TRIP REPORT: LOT, Croatia Airlines and Trade Air

TRIP REPORT

Written by jsg

The title of this miniseries was inspired by a frequent comment ‘Bravo Hrvatska’ posted by an anonymous user under most of articles featuring Croatia on EX-YU Aviation News.

Bravo Hrvatska - part 1

My holiday planning usually starts late autumn and the initial list is rather long. Gradually I make it shorter, until I have two ‘C’ candidates on my list: Croatia and Corsica. As Corsica does not have Slavonia, the choice was obvious! This year I spent my 2-week summer holiday in Croatia.

LO611 Warsaw - Zagreb. Before the big day arrives, I was planning the itinerary, booking all flights to make the holiday truly mine. And finally, the big day has arrived! My bag is packed, a taxi is ordered, and I leave my house to start my Croatian adventure. It takes a 10 minute-drive to reach the terminal of Warsaw Frédéric Chopin airport, from where I travel to Pula via Zagreb. The check-in is quick as well as the security check, which all takes just over 10 minutes to complete. Airside, I consult the display screens, to check the assigned gate. Then, I find a quiet spot to wait for boarding to commence.

Few minutes past 10:00, I recheck the display screens. It says ‘Boarding 10:05’ and indeed at 10:05 a gate agent announces boarding of flight LO611 (code share with Croatia Airlines OU5851) at gate 32.

Today’s flight is operated by a 12.9-years-old Embraer E190STD (registration number SP-LMG). After scanning my boarding pass, I proceed to the aircraft via an air bridge.

Inside I am greeted by an all-female cabin crew, and I take the assigned seat of 6D. Today's flight is almost full, including business class, which occupies the first two rows. After the standard safety demo in Polish and in English and push back procedure, the aircraft taxis to the runway. At 10:34 we take off heading southwest.

The interior of the aircraft is soft grey with dark blue seats, which refers to the deep blue colour of the airline’s logo. There are slight signs of wear and tear, but the cabin is clean and pleasant. The legroom, even for a short person like me, is limited and I feel a bit cramped.

After reaching cruising altitude, the cabin crew commence onboard complimentary service: water (still or sparkling), coffee, tea, and a snack of choice: savoury (bun with dry tomatoes) or sweet (bun with raspberry). This time, I choose a sweet snack, a cup of tea with lemon and sparkling water, my usual ‘flight set’ when travelling with LOT. Having still some time to spare, I study a tourist guide about Croatia and flip through a Croatian phrase book, which contains a short chapter about Croatian grammar, which is as complicated as Polish as all the words either decline or conjugate…

Today’s flight path crosses over Bielsko-Biała (Poland), Trenčín (Slovakia), ‘between’ Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava (Slovakia), Murska Sobota (Slovenia). We enter Croatian airspace near the village of Zalužje then descend to Zagreb.

Most of the flight was uneventful until 11:34 when the ‘fasten your seat belt’ signs went on and the captain informed passengers we are flying over a turbulent area. The turbulences soon subsides, and at 11:37 the cabin crew announces preparation for landing at Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman Airport, where we land at 11:58.

While taxiing to the terminal building, we pass two parked Croatia Airlines Dashes, an Air Transat Airbus and a Hop! Embraer E170. After parking at the gate, we disembark the aircraft via air bridge.

Flight statistics:

LF: >95 %

Distance: 799 kms (431 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 10:25/10:44

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 12:05/11:58

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 1h 40 min/1h 14 min

OU675 Zagreb - Pula. Having almost two hours before the departure of my flight to Pula, I go to the main departure area to get a cup of coffee. While sipping my coffee, I realised I left my guidebook and a phrase book on the plane. I quickly finish my coffee and check if flight LO612 is still boarding. Indeed, it is still boarding. I head to gate 22 and report my loss to a gate agent. After a few calls done by the gate agent, I was instructed to move to the baggage reclaim area and report to the lost and found office. So I did. After a few minutes waiting (there was a customer in front of me reporting a baggage irregularity), I finally speak to an agent and explain briefly what has happened. The agent raises two books and asks me if they are mine. After confirmation, I collect my left books. Big thank you to the Zagreb Airport staff for swift action!

As I left the airside area, I need to go again through security control, which is located on the upper floor of the departure hall. There is a queue to the security check area, but the queue is moving swiftly and after 10 minutes I am done with security check and head to the ground floor where the departure gates 10-12 are located. The flight to Pula and Zadar is scheduled to depart at 14:10 from gate 12, and boarding is planned at 13:40, but boarding did not start at this time or even 10 minutes after the scheduled boarding time. Then the info ‘kašnjenje’ (delayed) appears on the screen, but no new departure time is given. After several minutes, the info changes to ‘otkazano’ (cancelled). 'Great start to my holiday' I think to myself.

