Croatia Airlines has announced the extension of two longstanding contracts with German firm Lufthansa Technik.

The extended agreements cover the airline’s Airbus A320-family fleet, which is currently operating six aircraft of this model.

Under the agreement, an existing total component support (TCS) contract was extended by seven years while the auxiliary power unit (APU) services contract was extended to more than five years.

Croatia Airlines will also become a user of Lufthansa Technik’s digital platform AVIATAR, as part of the agreement.

Croatia Airlines technical director Davor Bujan said: “Technical expertise has strongly contributed to Croatia Airlines being recognised as a safe air company.

“This cooperation expansion contract is another confirmation of the excellent relations between us and our longstanding partner, which I believe will develop further to the benefit of both parties.”

Lufthansa Technik’s AVIATAR is an open digital platform for the aviation industry.

Using selected products and solutions of Lufthansa Technik, the state-owned airline of Croatia will see increased reliability and aircraft availability.

Lufthansa Technik Europe Corporate Sales senior executive Jens Henningsen said: “With the extended contracts, Croatia Airlines is once again expressing its long-standing trust in Lufthansa Technik.

“In 2017, we commemorated 25 years of corporation. We will continue working very closely together as partners to ensure the highest reliability, performance and safety.”

Since 1992, Lufthansa Technik has been a maintenance partner to Croatia Airlines, when the former started to support its Boeing 737 fleet with an integrated total technical support (TTS) contract.

When the Croatian airliner included its first Airbus A320 in its fleet in 1997, Lufthansa Technik was again chosen as a provider of TTS.

Croatia Airlines’ Bombardier Q400 turboprops have also been under a TCS contract since 2008.

The recent extension contract for the Airbus A319/A320 fleet covers component services, engine maintenance, support for airframe related components (ARC) and the provision of APUs.