I am a Czech citizen, and I can tell you that it was a sad day. There were pilots and passengers on TV crying about the departure. It was a sad day for Czech Aviation
So sad day, I am Czech and every time I saw Czech airlines at any airport it felt like piece of home. I feel like loosing flag carrier it’s like loosing aviation identity. Imagine loosing BA or Air France. Government leadership let 5th oldest airline down. I would like to thank you from bottom of my heart for capturing this emotional journey and end of era.. CSA always in my heart.
I am a czech citizen and its just super sad for the whole country i watched it land on youtube yesterday and even heard the atc to talk to them and it was so sweet its just super sad we lost them too early and smartwings isnt rly taking over they just own about 40% of the ČSA stock so they will now provide flights with few ČSA planes but it wont be the same 🫡R.I.P. ČSA ❤️ YOU WILL BE MISSED 🫡
@@RedHawkgamingcz asi to někde bude já osobně sem si natočil stream abych to měl ale ten stream že kterýho to mám je 24/7 a tam vidíš max 12h zpátky takže tam to už nejde ale je to novinka takže o tom teď lidi budou dělat videa takže to určitě někde bude......snad
I mean they will retain it. Except from now on, they’ll fly the SAME standards as Smartwings. No frills lowcost flights. I think they’ll use Czech airlines branding for non leisure routes as Smartwings is mainly a holiday airline.
@@ajorbistais that so? I hope their liveries continue to grace the skies, at least. Not like other airlines that were completely erased from existance
Ahoj! Czech citizen and aviation lover here. I don't like Smartwings much, it's a low-cost as you mentioned, that means that the flight isn't particulary the best, so it's really bitter for me to hear that Smartwings bought ČSA, so I'm particularly pleased with this to answer your question. But I believe that ČSA won't be forgotten, and as long as Smartwings keep the livery and the legroom, I will get through it.
21:52 on the left is one of the crewmembers from my last OK flight 2 days before on Oct, 24th, which was her last flight under the CSA brand. Heartwarming and sad to see this piece of aviation history gone after more than 100 years. My first flight with them was some like 40 years ago, despite never being a big airlne they have always been there... until now. Ahoj, CSA!
Flew them one last time on 16th. Had a great interaction with 2 of the crew members. You could feel their pride and thanked me for flying CSA the past years
Great video Patrick - wow- what a first class meal for an hours flight - I have flown them and it’s very sad that they will be no longer - Aviation is always changing - thanks
The lounge was very impressive. As usual your review was straightforward and honest. That meal looked first class. This was really cool to watch, thanks!
I’ve lived in the Czech Republic for 30 years. The Czechs are very sad about this, especially the older ones. They’ll get over it eventually, the same way they’ve seen some of their groceries replaced by Lidl.
Is there really anyone longing for the old Czech grocery stores? 😄 Open 9-5 on workdays and 8-12 on Saturdays, with limited offer, high prices and constantly pissed staff? I think that's a very unfortunate analogy for the Czech Airlines, whom most people will actually miss.
I used to be a frequent flyer on Czech Airlines for years back in days. I loved it so much. The best memories will always stay in my heart... 😢 I still have plastic OK Plus card, will keep it as a sweet memory. Condolences to Czechia from Lithuania
Czech airlines were so old as my mother is 101y and she is still alive..Sad day. I used ČSA many times on domestic flights from Bratislava to Prague or from Bratislava to Poprad Tatry. It was part of our history as Slovaks and Czechs together..
Thank you. Have friends whose family have been part of CSA since the 1950s and TU-104 days. They're with CSA Tecknic now, which is still trading but under different ownership for quite some years now. A sad event.
This is very sad. I have flown the airlinbe twice and it was both good flights. Good luck to all the staff of the airline and I hope to see the brand fly again soon. You never know :)
Dang, I just finished watching the entire video, and I felt somber with it. I'm glad that you covered OK's final flight for us, especially to those who have never flown this airline and never will, due to its fate. The applause at touchdown surely brings all the feels. 🥹
My family returned to the Czech Republic in 1990. My Dad was a refugee in WWII. My youngest brother returned in 1990 and I was the "courier" of basic necessities which at that time were unavailable. I would take Continental from Newark to Frankfurt and then take OK airways to Prague. I flew on AN124's and TU-154's for the 1st few years. Many pilots were former military at the time. Aircraft were soon replaced by Boeing aircraft. OK was always a great airline and we will all miss them.
I'm from the Czech Republic and I feel sad about it. But in reality, the airline was in bad shape for the last 15 years, and the end was inevitable. Czech Airlines will always be missed but eventually forgotten. When it comes to Smartwings their easy to hate but it is more complicated. Most of the Smartwings flights are to holiday destinations and most people flying with them get their flights booked by travel agencies, so most people don't even choose Smartwings, and for those who do - it's almost always price over everything else.
