Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines announced on 25 November that it will open a twice-weekly non-stop route between Prague’s Václav Havel Airport and Sanya on China’s Hainan Island in March 2026. The Boeing 737-MAX 9 service will offer both business and economy cabins and up to three tonnes of freight space per rotation.
![SCAT Airlines to Launch Direct Prague–Sanya Service, Cutting Hours off China Trips]()
For Czech exporters and tour operators the link eliminates at least one connection, saving four to five hours each way and bypassing mainland Chinese transit-visa requirements. Electronics and automotive suppliers with plants in southern China have long complained about limited cargo capacity; SCAT’s belly-freight allocation should ease pressure on urgent spare-parts shipments.
From a mobility perspective, the route strengthens Czechia’s connections to Asia just as Prague Airport pushes to diversify beyond Western European hubs. Business travellers should note that China still requires visas for most EU citizens, though Hainan operates a 30-day visa-on-arrival regime for 59 nationalities, including Czechs, if bookings go through accredited agencies.
For Czech exporters and tour operators the link eliminates at least one connection, saving four to five hours each way and bypassing mainland Chinese transit-visa requirements. Electronics and automotive suppliers with plants in southern China have long complained about limited cargo capacity; SCAT’s belly-freight allocation should ease pressure on urgent spare-parts shipments.
From a mobility perspective, the route strengthens Czechia’s connections to Asia just as Prague Airport pushes to diversify beyond Western European hubs. Business travellers should note that China still requires visas for most EU citizens, though Hainan operates a 30-day visa-on-arrival regime for 59 nationalities, including Czechs, if bookings go through accredited agencies.
