Czech Republic considers L-410 aircraft for government fleet

The Czech government is considering the purchase of an L-410 aircraft to expand its government fleet. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stated that the acquisition could be made at a favorable price for the state, with Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček overseeing the process.

The move follows recent issues with the existing government Airbus, which experienced a malfunction during a trip to Central Asia, leaving a business delegation stranded in Azerbaijan. Officials noted that the current fleet requires modernization to meet the capacity needs demonstrated during recent repatriations from the Middle East.

In addition to the potential L-410 purchase, the government is considering acquiring new aircraft for missions and repatriations. Plans are also in place to modernize the interior of the two existing Airbus A-319CJ aircraft, a project previously approved for 1.17 billion CZK to ensure continued airworthiness.