Croatia Airlines has phased out its first 72-seat Dash 8 turboprop aircraft, as the airline transitions to a single-type Airbus A220 fleet. In a statement to EX-YU Aviation News, the carrier confirmed the retirement of the turboprop registered 9A-CQB (Lika), which was delivered new to the company seventeen years ago in 2008. A second Dash 8 aircraft, registered 9A-CQA (Slavonija), is due to leave during the first quarter of the year. As a result, the company is expected to operate four units of the aircraft type this summer. Croatia Airlines’ existing turboprop fleet is under an operational lease. In 2024, the Dash 8s were used on 57.8% of the company’s scheduled flights. The average age of Croatia Airlines’ turboprop fleet is just over fifteen years.
Croatia Airlines plans to select a wet-lease capacity provider for turboprop planes by the end of the year, with the aircraft expected to enter service on behalf of the Croatian carrier in 2026. The airline previously confirmed it would wet-lease turboprops for regional routes to replace its existing Dash 8s. “What we plan to do next is find a partner for 2026 that will operate on our behalf on shorter routes through a wet-lease arrangement. That will involve the partner airline’s crew and aircraft. Austrian Airlines currently has the same agreement with Braathens. These aircraft will be used on shorter routes such as Sarajevo, Vienna, and Osijek”, Croatia Airlines’ CEO, Jasmin Bajić, previously said.
The Croatian carrier will take delivery of another twelve A220-300s by 2027, with the capacity to seat 149 passengers, and two A220-100s with 127 seats, the latter effectively becoming the smallest aircraft in its fleet. Its third A220-300 is due to be delivered in March while the first A220-100 is expected before the start of the winter season in late October. In total, six A220 jets are due to be delivered this year. “This will not only enable our growth but also make us more competitive and sustainable, which fits our business plans perfectly”, Mr Bajić noted.
