CSA Czech Airlines will decide in “early 2006” on its long-haul route strategy as it prepares to meet rapidly growing demand for travel to Prague from Asian countries..
The decision will be followed by another in early 2007 on long-haul aircraft to replace CSA’s four ageing Airbus A310-300s.
The airline’s UK director Tomas Kaufman declines to confirm persistent industry rumours that the airline is leaning towards the Airbus A330-200. “We’re still looking at all of the options,” he says. CSA is acquiring 12 leased Airbus A320 family aircraft in addition to its 30 Boeing 737-300s and -500s to meet continuing growth its growing medium-haul network.
Kaufman says long-haul route expansion is aimed at meeting strong demand from Asia, mainly China and Japan, which currently have no services to the Prague. SkyTeam codeshare partner Korean is already flying daily summer services
To the city from Seoul and this year saw almost 100% load factors in its Boeing 747s. . “We see potential passenger growth of 30% from China and Japan”, he adds. “And we definitely want to be a part of that market”.
CSA is heading for its first loss after eight years of profit, says Kaufman, mainly because of higher fuel prices. “It isn’t going to be terrible”, he says, “probably slightly more than 1 billion Czech Crowns (£23 million)”.
Overall, CSA carried 3.5 million passengers on scheduled and charter flights between January and August, up 22% on 2004. Kaufman says CSA is “consolidating” operations on its lucrative UK-Prague routes after a boom year in 2004. “We’ve seen a slight decrease in 2005, but that has been offset by strong growth in Central and East European traffic"
JULIAN MOXON / LONDON
Source: Flight International
