CSA Czech Airlines develops Russian network

Czech Airlines plans to launch 2X-weekly Prague-Kazan Airbus A319 service and resume 2X-weekly Prague-Ufa A319 flights from April 27 and 28, respectively, according to Russian authorities. The airline also operates flights from Václav Havel Airport Prague (formerly Prague Ruzyně International Airport) to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Yekaterinburg and Rostov-on-Don—as well as flights from Karlovy Vary to Moscow. Czech Airlines is increasing its Russian network despite a continuing decline in international traffic in January and February of this year when international passengers carried by Russian airlines decreased 14.5% year-over-year. In 2015, international traffic for Russian airlines was down 15.8% to 39.5m YOY. The downward trend in international traffic started at the end of 2014 and forced several international carriers—such as Lufthansa, airberlin, Cathay Pacific and easyJet—to cut operations to Russian destinations. In 2014, Czech Airlines ceased flights from Prague to Perm, which had been launched just a year before, and Nizhny Novgorod. <br/>