Czech Airlines To Be Sold This Year

The Czech Republic Cabinet has an intention to sell the Czech national carrier Czech Airlines (ÄŒSA) during this year. The government will hold a two-round public tender and put on sale its entire stake that totals 91.51 per cent. The conditions of bidding were authorized on Monday. The Cabinet expects that the deal will be closed by September this year.

Czech Airlines carrier was founded on October 6, 1923. Nowadays it is based at RuzynÄ› International Airport and operates scheduled flights to 69 destinations in 41 countries, including the biggest European cities and transit airports in the Middle East and North America. Czech Airlines provide charter and cargo services as well.

The carrier’s fleet (as of June 2008) consists of 4 Airbuses A310-300, 5 Airbuses A319-100, 8 Airbuses A320-200, 2 Airbuses A321-200, 10 Boeings 737-400, 10 Boeings 737-500 and other jets. During the last year Czech Airlines carried about 5 million passengers. At the moment it is one of the few European carriers that haven’t suffered from the global economy crisis much.

Meanwhile, the process of getting ready Prague's Ruzyne International airport for privatization is running. The management of Letiste Praha, the company operating the airport, seeks for possible investors interested in buying it. Among the measures intended to make Ruzyne more attractive for investors are jobs optimization and further improvements of airport’s infrastructure and capacity.

Photo: Czech Airlines ATR-72, by ArtMechanic (wikimedia.org)