Founded in 1923 as Czechoslovak State Airlines, the airline spent much of the 20th century under Soviet influence and flew mostly Soviet-made craft. It switched to more modern, Western-made planes in the 1990s, but was brought down by the 2008 financial crisis, competition from budget operators, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

When it folded, Czech Airlines was the fifth-oldest airline in the world – after KLM, Avianca, Qantas and Aeroflot.

Liking this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now discover groundbreaking planes that changed the world

23 famous airlines that vanished from the skies forever