Today, Croatia Airlines’ third Airbus A220-300 landed in Zagreb, a new aircraft named after the city of Vukovar and bearing the registration mark 9A-CAL. This delivery also marks the beginning of cooperation with the leasing company Azorra, which supplied the aircraft as the first of three planned Airbus A220-300s as part of the national carrier’s fleet renewal. The previous two delivered aircraft are owned by the leasing company ALC Clover Ireland, and three leasing companies will supply the entire new fleet of the national airline.
The aircraft was manufactured at Airbus’ facility in Mirabel, Canada, and arrived in Zagreb today, where it will join Croatia Airlines’ existing fleet. This move continues the ambitious plan for a complete fleet renewal, which by 2027 will include a total of 15 Airbus A220 aircraft.
John Evans, CEO and founder of Azzora, emphasized that the delivery of this aircraft is a significant milestone for both parties. “We are thrilled to hand over the first of three new Airbus A220-300s to our partners at Croatia Airlines. This results from excellent collaboration with Airbus and the beginning of an important partnership that will enable greater operational efficiency and an improved passenger experience,” Evans said.
The new A220-300 brings numerous benefits, including wider seats in economy class, large panoramic windows, and significantly lower noise levels compared to older generations of aircraft. Jasmin Bajić, CEO of Croatia Airlines, highlighted that the arrival of this aircraft represents another step in the company’s largest-ever project. “We are proud that our third A220 bears the name of the heroic city of Vukovar. This delivery confirms the progress in our fleet renewal, which will allow us to expand our flight network and optimize scheduling. We have already announced five new international routes this season, contributing to the development of Croatian tourism and the economy,” Bajić said.
So far, Croatia Airlines has already put two A220-300 aircraft into service (9A-CAE and 9A-CAI), and by the end of the year, four more new aircraft are expected to be delivered. In line with the plans, the first smaller A220-100 model will be delivered in the last quarter of 2025 to align with the winter flight schedule.
With the arrival of the new aircraft, Croatia Airlines is gradually replacing its older fleet, including Dash 8 Q400 models, two of which have already been retired. The plan also includes the imminent retirement of two more Dash 8 Q400s and one Airbus A320. Despite challenges in global supply chains and poor financial results, the carrier remains optimistic about further expanding its flight network.
Although the possibility of showcasing the new aircraft at the Paris Air Show in collaboration with Airbus is being considered, a final decision has not yet been made. Additionally, Croatia Airlines confirmed that neither the existing nor future A220 aircraft will feature Airspace XL overhead bins, contrary to earlier speculation.
