At its home base in Zagreb, Croatia Airlines is feeling increasing pressure from Ryanair and the local subsidiary Lauda Europe. The Irish company has not yet had enough and wants to expand further in the Croatian capital. Croatia Airlines is now also looking for alternative business areas.

Osijek Airport was a rather quiet place even before the corona pandemic. Wizz Air and Eurowings offer non-stop flights, but only in theory, as the offers are currently paused. Trade Air currently offers domestic flights to Dubrovnik, Split, Pula, Zagreb and Rijeka with Let 410. So far there has been no excessive price war or even predatory competition in Osijek.

This is exactly what makes Croatia Airlines useful and has now opened a non-stop connection to Munich. This will initially be operated twice a week. The aircraft is stationed in Split and flies according to the following pattern: Split-Munich-Osijek-Munich-Split. In the Bavarian capital, you can switch to Star Alliance partners such as Lufthansa.

Croatia Airlines approaches it carefully and slowly from Osijek. This can also be deduced from the fact that you initially only fly in the W pattern twice a week. However, the carrier is monitoring the development of the Munich route very closely. If this is successful, it should be increased. If necessary, the stationing of an aircraft and further routes are even conceivable.

First of all, Croatia Airlines still has to prove that money can be made on the first international route offered from Osijek. If the experiment fails, one can assume that this route will quickly disappear from the flight plan. Due to the fact that the Split base serves them, the holding costs are currently within manageable limits.