News: African airline ceases operations

KORONGO Airlines, national
airline of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, has
ceased flights after only
three years of operations.
The airline’s Boeing 737
was severely damaged
due to a problem on the
runway in Mbuji-Mayi.
“Operating conditions in
the region remain extremely
difficult for an airline,
partly because of poor
infrastructure in smaller
airports. Given these
circumstances, the decision
was taken to cease the
activities of the airline,” the
airline said in a statement.
“The company has
unfortunately not been able
to reach profitability due
to a lack of critical mass
operations based on a fleet
of only one aircraft, which
doesn’t offer sufficient
possibilities to amortise
the fixed costs of an
airline operation respecting
all international safety
standards.”
Founded by Airbel
(Brussels Airlines and
George Forrest) and some
smaller private Congolese
shareholders, Korongo
Airlines began operations
in 2012, with flights
between Kinshasa and
Lubumbashi; Lubumbashi
and Johannesburg; and
Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi and
Kinshasa.
Korongo Airlines
management and
stakeholders conducted
discussions with potential
partners to find the
necessary funds to develop
the airline’s activities,
however the investors
withdrew from the project,
partly due to government’s
plans to create a new
airline alongside Korongo
Airlines.
“Brussels Airlines will
remain open to putting its
operational experience at
the disposal of the
Congolese government
for the start-up of Congo
Airways and to continue the
discussions that started
before the summer,” the
airline said.