Croatia Airlines

Flight: Dubrovnik-Zagreb, A319, 01.04.2012.

Due to "bad waether conditions" in Dubrovnik most of flights were directed to Split, instead of landing in Dubrovnik, so passengers from Dubrovnik had to be transferred to Split airport by buses.

The flight from Zagreb to Dubrovnik was delayed at first, but than directed to Split: according to the airport information, pilot was not able to land the plain in Dubrovnik: the wind was in decline with light rain - weather conditions normal for airports and airlines anywhere in the world, but not for Dubrovnik airport and Croatia airlines. About 40 minutes later planes landed without any problem: there was sunny and a bit windy !!!!

Passengers who had to travel from Dubrovnik to Zagreb on a return flight, had to be transferred to Split by buses. According to airport stuff in Dubrovnik, the bus transfer should last about 3 hours - it was not true: it took us 4.5 hours to arrive to Split airport. The other possibility Croatia Airlines offerd was a morning flight and a free transfer to Dubrovnik without a secured and paid hotel accomodation in Dubrovnik.

During the transfer a very old sendwich and a small pack of juice was given to us by a bus driver.

At Split airport there were only 3 counters open for the check-in of about 160 passengers. The flight to Zagreb was announced at 11 p.m., than at 11:20 p.m., but the plain took off around midnight without any word of explanation regarding the 60 minutes delay: all the passangers had to wait for one special passanger (?!?!?!?!) from Split who boarded just before the midnight at buissness class.

The boarding process at the Split airport was terrible: boarding was announced, all the people formed a queue infront of the controll point and had to wait for the controll to start for another 10 minutes. Control procedure was slow.

Cabin crew were polight, served water and juice and a cookie, but after 13 hours of trip that should last like 40 minutes and the treatment we had to go through without any word of appologize, it didn't matter anymore.

I will never fly with Croatian airlines again, and if you have to go to Dubrovnik (there are much better and more beautiful places to visit in Croatia), don't fly there, drive, because due to "bad weather conditions" and questionable competence of the Croatia airlines and Durovnik airport stuff, you will find yourself in a position just described.

Not good for families if you check in at the airport. We found ourselves sitting separately from our young children (9 and 7) in both directions. You can check in online the day before, but if you book via Expedia, you have to contact customer services and request ticket numbers to do so.

On the plus side, the hub airport Zagreb can cope well with snow.

I flew from Zagreb to Dubrovnik and back with Croatia Airlines. Flight attendants were very courteous. Everyone boards at once, which was actually easy and painless. Their uniforms were impeccable. The plane was impeccable and looked brand new. I will fly them again any time!