Czech Airlines has completed its final flight after over 100 years of service in an aviation legacy that stretches back to October 1923.
The final Czech Airlines flight (OK767) departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on October 26, 2024, at 21:23, before landing at Prague Vaclav Havel Airport (PRG) around an hour later.
When the Airbus A320-214 next flies on October 27, 2024, the aircraft will operate under the Smartwings ‘QR’ code, and Czech Airlines’ famous ‘OK’ code will cease to exist.
Czech Airlines is being absorbed into the parent company Smartwings Group and has been removed from the SkyTeam alliance.
After more than 100 years of flying, Czech Airlines is operating its final flight. The fifth oldest still-operating airline in the world will be fully folded into parent company Smartwings. https://t.co/XJNGnYPlKe pic.twitter.com/4povphvA9d
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 26, 2024
Two Airbus A320s will continue to fly in the Czech Airlines livery, as will four new Airbus A220-300s that are due to begin arriving this year.
On June 1, 2023, it was announced that Czech Airlines would lease four factory new Airbus A220-300 aircraft from Air Lease Corporation (ALC).
The reorganization of the largest Czech air operator had been anticipated from as early as May 2024, when a public announcement was made. CSA will be repurposed as a holding company after October 27, 2024.
Here is the last landing on Runway 06/24 at Václav Havel Airport (Prague / Ruzyně) as we bid farewell to one of the oldest (5th oldest airline in the world) commercial airlines : Czech Airlines CSA, 101 year Old.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 26, 2024
CSA Airbus A320-214 aircraft (OK-IOO) operated the last flight… pic.twitter.com/wHBDiR53XD
Czech Airlines was one of the five oldest airlines in the world and founding member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Only KLM (1919), Avianca (1919), Qantas (1920), and Aeroflot (1923) can claim longer aviation histories.
Czech Airlines first flight took place between Prague and Bratislava on October 29, 1923.
In March 2021, Czech Airlines filed for bankruptcy and entered a restructuring process that saw it shed almost its entire fleet.
The airline emerged from this process in June 2022 with only two aircraft remaining and a new ownership structure, with Smartwings owning 30% of the restructured entity.