CSA to double frequencies between Prague and Madrid

Prague-based Czech Airlines (CSA) will increase its frequencies to Madrid from two weekly to four for the next Summer season, doubling its capacity between the two capitals. The change has first appeared on this weekend’s schedule updates on Cirium’s Diio Mi application.

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The two new frequencies, flown from March 25, are to be operated on Mondays and Fridays, and will add up to the previously-existing ones, on Thursdays and Sundays. CSA operates the route seasonally, and the connection is to be restarted this year on February 22. Flights for the new frequencies are already available in CSA’s sales channels.

Prague-Madrid is one of the two regular routes currently operated by CSA, with the exception of Prague-London/Stansted, which has been briefly operated during the Holidays. The other route connects the Czech capital to Paris/Charles de Gaulle, which is daily year-round and is operated up to two times daily during the Summer, according to Cirium.

In the route to Madrid, CSA will face competition from Iberia, a codesharing partner with the airline, that has up to three daily frequencies (as per the latest schedules on Cirium) during summer, and Ryanair, with up to three weekly frequencies during Summer.

Czech Airlines has celebrated its 100th anniversary on 2023, yet the airline has significantly downsized since its heyday. Its largest-ever quarter by number of seats, according to Cirium, has been the third of 2008, when it offered 2.26 million in over 20.8 thousand flights. In the third quarter of 2023, the airline offered just under 47 thousand seats in 266 departures.

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Controlled by Czech leisure airline Smartwings, CSA currently operates two leased Airbus A320, according to data by Cirium. Further, it expects to take delivery of four Airbus A220-300 leased from Air Lease Corporation (ALC) this year. The airline is also a member of SkyTeam.

CSA further benefits from these close relations with Smartwings — the Czech Republic’s largest airline — by being able to sell its flights on the latter’s website. It is the case of the routes to Madrid and Paris.