CSA Czech Airlines is planning to base aircraft in the Slovak capital Bratislava as it turns its attentions away from Hungary following Malev’s decision to join oneworld rather than SkyTeam.
SkyTeam Alliance member CSA had been working closely with Malev, acting as the latter’s sponsor in what was meant to be the path towards second-tier alliance membership. However, in late May, Malev shifted its allegiance to oneworld, which is offering full membership status to the Hungarian carrier.
As a result, CSA has switched its focus to Bratislava. In part this is due to the lack of spare capacity at CSA’s main Prague terminal ahead of the opening of a new North Terminal in 2006 and a parallel runway in 2008-9. CSA is in the early stages of taking delivery of 12 Airbus A319s/A320s.
Bratislava has set itself up as a low-cost alternative to nearby Vienna Airport in Austria, and fast-growing low-cost carrier SkyEurope has a base there. The airport is in the process of being privatised.
Jiri Pos, deputy chairman of the CSA supervisory board, says that CSA is planning to base one or two Boeing 737NGs at Bratislava, and will initially serve Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam, the home airports of its SkyTeam partners Air France and KLM. CSA hopes to have the aircraft in place in the first half of 2006. Prior to the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1992, CSA – or Czechoslovakian Airlines as it was then known – was effectively the Slovak flag carrier.
The current flag carrier Slovak Airlines, which has a small fleet consisting of a Boeing 737 and a Fokker 100, was majority purchased by Austrian Airlines earlier this year, with the latter acquiring a 63% stake for €2.8 million ($3.6 million). Austrian has been taking a keen interest in the development of Bratislava, given its position just 60km away from Vienna and its marketing as an alternative airport for the Austrian capital.
CSA is also hoping to increase co-operation with its SkyTeam partners on long-haul services. At the moment, the only long-haul link to Prague operated by an alliance partner is Korean Air’s thrice weekly service to Seoul.
In the meantime, CSA is setting up its own charter brand with two Airbus A321s. This follows the repeated failure of its attempts to acquire Czech charter outfit Travel Services.
COLIN BAKER AMSTERDAM
Source: Airline Business
