Historic Last Flight: Czech Airlines Bids Farewell after a Century of Service

On Saturday, October 26, Czech Airlines (ČSA) will complete its final flight as an independent company, marking the end of a 101-year legacy.

Flight OK767 from Paris to Prague will conclude an era in Czech aviation. Preceding this final arrival, ČSA will operate Flight OK766 from Prague to Paris, both routes already sold out, with remaining economy seats selling for over  CZK 12,000 one-way.

The airline’s Airbus A320, is scheduled to leave Prague at 5:35 p.m. and return by 9:55 p.m.. This final flight represents more than just a journey; it’s a tribute to the airline’s impact on Czech travel and aviation.

ČSA’s financial struggles in recent years have been challenging, primarily due to fierce competition from low-cost carriers and internal management issues. These setbacks ultimately led to its absorption by Smartwings.

Following this transition, all former ČSA flights will operate under Smartwings’ QS code, effectively ending ČSA’s operational independence.

However, the ČSA brand will live on. Smartwings has decided to preserve the ČSA livery on two existing Airbus A320s, as well as on four new Airbus A220s that it will lease. The first of these A220s is expected to start service in December, with the remaining planes to join by mid-2025.

Founded in October 1923 by the Czechoslovak government, ČSA’s first journey took off only a month later, connecting Prague to Bratislava via an Aero A-14 aircraft. The single passenger on this inaugural flight was journalist Václav König from Lidové noviny.

That first year, ČSA transported 29 passengers, 10 kg of mail, and 110 kg of cargo—humble beginnings for what would become a major airline.

In 1930, ČSA expanded to international routes, starting with flights from Prague to Zagreb and later extending connections to Rijeka and Dubrovnik. Initially known as Czechoslovak Airlines, the company was rebranded as Czech Airlines on November 18, 1994.

At its peak in 2006, ČSA transported over 5.5 million passengers annually, but numbers declined as competition intensified.

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