Ethiopian Airlines will supply two Boeing 737-800s to support the launch of new Congolese carrier, Air Congo. The airline will reportedly start operations on December 1.
Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian's Group CEO, told aviation press during ET’s delivery ceremony of its first Airbus A350-1000 earlier this month, that Ethiopian would take a 49% stake in Kinshasa-based Air Congo, with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo holding the majority stake.
Air Congo is the latest African carrier backed by Ethiopian Airlines, following partnership deals struck with Togo’s ASKY, Zambia Airways and Malawi Airlines. Earlier this year, Ethiopian was close to closing on a joint venture airline in Nigeria, but this plan stalled, Times Aerospace reports.
“It is agreed and signed, and we have deployed the resources and the people,” said Tasew of the Air Congo deal.
“Since it is a start-up, it is difficult to get aircraft so we took out two airplanes from our operation and the first one will go for painting with the airline’s new logo.
“For the first six months, it will be domestic. They have a vast domestic network and we will add two more airplanes after six months. When we reach four, it will start flying to a few neighbouring countries.”
After a year in operation, Air Congo aims to have a fleet of six B737-800s.
