Pegasus Airlines to Acquire Czech Airlines and Smartwings in 154 M EUR Deal
Pegasus Airlines will acquire Czech Airlines and Smartwings for 154 million EUR, expanding its European presence with an additional 47 aircraft and 80 new destinations. The deal strengthens Pegasus’s growth strategy while uniting low-cost efficiency with Central Europe’s leading leisure network, pending regulatory approvals.
Founded in 1990 and operating under a low-cost model, Pegasus has rapidly expanded its network to 158 destinations across 55 countries, supported by one of the world’s youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets. The purchase of Smartwings – Central Europe’s leading leisure carrier – and Czech Airlines, one of the world’s oldest airlines, will add 47 aircraft and a network of 80 destinations in 20 countries to Pegasus’s portfolio.
ČSA (Czechoslovak State Airlines) was founded on 6 October 1923 by the Czechoslovak government. After the end of the Second World War, the airline was renamed to Československé aerolinie (Czechoslovak Airlines).
ČSA was the 5th oldest airline in the world, after Dutch KLM (1919), Colombian Avianca (1919), Australian Qantas (1920), and Soviet/Russian Aeroflot (1923).
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