November 29, 2022 - Croatia Airlines and Airbus have signed a contract for the purchase of the most modern Airbus A220 aircrafts, a step towards Croatia Airlines replacement of all their aircraft with a new unified fleet by 2026 and a complete switch to jet propulsion.

The Croatian national airline announced the signing of the contract today, reminding the public that the replacement of the fleet represents a long-term process of transition, and that there will be a period of adaptation of all business processes to the new aircraft. This, they say, will further optimize the operations of the national airline, ensure better occupancy of the passenger cabin, and better utilization of the crew, while Croatia Airlines will become an even more environmentally friendly airline and will significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

In addition, significantly higher quality and more pleasant flights will be provided to passengers, but also far more economical and sustainable business, according to the press release, which does not include financial details of the contract. The President of the Management Board of Croatia Airlines, Jasmin Bajić, stated that considering the demands of passengers, trends in the highly competitive Croatian and global aviation market, fuel prices and CO2 emissions, as well as the goals of the EU's green policies and the no less important fact of the ageing of the existing fleet, the decision on fleet replacement of Croatia Airlines is imperative and fully compliant with the adopted post-covid strategy. "I am happy that we are entering a new business development cycle with a partner we know well and who, based on long-term cooperation, really offered us conditions that we are currently able to accept," Bajić said.

Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International Business of Airbus Christian Scherer stated that he is glad that Croatia Airlines is the new customer of the A220 aircraft. "The A220 is ideal for Croatian aviation needs due to its operational flexibility and efficiency, which will help the company achieve its ambitions of regional and international connectivity and the provision of superior services in any aspect, whether it is passenger comfort or travel economy and flight occupancy," he said.