I'm a bit intrigued as to why the country didn't protect the flag carrier of over 100 years, but I'm not well versed on the financial state of the country to be fair
@@PatrickSheaAviation Well, we have a little problem with inflation. So we don't have any extra money to save the airline and it would be probably a waste of money. The airline didn't even own any aircraft - both are leased. And in a situation where Smartwings is so big that PRG has problems in summer to take all the traffic, there's just nowhere to grow.
@@PatrickSheaAviation As of 2017, when the government lost its majority, Czech Airlines is privately owned by Smartwings (97+%), so it's not a matter of government now. Looking rearview mirror, it seems that Smartwings wanted to liquidate the Czech Airlines, as Smartwings has taken over several profitable routes over the years. Since the pandemic, Czech Airlines had mainly been operating for profit from the sale of unused CO2 allowances. It ended with EU ETS reform last year so the ČSA did this year. It's sad for us. Czech Airlines has a long history of failed privatization efforts and 15 years (2003-20017) of mismanagement by managers chosen mainly as members of leading parties and good friends of politicians. From the history of privatization efforts of various state-owned enterprises, I believe the only suitable path could have been to transform it into a publicly-traded company listed on the stock exchange, where the state holds roughly half of the shares.
As a Czech I feel very sad but also ashamed. This all wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the bad management and a guy who thought he could fly to the whole world from a country with only 10 milion people. It's very sad that we lost something we have been building for the past 101 years. ČSA ahoj❤✈.
What a lovely sendoff to this carrier Patrick. I flew OK in November 1985 - at the end of six months in Europe. Athens Ellinikon to Prague Ruzyně to Montreal Mirabel to JFK. I believe it was an Ilyushin or Tupolev of some type. Beer was free flowing and it was a really interesting experience.
Probably a Tupolev Tu-134 from Athens to Prague, and an Ilyushin Il-62 from Prague to Montreal. I've never flown on a Soviet/Russian plane, but those old ones at least are said to have been very noisy even inside, with very loud engines and poor acoustic insulation. Otherwise fine.
I hate seeing an airline get replaced by a no frills source of transportation. The food you were served looked great and there was tons of it. I would have enjoyed flying with them.
I was planespotting at PRG to see the final OK flight and it was apparent that to a lot of people (including me) it was a very sad moment to see the Czech Airlines OK brand go. There were like 120 people just standing there at the planespotting point, by far the most I've seen before.
Between 2006-11, I got to OK Plus Platinum with Czech Airlines. They flew everywhere! Back then, automatic upgrades to business class for Platinums. Transit in Prague was also great. Adieu Czech Airlines!
It‘s so sad! Czech Airlines has gone prior to my first flight. The Czech Rebublic deserves defenitely a flag carrier! By the way: Recently I booked a ticket on smartwings. Very old plane… But finally I landed in PRG and went on to MUC on LH ; )
Please accept my condolences and feeling of solidarity. As a Hungarian we have been through this. My first flight in my life was a Budapest - Prague flight back in 1997. I will never forget CSA.
Interesting fact. The very first flight was to Belgrade. We have maintained Air Serbia, successor of Jat Airways, JAT - Yugoslav Airlines, and Aeroput. The earliest one, Aeroput, was established in 1927, as one of the top 10 air carriers in Europe, and the 21st air carrier which was established in the world. We carry the legacy of our previous air carriers and we let Air Serbia grow and prosper. I am so sad that our Slavic brothers, the Czechs, have not maintained their own national air carrier. After all, 101 years is a long time. The fact that it was the fifth oldest air carrier in the world means you should have kept it at all costs. Sorry, Czechia. You shouldn't have let this happen. Very sad.
Jako všechno co u nás bylo zavedeno, vytvořeno, postaveno, další značka po zbrojovkách, chemických závodech, vývoji prášků, Vlněny a podobných fabrik, nedávno i Zetoru, atd,... je další značka zlikvidována!
Whaaat? It's not Sunday morning yet!!! Sad to see it go, but at least I've flown with Czech once, from Warsaw to Prague. My jetBlue inaugural flight to Long Island video will still go live Sunday morning, though :)
I am from Czech republic, I am sad that I couldn't come on this last flight OK767. The Czech airlines was the best airline for me. I saw many videos of this flight. This is so sad in the Czech Aviation.
That's a bummer that you miss Lynx's air final flight in Canada last February I think, before no more, that's sad. I didn't know your gonna upload early today and I did not expect the national flag carrier of the Czech airlines will cease flight operations in Europe, switiching to Smart wings, that's sad. At least your able to fly the oldest and last Czech airlines, even though your flight to Prague is full, then cease the airlines, that's sad. Nice outro, that's sad.
Well, you actually can transfer at CDG terminals without redoing security (and that’s what’s actually done). Arriving transfer passengers quickly exit the terminal airside and take a bus that serves all the terminals on the airside.
