Croatia Airlines anticipates growth and profit

Croatia Airlines upbeat on future prospects

Croatia Airlines plans to introduce 100-seat aircraft, launch new routes, boost existing frequencies and initiate additional codeshare agreements with Star Alliance partners in 2016. It comes after the airline completed its restructuring process in 2015, which saw it end the year with a net profit. The carrier's spokesperson, Davor Janušić, tells EX-YU Aviation News, "The successful completion of the restructuring program enables Croatia Airlines to grow on a sound and sustainable basis. Given the positive business results and new opportunities, we are starting 2016 with optimism. Tourism, as Croatia's most important economic sector, has been recording excellent results, primarily due to the recovery of our traditional markets, such as Germany, Austria and Italy, and a steady growth in the number of tourists from new markets. For this reason, and because of signs of recovery of the Croatian economy and an increase in consumer spending, we expect even better traffic and financial performance this year".

The airline is still tight-lipped on potential new services, with two routes being considered by the management. In addition, talks concerning the resumption of its Dubrovnik - Frankfurt service for the 2016/17 winter season are ongoing. "The company plans to expand its fleet with a new aircraft with 100 seats, as well as expand its network of European destinations and introduce new routes in the summer schedule. On the eve of the Easter holidays, which traditionally represents the beginning of the tourist season in Croatia, seasonal routes to many European markets will be introduced, while the number of weekly flights on existing domestic and international routes will be increased", Mr Janušić explains, adding there are also plans for new codeshare cooperation, primarily with fellow Star Alliance member airlines.

Croatia Airlines considers 2015 to have been a successful year. "In 2015, Croatia Airlines continued the positive trend of its business operations. In the beginning of the year, a two-year collective agreement was signed that guaranteed social peace, while at the same time a consensus was reached regarding the implementation of Croatia Airlines' business strategy, the fundamental goals of which are the further development of the company and long-term viability. Last year, new codeshare agreements were signed with Singapore Airlines and Air Canada, which enable us to offer our passengers an even greater choice of routes and additional benefits while travelling. A third hangar has also been built, thus enabling the further development of the Technical Centre, as a high-profit sector of the company, as well as a significant expansion of the technical maintenance services performed on foreign airlines’ aircraft. The third hangar allows for an even greater export of Croatian know-how, which will further contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the Croatian economy", Mr Janušić concludes. According to preliminary financial figures, Croatia Airlines will post a profit in 2015 for a third consecutive year. In 2014, its net profit amounted to 921.000 euros.


  1. Anonymous09:03

    My guess is they still don't know which 100 seater they will get. By now they would have said, I don't see why the type would be such a secret.

    1. Anonymous10:14

      I am certain they are in negotiations with several suppliers (Embraer, Bombardier for both CRJ -and C-Series and possibly Sukhoi, too) as well as leasing companies for used 100-seaters.

      Why would they make any announcements before ink is dry on a contract and let public know with whom they are negotiating, what they are thinking off, or how much the costs would be/they would be willing to pay, etc.)? That would only weaken their position and increase prices.

    2. Purger10:19

      I wrote here facts few days ago:


      G. Kučko je do sada javno, polujavno ili kuloarski iznosio svakakve planove za CTN. Evo ih kronološki:

      1. Nabavit će se novi A319

      2. Nabavljaju se CRJ 900

      3. Prolongiraju se kupnja novih A319, no iznajmljuju se A319 i A320 od Adrije jer su jako jeftini a otvraju se linije poput DMO.

