Croatia’s ETF Airways unveils launch plans

Croatian start-up ETF Airways is set to take delivery of its first aircraft, a 189-seat Boeing 737-800, this coming Wednesday with a second jet of the same type to follow up soon. The carrier recently received the “EZZ” designator code from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, while its callsign will be “Enterprize”. ETF intends on eventually operating up to five aircraft, although, it initially plans to have one based in Dubrovnik for charter flights, while the other to be wet-leased to other airlines, if circumstances permit. The company is yet to sign deals with tour operators but has said there is interest.

ETF is now looking for partners, companies and brokers for ACMI and charter business opportunities in order to be able to station an aircraft on the Croatian coast. The airline argues that the country’s tourism industry would benefit from a charter carrier. “Thinking that we are world famous in tourism and that everyone will come to us is counterproductive. Antalya has thirty million passengers per year. All of Croatia’s coastal airports combined have less passengers than Ibiza. What we have is peanuts. We are talking about basing one aircraft in Dubrovnik. By brining a guest to Dubrovnik everyone will be able to profit from it - hotels, the city, tourist attractions”, the company’s CEO, Stjepan Bedić, said.

Private investors and Croatia-based investment funds are supporting the new airline which has stable financing. Commenting on its operations, economic analyst Velimir Šonje, who is one of the airline’s investors and members of the Supervisory Board, said recently, “ETF does not aim to become a big scheduled carrier. Our main goal is to utilise the opportunities which we expect in the coming years through charters and similar arrangements, primarily on the EU market, through flexible and reliable service”. Mr Šonje added that the post-Covid world will open a number of opportunities in particular markets niches.

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