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One of the oldest continuing operating airline in the world. Founded as Ceskoslovenske Statni Aerolinie (Czechoslovak State Airlines), airline's first service was a mail and one passenger flight to Uzhgorod via Brno and Bratislava on October 29th 1923 using Aero A-14 Brandenburg airplane. Uzhgorod became part of Ukraine after World War II but at the time was a domestic destination. In 1924 CSA carried 426 passengers. In 1929 CSA became founding member of IATA. Airline's first international destination was Zagreb served via Bratislava in July 1930 after it received its first true airliner a Ford 5A Tri-motor. By 1933 CSA extended its Uzhgorod line to Cluj and Bucharest. In 1934 10,000 passengers were transported. Marianske Lazne and Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) were added to its domestic network. Moscow was added to its network in 1936. In 1938 routes to Paris, Rome and Budapest were introduced. Between March 1939 and September 1945, CSA was absorbed into Lufthansa. After the war, CSA used Siebel's 204s, DC-3's and Junkers 52's to quickly reestablish its services to most European capitals. By 1946 it served Amsterdam, London, Brussels, Strassbourg, Paris, Berlin, Wien, Belgrade, Karlovy Vary, Stockholm, Warzsaw, Bratislava and Kosice. Year later, Cairo via Ankara became its first intercontinental destinations. After communist takeover in 1948, its network was cut. On December 9th 1957 CSA was the first foreign airline to put a TU-104 jet into service when it introduced the type on its Moscow route. Arrival of Ilyushin IL-18 enabled long-haul expansion. Jakarta was opened in 1961 and Havana in 1962. New York and Montreal were added in 1970. Singapore, Dubai, Ankara, Abu Dhabi, Dhahran, Damascus, Kuwait, Baghdad (1959), Tashkent, Bombay (1959), Rangoon (1961), Phnom Penh (1961), Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Dakar, Rabat, Conakry (1960), Bamako (1961), Freetown were served during 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. CSA's domestic network was extensive considering small size of the country. During the era of Avia 14s (licensed built Ilyushin 14) CSA operated highest domestic passenger-kilometer per capita in Europe. Yakovlev Yak-40s which joined the fleet in 1974 and Tu-134 (1971) were used on domestic network along with indigenous LET L-410 turboprops. After the fall of Berlin Wall, CSA had to cut its services as it dealt with the transition into free market economy. It completely revamped its fleet and today it flies only western built airplanes. The last Soviet built jet the TU-154M (1988) was taken out of service in 1999. CSA had brief ownership/equipment exchange with Air France, but the French left this alliance since, hence the Airbus A310 (1991) and ATR 42/72(1992) in CSA's fleet. Boeing 737s were introduced in 1992. In 1996 CSA found Continental Airlines as its partner in U.S. market. On March 25th 2001 CSA joined SkyTeam alliance. By 2003, CSA was handling over 3.5 million passengers annually. This number jumped to 5.5 million by 2006. The same year, CSA introduced Airbus A320 family aircraft to replace ageing Boeing 737s. In 2007 CSA introduced its own Airbus A320 flight simulator. This rapid expansion was halted in 2009 when airline announced massive losses caused by rapid expansion and economic slump in the wake of 2008 financial crisis. To survive CSA had to sell many of its assets including handling, duty free shops and retired its long-haul fleet. Travel Service offered to buy CSA for 1 billion Czk. This was the only bid offered. Airline trimmed workforce to 3,500 from 4,800 employees. In March 2015, Travel Service bought 34% stake in the airline becoming second largest shareholder after Korean Air which bought %44 stake and the rest owned by the Czech government. In 2017 Travel Service bought 44% stake owned by Korean Air. As of November 1st 2024, CSA has become a holding company only and all its businesses have been transferred to Smartwings.
founded - demised (age)
October 6 1923 - October 26 2024 (101)
headquarters
Airport Ruzyne, Prague
web
base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (3)
