Last year, Croatia Airlines embarked on a long-awaited fleet renewal with the arrival of two new Airbus A220-300 aircraft. These aircraft have a capacity of 149 seats, even though the aircraft itself has 150 seats, including the “phantom” seat 31E, which we have previously reported.
Croatia Airlines operates a two-class configuration on its aircraft: business and economy. As is standard among European airlines on short- and medium-haul flights with narrow-body aircraft, the cabin is configured in an all-economy layout, meaning the entire aircraft has only economy-class seats. Business class passengers sit in economy-class seats, with the only difference being that the seat next to them remains empty. This ensures they have at least one seat of space between themselves and the next passenger. Croatia Airlines follows this same “all-economy” cabin configuration principle on its A220 aircraft.
One advantage of this configuration is that the size of the business class section can be adjusted as needed. If there are only a few business class passengers, the airline can allocate just the first two rows for them. If there are more, the curtain (class divider) can be moved back a few rows to expand the business class section. This flexibility is highly beneficial for airlines. If the aircraft had different seats for business and economy class, the number of business class seats would be fixed and could not be adjusted based on demand. However, this setup raises a question from the passengers’ perspective: Is it fair for business class passengers, who pay significantly higher fares, to sit in the same seats as economy passengers? The only “hard product” difference is slightly more legroom—just a few extra centimeters, which is hardly noticeable. The main difference lies in the “soft product,” as business class passengers receive better meals and beverages, increased baggage allowance (both carry-on and checked luggage), and earn more frequent flyer miles per flight.
The A220 features an interesting cabin configuration in economy class, with two seats on one side of the aisle and three on the other. In business class, where economy seats are used, one seat is blocked on the two-seat side, so only one passenger sits there, while in the three-seat section, the middle seat is blocked, allowing two passengers to sit. This means that in one row, economy class accommodates three passengers.
On its A220 aircraft, Croatia Airlines typically designates the first three rows for business class, accommodating a total of nine passengers. This reduces the overall capacity of the aircraft because six seats in these three rows are blocked, resulting in a total capacity of 143 seats.
Some airlines operating the A220 have opted for a different approach by installing dedicated business-class seats. These seats offer increased legroom, footrests, wider seating, and greater recline—significantly enhancing comfort compared to economy seats. This makes the price difference between business and economy class more justified. The best part is that using “real” business class seats does not necessarily reduce the aircraft’s total capacity. This is because these seats allow for four passengers per row, compared to the three-passenger arrangement in economy (due to blocked seats).
To illustrate this, consider the Airbus A220-300 operated by Bulgaria Air. Their business class section consists of eight seats across two rows, while the remaining 27 rows have five seats each in economy class, resulting in a total capacity of 143 seats—identical to Croatia Airlines’ current setup.
This concept could be applied to Croatia Airlines’ A220 as well. If the first three business class rows were removed and replaced with eight dedicated business class seats, the configuration would change slightly: instead of nine business class seats in an “all-economy” setup, there would be eight proper business class seats. This would initially reduce capacity from 143 to 142 seats. However, the previously unused seat 31E could now be utilized since the total seat count remains below 150. This would restore the total capacity to 143 seats. In the end, the overall capacity remains unchanged—the only difference is that business class loses one seat, while economy class gains one.
Of course, the question remains whether dedicated business class seats are truly necessary for Croatia Airlines, given that most of its flights last between one and two hours. Business class passengers may be able to tolerate economy-class seating for such short durations. However, installing proper business-class seats would enhance the passenger experience and significantly improve comfort. This could lead to greater satisfaction among business class travelers and potentially encourage more passengers to opt for business class in the future.
Many European airlines, such as Air Baltic, Air France, ITA Airways, and Swiss, use an “all-economy” cabin layout. However, carriers like Bulgaria Air, Cyprus Airways, and Animawings have opted for dedicated business class seating, even though they also operate relatively short flights within Europe. They have still chosen to provide added comfort for business-class travelers.
Globally, several major airlines, including JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, and Qantas, use dedicated business class seats on the A220. While these airlines operate longer routes, they also serve short-haul flights similar to those in Europe, yet they still prioritize providing superior comfort for business class passengers.
The highest number of business class seats found in an Airbus A220-300 configuration worldwide is 12, spanning three rows. In this setup, the aircraft has 25 economy class rows, resulting in a total capacity of 137 seats. In this case, five rows (or 25 seats) are sacrificed to create a premium business class section with 12 seats.
Perhaps Croatia Airlines will surprise us by configuring part of its fleet with “real” business class seats for longer routes. While this would add complexity to fleet planning, it would surely be appreciated by business class travelers. It would also introduce a new premium product that the airline has not previously offered. Ultimately, it would even be possible to retrofit the existing A220s by replacing the first three rows with new business class seats, while reusing the current seats in newly acquired aircraft for economy class.
Additionally, if business class demand is lower on certain flights, the airline could offer free upgrades to select economy passengers. This would introduce them to the business class experience, serving as an effective marketing strategy. Satisfied passengers would likely share their experience on social media and recommend Croatia Airlines’ business class to others, further boosting the airline’s reputation.