@@PatrickSheaAviation Patrick I actually just watched this morning Josh Cahills video on this exact flight but he did a round trip with his mother Prague to Paris then the flight you were on Paris to Prague. Yea there was a lot of other you tubers aboard also. I find your video's more to my liking as more real and less of the Hollywood style of performance. Cheers mate
I was even at Prague Airport Halloween excursion so I can see atleast 1 plane that had livery czech airlines. I saw the plane but it was not the normall livery but it was 100 years livery
Just a small clarification. The UK government did not pay for the Monarch rescue flights. Each ticket sold by a UK airline includes a fee that it paid into a fund ( Air Travel Trust Fund) that covers the cost of rescue flights when a UK airline has it's ATOL license suspended or revoked.
THANK YOU for covering this and I actually tracked its final flight and my dad flown this airline a LOT and I am just SAD that another airline went away and that I cannot try it out myself and THANK YOU for the history of both Smartwings and Czech Airlines and I agree with you that Czech Airlines should have stayed instead of Smartwings 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
SO far, I have flown with SAS, LOT, Lufthansa, Austrian, KLM, Norwegian and Bulgaria air. Only the latter has real business class seats for their inter European flights.
I have a warm relationship with ČSA. Not only because I am from the Czech Republic, but also because my initials coincidentally are "OK". When I could, I chose to fly with ČSA. I find it hard to accept their demise in favor of SmartWings.
I had the privilege of flying CSA Czech Airlines, the “OK Airline” back in 1972. This was when CSA was under the Czech Communist regime. Flew an IL 62 JFK-PRA. Connected to a CSA IL 18 PRA-BUD. Then all the world’s airlines belonged to IATA (Intl Air Transport Assn) and most all extended to each other’s employees non-revenue pass privileges. Hence, we had the experience of flying CSA and a Russian built airliner. I’m still an aviation geek at 80! ✈️
Almost all national airlines of the former Eastern Europe have either failed to compete in the modern aviation age or are not in the best of financial health. LOT is probably the only healthy survivor. With CSA we in the UK knew there were financial issues many years ago when it sold its LHR slots in order to raise cash.
I think the Schengen area killed a lot of the flag carriers from Central/Eastern Europe. Even LOT is a fraction of the airline it used to be, and if it weren't for government service mandates, most domestic flights within Poland wouldn't exist. They operate many charter flights for package holiday companies.
Definitely an interesting landscape for eastern europe's airlines, and especially flag carriers. It sounds like LOT has found a way to assist, but long haul connections from that part of the world is tough
I'm from Czechia but I've never flown with Czech Airlines. Of course, it's sad to lose a national airline with such a decent and long history. Smartwings are the owners and they can do whatever they want with it... no one can really blame them for their decision. However, perhaps they missed the opportunity to rebrand themselves as "the new" CSA given that CSA had been a better-established and more respected company than Smartwings.
That would have been an interesting way to maintain the national patriotism. It's still technically possible so we will see how things work out now that it's all official
@@clarkvincentga-asSwiss Air Lines was once Crossair. Technically the AOC must be still Crossair. Swissair was desolved, assets spung off like Swissôtel, Swissport and Gategormet. Lufthansa is the largest shareholder at Swiss. Same with Austrian. Austrian is now technically Tyrollean Air. The AOC was also switched. Most of Austrian’s crew are now employed at Tyrollean.
10:18 Well, Smartwigs is basically a low cost airline, which carries us to summer vacation and then back home. I've flown with them many times and... It wasn't really bad. But CSA... You know, CSA is CSA. It was the flag carrier of the Czech rep. and everyone interested in aviation here in Czechia is sad about it. OK767, the final flight back to Prague, was the most tracked flight on Flightradar24 with more than 44,000 people at a moment. Unfortunately, I've never flown with Czech airlines, but I believe that I'll get a chance one time...
For context of how the czechs feel about this - the EU and CZ flags at the civil aviation authority in the Czech Republics were at half mast yesterday.
Could Czech Airlines be regarded as a continuous company as for much of it's history it was Czechoslovakian Airlines and split into Czech and Slovakian Airlines around 1990?So equally Slovakian, assuming that they are still in action, could be regarded as the successor company.
Hey Patrick! I'm Czech and love your videos. I used to work for Czech Airlines while I was studying at university. I'm beyond sad Czech Airlines are ceasing operations. Corrupt politians, terrible management all contributed to this. I really hate Smartwings and I will never forgive them they put the last nail on the coffin and that they are ditching the OK callsign...
Smartwings is a dull generic name, that nobody remembers. Nobody in Czechia understands why the company opted to use that brand and lose the iconic Czech Airlines name. Moreover, the common nickname for Smartwings is Smrtwings (smrt meaning d*ath in Czech), which comes both from the level of comfort they provide, and also their safety reputation, especially their infamous one-engine flight from Greece to Prague.
I'm Czech, not really into airlines, but it's sad. The covid government propped Smartwings with money and applauded the medical workers, while it should have been the other way round. Smartwings is also called "Smrtwings" (smrt means death) for their shoddy safety record. Since today, czech air line aviation is not OK (pardon the pun), but ČSA were being mismanaged for a long time.
