn over the village of Gradec Pokupski, and head towards Zagreb. At 17:10, the captain informs the cabin crew that we are in the final stages of our approach to Zagreb Airport. Five minutes later, we arrive at our destination. After disembarking, buses take us to the arrivals terminal. Most passengers proceed to the luggage reclaim area, but some, including me, head to the departure hall.

Flight statistics:

LF: 100%

Distance: 395 kms (343 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 16:20/16:33

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 17:15/17:15

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 55 min/0 h 42 min

OU632 Zagreb - Zadar. I have almost four hours until my next flight, so I head to the business class lounge (Primeclass Lounge) located on Level 2 in the Schengen departures area. The interior is pleasant and cozy. There is a self-service buffet offering one hot dish, along with a selection of snacks, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. In my opinion, the food and drink selection is similar to that of the Adriatic lounge in Dubrovnik, with the exception of the hot dish served here. Today, the dish is spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. The pasta is cooked "al dente," but the sauce could use more tomatoes, though it's still fine.

Boarding is scheduled for 20:45. Around that time, I leave the lounge and head to the level where gates 10-12 are located. From my experience, these gates are mostly used for flights where passengers are bussed to the aircraft.

Boarding doesn’t begin at the scheduled time but starts at 21:05. There are approximately 52 passengers on this flight. After my boarding pass is scanned, I board the bus outside. We wait over 10 minutes until all the passengers are on board, and then we drive to the aircraft. Today's flight is operated by a 16.3-year-old De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 with the registration number 9A-CQA, named after Slavonija.

Inside, I take my assigned seat, 3A, and I’m the only passenger in business class. The cabin crew, consisting of two female flight attendants, greets the passengers, and the captain apologizes for the delayed departure due to some late-arriving transfer passengers. The doors are soon closed, the passengers are given safety instructions (in Croatian and English), and after taxiing, we take off. After takeoff, we make a U-turn, passing the village of Novo Čiče, and head southwest towards the towns of Slunj and Otočac.

In the meantime, I receive a set of Kvarner snacks, and I order a glass of white wine and a glass of Coke Zero. I wouldn’t mind receiving this kind of service in economy class - it would certainly enhance the travel experience. I know, dream on…

At 22:23, the cabin crew announces our upcoming landing and performs the final cabin check in preparation for touchdown. After passing the village of Lun on the island of Pag, we make a sharp turn and fly along the island before landing at Zadar Airport. After taxiing, the aircraft is parked near the main terminal building, and approximately 22 passengers disembark via the built-in steps, gathering around the plane while waiting for hand luggage to be offloaded. We are then allowed to cross the tarmac.

It’s just a short walk to the arrival hall, where I reclaim my luggage at zone 1 and proceed to the bus stop. Soon after, we depart, and 20 minutes later, I get off at the main bus station in Zadar, which is only an 8-minute walk from my hotel. Dobro došli u Zadar.

Flight statistics:

LF: 67%

Distance: 190 kms (165 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 21:15/21:53

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 22:00/22:28

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 45 min/0 h 35 min

Zadar. The town of Zadar, located in Northern Dalmatia, stands on a narrow peninsula. From Kolovare, where I’m staying, it’s a short walk to the Old Town. Next to Kopnena Vrata (the Land Gate) is the pretty little harbor of Foša, crowded with small fishing boats and pleasure craft. The gate itself has an impressive façade, bearing the arms of Zadar represented by St. Chrysogonus on horseback.

After passing through it, I enter the maze of narrow, cobbled streets of Old Zadar. Wandering among the streets adorned with little shops, cafés, and restaurants, I reach the Roman Forum, which occupies the north-west end of the Old Town.

Exploring the graceful Zadar Roman Forum is like stepping into the city’s history, dating back to the 4th century BC. The adjacent Katedrala sv. Stošije (St. Anastasia’s Cathedral), with its impressive bell tower, is a landmark of Zadar and offers a perfect viewpoint for the entire city.

Just a few steps away is a modern addition to Zadar’s Old Town, the Morske Orgulje (Sea Organ), constructed in 2005 as an experimental sound art installation and musical instrument. The blowing wind passes through tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps. It’s a popular spot for both tourists and locals, who relax on the steps while listening to the music. After dark, the illuminated floor becomes a dance floor.

OU675 Zadar - Zagreb. Today is Sunday, the last day of my holiday. As usual, holidays are too short, and I wish I could stay a few days longer in Zadar. After checking out, I walk to the Zadar bus station, located just a few minutes away. I had mistakenly checked the Saturday timetable instead of Sunday’s, so I arrive half an hour early. I realize this when no bus arrives at 13:30. The next one is at 14:00 and departs on time, stopping only at the ferry port Gaženica on the way to Zadar Airport.

According to the display board, check-in for flight OU675 is at desk #1, but it’s unmanned. After 15 minutes, the desk is still not open. I find it odd that over 60 minutes before the scheduled departure, the assigned desk remains closed. There are some airport staff at desks #4-6, assigned to Lufthansa flights (desks #4-5) and Croatia Airlines business class (desk #6).

