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Croatian Airlines

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

4/5

Generous baggage allowance, good business class services

Family Traveler

3/5

Standard kid-centered services

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

3/5

A few adventure destinations

Student
Budget Traveler

4/5

Competitive pricing, connects to major hubs

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

3/5

Standard accessibility

Long Term Traveler

2/5

Limited reach

Novice Traveler

3/5

A user-friendly small airline

Introduction

Croatian Airlines was founded in 1989 as Zagal-Zagreb Airlines.  This was when Croatia was still officially part of Yugoslavia. The name was changed to Croatia Airlines after Croatia elected its first president in 1990. The following year, the airline had its first international flight (to Germany).

Croatian Airlines was founded as the national carrier of Croatia.  It is known mainly for flights connection the country with other destinations in Europe.  Nearly two million passengers fly on the airline each year.  Most inbound fliers are headed to Croatia’s popular Dalmatian Coast.  The carrier became a member of the Star Alliance in 2004.


Ratings

Important Factors 4/5

Average Delay

76%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

Less than 2%

Customer Satisfaction Rating

3 out of 5 stars

Types of Aircraft

Airbus A319-112; A320-200 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400

General 3/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)
Number of International Flights (Daily)

27

Size of Fleet

13

Major Airports and Destinations Served

Vienna, Paris, Munich, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London Heathrow, London Gatwick

Location of Hub

Zagreb Airport

Countries Served

UK, Spain, Switzerland, Kosovo, Germany, France

Number of Routes
Most Popular Routes

Zagreb-Split; Dubrovnik-Zagreb; Zagreb-Dubrovnik; Split-Zagreb; Zagreb-Zurich

In-Flight 3/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

All international flights have food, domestic in business class only

Food Quality

Average

In-flight Menu

Cold meals and snacks in economy, hot meals and snacks in business class (sandwiches, etc)

Average Leg Room

30-34 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

Croatia Magazine

Baggage 3/5

Baggage Fees

None

Number of Bags Allowed

Business 2 bags, economy 1 bag

Weight Limits and Restrictions

International flights: 30 kg Business, 20 kg Economy Domestic flights: 20 kg Business, 15 kg Economy

Web Site 3/5

Online Check-in

Yes

Web Site Usability

Average

Special Needs 3/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard accessibility

Pets

No pet transport

Special Offers /Partners 4/5

Airline Alliance Membership

Star Alliance

Hotel Partners

Miles & More

Competing Airlines

Jat, Alitalia

Strengths
  • Cheap flights to Croatia
  • Decent service for a small airline
  • Best airline in the Balkans

Weaknesses
  • Limited reach
  • Older aircraft
  • Limited in-flight services on domestic, regional flights

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

Croatian Airlines is a member of the Miles and More frequent flier program run by Lufthansa. Miles can also be earned by flying on any Star Alliance airline. Loyalty points can lead to perks like access to Lufthansa and Croatian Airlines lounges, located in Croatia and throughout Central and Western Europe.

Conclusion

Croatian Airlines is the obvious choice for fliers headed to the country of Croatia. It is also one of the better carriers in the region (which isn’t saying much as most air service are quite poor in the Balkans), so it is a reasonable choice for people connecting to other parts of the region of Southeastern Europe. Another positive for the airline is that it is a member of the Star Alliance. Outside of the Balkans and southern Europe, fliers will have little use for this airline.