      4. Najbaljanju se CRJ1000

      5. Nabavlja se CSerija

      6. Nabavljaju se Embraeri 190

      7. Razmišlja se o Mitsubishi MRJ

      8. Umjesto A319 kupuju se A320neo (potpisano)

      9. I opet se nabavljaju CRJ 900 ili možda ipak Embraeri 190 (navodno postoje dvije struje u CTN-u)

      Ide se u otvaranje novih linija, najavljene su dvije, ali za to svakako ne treba dva regionalna jeta, već bi i jedan bio previše. Regionalac mora odraditi minimalno 25 rotacija tjedno, a dvije linije sa 3 frekvencije su 6 rotacija tjedno, što je sa ostalih 20-tak. Znači ili se otvara više linija ili se paralelno sa novim linijama povečavaju frekvencije postojećih linija, ili se, nedaj bože, dio flote A319/320 mijenja sa regionalcima?

      Najnovija razmišljanja (3 mjeseca prije pokretanja sezone) je:

      1. Uzeti u wet leasu CRJ od bankrotiralog Estoniana, koji su sada u vlasništvu (ili posjedu) Nordic Aviation Group nove kompanije koja treba nastaviti tamo gdje je stao Estonian, a koji ih daju za kikiriki jer ih trebaju zaposliti godinu dana da bi zadržali posade i avione prije pokretanja operacija krajem 2016. Avioni su NG, stari tek 4 godine i ne baš mnogo raubani. Navodno bi na na ovaj način vidjeli kako im CRJ paše u operacije pa bi nakon sezone eventualno uzeli dugoročni leasing ovog aviona.

      2. No, još uvijek je u igri i Embraer 190/195, za koji navodno druka Kučko. Lufthansa ih još uvijek ima na lageru nakon zatvaranja Augsburga i vrlo je vjerovatno da je upravo to deal.

      3. Pregovara se i sa Tradeairom, pa su čak i rađene kalkulacije za letove sa Fokkerom 100, no postoji i neke druge mogućnosti da se operacije preko Trade Aira rade sa nekim drugim avionima.

    3. Purger10:19

      Dakle tri moguća vrlo različita rješenje samo tri mjeseca prije ljetnog reda letenja?!?!?!?!? E sad se pitam:

      1. Kako je moguće da kompanija tri mjeseca prije pokretanja ljetne sezone već nema rješenje i još uvijek pregovara i promišlja?

      2. Kako se strategija firme toliko često mijenja? Zar je stvarno moguće da se nema vizija i da se toliko korijenito mijenjaju ideje i planovi.

      3. Je li česta promijena planova zapravo izgovor da se ne radi ništa, tj. da se time pokaže kao da se nešto radi, a zapravo rezultat je taj da se nije napravilo apsolutno ništa u posljednjih 4 godine. Pa čak ni sada nakon dovršetka restrukturacije, samo tri mjeseca prije početka ljetnog reda letenja još uvijek se nema odgovor na koji naćin će se realizirati plan otvaranja novih linije.

      4. Kako će se provesti realizacija bilo kakvog plana ili ugovora obzirom da Kućko vrlo vjerovatno neće biti na ovoj poziciji za koji mjesec. Nova Vlada će preuzeti funkciju za cca mjesec dana, trebat će im još 2-3 mjeseca da pohvataju konce, te još bar mjesec-dva da postave novog CEO. Znači Kučko će vjerovatno postaviti novu ljetnu sezonu, ali vrlo vjerovatno ju neće "preživjeti". A nakon toga još par mjeseci da novi CEO pohvata konce, da zatvori poslove, što znači CTN je izgubila još najmanje godinu dana. Godinu dana kojih nema jer konkurencija je stisnula sa svih strana i davi li ga davi.

      Sezona je završila sa pozitivnom nulom (manje od milijun EUR profita). Znači da će zima donijeti bar 100 milijuna kuna minusa. Navodno je dignut i kratkoročni kredit da se isplati plača u 12. mjesecu. Kako to naknaditi? Sell and lease back dva aviona, ispod njihove tržišne vrijednosti? Prodaja slotova? Prodaja maintenancea? Bilo što od toga je smak svijeta i ubrzavanje kraja kompanije! Konačno i ovaj izvor nije beskrajan. 5 aviona, slotovi, nekretnine, oprema i maintenace vrijede 250 milijuna EUR. Ovim tempom to će se "potrošiti" za manje od 10 godina. A potom? Samo sudbina Adrije, daj što daš i prodaja za 1 EUR (u Adrijinom slučaju još je država morala platiti 3 milijuna EUR) u nadi da će neka lešinarska firma bar nešto ostaviti, a ne sve dati na bubanj.

