he is active in making decisions in the running of the company. His participation in official matters like the inaugural flight yesterday is not a gesture from management, but quite a natural thing.

5 weekly flights to Prague

A quick celebration had been arranged at the airport, where operations manager Bech Nielsen expressed best wishes on behalf of Danish aviation, for the new route between Copenhagen and Prague, which is to be flown twice a week, and which together with the Danish and Swedish flights will make a total of five weekly connections to Czechoslovakia.

Director Karen returned the good wishes for the Danish Prague route, and said in his little speech, thet he hoped that this way Denmark and Czechoslovakia would become closer and learn from each other. The Czechoslovak Minister, Zdnek Nemecek, ended the celebration with a speech in fluent Danish.

At this point the aircraft from Prague had been refuelled, and could continue the flight to Stockholm.

In Czechoslovakia we have a saying that "The air is our sea" said the Czech Minister Zdenek Nemecek, when he was at Kastrup yesterday to witness the opening of the scheduled service between Copenhagen and Prague, and in that way expressed the wish of the Czech people to make a contribution to airtransport. The minister`s speech was in very good Danish.

This summer Kastrup has witnessed many special days. The occasion yesterday must be reckoned as one of more important ones. The aircraft arrived from Prague almost on schedule and on board

Were amongst others airline directors Peter Karen and Prokes. At the reception which followed, speeches apart from that of minister Nemecek, were made by DDL operation manager Beck Nielsen and director Karen.

Good wishes were expressed for the new connection, which is to be operated twice a week ba DDL and twice a week by the Czech airline. However both the Norwegians and the Swedes have air connections with Prague. Later the aircraft continued to Stockholm.

Now the Czech flag is also flying in the long line of foreign airline houseflags at the airport. Two days ago DDL opened a new airroute from Copenhagen to Prague, and yesterday at noon the first aircraft on the new route Prague-Copenhagen-Stockholm arrived here.

A small reception celebration was held after the arrival. Amongst those present was Czech Minister Nemecek, and from Danish Foreign Ministry was Dr. Gregersen. Danish aviation was represented by Director of civil aviation Knud Gregersen, Airport Commandant Leo Sørensen and Operations manager Bech Nielsen from DDL.

Arriving on the Czech aircraft, a new DC-3, was Vice Director of the Czech airline C.S.A. and chief mechanic Mr. Prokes, who is shop steward for the workers of the company - a small sign that the new development in Czechoslovakia is within the socialist system. C.S.A. is very first foreign airline obtained permission to overfly Russian occupied territory, on a new route to Belgrade.

Within aviation, Prague is preparing to take over Berlin former role as an aviation-centre in eastern Europe.

As soon as the aircraft had landed Czech and Danish aviation people got together at a small reception in Director Gregersen`s new elegant reception lounge in the airport building. On behalf of DDL, Operation manager Bech Nielsen welcomed the co-operation with CSA, and Mr. Karen replied with a heartfelt assurance that it was a Czech hope that the two companies could work together. This wish was confirmed by Minister Nemecek, who in a well formulated speech in Danish, expressed the bond between beautiful Copenhagen and the old historical Prague. And expressed the importance of developing Czech aviation - "only the air is our sea", he said.

Within the business community there is a big interest in this airroute, which has now had a double-opening, and without doubt the new route will quickly be of great importance for developing trade between Czechoslovakia and Denmark.