Hungary still has an advantage, since your carrier is low cost also for the passengers 😄 Our carrier is only low cost in terms of service, with the ticket prices being as high or even higher than legacy carriers.
A Czech here. It is so so sad for me! I flew with ČSA many times. My first flight with ČSA was in 1978 from Milan to PRG (I was 10 years old). I even flew with ČSA on Il62 from JFK to PRG in May 1982. My last flight with CSA was in August 2009 from PRG to JFK. I always appreciated their high quality service on board. Will miss them, will miss "Fly OK, Fly CSA"! 😪❤💙🤍
I had the opportunity of flying with Czech Air from Guam to Prague. IYKYK. 😂 Guam to Incheon to Prague. It was an enjoyable flight. In fact my travel mates stole two sets of silverware and gifted them to me later that year. 😂
"On behalf of Czech Airlines, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the loyalty you've shown us over the past 101 years..."
😢
Pursette Danka Bilova…OK heroine
😪
And we hope that every of your future flights where you see our colours will always be OK. 😁 🥲
@@ancskapthey’re no longer operating?
I am a Czech citizen, and I can tell you that it was a sad day. There were pilots and passengers on TV crying about the departure. It was a sad day for Czech Aviation
Totally! There was a vibe on board like that as well. Crew and staff was emotional most of the time as well
@ exactly, just hope that it can be brought back some day🙂
I've never seen a content creator work so fast!
Well he is special ❤
@@jacobb213> jealous....why yes I am 😜
Quickest draw in the west 😮💨
What a great flight it was! Fantastic video :)
Love your work Josh - can't wait to see your video!
@@budapestflyer99Josh's mother is Czech.
Thanks homie! I appreciate it
Drama queen
So sad day, I am Czech and every time I saw Czech airlines at any airport it felt like piece of home. I feel like loosing flag carrier it’s like loosing aviation identity. Imagine loosing BA or Air France. Government leadership let 5th oldest airline down. I would like to thank you from bottom of my heart for capturing this emotional journey and end of era.. CSA always in my heart.
Totally sucks losing a flag carrier, especially one that's that old. It's definitely a hurt to the patrotism when abroad especially
I am a czech citizen and its just super sad for the whole country i watched it land on youtube yesterday and even heard the atc to talk to them and it was so sweet its just super sad we lost them too early and smartwings isnt rly taking over they just own about 40% of the ČSA stock so they will now provide flights with few ČSA planes but it wont be the same 🫡R.I.P. ČSA ❤️ YOU WILL BE MISSED 🫡
nevis,jestli někde neni zaznam te komunikace s vezi? rad bych si to poslechl
I‘m an German and great freid of. Zech Republic an their citizens. I can imagine, how it hurt‘s!
Your country should have remain Czechoslovakia!
@@ulrich9842 yeah it hurts alot
@@RedHawkgamingcz asi to někde bude já osobně sem si natočil stream abych to měl ale ten stream že kterýho to mám je 24/7 a tam vidíš max 12h zpátky takže tam to už nejde ale je to novinka takže o tom teď lidi budou dělat videa takže to určitě někde bude......snad
I struggle to think Smartwings is a stronger brand than the flag carrier. Can’t believe they aren’t retaining/taking advantage of it.
I mean they will retain it. Except from now on, they’ll fly the SAME standards as Smartwings. No frills lowcost flights. I think they’ll use Czech airlines branding for non leisure routes as Smartwings is mainly a holiday airline.
@@ajorbistais that so? I hope their liveries continue to grace the skies, at least. Not like other airlines that were completely erased from existance
Ahoj! Czech citizen and aviation lover here. I don't like Smartwings much, it's a low-cost as you mentioned, that means that the flight isn't particulary the best, so it's really bitter for me to hear that Smartwings bought ČSA, so I'm particularly pleased with this to answer your question. But I believe that ČSA won't be forgotten, and as long as Smartwings keep the livery and the legroom, I will get through it.
21:52 on the left is one of the crewmembers from my last OK flight 2 days before on Oct, 24th, which was her last flight under the CSA brand. Heartwarming and sad to see this piece of aviation history gone after more than 100 years. My first flight with them was some like 40 years ago, despite never being a big airlne they have always been there... until now. Ahoj, CSA!
Thank you for recording this amazing part of the history, from the end, I was almost crying. Thank you again!
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it
Flew them one last time on 16th. Had a great interaction with 2 of the crew members. You could feel their pride and thanked me for flying CSA the past years
That's an awesome last story to have!
@PatrickSheaAviation Yes. And got some souvenirs that they gave me from their personal items. Even cheeky glas (or two) of champagne.
She sounds so sincere in the announcement towards the end.
@@tw25rw Very emotional
@@houseclearance7509emotial damage
Great video Patrick - wow- what a first class meal for an hours flight - I have flown them and it’s very sad that they will be no longer - Aviation is always changing - thanks
Thanks! The meal was great! surprising for a flight of this length, but you love to see it
The lounge was very impressive. As usual your review was straightforward and honest. That meal looked first class. This was really cool to watch, thanks!
