Czech flag carrier CSA will cease air operations and discontinue the use of the historical “OK” code, as its parent company, Smartwings, restructures its aviation businesses.
According to reports in the Czech media, while not disappearing de jure, CSA will be repurposed as a holding company after October 27, 2024. All airline operations will then be transferred to Smartwings.
This move will represent the exit of CSA from SkyTeam, as well as the redesignation of the flights it currently operates with the Smartwings “QS” code.
Although it is one of the world’s oldest airlines still in operation, CSA is currently a shadow of its former self. Since 2021, when it filed for bankruptcy and nearly disappeared before being bailed out by Smartwings, it had been operating a very small fleet and a limited scheduled network.
As of September 2024, CSA operates two Airbus A320 aircraft on flights between Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport (PRG) and two destinations in Europe, Madrid-Barajas (MAD) and Paris CDG. In 2023 it was announced that CSA would be leasing four brand-new Airbus A220 aircraft, in an attempt to revive this iconic brand.
These aircraft are due to arrive in Prague between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 and, while no additional information has been provided by the airline, it is likely that they will be allocated to Smartwings operations, together with the two aircraft already in operation with CSA.
According to ch-aviation, as of September 3, 2024, Smartwings (including its subsidiaries in Slovakia, Hungary and Poland) has a fleet of 37 aircraft and operates an additional 11 aircraft owned by other operators (including one A320 from CSA) via wet-lease agreements.
The reorganization of the largest Czech air operator had been anticipated from as early as at least May 2024, when a public announcement was made in this regard.
A bit earlier, in February 2024, Smartwings’ majority owners took full control of the operator after their investment vehicle called “Prague City Air” bought out the 30% of Smartwings it didn’t control yet from CITIC Group, a Chinese government-owned financial services and investment firm.
Since 70% of CSA was already in the hands of “Prague City Air” and the remaining 30%, of Smartwings, this deal gave this group of investors full control of CSA as well.
