First Dash 8 Q400 aircraft leaves Croatia Airlines fleet

The national carrier Croatia Airlines has confirmed to AvioRadar that the first of six Dash 8 Q400 aircraft has left its fleet. The aircraft, registered as 9A-CQB and named “Lika,” operated its final flight for the airline on 13 January 2025, on flight OU437 from Munich to Zagreb. It landed at Zagreb Airport at 10:24 PM local time, marking the end of more than a decade and a half of service.

The 9A-CQB aircraft joined the Croatia Airlines fleet on 27 July 2008, under an operating lease agreement. All aircraft of this type in the fleet were named after Croatian regions, with “Lika” entering regular service in early August of the same year. Throughout its career with Croatia Airlines, it completed an impressive 39,700 flights.

According to unofficial information, the aircraft is scheduled to return to Canada, its country of manufacture, on 19 January. There, it will undergo the necessary inspections before being put back into service with an as-yet-unknown operator.

A similar process is expected for the aircraft registered as 9A-CQA, the first Dash 8 Q400 to join the Croatia Airlines fleet back in May 2008. Its retirement and return to the lessor are planned for April this year.

This transition is part of a broader fleet renewal plan by Croatia Airlines. The company aims to replace the Dash 8 Q400 and existing A319/320 with Airbus A220 aircraft. So far, two new Airbus A220 aircraft have already joined the fleet, with a third expected in March. By the end of the year, an additional five A220 aircraft are anticipated.

To maintain operational capacity during this transition, Croatia Airlines plans to engage a turboprop partner for wet lease operations to cover short-haul flights not intended for the Airbus A220. This ambitious fleet renewal program marks a new chapter in the history of the national carrier, focusing on modernization and enhancing passenger services.

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