Ryanair in Croatia: Almost Total Zadar 2020 Flight Cancellations But Split, Dubrovnik OK?

March 21, 2020 – What is happening with Ryanair in Croatia? So many flight cancellations to Zadar, but not other coastal destinations. And what about the Hideout Festival?

The situation regarding flights with Ryanair in Croatia has been taking up an ever larger part of my inbox in recent times. Emails such as this have become commonplace:

Any clue why ryanair flights to zadar in june and july got cancelled overnight? Theres still several months to go… Any advice you could provide is greatly appreciated

Hvala puno!

I decided to look into the situation, and what I found was VERY unusual. 

The announcement that Ryanair is grounding most of its fleet on March 24 due to the coronavirus situation was a big shock, but there seems to be an interesting sub-story developing with Ryanair in Croatia. 

We have covered flight cancellations with Ryanair in Croatia already due to COVID-19, and the flight situation has been constantly updated in our regular Croatian travel advice – here is today’s. 

This was followed on March 13, 2020 that Ryanair was postponing its planned base in Zadar until 2021, as well as cancelling lots (but not all flights).

With the global situation, it is understandable that Ryanair in Croatia would be operating at reduced capacity, but cancelling flights in July? It seemed a little odd to me.

“Given the overall situation, it is quite certain that the flying season will not start as planned. When it will start, it is difficult to estimate at the moment, which is why Zadar Airport is unfortunately forced to postpone hiring of our seasonal staff until further notice,” Zadar Airport spokesperson Nikola Barac told Zadarski List when sent a seasonal employment media request. This has resulted in the postponement of the recruitment of 130 seasonal staff at Zadar Airport. 

Asking around, I was told that ALL flights to Zadar with Ryanair were cancelled by local sources. Really? I found that quite incredible to believe. What I found was all the more bizarre, according to the online booking system on the Ryanair website. 

Zadar is the main market for Ryanair in Croatia, indeed it was the entry point for low-cost flights when the Irish carrier entered the Croatian market in 2007. But Ryanair has expanded to other airports, albeit with more limited services. Dublin to Dubrovnik looks fine at the moment from June 1.  

As does Dublin to Split. Ryanair started flights to both Split and Dubrovnik only last year and currently offer only Dublin to both, as well as Vienna to Dubrovnik, and Stuttgart to Split. 

 Things are looking good from London Stansted to Pula from early May. 

And from London Stansted to Rijeka from June 1. 

But London Stansted to Zadar in July and August?

 In fact, there are only two flights currently bookable from London Stansted to Zadar for the whole of 2020.

What about flights to Zadar for the Hideout Festival on Zrce on June 21-25, 2020?

 

The Hideout Festival on Zrce Beach near Novalja on the island of Pag is scheduled to take place from June 21-25, 2020, coinciding with the only bookable flights from London to Zadar with Ryanair for the whole year.  

Same story if you are coming from Manchester. Currently, the only two flights available for the whole of 2020 are dates either side of the Hideout Festival.  

But if you are planning to visit Zadar from mainland Europe with Ryanair, there seems to be no problem. From Berlin, above, for example.  

 

The Viennese can arrive from May 1, 2020. 

And from Brussels, just a day later. 

But from the UK, or Ireland – nothing currently whatsoever, apart from the Hideout Festival flights. 

And of course, the big question is – when will this COVID-19 crisis all be over, and when will flights to Croatia resume?

Nobody knows for sure, of course, but perhaps there is a clue on the Ryanair homepage of one of the movers and shakers of European travel, with their most prominent advert, below. 

If anybody has any concrete information with verifiable links to support the info, please contact me at [email protected] Subject Ryanair, and I will happily update. 

How do I get a Ryanair refund?

This is a question I am getting a lot as well, and I am certainly not the best person to ask. It will involve filling in a Ryanair refund form, but for the latest information, check out the COVID-19 update page on the Ryanair website, which has the latest on refunds and disruptions.

You can keep track of the latest Croatia travel advice as part of TCN’s ongoing coronavirus coverage in our dedicated section. 

 

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