Croatia Airlines celebrates its 35th anniversary by operating its first international flight aboard new Airbus A220-300 aircraft
Today, Croatia Airlines operated its first international commercial flight with its new Airbus A220-300 aircraft on the Zagreb – Frankfurt route, symbolically marking the 35th anniversary of Croatia’s flag carrier, which was founded on this day in 1989. The first international passengers aboard the new A220 aircraft flew on the same route on which Croatia Airlines operated its first international flight in 1992, establishing regular international passenger traffic that has connected Croatia with the world.
Exactly thirty-five years ago, on 7 August 1989, Zagreb Airlines d.d. (Zagal), an air transport company, was registered in Zagreb, and began operations in December of the same year providing postal transport services. About a year later, on 23 July 1990, Zagal changed its name to Croatia Airlines d.d., having thus become the national airline for the transport of passengers, cargo, and mail.
Croatia Airlines’ first commercial flight was operated on 5 May 1991 from Zagreb to Split, establishing regular passenger traffic within Croatia, while the first international flight from Croatia was operated on 5 April 1992 on the international Zagreb – Frankfurt route.
Over the past three and a half decades, Croatia Airlines has grown into a European airline recognised for flight safety, professional staff, and quality service by providing passenger and cargo transport services aboard scheduled and charter flights. Since its first flight, the company has operated nearly 709,000 flights and transported more than 45.8 million passengers. Similarly, the company has become a member of the most important aviation associations – the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Star Alliance, the world’s leading airline alliance.
To mark today’s first international flight operated by Croatia Airlines with its new Airbus A220 aircraft, a ceremony was held at Frankfurt Airport, where Slaven Žabo, Commercial Division Director at Croatia Airlines, emphasised the following:
– We are proud and happy that today, as we celebrate Croatia Airlines’ 35th anniversary, we have provided our international passengers with a first-class flying experience in our new aircraft. We are particularly pleased that the first international flight that our new Airbus A220 operated was on the Zagreb – Frankfurt route, which is very symbolic considering that this route saw the first international flight in our company’s history in 1992. I sincerely thank our partners at Frankfurt Airport for 32 years of successful business cooperation, and we hope that many passengers will continue to depart from and arrive in Frankfurt aboard our new and redesigned fleet.
Upon the arrival of Croatia Airlines’ new Airbus A220-300 aircraft and its first passengers in Frankfurt, Alexandra Ulm, Head of Traffic Development of Fraport, stated the following:
-We are very proud that Croatia Airlines has chosen Frankfurt as it’s first international destination for their very new aircraft. We wish Croatia Airlines and its new A200-300 many happy landings at FRA in the future!
It is worth pointing out that the arrival of Croatia Airlines’ first new Airbus A220 aircraft at the end of July marked the beginning of the biggest project in the history of Croatia Airlines – the renewal of its entire fleet by 2027. The beginning of a new business cycle is accompanied by a refreshed visual identity, with the help of which the values of Croatia Airlines will continue to be consistently communicated, alongside an even greater orientation towards passengers and target audiences. The airline’s logo redesign and the new look of the aircraft further accentuate the company’s core messages, which are quality, safety, travel comfort, and hospitality. Likewise, the design of the logomark is now brought closer to the design of the tail of the aircraft, which is what makes Croatia Airlines recognisable.
The delivery of the second aircraft is expected by the end of 2024, the next six are expected to be delivered in 2025, four in 2026, and three aircraft in 2027. In other words, Croatia Airlines’ fleet will total 15 new A220 aircraft.
The biggest project in the history of Croatia Airlines will ensure the company’s further development, and successful and sustainable business operations in the future, and further confirms the position of Croatia Airlines as a strategically important segment of Croatia’s transport and tourism infrastructure.
In looking to create memorable moments together with its passengers, Croatia Airlines sincerely thanks all its service users for their trust over the past 35 years, and looks forward to all new joint flights, which will now be even more pleasant and efficient, satisfying passenger expectations at every moment.
To mark its 35th anniversary, Croatia Airlines is today offering passengers a 35% discount on both one-way and return tickets for all the domestic and international flights operated by the airline. The discount will be available only today for bookings and purchases made online at www.croatiaairlines.com, via the Croatia Airlines app, and at other company points of sale. The discount applies to flights to be taken by 1 August 2025.