Ethiopia and DRC Partner to Launch New Airline

Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are collaborating to establish a new airline, aiming to boost connectivity and economic ties between the two nations.

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest aviation company and a Skytrax-certified four-star global airline, has revealed its collaboration with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to establish Air Congo. In this partnership, the DRC government will possess a 51% controlling share while Ethiopian Airlines will retain a 49% stake and handle management duties for the new airline.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mesfin Tasew, emphasized the importance of this initiative by stating that launching Air Congo is a pivotal element in their strategy to work alongside African governments and strengthen air travel throughout the continent. He highlighted that this collaboration seeks to boost connectivity for both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central Africa, encouraging investment, trade, and tourism to drive socio-economic development in the region.

According to Aerospace Global News on Wednesday, Air Congo has commenced operations in the DRC, utilizing two Boeing 737-800 aircraft to serve seven domestic airports. The airline provides daily flights from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Goma, Kisangani, and Mbuji-Mayi. It also operates additional routes several times weekly to Kalemie and Kolwezi.

Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, the DRC’s deputy prime minister of transportation, announced that Air Congo is not just a new airline but also brings revitalization to the Congolese air sector.

The minister is confident that within a year, the fleet will include six Boeing 737-800s. Additionally, at the start of the second year, Air Congo intends to acquire two more 737-800s along with Dreamliner 787 aircraft, resulting in a total of ten planes.

The initiative is in line with Ethiopian Airlines’ Vision 2035 strategy, which focuses on creating multiple hubs throughout Africa and complements its current partnerships with ASKY Airlines, Malawi Airlines, and Zambia Airways.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has unveiled plans for Ethiopia to build Africa’s largest airport in Addis Ababa, with a capacity to handle approximately 130 million passengers each year. Additionally, he announced that Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for 124 new aircraft as part of its modernization strategy.