CZECH AIRLINES 1923 - 1960

1923

• connected Prague with Kosice and Brno and also with the West Bohemia spa area.

CZECH AIRLINES was founded as Czechoslovak State Airlines on the 6th of October 1923. The first transport flight from Prague to Bratislava took place on the 29th of October the same year. On that trip, pilot Karel Brabenec flew the distance of 321 km with an Aero A-14 (Brandenburg) bi-plane.

1924

1925

1927

1928

1929

• CSA became a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association).

1930

• on the 1st of July, CSA entered into the world of international transport with a Ford 5AT plane on the Prague - Zagreb route.

1931

1932

1933

• introduced Prague - Bucharest flight on the 11th of September.

1935

1936

• CSA connected Prague and Moscow on the 2nd of September.

1937

• at the beginning of April, moved to the new airport in Prague-Ruzyni, the construction of which was awarded a gold medal from the  International Exhibition of Art and Technology in Paris.
• on the 7th of April performed airport's introductory flight to Brussels.
• improved passenger service by introducing cabin attendants on board.

1938

• Opened flights to Paris, Rome and Budapest.

1939

• 15th of March, interrupted activities due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia.

1945

• Czech airlines introduced post-war activity on the 14th of September, as the only Czechoslovakian airline carrier.

1946

1946 - 1948

• Gradually renewed, or newly introduced, operation on both international and domestic routes

1947

• Entered into intercontinental air transport for the first time, with the opening of flights to Cairo and Ankara.

1949

• Began an orientation toward Soviet airline-technology, introducing IL-12 and LI-2 planes.

1953

1957

• Introduction of Avia IL-14,made under licence.
• Entered the turbo-jet era on the 9th of December, by introducing TU-104A aircraft into regular operation on the Prague - Moscow route.

1960

• Introduced the turbo-prop IL-18 aircraft into fleet.
• Crossed the equator for the first time, with the opening of a flight to Jakarta, on the 14th of August.