I walk to the gate 10, where two gate agents provide instructions to affected passengers. One of them, a young lady with dark hair in a ponytail, informs me: ‘You need to go to the baggage reclaim area to collect your luggage and then report to the Croatia Airlines desk located at the departure area of the terminal building’. I follow her advice and arrive at the luggage reclaim hall, but there is no information at which belt my bag will be delivered. I even walk round all the belts, but I am still clueless. The best what I can do is just wait. After several minutes, one of the nearby belts starts, which is announced by a light and sound signal. The first bags appear at the conveyor belt, and I notice they are tagged to ‘PUY’, so yes this is the correct belt.

Shortly after, my bag is delivered, and I walk to the departure area located on level +1, and I search for a Croatia Airline office. The office is located at the back of the departures area, next to automated gates to scan your boarding cards. There is already a short queue for the airline desks, and it takes approx. 10 minutes wait before I speak to an airline's representative. I quickly explain that my flight to Pula was cancelled, and I would like to be rebooked for the next flight. ‘Yes, it is possible’ confirms the airline representative and adds ‘You have been rebooked for the next flight to Pula, which departs at 21:15. Here you also have a food voucher of 22 EUR, which can be used in any restaurant at the airport. Any amount less the 22 EUR cannot be reimbursed’. I was also told I can re-check-in my bag at check-in desk B1 and B2. Which I did.

Zagreb. I still have almost 6 hours for my flight departure, and I contemplate what to do. Should I stay here or go to Zagreb to spend some time there? OK, let’s take a bus and go to Zagreb to do a quick tour of the city centre: the Ban Jelačić Square, funicular, the Upper Town then descend via the Stone Gate and have a coffee in the Lower Town.

It is not my first time to visit Zagreb. Last year I went for a city break in Zagreb, which was featured in one of my trip reports. Although I did not plan to visit Zagreb this time, I was happy to see it again. The first stop is ‘Trg bana Jelačića’ (the Ban Jelačić Square). The usually lively place is rather empty for early Sunday afternoon. I am sure there used to be more outside café tables then today, which makes the square livelier.

Then, I walk along the Ilica street to the lover station of ‘Zagrebačka uspinjača’ (the Zagreb funicular). It takes 64 seconds, and it costs 0.66 EUR to cover the distance of 66-meter-long tracks to reach ‘Gornji grad’ (the Upper Town).

On my way to the Stone gate, I stop at ‘Crkva sv. Marka’ (the St. Mark Church) to take this picture then I descend to ‘Donji grad’ (the Upper Town) to have a coffee before I head to the airport.

OU632 Zagreb - Zadar. The bus drops me off in front of the departure area at Zagreb Airport. On my way to the security check, I quickly check the display board if my flight is OK.

OU632 is fine, but I also notice some flights are either delayed or cancelled and it seems something must be happening today, but I am not sure if this affects just Zagreb, the whole of Croatia or perhaps part of Europe? Unfortunately, my flight is now delayed to 22:00 due to the late arrival of the previous flight OU381 from Rome via Split.

Finally, around 21:30, a passenger announcement is made, and boarding starts at gate 11. After scanning my boarding card, I enter the parked bus, then we drive to the De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 registered as 9A-CQB, which would operate today’s flight OU632 Zagreb - Zadar - Pula.

The aircraft is named after Lika, a traditional region of the Croatia proper, and it is 16.1 years old. Inside, I take the assigned seat of 4A. The interior of the cabin is decorated in light grey colours with dark blue seats and have visible signs of wear and tear. Today’s flight is not too busy and there are many unoccupied seats on this flight. Once boarding is completed, a mixed cabin crew (1 female and 1 male) standby for the safety demo conducted in Croatian and in English. After a final check of the cabin, the flight takes off heading southwest towards the town of Slunj, then the island of Pag and after a sharp right turn we approach the Zadar Airport.

During the short flight, the cabin crew offers a cup of water. Although, I prefer sparkling water, I choose still Jana water over Jamnica sparkling one. The latter due to high sodium content is simply too salty for my tase buds. To kill time, I start to read ‘Bad Blood’ non-fictional book by John Carreyrou, which I bought some months ago, but I never had time to read it.

The flight is smooth until 22:29 when we fly over a turbulent area, which is announced by the cabin crew who turn on the ‘fasten your seat belts’ sign. The turbulences doesen’t last long, but the sign remains illuminated as we are approaching Zadar Airport, where we land at 22:48.

Flight statistics:

LF: 30 %

Distance: 190 kms (165 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 21:15/22:19

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 22:00/22:48

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 45 min/0 h 29 min

OU632 Zadar - Pula. The technical stop takes less than 30 minutes. During this stop 12 passengers disembark the aircraft and 10 new passengers board it to take the short flight to Pula. I am a bit surprised as I did not expect any new passengers on this sector who would ever like to travel such a short distance? But when I consulted the map of Croatia, I realised it is obviously the shorter way to get to Pula from Zadar in contrast to the rather lengthy road trip due to the topography of the Croatian coastline.

After a safety demo run by the cabin crew in Croatian and English and a short taxii, we finally take off for the last leg of the flight, OU632. The flight takes 20 minutes, and no service is offered on this leg. Our flight path crosses over the island of Vir and the central part of the island of Lošinj before we land at Pula Airport.

