Despite construction work at the Dubrovnik Airport, Croatia Airlines operated 86 percent of scheduled flights
Zagreb, 16th November 2018
During the first seven days of key construction work carried out at the Dubrovnik Airport, that is, in the period from 8th to 14th November, Croatia Airlines operated 86 percent of its scheduled flights given the reduced number of flights to and from Dubrovnik, and this despite the restrictions imposed on currently the largest construction site in the Republic of Croatia, while complying with all the required passenger safety standards. This, more specifically, means that, out of 49 scheduled flights, 42 were operated, flying 4400 passengers.
Over 80 percent of passengers reached their final destination aboard direct flights, while less than 20 percent of passengers were provided an alternative means of transport by coach, and this after five flights (10.2 percent of the total number of flights) were cancelled, and four flights (8.2 percent of the total number of flights) were diverted to Split, solely due to unfavourable weather conditions at the Dubrovnik Airport.
Flight safety and flight restrictions are the only reason for redirecting or cancelling a smaller number of scheduled flights, considering that the safety of each and every passenger has always been and will remain a priority for Croatia Airlines. In consequence, Croatia Airlines has also been conducting special preparations with flight crew on a daily basis with a view to making our flights to and from the Dubrovnik Airport completely safe even during this period of restrictive conditions – representatives of Croatia Airlines have highlighted.
In the said period, Croatia Airlines also introduced two additional flights with the aim of making sure that as many passengers as possible reach their destination in the shortest possible time and that the passengers are provided a transport service that they expect. Additionally, 14 flights (flying a total of 1003 passengers) were operated by a Dash 8-Q400 aircraft instead of Airbuses, given that the former has less flight restrictions under the said restrictive conditions and can meet all the requirements imposed on Croatia Airlines by the construction work carried out on the runway of the Dubrovnik Airport.
It is worth recalling that, in the period from 8th November to 9th December 2018, Croatia Airlines, the Croatian national carrier, operated a reduced number of flights to and from Dubrovnik, which has been coordinated and agreed upon with the Dubrovnik Airport, and adapted as such to all flight restrictions imposed due to construction work carried out on the runway of the Dubrovnik Airport.
Aware of the importance both of providing the residents of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County with a daily direct connection with Zagreb and of its responsibility as the national airline company, Croatia Airlines has decided to adapt its flight operations to very restrictive flight conditions at the Dubrovnik Airport instead of cancelling all flights during the said period, which was also an available options.
The reduced number of flights during this period is further subject to change due to unfavourable weather conditions, which primarily pertains to the bora. This is a specific wind, whose strength cannot be predicted accurately, and which significantly increases the required landing distance imposed on Airbuses, while the currently accessible length of the runway compromises flight safety directly.
The fact that, in accordance with European and Croatian legislation, the company has taken care of each and every passenger aboard flights affected by the said disruptions, ensuring that passenger rights are exercised and upheld at the expense of Croatia Airlines, is equally important.
Accordingly, the company will continue to inform its passengers about unplanned disruptions in advance whenever necessary and possible. Croatia Airlines thanks all passengers and the public for their understanding and acknowledging the fact that unfortunately certain disruptions cannot be predicted precisely and that service users cannot in turn be informed of the same in advance. Croatia Airlines has been investing concerted effort to maintain its service at a level rightfully expected by its passengers, despite all the flight restrictions in Dubrovnik, fleet capacity and the network of domestic and international flights as a whole, which the daily flight operations and activities of both Croatia Airlines and the Dubrovnik Airport depend upon.