CSA Czech Airlines

[BHXsupporter]

Gosh nwoody2001 you've done pretty well to resurface from Sunday!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Well having just returned from a stag weekend in Prague (flew U2 MAN-PRG and EZ PRG-MAN), I can vouch that it's a great city and proved very popular, both flights were completely full!

I did suggest CSA from BHX, but timings and cost couldn't convince the gang! However, with both CSA and U2 on the route next year, a lot more choice is available!

Great city break!

Interesting, I just did a Skyscanner search to see what impact Jet2 will have on CSA.

Looking at a pre-Xmas city break (great for Xmas market shopping)!

Fri 15th - Mon 18th Dec
CSA (BHX-PRG) = £128 Rtn
Jet2 (BHX-PRG) = £213 Rtn
Jet2 (MAN-PRG) = £214 Rtn

CSA offering some cracking offers so close to Xmas!

I've been pricing up a potential New Year trip to Prague this winter, Friday Dec 29th until Monday Jan 2nd.

For the four of us Czech Airlines are coming in at £455, for the same dates Jet2 are £999!

 

[JF57]

I've been pricing up a potential New Year trip to Prague this winter, Friday Dec 29th until Monday Jan 2nd.

For the four of us Czech Airlines are coming in at £455, for the same dates Jet2 are £999!

So much for the LCC!

 

[nwoody2001]

Shows that Jet2 routes must be proving popular. Their prague tickets start at £39 on way....

Well if Jet2 aren't willing to increase capacity, it's CSAs fir the taking, assuming ppl know the route/airline exists!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Czech go 6x weekly, daily except Sat, from 22nd March next year. I believe that is roughly a month or so earlier than this year?

 

[Brum X]

Czech go 6x weekly, daily except Sat, from 22nd March next year. I believe that is roughly a month or so earlier than this year?

Great to see CSA Czech Airlines doing well at BHX 👍

 

[Ray Finkle]

Prague goes daily again from the end of June next year.

 

[nwoody2001]

Great, especially as they'll be going head to head with Jet2.com as of October!!!

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Prague goes daily again from the end of June next year.

Prague is a lovely city, on a par with Krakow.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Czech Airlines saw an 88% load factor in June (that is based on 6x weekly flights assuming that they were all A319), this is considerably higher than their average network load factor which was 70% (CAPA article from Nov 16).

Czech Airlines have seven A320neo's on order to replace seven of their leased A319's, these are due to arrive between 2019 and 2021.

The A320's should have either 180 or 186 seats, quite a few more than the 135 on the A319 but if Birmingham continues to perform strongly (Brexit notwithstanding) hopefully we may see the A320 making an appearance in the future.

 

[Brum X]

Czech Airlines saw an 88% load factor in June (that is based on 6x weekly flights assuming that they were all A319), this is considerably higher than their average network load factor which was 70% (CAPA article from Nov 16).

Czech Airlines have seven A320neo's on order to replace seven of their leased A319's, these are due to arrive between 2019 and 2021.

The A320's should have either 180 or 186 seats, quite a few more than the 135 on the A319 but if Birmingham continues to perform strongly (Brexit notwithstanding) hopefully we may see the A320 making an appearance in the future.

We always knew Pargue would be a very popular destination from BHX and none of us could get our heads around the fact BHX had no BHX-PRG route for so long, if only some other airlines took the plunge with BHX.

 

[nwoody2001]

If we achieved a 88% LF on the A319, that equates to 118 pax per light. On a 180 pax A320, that would still be a 66% LF not far off their 70% network average.

Obviously, as of October, Jet2 come into the race, although now only being a seasonal route out of BHX, will simply cover the drop in capacity by CSA.

All in all, a well supplied route with good year round capacity. I'm still convinced there is demand for 2 carries on the route without damaging CSA too much. The CSA LF are reflected in the ticket price, but when you look at the competition, you can see why CSA are doing so well....

RTN Trip to Prague next month (Peak) 11th-14th Aug

• BHX (CSA) = £206 Rtn
• EMA (Jet2) = £258 Rtn
• MAN (Jet2) = £223 Rtn
• BRS (EZY) = £211 Rtn
• LTN (WZZ) = £186 Rtn
• LHR (BA) = £300 Rtn

 

[Silvercity]

CSA did a LPL service for a couple of years during the summer season, the first year with rubbish times, the second year with much improved, and so I went on their service. I found it pretty good, flights I was on, were pretty much full, but there not at Liverpool for this summer which it a pity. Now Ryanair have taken over the route, and are doing well with a greater frequency than CSA. Personally Id had liked CSA to develop the route, but they haven't, and at least the link is still available.

 

[Ray Finkle]

When the route was announced Tom Screen said in an interview that 30% of Birmingham's passengers to Prague were travelling for business reasons. I guess we'll never know for sure but it would be interesting to see how those numbers are doing now a direct service has been up and running for a while.

 

[Ray Finkle]

It seems as if Travel Service will be taking control of Czech Airlines.

They have an interesting fleet of 2x 737, 27x 738, 2x 739 and an order of 30 737M8, some of which occasionally make an appearance at BHX on the OK flights.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-korean-air-government-czech-tv-idUSKBN1CB12A

 

[IanFarquharson]

Yestrdays flight operated by a B737-900 and 191 pax outbound !

 

[Ray Finkle]

Winter is now bookable at 4x weekly, Thur, Fri, Sun and Mon.

The website is showing Sunday as an ATR with the other three A319.

 

[Brum X]

Winter is now bookable at 4x weekly, Thur, Fri, Sun and Mon.

The website is showing Sunday as an ATR with the other three A319.

What was the frequency this winter Ray ?

 

[Ray Finkle]

What was the frequency this winter Ray ?

This winter has varied. I think Nov was 3x weekly, there were a load of extra flights over Christmas but it's now down to 2x weekly throughout Jan but going 4x weekly in Feb. It goes 6x weekly towards the end of March and daily for the peak summer.

I'm sure there will be changes between now and then.

 

[Ray Finkle]

This winter the Czech website shows Prague remaining 4x weekly up until the first week in Jan when it goes to the usual 2x weekly. It then goes back up to 4x weekly the first week in Feb and daily the last week in March which I think maybe an increase over last winter?

All the flights I looked at showed a 737-800.