85 years more than travel dreams fulfilled by Prague Airport
Prague’s Václav Havel Airport celebrates its 85th anniversary with a special program for the public. Its rich history, which includes hundreds of thousands of landings, tens of millions of passengers handled and historic twists, will be remembered through an interactive exhibit, special airport tours and podcasts with period witnesses. and the current Chairman of the Board, Jiří Pos. Anniversary events will take place primarily in the first week of April, with some reserved for later days during this year.
The first plane landed at Prague-Ruzyně airport on April 5, 1937. It was a domestic flight on the Piešťany – Zlín – Brno – Prague line. Since then, the airport, which has been named after former President Václav Havel since 2012, has seen many ups and, more recently, downs: its great rise under the First Republic, the German occupation, the economy planned communist, the great development after the Velvet Revolution and the critical pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. Václav Havel Airport in Prague is an integral part of Czechoslovak and later Czech history, as well as the future of our State.
“The 85th anniversary celebration will be worthy. We chose a sensitive format, partly because of the pandemic and the events in Ukraine. We have planned several events for the public. We have designed special, free individual tours of airport facilities; within hours their capacity was fully booked. However, those interested will not miss the regular visits. We also made videos on the history and current affairs of Prague-Ruzyně Airport, as well as podcasts with period witnesses, and a short film recognizing the anniversary in a non-traditional form through a combination of acted and drawn scenes,” Pos said.
On the occasion of this anniversary, a special website www.letistelavi85.cz was launched. Visitors will find videos with period witnesses telling the story of the airport. They evoke their strongest experiences and guide us with their stories through the entire history of the airport from the start of its operations to the present day. These videos are complemented by a series of special podcasts with former employees, and even a pilot and co-pilot. Viewers will find the airport’s history, current operations and future development plans all in one place.
On April 5, 2022, Prague Airport will launch an interactive exhibition for the public in Terminal 2. It will include screens showing the historical development of the airport in a future perspective, and a new documentary about the airport. There will also be a photo corner and an exhibition of historical and contemporary uniforms. Interactive games will be on site for children.
