Summer Season at Czech Airlines: New Destinations and Operating Changes

On Sunday, 27 March, the new Czech Airlines flight schedule for the summer season will come into effect. As the airline previously announced, passengers will find new destinations, but also greater comfort in the premium class. In putting together its summer flight schedule, Czech Airlines remained mindful of the need to make gradual changes to its carriage network, which has resulted in the focus being placed on promising eastern markets, as well as on local customers, supplemented with a natural flow of transfer passengers. At the beginning of the summer flight schedule, Czech Airlines will offer connections to a total of 89 destinations in 44 countries, 61 destinations of which in 37 countries will be served by its own aircraft. The summer flight schedule will be in effect through 29 October 2011.

This summer season, Czech Airlines will now offer direct flights from Prague to the Ukrainian cities of Lvov, Kharkov and Doneck, to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, and to Bordeaux, France, but also from Karlovy Vary to Samara. The airline is also preparing to start regular air service to the Middle East and Central Asia. “There are several interesting destinations in play that we are checking out. All will, unfortunately, depend on the development of the aero-political situation in the area. If everything goes well, we would like to commence operation to at least one of the destinations in the area at the beginning of the summer high season,” says Ji?í Marek, Czech Airlines Vice President for Sales and Marketing, in describing the airline’s plans.

New Destinations in Ukraine, Baku and Bordeaux
Czech Airlines is planning 3 return flights weekly to Doneck, departing from Prague at 9:50 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The airline’s aircraft will return from Doneck on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing at 4:25 a.m. local time. To Kharkov, Czech Airlines plans to fly twice weekly. Departures from Prague are planned for 9:50 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, returning from Kharkov at 4:40 a.m. local time on Tuesdays and Saturdays. To Lvov, Czech Airlines is planning to fly 4 return flights a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, departing from Prague at 11:35 a.m., and from Lvov at 3:10 p.m. local time. The commencement of service to Doneck and Lvov is planned for the end of April, and to Kharkov for the end of June.

Czech Airlines is planning to operate one return flight weekly to Baku, departing from Prague on Mondays at 9 p.m., and from Baku on Tuesdays at 5 a.m. local time. The commencement of service to Azerbaijan is planned for the summer high season.

Another new destination that Czech Airlines plans to introduce this summer season is Bordeaux, France. Starting on 29 May, the airline’s aircraft will head there twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays, departing from Prague at 4:50 p.m., and arriving in Bordeaux at 7:15 p.m. On the return, Czech Airlines’ aircraft will take off at 8 p.m., arriving in Prague at 10:15 p.m.

Revision of Flight Schedule According to Demand
In response to passenger demand, Czech Airlines is planning to dispatch up to 19 additional return flights from Prague and Karlovy Vary to Russian destinations during the traditional May holidays.

Czech Airlines will also adapt its flight schedule to Bratislava and Košice in connection with the 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship, which Slovakia is hosting in late April/early May. Depending on interest in flights to these destinations, the airline will make operating changes, deploying higher-capacity jet aircraft and introducing a temporary special noon flight to Bratislava, beyond the scope of the current flight schedule. Czech Airlines is also adding a new, overnight return flight on the Prague – Paris route, departing from Prague at 8:45 p.m., and arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport at 10:35 p.m. On the return, Czech Airlines’ aircraft will fly from Paris at 6:55 a.m., with a scheduled arrival in Prague at 8:35 a.m.

Another new facet of this year’s Czech Airlines summer flight schedule is the operation of jet aircraft to certain destinations, such as Belgrade and Cracow, which have thus far been served by turbo-prop aircraft. This cuts flight time and offers more advantageous flight times to local customers, as well as transfer passengers.

Minor changes in the Czech Airlines flight schedule will take place during the upcoming summer season, as well as during subsequent seasons. The changes will relate to the gradual modification of the airline’s carriage network, the planned introduction of new destinations, and the potential reduction of routes that are neither promising nor profitable.

Traditional Charter Destinations with HOLIDAYS Czech Airlines
The summer season of our subsidiary HOLIDAYS Czech Airlines, focusing on charter carriage, will be marked by traditional vacation destinations in Southern Europe, Turkey and North Africa. The most frequent destinations operated during the main tourist season from Prague, but also from Brno and Ostrava, will include the Greek islands of Zakynthos and Rhodes, Iraklion on Crete, Antalya in Turkey, Burgas in Bulgaria, and Hurghada in Egypt.

In the summer high season, HOLIDAYS Czech Airlines will have another base, in addition to Prague, on the British Isles. For customers from the United Kingdom and Ireland, it will operate charter flights, primarily to Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, Faro on the Algarve coast of Portugal, and to several Greek and Cypriot destinations.