Croatia Airlines has signed a firm order for six Airbus A220-300s, and plans on leasing an additional nine, expanding their commitment to the type to 15 aircraft. The new aircraft will help the carrier reduce costs, while improving environmental efficiency.
On Tuesday (November 29, 2022), Airbus announced that Zagreb-based Croatia Airlines, the national flag carrier of Croatia, has placed a firm order for six Airbus A220-300s. The carrier also plans to lease an additional nine aircraft, bringing their total commitment to the type to 15. The new state-of-the-art aircraft will replace previous generation aircraft in Croatia Airlines’ fleet, reducing operating costs, while improving environmental efficiency and offering passengers an unrivaled level of comfort. Airbus and Croatia Airlines have a partnership spanning 25 years, when the airline first became an Airbus operator. Today, the airline operates a fleet of five Airbus A319s and two A320s.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Croatia Airlines’ CEO and President of the Management Board, Jasmin Bajić, said,
“Today’s signing of a contract for the purchase of state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft is a very special moment for all of us at Croatia Airlines. It marks the beginning of a new period of aviation, a new period in the life of Croatia Airlines, a new period for our passengers, and a new period for Croatia’s tourism and economy as a whole.”
Also commenting on the new A220-300 order, Airbus’ Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International, Christian Scherer, said,
“We are thrilled to add Croatia Airlines as a new A220 customer. The A220 is ideally suited to Croatia's aviation needs, providing operational flexibility and efficiency allowing its airline to pursue its ambition for both regional and international connectivity without compromising on any aspect, be it passenger comfort or trip and seat cost economics.”
The Airbus A220 is a clean sheet design and the only purpose-built aircraft in the 100-150 seat market. The aircraft combines state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest generation GTF™ engines to deliver a 50 percent smaller noise footprint and up to a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions per seat versus previous generation aircraft. The A220-300 also produces around 50 percent lower NOx emissions compared to industry standards.
Currently, over 230 Airbus A220 Family aircraft have been delivered to 16 airlines operating on four continents. The aircraft’s flexibility makes it ideally suited for both regional and long-distance routes, and will enable Croatia Airlines to further develop tourism in the region, while optimizing their fleet efficiency. To date, over 70 million passengers have enjoyed the A220 flight experience, and the aircraft is now flying on over 800 routes to 325 destinations worldwide. At October 31, 2022, approximately 30 customers had ordered more than 780 A220s, confirming its single-aisle market breakthrough.
Source: Airbus