Croatia Airlines has taken delivery of its eleventh Airbus A220, bringing its fleet closer to final configuration.
The new A220-300, named Slavonski Brod, arrived in Zagreb just two days after the previous delivery. The national carrier now has eleven new-generation aircraft, with the fleet renewal expected to be completed during 2027.
Croatia Airlines continues to take delivery of new aircraft at an accelerated pace. The eleventh Airbus A220 in the Croatian national carrier's fleet has arrived in Zagreb, also the ninth example of the larger A220-300 version.
Aircraft with registration mark 9A-CAU is named Slavonski Brod and has 149 passenger seats. It was delivered from Airbus's Mirabel plant in Canada, where the A220 family is manufactured.
Two deliveries in just a few days
The arrival of the new aircraft followed just two days after Croatia Airlines took delivery of their tenth A220. The previously delivered aircraft has already entered regular service, which shows how operationally demanding the current transition phase is.
The fleet currently consists of nine A220-300 aircraft and two smaller A220-100s. Three more deliveries are expected by the end of 2026, meaning the company could finish the year with a total of 14 aircraft of this type.
This dynamic should make it easier for the carrier to gradually retire older aircraft, but also to standardise crews, maintenance and network planning. However, introducing a larger number of new aircraft in a short period also brings additional costs for training, spare parts and technical support.
The completion of the company's biggest investment to date
The fleet renewal project is expected to be completed during 2027. The final configuration will include 15 aircraft: 13 A220-300s and two A220-100s.
Croatia Airlines has ordered six aircraft directly from Airbus, with a further nine planned under operational leasing. Airbus states that the A220 can reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per seat by approximately 25 percent compared to previous-generation aircraft.
Greater flexibility for the tourism market
For Croatian tourism, the project's value won't be measured solely by the number of new aircraft. The unified fleet allows for simpler capacity allocation between Zagreb and the Adriatic airports, especially during peak summer demand.
The crucial test is yet to come. The new fleet needs to be transformed into a more stable flight schedule, higher aircraft utilisation, and a sustainable route network throughout the year. Otherwise, technological modernisation alone will not be enough to strengthen the company's market position.