    4. Anonymous10:21

      No chance they would go for Sukhoi, it's typical russian junk.

    5. Anonymous10:32

      Absolutely wrong. The Sukhoi SSJ Jet is more Central European than Russian. Please, in future inform yourself before posting. The SSJ is assembled from parts manufactured in Italy, France, Russia, Germany, USA and Canada. It already has orders from countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, Ireland, Denmark (Greenland) ...

    6. Anonymous10:44

      Clear demonstration of how politics affect business. Moreover, it also affects people's minds and you are a perfect example of it. Engulfed in hate without any rational reason.

    7. Anonymous11:08

      Hate? Whre does that come from?
      SSJ is an aircraft from a company that makes no other civilian aircraft and from a country that was only able to sell the civilian aircraft that it made to its state owned carrier.
      And a few bullied satellite states.
      Their safety record was abysmal whether it was Tupolefs, Ilyushins or Yakovlevs.
      There is one airline in Europe that has bought is and another one in America. The rest are in North Pole (Air Greenland) or in ex-CCCP.
      So it is a very risky decision, one than an a small airline like OU should run away from.

    8. Anonymous11:52

      Is OU actually buying a plane or is it just leasing? To my understanding they are leasing 100-seat jets not buying them.

    9. Anonymous16:29

      OU won't be going with SSJs that is for sure. However CS-100s are very likely aircraft OU might wet lease to own sometimes around 2020, till then they might wet lease up to four new aircraft to help expand the airline.
      Lufthansa has strong and long term relationship with OU, I can bet OU will wet lease EMr 190.

      Hopefully new management is more competent than that idiot Kucko.

  2. Anonymous09:05

    My guess is Bucharest is one of the new routes.

    1. Anonymous10:26

      It's not unlikely, however my guess is they will also add another star alliance destination, e.g. Dusseldorf.

      For CEE markets, I wonder what is more promising: Sofia or Bucharest?

      They could also add Podgorica, perfect for their Dash 8-400.

    2. Anonymous10:49

      Podgorica was discontinued a few years ago due to terrible loads

    3. Nemjee15:30

      But didn't they have an odd schedule to TGD? Wasn't that mentioned as one of the reasons for the route's failure?

    4. Anonymous15:36

      U Crnu Goru je sve pre 12 sati cudno rano.

    5. Anonymous16:39

      Stockholm, Nice, Athens or Madrid, or all four.

    6. Anonymous08:23

      @3.36pm hahahahah

    7. Anonymous09:15

      I believe that OTP and SOF should be on the top of the list.

  3. Anonymous09:19

    Well the reason that they are waiting is,They are waiting for new Ceo due to new government. SO Kucko is on his way out .finally there is hope for this airline

    1. Anonymous09:34

      Is Misetic likely to return?

  4. Anonymous09:22

    Yep I agree

  5. Anonymous09:47

    Ot: Air Serbia uvodi 4 nove rotacije na linijama za hrvatsku u ljetnoj sezoni. Pula i Dubrovnik +1, Split +2.

    1. Anonymous10:16

      Correct figures are +2 frequencies to Split and Dubrovnik and +1 to Pula. Moreover, they add 1 frequency weekly to Malta (from 2 to 3).

    2. Anonymous11:34

      Vrlo racionalno, cestitam na dobrom potezu nakon serije drugacijih ...

    3. Anonymous14:27

      Air Serbia prices for SPU route are way too expensive around 230$ while OU is 170$ for return trip...

    4. Anonymous15:05

      OU's price is from Belgrade or Zagreb? If from Zagreb, then there is not much sense in comparing it to JU's price from Belgrade.

