What’s happening with Czech Airlines?
Nov 26, 2022, 6:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Location: BLQ 🇮🇹
Programs: BA GGL, Cartafreccia Oro
Posts: 200
What’s happening with Czech Airlines?
I’ve not traveled on Czech Airlines regularly since 2008 as I moved from SkyTeam to oneworld in the great Flying Blue devaluation. Also being based in London at the time (I was from NCL originally so I used to appreciate the KLM route network letting me avoid LHR in the pre-T5 days) it made sense to switch to BA to get to more places direct.
A recent trip to PRG shocked me when I didn’t see any CSA liveried aircraft. ‘OK’ was on the board but they were all codeshares. Then I looked at the routes they served and it was two. Hurghada (now ended) and Paris. Paris I understand as you can connect onwards with AF or DL, not sure why Hurghada.
I looked today and it’s only selling tickets to Paris for the next few days so perhaps this is ending too?
Is this the end of Czech Airlines or will they exist just selling codeshares?
What is the long term plan? Most of the codeshares seem to be with Smartwings who owns 30% of CSA but presumably there’s no SkyTeam benefits for codeshares on non-ST partners. Do they plan to resurrect flights under the CSA brand, just keep selling codeshares or are they going to let the brand die?
It would be a shame to see another historic national airline die, particularly when they had a better reputation than Alitalia.
A recent trip to PRG shocked me when I didn’t see any CSA liveried aircraft. ‘OK’ was on the board but they were all codeshares. Then I looked at the routes they served and it was two. Hurghada (now ended) and Paris. Paris I understand as you can connect onwards with AF or DL, not sure why Hurghada.
I looked today and it’s only selling tickets to Paris for the next few days so perhaps this is ending too?
Is this the end of Czech Airlines or will they exist just selling codeshares?
What is the long term plan? Most of the codeshares seem to be with Smartwings who owns 30% of CSA but presumably there’s no SkyTeam benefits for codeshares on non-ST partners. Do they plan to resurrect flights under the CSA brand, just keep selling codeshares or are they going to let the brand die?
It would be a shame to see another historic national airline die, particularly when they had a better reputation than Alitalia.
Nov 26, 2022, 6:41 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
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Posts: 22,501
I noticed the same last summer when I went to PRG. OK is moribund for years and Covid has likely accelerated the deterioration of their medical condition. Very sad indeed.
Dec 1, 2022, 1:30 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: |QF Platinum|DL Platinum|HH Gold|ALL Silver|
Posts: 1,752
Czech Airlines filed for bankruptcy in March 2021, they came out of it earlier this year but they are left with just one plane (an A320) and one route (PRG-CDG). Everything else is codeshares...
https://www.csa.cz/cz-en/destinations/
https://www.csa.cz/cz-en/destinations/
Dec 2, 2022, 1:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: SE+, OWS
Posts: 390
im from PRG, basically Smartwings are trying to save OK.
Czech Airlines had a really bad time during covid and it all crashed down when Russia attacked Ukraine as CSA were operating a lot of Kiev and Moscow flights with great flight loads.
They are still trying to figure out their position in the industry.. Smartwings are killing their charter game so they tried to involve CSA on Hurghada routes during busy summer season.
However they will be sending their last A320 for lease to Tel Aviv this month..
There are rumors they will be leasing new plane soon, will see.
Czech Airlines had a really bad time during covid and it all crashed down when Russia attacked Ukraine as CSA were operating a lot of Kiev and Moscow flights with great flight loads.
They are still trying to figure out their position in the industry.. Smartwings are killing their charter game so they tried to involve CSA on Hurghada routes during busy summer season.
However they will be sending their last A320 for lease to Tel Aviv this month..
There are rumors they will be leasing new plane soon, will see.
Jan 10, 2023, 9:37 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MIL, PAR
Programs: FB Gold (E+),TK Elite(*A Gold)
Posts: 686
Czech was a great airline I used many times to work on Eastern Europe. I went almost everywhere with them and sometimes with Hungarian Malev.
It was their golden age during early 2000s then they collapsed and never went back. Now their place has been taken by LCC , mostly Easyjet and Wizzair and I dont think they will be back. At least until traffic volume remains manageable by LCC and connections to major hubs.
LOT seems to be the only flagship carrier resisting in Eastern Europe.
It was their golden age during early 2000s then they collapsed and never went back. Now their place has been taken by LCC , mostly Easyjet and Wizzair and I dont think they will be back. At least until traffic volume remains manageable by LCC and connections to major hubs.
LOT seems to be the only flagship carrier resisting in Eastern Europe.