Croatia Airlines celebrated its 35th anniversary

In the year in which the largest project in its history began – the renewal of the entire fleet, Croatia Airlines, the Croatian national airline and member of the Star Alliance, on Friday, September 20, celebrated its 35th anniversary in Zagreb.

Guests of the Croatian Parliament, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, representatives of international aviation associations and organizations, many of the company’s business partners from the country and abroad, and the company’s employees headed by the President of the Management Board, Jasmin Bajić, participated in the special ceremony, which was held in the company’s technical center at the Zagreb Airport.

In his address to the audience, Jasmin Bajić, president of the board of Croatia Airlines, returned to the history of the Croatian airline company, which began on August 7, 1989, when Zagreb Airlines d.d. (Zagal) was entered in the register of the Commercial Court in Zagreb. Zagal started operating in December of the same year, providing the service of transporting postal items, and on July 23, 1990, it changed its name to Croatia Airlines d.d. and became a national airline for  transport of passengers, goods, and mail.

Passenger transport began on May 5, 1991, when the first domestic flight was operated on the leased plane MD-82 on the route Zagreb – Split. A year later, on April 5, 1992, the company made its first international flight (Zagreb – Frankfurt), thus starting Croatia’s connection with Europe and the world.

“We recently symbolically marked those parts of our history because we made the first domestic and international commercial flight with the new Airbus A220-300 on these very lines. Believing in the strength of our wings and the expertise of our employees, and with the support of our owner, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, in the past 35 years, every mile has taken us a mile further, and by carefully planning and listening to the needs and demands of the market and our passengers, we have strengthened our presence around the world,” said Jasmin Bajić, CEO of Croatia Airlines.

In the 35 years of its existence, Croatia Airlines has grown, within the European framework, into a medium-sized airline, and during that period it became a member of the most important aviation associations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Star Alliance, the largest aviation alliance of airlines.

“By renewing the fleet, Croatia Airlines is completely replacing the existing aircraft with new ones, which represents a significant technological breakthrough and greater energy efficiency with 25% lower fuel consumption. With the new and better quality A220 aircraft, with a capacity of 149 and 127 seats, we will ensure a better response to the specific needs of passengers and more efficient business model, thanks to which additional opportunities will be opened in addition to the gradual expansion of the flight network. The first new Airbus A220 was included in the fleet at the end of July, and we expect the arrival of the second aircraft by the end of this year. four in 2026, and three aircraft in 2027, when our unified (single type) fleet should have a total of 15 new A220 aircraft and be ready for new challenges, which we will gladly answer,” added the CEO of Croatia Airlines.

As a national airline, the company makes an important contribution to the development of the Croatian economy and tourism, enabling year-round connections between Croatian destinations and Croatia with the world. This season, the planes of the Croatian national airline fly directly from Croatia to 28 international destinations for a total of 50 and connect almost all Croatian airports with domestic flights.

From the first commercial flight until today, Croatia Airlines aircraft have made more than 711,000 flights and transported more than 46 million passengers.

Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance said: “We are very proud to celebrate 35 incredible years of Croatia Airlines. This year is very special for the company as it also marks 20 years of membership in the Star Alliance family. Croatia Airlines continues to be at the center of the expansion of our alliance’s offer Congratulations to all the teams, whether at the airport, in the company’s headquarters or in the sky. On behalf of our colleagues from Star Alliance and our member airlines around the world, we wish Croatia Airlines a happy birthday!”

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Executive Officer for Commercial Aircraft, congratulated and confirmed Airbus’ commitment to Croatia Airlines: “We are proud that Croatia Airlines has chosen the A220 for fleet renewal. This aircraft’s high versatility and flexibility, combined with a comfortable and modern passenger cabin, make it the perfect choice for airlines covering existing regional and international routes and opening new destinations. We congratulate Croatia Airlines on its anniversary and look forward to supporting its continued success and growth in the years to come.”

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