Croatia Airlines has experienced delays in returning a pair of De Havilland Dash 8-400s to their owners, adding to fleet transition costs as it switches to Airbus A220s.

The airline says one of the aircraft (9A-CQB) carried out its last operation in January, and the other (9A-CQA) was withdrawn from service in April.

But the carrier says they have had to undergo various processes, including a technical inspection in Canada and painting in Slovakia.

“Final return of both aircraft to their owners is significantly delayed due to problems in the supply of parts [and] overloading of aircraft and engine workshops,” says Croatia Airlines in a third-quarter financial briefing.

It says they require completion of renovation and the return of all engines from servicing.

“Croatia Airlines is paying the lease for these aircraft to the owner until the aircraft are handed over…which is a significant additional unplanned cost caused by the crisis in the aviation supply chain,” it adds.

The carrier is also intending to withdraw an Airbus A320 (9A-CTK) by the end of November.

Croatia Airlines has been operating since October with seven A220s and expects the delivery of further examples next year.

But the transition has generated higher costs than previously anticipated, it says, owing to delivery delays, leading to a “chain reaction” – a lack of capacity, and a late start to seasonal flights, some of which could only be introduced in July.

Croatia Airlines nevertheless managed to keep short-term aircraft leasing “minimal” over the first nine months of the year.

It generated 10% higher revenues at €227 million ($263 million) but operating losses and net losses more than doubled, respectively to €21.5 million and €20.9 million. The company says it expected negative results for the period, given the “operational and financial” challenges of the 2024-27 transition.