Thanks! The meal and lounge were definitely great! Especially for the route served, and not out of the hub!
I’ve lived in the Czech Republic for 30 years. The Czechs are very sad about this, especially the older ones. They’ll get over it eventually, the same way they’ve seen some of their groceries replaced by Lidl.
Is there really anyone longing for the old Czech grocery stores? 😄 Open 9-5 on workdays and 8-12 on Saturdays, with limited offer, high prices and constantly pissed staff? I think that's a very unfortunate analogy for the Czech Airlines, whom most people will actually miss.
What groceries?
To chce klid, rikal Josef Svejk
I used to be a frequent flyer on Czech Airlines for years back in days. I loved it so much. The best memories will always stay in my heart... 😢 I still have plastic OK Plus card, will keep it as a sweet memory. Condolences to Czechia from Lithuania
OMG, no! I was in Prague with my crew recently, we were talking about the CSA , not knowing this much was going on.. It's so sad to lose them! 😶.
My heart is breaking… I was an employee of CSA, ground staff , flight attendant and again office later… my husband flight engineer… so sad..
Dang... one last time seeing them on the ramp with you I guess
Czech airlines were so old as my mother is 101y and she is still alive..Sad day. I used ČSA many times on domestic flights from Bratislava to Prague or from Bratislava to Poprad Tatry. It was part of our history as Slovaks and Czechs together..
That's great to hear!
Thank you. Have friends whose family have been part of CSA since the 1950s and TU-104 days. They're with CSA Tecknic now, which is still trading but under different ownership for quite some years now. A sad event.
Tearing up here. Thanks for bringing this wholesome coverage.
This is very sad. I have flown the airlinbe twice and it was both good flights. Good luck to all the staff of the airline and I hope to see the brand fly again soon. You never know :)
Wow, it is very sad...i am crying in the end ...so sad
The crew was emotional as well. Definitely a sentimental flight!
Dang, I just finished watching the entire video, and I felt somber with it. I'm glad that you covered OK's final flight for us, especially to those who have never flown this airline and never will, due to its fate. The applause at touchdown surely brings all the feels. 🥹
Totally! Emotions were high on board the whole time as well, positive and negative
My family returned to the Czech Republic in 1990. My Dad was a refugee in WWII. My youngest brother returned in 1990 and I was the "courier" of basic necessities which at that time were unavailable. I would take Continental from Newark to Frankfurt and then take OK airways to Prague. I flew on AN124's and TU-154's for the 1st few years. Many pilots were former military at the time. Aircraft were soon replaced by Boeing aircraft. OK was always a great airline and we will all miss them.
I'm from the Czech Republic and I feel sad about it. But in reality, the airline was in bad shape for the last 15 years, and the end was inevitable. Czech Airlines will always be missed but eventually forgotten. When it comes to Smartwings their easy to hate but it is more complicated. Most of the Smartwings flights are to holiday destinations and most people flying with them get their flights booked by travel agencies, so most people don't even choose Smartwings, and for those who do - it's almost always price over everything else.
I'm a bit intrigued as to why the country didn't protect the flag carrier of over 100 years, but I'm not well versed on the financial state of the country to be fair
@@PatrickSheaAviation Well, we have a little problem with inflation. So we don't have any extra money to save the airline and it would be probably a waste of money. The airline didn't even own any aircraft - both are leased. And in a situation where Smartwings is so big that PRG has problems in summer to take all the traffic, there's just nowhere to grow.
@@PatrickSheaAviation As of 2017, when the government lost its majority, Czech Airlines is privately owned by Smartwings (97+%), so it's not a matter of government now.
Looking rearview mirror, it seems that Smartwings wanted to liquidate the Czech Airlines, as Smartwings has taken over several profitable routes over the years. Since the pandemic, Czech Airlines had mainly been operating for profit from the sale of unused CO2 allowances. It ended with EU ETS reform last year so the ČSA did this year.
It's sad for us. Czech Airlines has a long history of failed privatization efforts and 15 years (2003-20017) of mismanagement by managers chosen mainly as members of leading parties and good friends of politicians. From the history of privatization efforts of various state-owned enterprises, I believe the only suitable path could have been to transform it into a publicly-traded company listed on the stock exchange, where the state holds roughly half of the shares.
Thank you for this beautiful and heartwarming tribute.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
I suppose this is one of the only times when applauding after landing is acceptable
Ha! Definitely... the rare case
As a Czech I feel very sad but also ashamed. This all wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the bad management and a guy who thought he could fly to the whole world from a country with only 10 milion people. It's very sad that we lost something we have been building for the past 101 years. ČSA ahoj❤✈.
That stuff is tough to hear. Sucks when mismanagement buries an airline
What a lovely sendoff to this carrier Patrick.
