Croatia Airlines, the national airline of Croatia, is adjusting its operational capacity for the current summer season and is relying on external support. Starting April 15, 2026, an ATR 72-600 aircraft will be deployed, wet-leased from the Croatian charter airline ETF Airways, reports Ex-Yu-Aviation.com.
The strategically important connection between Zagreb and Munich marks the start of this operation. In addition to the route to the capital, the turboprop aircraft will also be deployed on routes from Osijek and Rijeka to the Bavarian hub of Munich, in order to strengthen Croatia's regional connections to international air traffic.
The use of the ATR 72-600 is limited until the end of the summer flight schedule on October 24, 2026. During this period, the carrier plans to operate approximately 1.400 flights with this aircraft type across its entire network, corresponding to a capacity of around 97.720 seats. The most intensive use of the aircraft is planned for the Zagreb-Munich route. The wet-lease model allows Croatia Airlines to react flexibly to fluctuations in demand without having to expand its own fleet at short notice, while crew and maintenance are provided by the service provider ETF Airways.
Despite the additional capacity on some routes, the airline is reducing frequencies on others. For example, the connection between Dubrovnik and Munich will be reduced to just one flight per week starting in June 2026. This adjustment will remain in place until the end of the season in October. Industry observers often attribute such measures to optimizing profitability and prioritizing routes with higher passenger volumes. At the same time, Croatia Airlines is pushing ahead with the renewal of its fleet, focusing on the gradual introduction of new Airbus A220 models to eventually replace older Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft.
The collaboration with ETF Airways underscores the trend in European aviation to bridge capacity gaps through partnerships with smaller charter providers. ETF Airways, also based in Croatia and primarily specializing in ad-hoc charters and ACMI leasing, provides the ATR 72-600, an efficient aircraft for short-haul flights. For passengers from Croatian provinces, this ensures direct access to key hubs in Central Europe, while the airline optimizes its operating costs by strategically deploying propeller aircraft on less busy routes.