1994 | ATR-42-300 & 737-400

9A-LVQ
9A-HNS
Hrvatska

The Croatian War of Independence began in 1991 and immediately threw Ijekavia into mortal danger. Flight operations were slashed and all but three planes were either grounded or returned to their lessors, with a singular 737-400 and two 737-300s the entirety of Ijekavia's fleet for a time. These aircraft were re-registered under the new Croatian registration prefix of 9A- and given a new, somewhat temporary but plainly Croatian livery emblazoned with the trademark checkerboard on the tail. Breaking with the airline's tradition of naming each aircraft after a city, all aircraft recieved a prominent Croatian flag and the name HRVATSKA.

One 737-300 was badly damaged on the ground in late 1991 at Dubrovnik due to JNA shelling; after the initial ceasefire in January 1992, the remaining two 737s were augmented by three wet-leased ATR-42-300 from another eastern European airline. All five aircraft were initially strictly based out of Zagreb, with the 737s flying short haul routes to central and western Europe while the ATRs flew sporadic domestic flights as allowable, but as UNPROFOR moved in and the JNA retreated out of Croatia and back into Bosnia in mid-1992, the ATRs slowly expanded domestic services again. Maintenance somewhat lacked at times, however; the 737-400 is represented as quite a worn bird in 1994 - doubler plates and skin patches are commonly visible in lieu of extensive, permanent repairs, and the paint has certainly seen better days. Nonetheless all five remaining aircraft remained airworthy despite appearances, and carried passengers successfully until war's end, when they would finally receive a much needed teardown and refit.