Flight Attendants’ Strike Will Cost 29 Million Kuna

The strike of the Aircraft Cabin Crew Union, which began this morning at six o’clock, is disrupting air traffic, resulting in the cancellation of all flights to Vienna, Podgorica, Pristina, Zadar, and Pula. Based on current cancellations and delays, it is expected that 24,000 passengers will be affected during the strike, as stated by Croatia Airlines.

Passengers on direct international flights from Adriatic airports will be transported to their final destinations via Zagreb, which will extend their travel time. Despite the strike, today flights have departed from Zagreb to Zurich, Copenhagen, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, and Munich. Domestic flights from Split and Dubrovnik, as well as from Sarajevo and Skopje to Zagreb, have also been carried out. The direct damage caused by operational reasons for traffic flow under these conditions, as well as the cancellation of travel and care for passengers, amounts to 29 million kuna over a period of four days, according to the statement. Croatia Airlines is also obliged to cover the costs of accepting and dispatching aircraft as if regular flights were operating.

Additionally, Croatia Airlines is paying for hotel accommodation for crews that were supposed to fly but are now grounded. The strike is causing enormous damage to Croatian tourism and undermines the reputation of the Republic of Croatia as a highly tourist-oriented country. Adriatic hotels are also suffering as tourists have canceled reservations due to the inability to reach their destinations. Airports are losing revenue from passenger taxes, while air traffic control is losing revenue from terminal fees, the statement says. Croatia Airlines reminds passengers that due to the cabin crew strike, the company is publishing a list of planned flights during the strike on its website www.croatiaairlines.com. Passengers and service users can call the free phone number 0800 7777 for calls from Croatia and the Contact Center phone (+385 – 1) 6676 555 for more detailed information about flights and travel conditions during the strike. (H)