I ask the staff at desk #4 if I can check in for the flight to Zagreb. The agent confirms, and soon my bag is tagged to WAW via ZAG, and I receive two boarding passes for my flights.

After a quick 5-minute security check, I take a seat in the busy departure hall. I watch the boarding of flight FR 8453 (Paris Beauvais) at gate #5 and later flight FR 2621 (Helsinki) at gate #3.

Just after 16:00, boarding is announced for my flight at gate #1. There are approximately 21 passengers booked for the flight. After checking my boarding pass and photo ID, we gather outside the terminal building, waiting for all arriving passengers from Lufthansa flight LH1720 from Munich to reach the arrival hall.

Inside the 15.2-year-old De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 with the registration number 9A-CQD (Dalmacija), featuring the livery ‘Bravo Vatreni,’ there are already 27 passengers who arrived on the previous leg from Pula and are continuing to Zagreb. I take my assigned seat, 17A. With time to spare, I quickly check the meaning of the word ‘vatreni’ in an online Croatian dictionary, which means ‘footballers.’

Boarding is soon completed, the doors are closed, and the cabin crew (two female attendants) conducts the standard safety demo in Croatian and English. The engines are switched on, but at 16:33, they are switched off again as the captain announces that they need to restart some software, which will take 15 minutes. "Great, I’ll miss my connection to Warsaw," I think. In the meantime, the cabin crew offers all passengers a cup of water. At 16:52, the engines are restarted, and everything seems to work fine this time. After taxiing, we finally take off, flying northeast over the village of Barić Draga, heading towards Karlovac.

During the short flight, only a cup of water is served, and I spend my time reading an article about Osijek, which I plan to revisit.

At 17:07, the seatbelt signs are turned on, and the cabin crew prepares the cabin for landing. After passing Karlovac, we make a right turn before the final approach to Zagreb Airport, where we land with a 26-minute delay. We are taken to the terminal building by bus.

Flight statistics:

LF: 70%

Distance: 190 kms (165 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 16:20/16:49

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 17:00/17:26

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 40 min/0 h 37 min

LO614 Zagreb - Warsaw. I need to move quickly to find out from which gate the afternoon flight to Warsaw is departing. It's gate 23. OK, I hurry there, but I notice there’s still no LOT aircraft outside the terminal building. "Has it already departed, or has it not yet arrived?" I wonder.

I check the current status of flight LO613 from Warsaw to Zagreb, and indeed, it is delayed. Finally, at 17:39, the 18.3-year-old Embraer E175STD (registered as SP-LIC with Lubuskie region stickers) arrives in Zagreb, 19 minutes after its scheduled departure at 17:20.

A few minutes before 18:00, boarding starts at the assigned gate. It seems this flight will be busy, judging by the long queue at the gate. Once the queue shrinks, I approach the gate where my boarding pass is scanned and cross-checked with my photo ID. Then, I hear a beep, and out of the corner of my eye, I see the note "seating issue" on the display screen. "Your new seat is 2D (I was initially assigned 21A)," says the gate agent, who hands me a new boarding pass. I glance at the card and it says "business class." Yay, I’ve been upgraded to business class! A nice surprise at the end of my holiday!

On my way to the air bridge, I notice a policeman near the gate, and I can’t recall ever seeing a policeman watching the boarding before. Today’s flight is very busy, with only one free seat left in business class. As I settle comfortably into my seat, a member of the cabin crew offers me a welcome drink. I order still water. The cabin crew then prepares for the safety demo, conducted in Polish and English, followed by a pre-recorded message in Croatian.

After reaching cruising altitude, the cabin crew begins onboard service. I’m served salmon tartare with cream cheese, an aromatic meat pie with a vegetable garnish, and a bottle of sparkling wine. The crew also offers bread to accompany the meal. The meal is delicious and nicely served on real china with proper cutlery.

Time in business class seems to pass faster than in economy. It feels as if the "privilege class" bends the curvature of space-time, speeding up time in front of the curtain... Normally, I would mention the flight path here, but this time I didn’t have time to check. 😉

While reading an article about the Wonders of Poland and sipping a bottle of Pierre Larousse Blanc de Blancs Brut (200 ml), the cabin crew offers me some nibbles: cashew nuts (15 g) and pumpkin seeds in dark chocolate (15 g), which taste amazing. I also order a cup of tea with lemon, and I’m offered a chocolate wafer, "Grześki" (20 g), to accompany it.

I want to say, "Remain in the magical moment, don't wake me up..." but soon reality kicks in, and we land at Warsaw Airport at 19:48. After disembarking via the air bridge, I collect my luggage at belt #3 and catch a bus home.

Flight statistics:

LF: 99 %

Distance: 799 kms (431 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 18:00/18:37

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 19:30/19:48

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 1h 30 min/1h 11 min