10 oldest airlines in the world

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The aviation industry might be known for its volatility and financial instability, particularly in recent years, but a surprising number of airlines from the pioneering early days of commercial flight are still surviving in their original form.

Finnish flag carrier Finnair celebrates its 100th anniversary on November 1, having been founded in 1923 as a seaplane service, while the Czech Republic's flag carrier Czech Airlines made its first flight just a few days earlier in October 2023.

Here are 10 of the oldest airlines in the world still in operation.

Year of foundation: 1919

First flight: May 1920

Passengers transported in the first year: 440