I flew OK in November 1985 - at the end of six months in Europe. Athens Ellinikon to Prague Ruzyně to Montreal Mirabel to JFK.
I believe it was an Ilyushin or Tupolev of some type. Beer was free flowing and it was a really interesting experience.
Probably a Tupolev Tu-134 from Athens to Prague, and an Ilyushin Il-62 from Prague to Montreal. I've never flown on a Soviet/Russian plane, but those old ones at least are said to have been very noisy even inside, with very loud engines and poor acoustic insulation. Otherwise fine.
What a fun journey! That would have been right before their real financial struggles began, so I'd assume it was a great time!
My one and only, but very memorable flight was from Prague to Paris on a TU-134 in 1982. Will always remember the interesting cabin and the nice crew.
I hate seeing an airline get replaced by a no frills source of transportation. The food you were served looked great and there was tons of it. I would have enjoyed flying with them.
Definitely a downgrade in service it sounds like, tough to see
List of oldest airlines still in operation....
1. 🇳🇱KLM
2. 🇭🇲QANTAS
3. 🇨🇴Avianca
4. 🇷🇺Aeroflot
5. Was 🇨🇿Czech Airlines now it's 🇫🇮Finnair
Isn't Qantas AU like the Australian mainland rather than HM Heard Island and McDonald Islands exterritory which doesn't make much sense?
I was planespotting at PRG to see the final OK flight and it was apparent that to a lot of people (including me) it was a very sad moment to see the Czech Airlines OK brand go. There were like 120 people just standing there at the planespotting point, by far the most I've seen before.
Emotions were high for sure, and there was a ton of people watching the flight in Paris and Prague
CSA - such a piece of history. And a sad story at the end.
Dang what a hustler getting this out so quickly
Gotta act fast out here...
That lounge looked beautiful. A shame to see OK go 😢
13:08 is there any czech because he looks like flyRosta
he was there... there will be video today
Between 2006-11, I got to OK Plus Platinum with Czech Airlines. They flew everywhere! Back then, automatic upgrades to business class for Platinums. Transit in Prague was also great. Adieu Czech Airlines!
During that time the company was massively growing, both in destinations and plane fleet, but it turned out to be too much to handle.
That's awesome! Great time for the airline for sure!
I enjoyed the history of how CSA got here via your voiceover - thanks for taking such interesting flights and getting this one published so quickly 🙂
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
My first flight ever in 2005, a Rome-Prague, was with OK. That's just too sad.
It‘s so sad! Czech Airlines has gone prior to my first flight. The Czech Rebublic deserves defenitely a flag carrier! By the way: Recently I booked a ticket on smartwings. Very old plane… But finally I landed in PRG and went on to MUC on LH ; )
Please accept my condolences and feeling of solidarity. As a Hungarian we have been through this. My first flight in my life was a Budapest - Prague flight back in 1997. I will never forget CSA.
Interesting fact. The very first flight was to Belgrade. We have maintained Air Serbia, successor of Jat Airways, JAT - Yugoslav Airlines, and Aeroput. The earliest one, Aeroput, was established in 1927, as one of the top 10 air carriers in Europe, and the 21st air carrier which was established in the world. We carry the legacy of our previous air carriers and we let Air Serbia grow and prosper. I am so sad that our Slavic brothers, the Czechs, have not maintained their own national air carrier. After all, 101 years is a long time. The fact that it was the fifth oldest air carrier in the world means you should have kept it at all costs. Sorry, Czechia. You shouldn't have let this happen. Very sad.
Interesting input and info! Thanks!
This has got to be one of the best videos I have seen from Patrick. A true legend
Thanks! Great to hear it!
Jako všechno co u nás bylo zavedeno, vytvořeno, postaveno, další značka po zbrojovkách, chemických závodech, vývoji prášků, Vlněny a podobných fabrik, nedávno i Zetoru, atd,... je další značka zlikvidována!
Podziękujcie za to EU , bo to oni przyczyniają się do wykańczania narodowego przemysłu
I managed to grab a photo of this aircraft in Prague before it headed to Paris for the last time
That's awesome! There was a ton of people gettin pictures taken in Paris and Prague
Must admit I loved the decor of that lounge.
Totally! Even more impressive for a contract lounge!
Bye, bye Czech Airlines! I will miss you!
Whaaat? It's not Sunday morning yet!!! Sad to see it go, but at least I've flown with Czech once, from Warsaw to Prague. My jetBlue inaugural flight to Long Island video will still go live Sunday morning, though :)
I’ll go check that one out!
Thank you for this trip report
To bardzo smutne, że takie tradycje znikają.
Very sad!!! great video as always!!
Thanks!
I am from Czech republic, I am sad that I couldn't come on this last flight OK767. The Czech airlines was the best airline for me. I saw many videos of this flight. This is so sad in the Czech Aviation.
Definitely sad to see the airline go away!
That's a bummer that you miss Lynx's air final flight in Canada last February I think, before no more, that's sad.
