The delivery of Croatia Airlines’ first Airbus A220 aircraft has been delayed until June of next year. Initially, the carrier was to take delivery of the first jet of the type in February and the second in April of 2024, with the aim for the aircraft to enter the fleet before the height of the summer season. However, they will now be delivered from June onwards. The airline expects to take delivery of only two aircraft next year, followed by six in 2025, four in 2026 and the remaining three in 2027. All of the aircraft will be new, however, they will not be owned by Croatia Airlines. Instead, they will be on financial lease, with the government noting the deal is valued at 500 million US dollars.
Croatia Airlines inked the long-term lease for six units with the Air Lease Corporation, including for two 127-seat A220-100s and four 149-seat A220-300s. The procedure for selecting a lessor for six aircraft that will be delivered based on the signed addendum to the contract with Airbus is underway, as well as the procedure for choosing a lessor for the remaining three aircraft. In total, the airline plans to have three A220-100s and twelve A220-300s in its fleet. The Croatian flag carrier has also signed a contract for the purchase of 33 Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for the aircraft. Pilot training for the new type has already begun.
Croatia Airlines recently sold five Airbus A320-family aircraft that were in its ownership and now leases its entire fleet. It is expected for the older A320 aircraft to be phased out first, with the carrier planning to eventually operate an all-A220 fleet. “Taking delivery of new aircraft and phasing out old ones is a huge job that requires the commitment of everyone in the company, because it is a major project that necessitates all of us to give it our all. At one point we will have three aircraft types in our fleet, which is operationally, financially and in every other sense very demanding”, Croatia Airlines’ CEO, Jasmin Bajić, previously said.
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