    5. Nemjee15:29

      I think he was comparing BEG-SPU-BEG on both JU and OU.

      Does that mean that during summer SPU will have 9 weekly flights?

  6. Anonymous10:00

    I would like to here Purger's opinion on OU's future. To me it seems they don't have a set strategy.

    1. Purger10:23

      No strategy at all!!! They are sleeping for 4 years now, doing nothing. Especially as answer to Air Serbia expansion.

      And because of that they are not profitable with price of old less than 40 USD per barrel!

      Future? Non! Too much too late.

    2. Restructuring Purger remember!

      I know you get shitty when OU ignore your expert opinions and suggestions but their hands have been tired these past few years.

      I too would like to see OU expand and take on Air Serbia but whats the point if it leads to losses and puts the airline at risk?

      Without a strategic partner who can easily increase OU's fleet thus capacity in the summer OU's safest option is to continue using its position as a Star member to its advantage.

      They could easily operate a fleet of at least 20 to 25 aircraft successfully during the summer but if they can't find use a use for these aircraft during the winter (which I think they could) than steady as she goes is OU's best play.

    3. Q400

      I highly doubt restructuring is the only issue here. If it was, on Jan 1st they would've announced the results of their restructuring and what their future plans are. What we got are some contradicting semi-announcements, news of negative financial results during winter etc. i'm sure elections played a role but still...

    4. Anonymous14:57

      SM exactly! LO went through restructuring and announced great expansion for 2016.

    5. Purger00:43

      Q400 totally agree they can easily fly fleet of 20-25 planes in period of 2-3 years and 30 planes in 5 years.

      But I don't agree that during restructuration they could do nothing. There was space for new routes and frequencies with fleet they have, code-share flights by Trade Air that was proposed to them but they reject proposal (Trade air propose franchise or even that they take risk and OU just put some passengers into Trade air flights and connections to SPU, DBV, ZAD, PUY, SJJ, SKP), they could make more code-share and collaboration with Montenegro, Aegean, Air Bulgaria and other airliners in region.

    6. Purger00:45

      And what are they waiting for now? They should prepare everything and start with new plan and expansion a second after restriction because of restructuration. But 3 months before summer time-table they even don't know which plane they will rent?????

    7. Purger, where they able to do anything like you suggested during restructuring, legally I mean?

      AS mentioned above by SM I agree that the likely cause of little activity these past few months is related to the Croatian elections and if OU will be getting new management as a result.

    8. Anonymous08:38

      OF COURSE!
      During restructuration they open code-share on Trade air Zagreb-Osijek and Zagreb-Rijeka-Dubrvovnik-Split flights. Why they did not use same pattern on Zagreb-Bucharest, Sofija, Prague, Milan, Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Mostar... flights by Trade air? Why they did not give Zadar-Brač and Pula-Lošinj routes to Trade air and have spare planes for new routes? They did open new code-share routes with other airlines so they could do that also with Montenegro, Aegean, Air Bulgaria...

      And for sure they could finish negotiation for planes during restructuration, prepare new routes and start selling tickets in October for flights in March.

      Purger (I can not put name in Reply)?!?!?!?!

  7. Anonymous10:01

    Good to here that they posted a profit in '15

    1. Don't trust everything you hear. When it comes to profits, truth is often somewhere else.

    2. Purger00:47

      By selling Pleso prijevoz to Globtur... Again selling of family gold!

  8. Anonymous11:00

    Bravo Hrvatska!

  9. Danijel11:20

    I think Tirana could be profitable destination for OU. I dont unferstand why they dont fly already to Tirana.

  10. Anonymous11:30

    Not much traffic between the two countries. It would have to be transfer passengers and they usually are not profitable.

  11. Anonymous11:50

    Mozemo zakljuciti da sve i jedna EX YU kompanija trenutno nema viziju za rizik neki ili razvoj, otvaranje nekih egzoticnij linija.
    Nadam se da ce ASL dobro odgovoriti ako dodju ti RJ u CTN takodje sa RJ.

