On Saturday, October 26, 2024, Czech Airlines flight OK767, from Paris to Prague, will be the final flight for Czech Airlines (ČSA) to conclude a century in aviation history. As one of the world’s oldest air carriers, Czech Airlines is transitioning into the Smartwings Group, a shift that will render the ČSA brand a part of Smartwings’ portfolio and end its status as an independent carrier.

A Look Back: 100 Years of Czech Aviation

Founded in October 1923, Czech Airlines began as Czechoslovak State Airlines, initially focused on domestic flights between Prague and Bratislava. Its inaugural journey—a biplane flight carrying only a pilot and a journalist—took three hours to complete. Just seven years later, the airline expanded its routes internationally, starting with flights to Zagreb in 1930. By the 1970s, Czech Airlines was offering long-haul flights to destinations like Montreal, New York, and Havana.

Over the years, ČSA witnessed significant evolution and growth. However, this legacy, marked by its “OK” flight code, will end tomorrow in its final flight for Czech Airlines as its operations will cease as an independent airline, and it will also withdraw from the SkyTeam Alliance, a network that includes over 20 carriers, among them Air France, Delta Air Lines, SAUDIA, and Korean Air.

Czech Airlines will no longer be a SkyTeam member airline

SkyTeam announced Czech Airlines’ departure in a statement:

“Czech Airlines will no longer be a member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance, effective Saturday 26 October 2024. This is due to changes in the group’s operating model that mean the airline will no longer operate scheduled passenger or cargo services under its ‘OK’ code. The departure of Czech Airlines from SkyTeam will have little impact on the overall network. SkyTeam continues to offer an extensive global network of more than 1,000 destinations in 160+ countries. Connectivity to Prague will be maintained thanks to services operated by five member airlines. SkyTeam and its members thank Czech Airlines for more than 20 years of partnership and wish our Czech Airlines friends and colleagues the best for the future.”

Although the “OK” code will no longer grace the skies, ČSA’s colors will live on. Two Airbus A320 aircraft and four Airbus A220-300s, the first two of which are expected by the end of this year, will continue flying with the Czech Airlines livery into 2025.

But What Happened?

Czech Airlines’ struggles can be traced back to the 1990s, with initial unsuccessful privatization attempts and compounded issues from managerial missteps, the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of low-cost airlines, and ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges led to reduced routes and fleet size. In 2018, Smartwings acquired 98% of ČSA’s shares, marking a significant shift in the airline’s trajectory.

Jan Sůra, an air transport expert and founder of the travel news site zdopravy.cz, reflected on the decline of Czech Airlines and the current expectations of travelers:

“After 10 years, it has been declining and has a minimum number of passengers. So for the general public, there will probably be no change, because at the moment Czech Airlines operates only the route from Prague to Paris, and it has been replaced on the market by other carriers.”

Sůra noted that the emotional connection to the ČSA brand has waned among travelers. In the past, flying was an exclusive mode of travel, but the advent of low-cost airlines has made air travel far more accessible and routine. Travelers today prioritize convenience and cost over brand loyalty:

“I think the brand doesn’t have that sentiment for the travelers anymore, because air travel has changed a lot. ČSA’s heyday was when flying was something exclusive and people didn’t fly that often. Now, thanks to the advent of low-cost airlines, flying has become a completely common mode of transport, which is often the cheapest way to move around Europe. And people don’t decide based on sentiment … but whether they are comfortable with the flight schedule and the price.”

Have you ever flown with Czech Airlines? Share your experiences and thoughts about the airline in the comments below.

Sources:

• Radio Prague International
• Featured image by SkyTeam via X