Summary CSA Czech Airlines will suspend operations in October, merging almost entirely with Smartwings. Loyalty program OK Plus will end on October 26, 2024, with the termination of all memberships. The airline's gradual demise is attributed to financial issues worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is the end of the line for Czech flag carrier CSA Czech Airlines. In October, the airline will operate its final flight before merging almost completely with Smartwings. As per various media reports, the airline will revert its OK-coded flights to the smartwings QS code from October 27, 2024, in time for the start of this year’s aviation winter season.
Goodbye to the fifth-oldest airline in the world It has recently emerged that CSA will suspend its own operations in October. This is according to a release published by Smartwings seen by Simple Flying in mid-May. OK-coded flights will be scrapped in favor of Smartwings’ QS code.
It reads: The reason for the change in ČSA's business model is to make the group's operation more efficient using the synergistic effects of Czech Airlines and Smartwings with the aim of increasing productivity while maintaining the ČSA and Smartwings brands. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Smartwings, Jiří Jurán said: "There is a need to constantly optimize the costs of operating companies within the group, simplify processes and diversify risks. These are steps that will have a positive impact on the group's operations.
At the same time, we will offer our clients a consistent, clear and comprehensible offer of products and services on all flights.” The statement adds that the CSA brand will not be written off completely. Two A320 aircraft will continue to fly in CSA colors, which will be joined by another four, brand new A220-300 planes that should be delivered by the end of the first half of 2025.
The first two are to be expected by the end of 2024. Loyalty changes and SkyTeam exit CSA’s loyalty program is called OK Plus. A notice on the dedicated website reads as follows, announcing the end of the initiative altogether.
The OK Plus loyalty program will be terminated in its current setup by 26 October 2024. Mileage accrual and redemption of OK Plus miles remains unchanged till 26 October 2024. Utilization of miles for bonus tickets on Czech Airlines and our SkyTeam alliance partners is possible for flights not later than 26 October 2024.
OK Plus membership of all OK Plus members will be terminated by 26 October 2024 without replacement. If miles are not used by this date, they will be automatically deleted. Deleted miles cannot be used afterwards.
While there isn’t any clear indication confirming an exit from the SkyTeam airline alliance, it does not make any sense to stay. C-TN , LoyaltyLobby , and The Flight Club all write that the airline will leave SkyTeam on the same day as its loyalty program ends. Since redeeming/using miles for tickets on other SkyTeam airlines will also no longer be possible, Czech Airlines’ membership in the alliance becomes completely redundant.
So, while not yet officially announced, it seems inevitable. Czech Airlines nor Smartwings were immediately available for comment when contacted by Simple Flying. This article will be updated with any response.
Only two aircraft remain in the fleet Ch-aviation data consulted by Simple Flying shows that only two Airbus A320 planes remain in its possession. This includes 22 year old OK-HEU which features the “100 Years sticker” . The other plane is registered OK-IOO.
Both aircraft are marked as being on wet-lease with Smartwings. According to FlightRadar24 , only OK-IOO operates flights under the OK-code but not exclusively. Given that CSA only operates two routes connecting Prague (PRG) with Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Madrid (MAD), it is not consistently needed by the flag carrier.
In fact, the Madrid route is currently operated by a Smartwings 737 so the A320 is only really used for Paris services. In the meantime, it flies for Smartwings. An aeroroutes report last week confirms that the carrier’s two routes will be operated under the QS-code as of this winter.
The Madrid service will run four weekly with a 737 (as it does right now) before switching to an A320 from December 1. The Paris flight will be operated twice daily with an A320. A slow, COVID-encouraged decay The gradual demise of CSA Czech Airlines is the product of a number of issues over the course of the last few months and years.
Plagued by financial issues, the carrier looked to investors for help. In 2021, Simple Flying reported that CSA was declared bankrupt with the primary cause being the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement from the airline had said: “Prior to COVID-19, CSA was a profitable company.
As a consequence of the pandemic and the related extraordinary travel restrictions implemented by governments globally, CSA ́s payment reputation was challenged significantly.” Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying The carrier also cited a lack of state aid as one of the reasons for which it was unable to escape the impact of the pandemic as effectively as some of its European counterparts such as Lufthansa. It trimmed its fleet as a result, in addition to its overall network.
This includes the ATR 72 pictured above..
