The first Airbus A220 aircraft of the new fleet of Croatia Airlines landed in Croatia

Croatia Airlines ( CA ), the Croatian national airline and a member of the Star Alliance, today in Zagreb, in the presence of numerous guests and media representatives, welcomed its the first new Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a capacity of 149 seats, which officially started the announced renovation of the entire fleet, the largest project in the company's 35-year history. 

The Airbus A220 aircraft started its journey from the Airbus factory in Mirabel, Canada, and covered the first 7500 kilometers on its way to Zagreb. The flight lasted 11 hours with one technical landing in Copenhagen due to refueling, and took place at an average height of 12.000 meters.

The first domestic commercial flight of the new Airbus A220 aircraft, which bears the registration number 9A-CAE and ime Zagreb, is planned during the next week on regular domestic line Zagreb - Split, and the first international commercial flight will be on the route Zagreb - Frankfurt, continuing the tradition and history of the national airline. After that, the aircraft will be gradually used on other commercial lines of Croatia Airlines. 

Airbus A220 aircraft are new generation aircraft and are designed as a completely new product, offering the best performance in terms of efficiency and noise emission. Thanks to its innovative design and latest generation technology, the A220 aircraft offers a first-class experience to crews and passengers. Designed for the market segment of passenger aircraft from 100 to 150 seats, the A220 aircraft has a maximum range of 3600 nm (6700 km). 

It features a low-drag nose and tail design, including the least impact of fuselage drag and optimized wing aerodynamics. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1500 GTF™ turbofan engines of the latest generation, and it is additionally worth noting that consumes 25 percent less fuel te it emits the same amount of less carbon dioxide measured per passenger seat compared to previous generation passenger aircraft. In addition, the A220 broadcasts 50 percent less external noise compared to the previous generation of aircraft and approx 40 percent less nitrogen oxides in relation to civil aviation standards.

The A220 aircraft features an innovative passenger cabin design focused on comfort: it has the widest seats and highest ceiling in its class, a wider aisle, more legroom, while offering passengers plenty of natural light and a unique view thanks to large panoramic windows.

It also offers more storage space for luggage and personal belongings above the seat, and the needs of passengers with reduced mobility who have improved access to sanitary facilities have not been overlooked. A high-speed Internet connection is provided via Wi-Fiand, while each passenger at his seat has at his disposal charging port (USB A and USB C) and a holder for mobile phones and tablets, with the possibility of accessing digital content. 

The air in the A220 cabins is renewed every 2 to 3 minutes and is a mixture of fresh air and air that has passed through efficient HEPA filters, which remove 99,9% of particles. 

Jasmin Bajić, President of the Management Board of Croatia Airlines, emphasized that today will remain a special day in the history of Croatia Airlines, in the history of Croatian aviation and the Croatian state. "Today, we are entering a new period in which we will open additional areas for the development of Croatian tourism and economy, because thanks to the excellent fleet gathered under the name Airbus A220, we can now successfully spread our wings to new destinations, optimize our flight network, and all with greater energy efficiency and less fuel consumption and, most importantly, even more satisfaction of our passengers and stakeholders. I look forward to the arrival of each new Airbus in our fleet because with each arrival we are closer to achieving the goal that we have all set for ourselves through the Post-Covid strategy, consistently following our mission and vision, aware at all times of the importance of Croatia Airlines for the Croatian state and its passengers. I would like to take the opportunity to thank our partner Airbus for the extremely high-quality cooperation, as well as our partners Air Lease Corporation and Pratt & Whitney, because with joint expertise, understanding and great enthusiasm, we have all created a recognizable aircraft of which we can be very proud. 

After today's arrival of the first aircraft from the Airbus A220 family, the second aircraft is expected by the end of 2024, while the next six should be delivered in 2025, four in 2026, and three aircraft in 2027, which will make the Croatia Airlines fleet a total of 15 new A220 aircraft, of which 13 will be A220-300 (capacity 149 seats) and two A220-100 (capacity 127 seats).

Let us remind you that the renewal of the fleet of the national airline is the beginning of a new period of business, which will be decorated with refreshed visual identity, through which the values ​​of Croatia Airlines will continue to be consistently communicated, with an even greater focus on passengers and target audiences. The redesigned logo, as well as the new appearance of the aircraft, further emphasize the company's basic messages: quality, safety, travel comfort and hospitality, while the design of the sign comes close to the design of the tail of the aircraft for which the company has become recognizable. 

The largest project in the history of the company will enable further development and successful and sustainable operations in the future, but also further confirm the position of Croatia Airlines as a strategically important part of the Croatian transport and tourist infrastructure.

Photos: Source Croatia Airlines