Air Djibouti
![]() | |||||||
| |||||||
Founded | 1963 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commenced operations |
| ||||||
Ceased operations | 2002 | ||||||
Hubs | Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport | ||||||
Destinations | Khartoum, Mogadishu, Addis Ababa, Dubai | ||||||
Company slogan | The Red Sea Airline | ||||||
Headquarters | Djibouti City | ||||||
Key people | |||||||
Website |
www |
Air Djibouti, also known as Red Sea Airlines, is the flag carrier of Djibouti.[2] It first flew in 1963 and ceased all operations 2002. In 2015 the airline was once again relaunched as a cargo airline and has plans to start passenger flights in the first quarter of 2016. It is headquartered in the capital, Djibouti City.[3][4]
History
![](../I/m/Air_Djibouti_Douglas_DC-9_JetPix-1.jpg)
![](../I/m/Air_Djibouti_Boeing_737-200_Haafke.jpg)
![](../I/m/Air_Djibouti_Airbus_A310-200_Gilliand.jpg)
Air Djibouti was established in April 1963. Scheduled operations commenced in April of the following year, with a fleet of Bristol 170, De Havilland Dragon Rapide and Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft.[5] In 1970, the airline was taken over by the Air France subsidiary Air Somali, which was founded in 1962. Both airlines merged in 1971.[6] The company operated in connection besides national routes and international scheduled flights to Aden, Asmara, Dire Dawa, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Sanaa and Taizz. in addition, Air Djibouti from April 1974 had two airplanes of the Douglas DC-6 type which operated on charter flights to Europe as well as for cargo shipments to Nairobi, the remaining Douglas DC-3 were replaced in 1975 by two De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. The newly independent Republic of Djibouti participated in 1977 with a 62.5% share in the company. The state later acquired a 90% stake in the carrier when in early 1981 it bought additional shares rom Air France.
Relaunch
Air Djibouti was set to relaunch service in late 2015 and 2016 with Chairman Aboubaker Omar Hadi and CEO Mario Fulgoni. The company is also supported by Cardiff Aviation, which Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson is chairman of.[7][8] In late 2015 Air Djibouti relaunched service with a Boeing 737 freighter. In 2016 the airline will start passenger service with Boeing 737s, a Boeing 757 and a Boeing 767; it plans to start operations to Paris, London, Dubai and Mumbai by November 2016. The government wishes to establish the country as a regional logistics and commercial hub for trade in East Africa, and has chosen to relaunch the airline as part of this plan.[8][9] The airline started regional services with the Boeing 737-400 on 16 August 2016 and plans to introduce two British Aerospace 146-300 aircraft before the end of 2016.[10]
Destinations
As of November 2016, Air Djibouti served the following list of destinations.
Fleet
Current
In August 2016 , a 167-seater Boeing 737-400, owned by Cardiff Aviation, became Air Djibouti's first aircraft to be operated following the carrier's relaunch. The airline expects to phase in a Djibouti government-owned Boeing 767-200ER in late 2016, intended to serve the London Gatwick route.[1][12][13]
As of August 2016, the Air Djibouti fleet consists of the following aircraft:
Aircraft | In service | On order | Capacity | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boeing 737-400 | 1 | — | 167[12] | Operational since August 2016 | |
Boeing 767-200ER | — | 1[12] | TBD | Former SilverJet aircraft, to be delivered Nov 2016 | |
British Aerospace 146-300 | — | 2[10] | TBD | to be delivered September/October 2016 | |
Total | 1 | 3 |
Historic Fleet
In the 1960s, the airline operated Douglas DC-3s, a Beechcraft Model 18, and a Beechcraft Musketeer.[3] In the early 1970s, the fleet also included a Douglas DC-6; the two Beechcrafts had been replaced by a Bell JetRanger helicopter, and a Piper Cherokee Six.[14]
From 1998 onwards, the Air Djibouti fleet consisted of a single Airbus A310 aircraft.[15]
Before operations were suspended Air Djibouti operated 1 Airbus A310 and 5 Boeing 737-200 aircraft.
Accidents and incidents
- On 23 July 1969, an Air Djibouti Douglas C-47 (registered F-OCKT) ditched 9 nautical miles (17 km) off Djibouti after having collided with several cranes at an altitude of 300 feet (91 m). The aircraft was operating a domestic flight from Tadjoura Airport to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport. All four people on board survived.[16]
- On 17 October 1977, two gunmen entered an Air Djibouti de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter at Tadjoura Airport shortly before the aircraft's planned take-off, shooting the pilot and one passenger.[17]
- On August 17, 1986, a leased Boeing 737-200 (OO-SBQ) was intercepted by two fighter aircraft from the South Yemeni Air Force and forced to land in Aden. There it was ransacked by security forces and one person was arrested. Due to the incident, the Republic of Djibouti diplomatic relations with South Yemen broke off.
See also
References
- 1 2 "Cardiff Aviation Delivers First Boeing 737 For New Air Djibouti Commercial Fleet". CAPA Centre for Aviation. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21.
- ↑ Dron, Alan (11 August 2016). "Africa's Air Djibouti continues re-fleeting". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21.
African flag carrier Air Djibouti has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 as it prepares to launch commercial operations.
- 1 2 "World Airline Survey", Flight International, 13 April 1967, p.554 (online archive version) retrieved 6 April 2011
- ↑ Air Djibouti entry at airlineupdate.com
- ↑ Encyclopedia of African Airlines, Ben R. Guttery , Jefferson 1998
- ↑ "air france - boeing - 1984 - 0530 - Flight Archive". Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ↑ Reuters Editorial (2 September 2015). "Air Djibouti, back from bankruptcy, sets sights on air freight". Reuters. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- 1 2 "Air Djibouti to commence cargo operations in late 2015". Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ↑ "Djibouti has relaunched its national airline, with backing from Iron Maiden's lead singer - Business Insider". Business Insider. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- 1 2 "Air Djibouti Returns". Airliner World (October 2016): 10.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Air Djibouti frontpage". Air Djibouti. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- 1 2 3 Hoyle, Craig (10 August 2016). "PICTURE: Reborn Air Djibouti's first 737 gets airborne". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016.
- ↑ Hoyle, Craig (9 August 2016). "Cardiff Aviation to deliver Air Djibouti 737-400". Cardiff: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21.
- ↑ "World Airline Survey", Flight International, 22 March 1973, p.435 (online archive version) retrieved 6 April 2011
- ↑ "Air Djibouti Fleet Details and History". Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ↑ "F-OCKT Accident Description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ↑ Harro Ranter (17 October 1977). "ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter registration unknown Tadjoura Airport (TDJ)". Retrieved 3 February 2016.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Djibouti. |