Croatia Airlines ended the first half of 2019 with an operating loss of HRK 79.8 million, the national flag carrier said in a financial statement on Wednesday.

The loss in the first quarter was expected because of the usual low demand and minimal presence of competition at that time of the year, while in the second and third quarters, when all traditional and low-tariff carriers are present, it generates profits with which it covers the losses from the winter period.

In the first half of 2019, Croatia Airlines flew 960,620 passengers, of whom 615,000 or 64% in the second quarter, which is an increase of 1% on the same period in 2018. Passenger occupancy increased by 0.2 percentage points to 71.1%. The number of passengers transported domestically decreased by 3%, while the number of passengers flown internationally rose by 3% compared with the first half of 2018.

Looking at the second quarter alone, operating profit was HRK 10.5 million and net profit was HRK 9.1 million, up from HRK 4.7 million and HRK 4.9 million respectively in the corresponding period of 2018.

(EUR 1 = HRK 7.38)