After disembarking the aircraft and a short walk which includes a short lift ride, I enter the baggage reclaim area of the terminal building, where I collect my luggage. Dobro došli u Pulu!

Flight statistics:

LF: 27 %

Distance: 143 kms (124 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 22:30/23:00

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 23:15/23:35

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 0h 30 min/0h 20 min

Pula. It is my second visit to Pula - the biggest city of the Istra Peninsula known for its multitude of ancient Roman buildings. And of course, there is ‘Pulska Arena’ (the Pula Arena) constructed from limestone during the reign of four Roman Emperors. Today it is visited by thousands of tourists as well as thousands of spectators of many concerts and events held inside the arena.

Walking distance from Pula Arena, there are other remains of ancient Pula – ‘Slavoluk Sergijevaca’ (the Arch of the Sergii), which was initially erected as a triumphal arch and served as one of the city gates. In modern times it is a perfect spot for a photo or a selfie and serve as a meeting point for the locals.

Strolling through the city, I get to another monument, ‘Kapelica sv. Marije Formoze’ (the Basilica of Santa Maria del Canneto) from the 6th century, built in the Byzantine style. A quick photo and I continue my wandering through Pula without any plan in mind. After all, I am on holiday.

C3 818 Pula - Osijek. From Verudela, where I stayed for 6 days, I take bus 3 to the main bus station, from where a shuttle bus departs for the airport. The journey with the bus takes less than 20 minutes and I still have half an hour before the departure of the shuttle bus. As minutes pass, some people are arriving at the last platform of the Pula bus stop. Some minutes before scheduled departure time, bus 23 is getting ready for departure from the neighbouring bus stand and I notice some passengers with trolley bags are boarding the bus. I quickly run to the bus and ask (In English) the driver if he goes to the airport. Judging by his face, he does not understand English, so I ask in broken Croatian ‘za zračnu luku?’ (I am not even sure if I use the correct form of the verb ‘zračna luka’, but to my ears it sounds OK) and the driver quickly responds something in Croatian, which I interpreted as ‘No, but a bus stop is 200 meters away from the airport’. I thank him and I wait for the shuttle bus, which arrives a few minutes after the scheduled departure time of 12:30.

It is 12:55 and check-in for flight C3 818 (code share OU5255) is still not open, and it does not look it will be open anytime soon, so I go to the café located in the terminal building. I order a cup of white coffee (3.30 EUR) and wait for check-in to start.

After 40 minutes, check-in commences at desk 10. It takes a few minutes to complete check-in and some more minutes to pass for the security control. Having some spare time, I make a short tour of the airport, and I study posters displaying the history of Pula Airport, which in my opinion has not changed much since the dissolution of Yugoslavia, and I am under the impression I am stuck in a time capsule.

At 13:58 a plane arrives at the tarmac as flight C3 818, which just completed a sector from Split. The flight was operated by a 35.3 years old Saab 340A registered as SP-KPG.

There are approx. 20 passengers booked for this sector. At 14:23 a gate agent announces boarding for flight C8 313. After checking my boarding card, I walk downstairs to the ground floor, then across the tarmac to the parked aircraft.

The flight is operated by Sprint Air, a Warsaw based airlines. The airline used to operate a domestic route between Warsaw and Zielona Góra from mid-June 2021 till early 2017, when the route was taken over by LOT as then-11th domestic route in Poland.

Inside there are already approx. 10 passengers who arrived on the previous leg from Split and continue onwards to Osijek. There are no seats assigned and I take seat 7A located in the middle of the cabin, configured in a 2+1 fashion.

The cabin interior is dated and has visible signs of wear and tear. The pitch between seats is excellent as I have a lot of legroom, which is unusual for most airlines today. I also notice all information inside the cabin is in Polish and English.

Today’s flight is almost full, and only a couple seats are unoccupied. Boarding is now completed; the doors are closed, and a single member of cabin crew (female) is presenting the safety demo, first in Croatian and then in English. She also informs passengers about basic statistics for the flight such as flight duration (1 hour), cruising speed (400 km/h) and flying altitude (approx. 6000 m). After a short taxii, we take off.

Today’s flight path crosses over the north part of island Lošinj, over the island of Krk, the town of Senj and south of Sisak, the Mountain of Papuk. After passing the village of Čepin, we make a u-turn then descend towards the village of Klisa, where Osijek Airport is located.

There is no service on this flight. During the flight I watch Croatian landscape, changing from dramatic coastline of Istra to agriculture flatland of Slavonija, and finish my book ‘Bad Blood’.

At 15:31 the flight attendant informs passengers of commencing of our descent to the destination airport, where we land at 15:43. After landing and a short taxii, I disembark the aircraft via the built-in steps and I proceed to the luggage reclaim area, where I collect my luggage. Dobro došli u Osijek.

Flight statistics:

LF: 90 %

Distance: 389 kms (338 nm)

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 14:30/14:37

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 15:40/15:43

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 1h 10 min/1 h 06 min