ANDREW DOYLE / PRAGUE
CSA Czech Airlines is preparing to invite Airbus and Boeing to bid for replacement of the fast-growing carrier's Boeing 737-400/500 narrowbody fleet and its three Airbus A310-300 widebodies. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2005.
The SkyTeam alliance member could commit to a mix of orders and options for 50-60 narrowbodies for delivery up to 2014 to replace its 23 737s - plus three more -400s due to arrive next year - and allow for growth, says CSA executive vice-president marketing and sales Vaclav Kral. The airline will next year assume ownership of five 737-500s now on finance leases, while the rest of the twinjets are on operating leases.
Kral says the CSA supervisory board will be asked to endorse the acquisition plan at the end of November, after which a request for proposals will be issued.
CSA's intercontinental network includes Colombo, Sri Lanka; Montreal, Canada; and New York, and the carrier_also aims to acquire longer-range widebodies to allow it to serve cities such as Los Angeles and Bangkok non-stop.
Despite an onslaught of foreign low-cost carriers at its Prague base, CSA made a profit of $4.1 million during the first half of this year and expects its full-year passenger total to top 3.5 million, up from 3.1 million in 2002. Long-haul services 'cover their direct operating costs', and generate feeder traffic through Prague, says Kral.
The airline is evaluating 70-seat regional jets that would be used to develop new routes. CSA_was a launch customer for the Fairchild Dornier 728 before the project's collapse, and says it now plans to observe SkyTeam partner Alitalia's introduction of the Embraer 170 before deciding between it and the Bombardier CRJ700.
Source: Flight International