I didn't know your gonna upload early today and I did not expect the national flag carrier of the Czech airlines will cease flight operations in Europe, switiching to Smart wings, that's sad. At least your able to fly the oldest and last Czech airlines, even though your flight to Prague is full, then cease the airlines, that's sad.
Nice outro, that's sad.
Sad to see CSA demise. I flew it only once from Prague to Newark on Airbus 310 back in 2006. And as I recall it was very good flight.
Well, you actually can transfer at CDG terminals without redoing security (and that’s what’s actually done). Arriving transfer passengers quickly exit the terminal airside and take a bus that serves all the terminals on the airside.
Didn't Czech Airlines have a long-haul route to Sri Lanka? I'm sure I had relatives fly from Colombo to Heathrow via Prague on Czech Airlines.
Interesting, I hadn't heard of that. Was it a lease? or OK paint?
Why do I see my self there before the flight even started 😂😂 6:13
Gotta stay on a swivel homie...
Guatemala does have one! TAG! Greta video nonetheless 😊
Nice one Patrick and a historical one in that
Totally! A fun adventure for sure
@@PatrickSheaAviation Patrick I actually just watched this morning Josh Cahills video on this exact flight but he did a round trip with his mother Prague to Paris then the flight you were on Paris to Prague. Yea there was a lot of other you tubers aboard also. I find your video's more to my liking as more real and less of the Hollywood style of performance. Cheers mate
What about to form the new airline named Svejk wings so the fun will stay there for 100 years😂❤
Great Video And Info
Thanks!
I was even at Prague Airport Halloween excursion so I can see atleast 1 plane that had livery czech airlines. I saw the plane but it was not the normall livery but it was 100 years livery
Just a small clarification. The UK government did not pay for the Monarch rescue flights. Each ticket sold by a UK airline includes a fee that it paid into a fund ( Air Travel Trust Fund) that covers the cost of rescue flights when a UK airline has it's ATOL license suspended or revoked.
Great correction. Still an odd situation to occur. Thanks!
To quote MCR: “so long and good night!”RIP CSA…
THANK YOU for covering this and I actually tracked its final flight and my dad flown this airline a LOT and I am just SAD that another airline went away and that I cannot try it out myself and THANK YOU for the history of both Smartwings and Czech Airlines and I agree with you that Czech Airlines should have stayed instead of Smartwings 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Thank you! Super sad to lose an airline like this
SO far, I have flown with SAS, LOT, Lufthansa, Austrian, KLM, Norwegian and Bulgaria air. Only the latter has real business class seats for their inter European flights.
I once took a flight from London to Prague. I was very sad to see this news.
Great video!😊
Thanks!
I have a warm relationship with ČSA. Not only because I am from the Czech Republic, but also because my initials coincidentally are "OK". When I could, I chose to fly with ČSA. I find it hard to accept their demise in favor of SmartWings.
That does suck, hurts to lose the national carrier with so many memories!
I had the privilege of flying CSA Czech Airlines, the “OK Airline” back in 1972. This was when CSA was under the Czech Communist regime. Flew an IL 62 JFK-PRA. Connected to a CSA
IL 18 PRA-BUD. Then all the world’s airlines belonged to IATA (Intl Air Transport Assn) and most all extended to each other’s employees non-revenue pass privileges. Hence, we had the experience of flying CSA and a Russian built airliner. I’m still an aviation geek at 80! ✈️
All aviation lovers in Czech Republic hate Smartwings since they made this decision…
Interesting, but good to know from a local
Almost all national airlines of the former Eastern Europe have either failed to compete in the modern aviation age or are not in the best of financial health. LOT is probably the only healthy survivor. With CSA we in the UK knew there were financial issues many years ago when it sold its LHR slots in order to raise cash.
I think the Schengen area killed a lot of the flag carriers from Central/Eastern Europe. Even LOT is a fraction of the airline it used to be, and if it weren't for government service mandates, most domestic flights within Poland wouldn't exist. They operate many charter flights for package holiday companies.
Definitely an interesting landscape for eastern europe's airlines, and especially flag carriers. It sounds like LOT has found a way to assist, but long haul connections from that part of the world is tough
I'm from Czechia but I've never flown with Czech Airlines. Of course, it's sad to lose a national airline with such a decent and long history. Smartwings are the owners and they can do whatever they want with it... no one can really blame them for their decision. However, perhaps they missed the opportunity to rebrand themselves as "the new" CSA given that CSA had been a better-established and more respected company than Smartwings.
That would have been an interesting way to maintain the national patriotism. It's still technically possible so we will see how things work out now that it's all official
Even both Swiss & Malta went away, to be reborn.
But Swiss was re-born with the name "Swiss" still in the name. I think it's a big difference when the country's name is dropped.
@@The-Plane-Guy it is known as Swissair until renamed as Swiss
@@clarkvincentga-as yes Swiss International Airlines. Just saying they kept "Swiss" in the name
@@The-Plane-Guy Well, KM Malta Airlines.
