The new Zagreb-Dublin route from the country’s national flag carrier has delighted many, but who exactly will be using it?
Croatia Airlines will connect Zagreb and Dublin major with a seasonal connection running two times weekly until October the 25th.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes on the 3rd of May, 2018, and as has been previously reported, for the first time in the air company’s history, Croatia Airlines as launched a direct Zagreb – Dublin route. The seasonal route will run until October the 25th this year, with the possibility of being turned into a year-round connection as of next year. Boris Kolka, Marketing and Sales Director of Croatia Airlines, explained that the new route could become a year-round one if it proves to be profitable, and the first data indicates a capacity availability of more than 70 percent, should Croatia Airlines itself have enough aircraft capacity.
For now, flights between the Croatian and Irish capitals will fly twice per week, on Thursdays and Sundays. Although Ireland is already home to about 17,000 Croatian citizens, who will undoubtedly make great use of the new direct line to the Croatian capital in the coming months, for the time being, Croatia Airlines is counting on the growing number of Irish tourists who are increasingly travelling to Croatia before anyone else. Presenting the brand new route, Kolka said that in this manner, the Croatian national airline gives the Irish people the opportunity to experience both side of Croatia, coastal Croatia and continental Croatia.
Jon Woolf, Business Development Manager at Dublin Airport, expressed his satisfaction with the Croatian company being a new operator on Irish soil and expressed hope that the the new route to Zagreb would be fruitful.
“Ireland is currently in the best economic situation it’s been in for a long time. Employment is at a record high, and unemployment is very low. That means that we’ve got a large number of foreign workers coming to work here and then traveling home,” Woolf said.
Otherwise, it was highlighted how Dublin Airport acts as a very important link between North America and Europe, and Croatia Airlines is its 44th operator, with more than 31 million passengers expected during 2018.
The importance of a stronger link between Croatia and Ireland was also highlighted by the ambassadors of both countries, Croatia’s Ambassador in Ireland, Ivan Machin, and the Irish Ambassador in Zagreb, Olive Hempenstall. She stressed that both countries have a strong tourism industry, which can be further enhanced by mutual cooperation and the exchange of experiences.
