Sabena Congo, caused thousands of Belgians to flee the country. The Belgian government commandeered Sabena's entire long haul fleet to get the refugees back to Europe. Independence also meant the end of the impressive regional network of routes that the airline had built up in the Congo since 1924. When the new republic began its own airline, Air Congo, in June 1961, Sabena held 30 percent of that airline's shares. The Douglas DC-6Bs remained in service with Sabena in the mid-1960s although they were no longer used on the airline's main routes. The Boeing 707s and Caravelles became the mainstay types
Croatia Airlines Airbus A320 arrived and was named "Rijeka". In 1998, another first plane of a new type arrived when the airline's first Airbus A319 joined the fleet. This airplane was named "Zadar". In the same year, Croatia Airlines became a member of the Association of European Airlines (AEA). By 1999, two more Airbus jets had arrived and Croatia Airlines started selling the Boeing part of their fleet. The airline flew its five millionth passenger. In 2000 two more Airbus planes arrived and an automated ticketing system was inaugurated. In 2001 the airline received maintenance and technical performing certificates from the German