    1. Anonymous12:01

      Ne razumes da asl jedva przivljava sa turbopropovima i da ima narucene a320neo? nema tu mesta za RJ.

    2. Anonymous12:26

      Nije u pitanju prezivljavnje u pitanju je kako se snaci kako su se ostali snasli ;)
      Ali bitno je reci nista se ne isplati ne treba da se radi.

    3. Anonymous14:25

      Ne lupetaj Jat je bio veci od svih kompanijica danas zajedno.

    4. Anonymous15:46

      Jeste bio veci zato sto je drzava ulagala mnogo
      I ako je leteo na skoro sve kontinete nije doneo rast LYBE kao ASL.

    5. Anonymous16:20

      A drzava i dalje ulaze u ASL a ona nema ni priblizno isto putnika kao taj JAT> Sta nam to govori?

    6. Anonymous16:33

      Kad dodje 6 A330 oda mozemo pricati posto uporedjivati flote je ne moguce ;)

    7. Anonymous16:41


  12. Anonymous12:37

    Ryanair je objavio da će nastaviti letjeti za Osijek iz Londona tijekom iduće zime a moguće je i uvođenje linije za Dublin.

  13. OU have put out at least two of these types of vids. What's in the hanger 757 or 767?

    1. Anonymous08:44

      Jako cool!!!!


  14. frequentflyer13:59

    Regional jets are currently the wrong move for OU.

    Given the incredibly cheap leasing rates of relatively-new 319s (some ex-easyjet ones spring to mind), a high break-even load on a RJ equates to similar operating costs as a 319, and fuel will remain cheap in the near term. And there's no staff training costs required either!!

    Announcing two additional 319s THIS SUMMER configured in the current OU setup would be the most practical and logical - one based at ZAG, the other at SPU.

  15. Anonymous14:09

    OU can try basing an aircraft in SKP to serve primary destinations and maybe code-share with LH/OS/LO or Star Alliance members. The can try MUC, FRA, CDG, AMS, etc.
    On the other hand Zagrab needs connections to destinations such as: INI/SOF, CLJ, VAR, TBS, EVN more flights to SVO, KIV.

  16. OU just needs to be very very careful. Price of oil will not remain at these low levels forever. The oil tensions between Saudi Arabia, Russia and US and their political games could end soon or could dramatically deteriorate furher in a split of a second. In both cases the price of oil would spike.

    Croatia Airlines shoud improve connectivity in ZAG, provide reasonable prices. They should also have two different strategies for summer and winter due to high seasonality of their market and they must take good care of the costs. Regional jets could work well only if oil remains at this level, but if the price returns to 120 USD / barel OU could end up in ruins.

    I am still puzzled with the evident lack of strategy in Croatia Airlines when they see what is going on around them. I mean country so dependant on toursim MUST have a home based airline. It is almost a matter of national security, EU or no EU.

    Good luck to OU and best regards from Novi Sad.

    1. Anonymous15:26

      Alo Pozega ne moze da posluje CTN i kao charter i kao legacy kompanija. 101 Bussines. Jugoslavija je zato imala i Adriju INEX i Aviogeneks povrh JATa.

    2. Alo Požega... Alo Pristojnost.

    3. Anonymous16:28

      Prestani da lupetas o sansama u turizmu za CTN. Tu je i Al Italia ispusila. Amateri uvek traze pristojnost....

    4. Nemjee16:40

      Хмм а зашто не би могли да имају и део туристичког колача? Ето мене баш занима.

    5. И мене занима зашто се Хрвати нису око тога боље ангажовали. Толико путника је прошло кроз приморске аеродроме током 2015 а колики су удео уграбиле хрватске авиокомпаније?

      А пристојност, то је одлика карактера, нема везе са познавањем неке материје. Не тражим пристојност од неких анонимуса, само увиђам да не постоји.

  17. Anonymous19:50



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