@@clarkvincentga-asSwiss Air Lines was once Crossair. Technically the AOC must be still Crossair. Swissair was desolved, assets spung off like Swissôtel, Swissport and Gategormet.
Lufthansa is the largest shareholder at Swiss. Same with Austrian. Austrian is now technically Tyrollean Air. The AOC was also switched. Most of Austrian’s crew are now employed at Tyrollean.
Very well done!
Thanks!
10:18 Well, Smartwigs is basically a low cost airline, which carries us to summer vacation and then back home. I've flown with them many times and... It wasn't really bad. But CSA... You know, CSA is CSA. It was the flag carrier of the Czech rep. and everyone interested in aviation here in Czechia is sad about it. OK767, the final flight back to Prague, was the most tracked flight on Flightradar24 with more than 44,000 people at a moment. Unfortunately, I've never flown with Czech airlines, but I believe that I'll get a chance one time...
Goodbye Czech Airlines, end of your 101 years in the sky
For context of how the czechs feel about this - the EU and CZ flags at the civil aviation authority in the Czech Republics were at half mast yesterday.
That's totally awesome!
Could Czech Airlines be regarded as a continuous company as for much of it's history it was Czechoslovakian Airlines and split into Czech and Slovakian Airlines around 1990?So equally Slovakian, assuming that they are still in action, could be regarded as the successor company.
The CSA portion has been the side that's been maintained it sounds like, so it is the one considered to be 100+ years old as I understand
Hey Patrick! I'm Czech and love your videos. I used to work for Czech Airlines while I was studying at university. I'm beyond sad Czech Airlines are ceasing operations. Corrupt politians, terrible management all contributed to this. I really hate Smartwings and I will never forgive them they put the last nail on the coffin and that they are ditching the OK callsign...
Yes it is sad. I mean Czech is a major tourist destination yet it cannot support a strong national airline.
Sounds to be a similar opinion on the topic. Sad to see them go, but still technically possible for the brand to be revived
The fake palm trees and red is a REALLY good look. It screams 1960s, aka the golden age of air travel!
Definitely a great throwback vibe without looking outdated!
I am czech and I am really really really really really really really really really really sad
The end of an airline operation has a lot involved - people are the most painful side of it!
100%, hopefully Smartwings has a way to keep them all going strong
it only changed its registration to QS
13:46 Welcome Estonia air in 2015 and Nordica a second flag carrier in Estonia 2023-2024
Smartwings is a dull generic name, that nobody remembers. Nobody in Czechia understands why the company opted to use that brand and lose the iconic Czech Airlines name. Moreover, the common nickname for Smartwings is Smrtwings (smrt meaning d*ath in Czech), which comes both from the level of comfort they provide, and also their safety reputation, especially their infamous one-engine flight from Greece to Prague.
Given how Smartwings leans more towards Boeing, what do you think will happen to the 2 A320s when the A220s come?
It sounds like they still want the A320/220 but time will tell if they decide to keep it
Oh no, how could this have happened ?
I'm Czech, not really into airlines, but it's sad. The covid government propped Smartwings with money and applauded the medical workers, while it should have been the other way round. Smartwings is also called "Smrtwings" (smrt means death) for their shoddy safety record.
Since today, czech air line aviation is not OK (pardon the pun), but ČSA were being mismanaged for a long time.
Its not about flying to all destinations, they must chose their profitable ones and stick to them.
Hungary 🤝 Czechia: Having a low cost airline as the defacto flag carrier
Hungary still has an advantage, since your carrier is low cost also for the passengers 😄 Our carrier is only low cost in terms of service, with the ticket prices being as high or even higher than legacy carriers.
Well done. Shame about the end of Czech Airlines.
Thanks! Definitely a shame to see such a historic airline fall
The fact that at the end of the video you walked past a czech aviation youtuber lol
Malev went down in 2012 and now Czech and others preceded it.
The one time I’m ok with the clapping.
A Czech here. It is so so sad for me! I flew with ČSA many times. My first flight with ČSA was in 1978 from Milan to PRG (I was 10 years old). I even flew with ČSA on Il62 from JFK to PRG in May 1982. My last flight with CSA was in August 2009 from PRG to JFK. I always appreciated their high quality service on board. Will miss them, will miss "Fly OK, Fly CSA"! 😪❤💙🤍
So great to hear stuff like that from a local with more experiences with CSA!
I had the opportunity of flying with Czech Air from Guam to Prague. IYKYK. 😂
Guam to Incheon to Prague. It was an enjoyable flight. In fact my travel mates stole two sets of silverware and gifted them to me later that year. 😂
They flew to Guam!?
@@LGVRhin-Rhonecode share of course. We had the flight number for OK as a code share with KE
@@kuxica cool! didn't know.
Amazing video! You need to do a series in Latin America. 😅
I always love my time in Latin America, and I have a few upcoming videos to/from there as well
iam czech and i think that most of czech citizens dont like Smartwings
Good to hear from the locals on the perspective for sure!