Czech Airlines has operated its oldest international route for 80 years, from Prague to the Croatian metropolis of Zagreb. The first scheduled flight was flown by the then Czechoslovak State Airline on 1 July 1930 with a Ford 5 AT-C aircraft, touching down in Brno and Bratislava. In the 1930s, the seasonal route was extended to Rijeka and Split.
Prague – The inaugural flight was flown by Pilot Albert Kocián and Mechanic Vladimír Čadský on the
American Ford 5 AT-C Trimotor aircraft, with the matriculation OK-FOR, which Czechoslovak
State Airlines purchased in 1929. It was a three-engine aircraft built of an all-metal structure
covered with polished duralumin, with a capacity of up to 14 passengers and cruising speed
of 180 km/h. The first passengers on the first-ever flight to Zagreb included the Director of the
Prague State Airport, Ing. Bedřich Trnka; the Technical Director of Czechoslovak State Airlines,
Ing. František Stočes; and a representative of the Ministry of Public Works.
On 1 June 1933, the route was extended to the port town of Sušak (the former name for Rijeka),
and was named the “Adriatic Express”. Regular operation was first ensured by Aero A-35
aircraft designated for long-haul flights, and later by the Avia Fokker F-IXD. On 13 June 1936,
the Zagreb route was also extended to the seaside city of Split and later also to Dubrovnik.
From June 1936, the last segment to Rijeka and Split was flown by Saunders Roe A.19 Cloud
aircraft, with an 8-passenger capacity, which could – provided that there was sunny weather
and calm seas – land directly on water, and passengers were then carried to shore in boats.
The flight was operated until 15 September 1938 as a seasonal service.
Given the war events, the seasonal route to Zagreb with an extension to Zadar was temporarily
renewed only in the summer of 1947. Two years later, service on the route was curtailed due to
the events of February 1948. The Zagreb route was only renewed in 1966 in cooperation with
the JAT airline, and was operated all year round.
According to the current summer flight schedule, Czech Airlines offers its service between
Prague and Zagreb seven days a week, operated by a modern ATR 72 propeller aircraft,
departing from Ruzyně Airport at 12:10 and returning at 14:40. Last year, the connection was
used by nearly 30,000 passengers, and since the beginning of this year, Czech Airlines has
already carried nearly 10,000 passengers on the route.
Traditionally, flights to Zagreb are in greatest demand primarily in the high tourist season.
In addition to a scheduled service to Zagreb, Czech Airlines also offers seasonal flights to other
Croatian cities – Split, and starting this year also to Dubrovnik.