Czech Airlines Launches Connections to Seven New Destinations in 2015 Summer Season

“After a year of cutbacks, we plan to expand the existing Czech Airlines’ network starting the 2015 summer season. We feel that there is a significant business potential in our new destinations which we would like to use fully. At the same time, we would like to capitalise on Czech Airlines great reputation in the Russian market and, effective April 2015, service a total of nine destinations in Russia,” said Jozef Sinčák, Chairman of Czech Airlines Board of Directors, and added: “We have set the new destinations timetables in a way to best use the market potential and at the same time appeal to both local and transfer passengers as the connections were designed with the customers’ priorities in mind. We will operate all new destinations using the existing free capacity of Czech Airlines and thus improve the fleet use.”

New Czech Airlines’ Routes in North Europe

New Czech Airlines’ flights between Billund and Prague are scheduled to first take off on 30 March 2015. The route will be operated by the carrier four times a week, year round, by ATR 42 aircraft with the option of using a larger ATR 72 aircraft if necessary. Business travellers and tourists from both countries - i.e. the Czech Republic and Denmark, form the target group of this new flight. One way tickets from Billund to Prague will start at DKK 779, return tickets will start at DKK 1,537, including all fees and taxes.

On work days, i.e. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, these Czech Airlines’ flights will continue from Billund to Oslo, thus allowing the carrier to launch two routes at the same time, offering a new connection between Billund and Oslo. The carrier wants to apply its successful model of the Prague - Bratislava - Košice and Prague - Hamburg - Gothenburg routes. One-way Billund - Oslo tickets will be available from DKK 629, while return tickets on the same route will start at DKK 1,178, including all fees and taxes.

Similarly, effective the next summer season, the connection between Prague and Copenhagen will be extended to service also Stockholm. At the beginning, flights will be offered once a week during peak times, i.e. leaving Copenhagen on Tuesdays and returning from Stockholm on Wednesday mornings. Based on operational results, Czech Airlines is prepared to launch incremental frequencies on the route, offering the Stockholm extension on other days of the week as well. One way tickets from Copenhagen to Prague will start at DKK 638, return tickets will start at DKK 1,156, including all fees and taxes.

Czech Airlines will launch operations on its Prague - Oslo route on 30 March 2015. At the beginning of the summer season, the carrier will service the route twice weekly. Effective 30 May 2015, two more return connections will be added on this route, which will then be operated with four weekly frequencies until the end of the summer season. Czech Airlines will use Airbus A319 aircraft exclusively to service the route. The new Oslo service was designed for local - i.e. point-to-point passengers from the Czech Republic and Norway and also for transfer passengers travelling from Norway to Mediterranean cities - destinations offered by Czech Airlines for the second year during the summer season on a code-share basis with Travel Service. For now, Czech Airlines plans to operate the Oslo connection on a seasonal basis. Prices of one-way tickets from Oslo to Prague will start at NOK 710, while return tickets will be available from NOK 1,402, including all fees and taxes.

Czech Airlines’ News in West and South Europe

A new Cork connection will be serviced from 14 May 2015 until the end of the summer season with two return flights a week. The timetable was tailored to the priorities of the main target group, i.e. tourists from the South-West part of Ireland travelling to Prague for a long weekend, complemented by Czech tourists headed to explore the South of Ireland. One way tickets to Cork will start at EUR 110, while return tickets will be offered for EUR 211, including all fees and taxes.

Czech Airlines will service its new connection to Bilbao during the main operational season, i.e. between 1 June and 30 September 2015, offering two return frequencies a week. The Bilbao connection, just as the other new connections, was designed predominantly for tourists. Travellers can purchase one-way tickets to Bilbao for EUR 101, while return tickets will cost EUR 202, including all fees and taxes. Czech Airlines will service both the Cork and the Bilbao route by Airbus A319 aircraft. Both connections will be operated on a seasonal basis, i.e. with services disrupted during the winter season.

Czech Airlines will be returning to the Prague - Bologna route after a four-year pause. The carrier will operate it year round four times a week with ATR 72 aircraft from 29 March 2015. This connection was designed for business travellers and tourists alike. One-way Prague - Bologna tickets will start at EUR 89, return tickets will be available for EUR 170, including all fees and taxes.

Czech Airlines’ Plans in Russian Market during 2015 Summer Season

Despite this year’s year-on-year drop in passenger demand for travels between Russia and the Czech Republic, Russian market has been of great significance for Czech Airlines with high potential for further development thanks to the option of launching operations to new destinations located there. That is why Czech Airlines plans to launch two new connections within the market at the beginning of the 2015 summer season - to Kaliningrad, a city with rich history, and to Kazan - two important city enclaves located between Poland and Lithuania.

Connections between Prague and Kazan will be operated by Czech Airlines twice weekly, using Airbus A319 aircraft. The timetable for the new Prague - Kaliningrad route is designed in the same way as the Prague - Kazan connection, using the same attractive combination of weekdays of operations for weekend and mid-week stays in Prague. Czech Airlines will operate the service using ATR 72 turbo propeller aircraft. Both connections will se operated year round.

Effective 2015 summer season, Czech Airlines will service a total of nine destinations and operate eleven regular scheduled connections between the Czech Republic and Russia. Alongside the mentioned Kazan and Kaliningrad services, there will be Czech Airlines’ services from Prague to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Rostov upon Done, Ufa and Perm, alongside two connections from Karlovy Vary to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Starting today, passengers can buy tickets to Oslo, Billund, Cork, Bilbao and Bologna as well as tickets for the Billund - Oslo connection at all Czech Airlines’ distribution points, i.e. on the company’s website www.czechairlines.com, via the Contact Centre and company’s offices and within the network of travel agencies, ticketing offices and ticket sales points. Tickets for the new Russian connections will be available after the processes connected with launching a new connection have been completed and all necessary approvals received from the respective offices.

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Billund (BLL) – Oslo (OSL) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Copenhagen (CPH) – Stockholm (ARN) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Oslo (OSL) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Cork (ORK) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Bilbao (BIO) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Bologna (BLQ) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Kazan (KZN) Route Schedule

Czech Airlines’ Prague (PRG) – Kaliningrad (KGD) Route Schedule

Daniel Šabík

Czech Airlines Spokesperson