ONE of the world’s oldest running airlines is to close after nearly 100 years of operation.
Czech Airlines, the flag carrier of the Czech Republic, will stop all flights next month.
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The airline, which has a history spanning nearly a century, was once one of the largest in Eastern Europe.
However, it has confirmed that operations will close on October 28 and be absorbed by another Czech airline, Smartwings.
It has struggled in recent years for a number of reasons, including the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the rise of low-cost airlines and the Covid pandemic.
There are also reports of internal mismanagement carrying out costly purchases and extravagant spending, also leading to the airline’s decline.
Currently, Czech Airlines only operates two routes – to Paris and Madrid from Prague Václav Havel Airport.
It has two Airbus A320-200 aircrafts, which will be fully integrated into Smartwings.
The airline’s final flight will arrive from Paris on October 28, marking the official end of its operations.
Its frequent flyer programmes, OK Plus and OK Plus Corporate, will also be terminated in their current setup.
Czech Airlines is the fifth oldest airline in the world, after Dutch KLM (1919), Colombian Avianca (1919), Australian Qantas(1920), and Soviet/Russian Aeroflot (1923).
Its first regular flight took place on October 29th, 1923, when Czechoslovak State Airlines was its official name.
In the early years, the airline played a pivotal role in connecting Prague to Bratislava, with other international routes to Paris, Berline, and Moscow following shortly afterwards.
During World War II, the carrier ceased operations, but resumed services after the war ended.
Post-war, it continued to expand its route network, with flights to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
By the 1980s, it had become one of the largest airlines in Eastern Europe, and served over 50 destinations.
Other airlines that have closed over the years
Many airlines have ceased operations due to financial issues…
Flybe – the British regional airline ceased operation in 2020 due to supply chain pressures caused by the Covid pandemic. It once provided more than half of UK domestic flights outside London.
Thomas Cook Airlines – the carrier ceased operation in 2019 as the company failed to clear a debt burden of £1.1 billion. It flew to many destinations across the globe, including Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and the Caribbean.
Wow Air – the Icelandic budget airline abruptly ceased operations in 2019 after efforts to raise money had failed.
US Airways – in early 2013, the airline agreed to merge with American Airlines in a deal that would create the largest US airline. Its last flight was in 2015.
Midwest Airlines – the carrier, headquartered in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, stopped flying in 2010 when it merged with Frontier Airlines.
American Trans Air – in 2008, the airline declared bankruptcy and ceased all operations. The sudden end came about after FedEx abruptly cancelled its long standing military charter contract.
Trans World Airlines – the major US airline ceased operations as a separate airline in 2001, when American Airlines acquired its assets.
Aloha Airlines – the US carrier ended all operations in 2008 after filing for bankruptcy. High fuel prices and tough operating conditions contributed to its decline.
Kingfisher Airlines – the Indian airline group ceased operations in 2012 due to a number of factors, including mounting debts, poor financial results, and staff protests.
EOS Airlines – the American all-business class airline ceased operations in 2008 after filing for bankruptcy. It cited insufficient cash as the reason for its closure.
Primera Air – the Danish airline, which provided scheduled and charter passenger services from Northern Europe to more than 40 destinations in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North America, ceased operations in 2018 due to bankruptcy and delayed aircraft delivery.
Monarch Airlines – the iconic British carrier ceased operations in 2017 due to a number of factors, including increased competition from other low-cost airlines on routes to southern Europe.
Air Berlin – the airline filed for insolvency in 2017 after battling significant financial issues. The airline was originally founded by American interests in 1978 to provide airline service to West Berlin, a territory that could not legally be served by West German airlines such as Lufthansa due to political restrictions on East German airspace.
Pan American World Airways – in 1986, due to financial distress, the US airline’s routes and services came to be drastically reduced. The company then ceased operations in 1991.
Ted – it was one of two airline divisional brands of United Airlines. But it ceased all operations in 2009 due to the airline crises caused by spiking fuel prices, and its components were transferred back to United Airlines mainline operations.
Today, Smartwings is the biggest airline in the Czech Republic, offering regular flights to more than 80 destinations.
While its headquarters is in Prague, it also operates in Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
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