Khalifa Airways

Khalifa Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
K6 KZW KHALIFA AIR
Founded June 1999 (1999-06)
Commenced operations August 1999 (1999-08)
Ceased operations 2003
Hubs Houari Boumedienne Airport
Focus cities Oran Es Senia Airport
Frequent-flyer program Khalifa Miles
Airport lounge Khalifa Airways Algiers Lounge
Subsidiaries Antinea Airlines (100%)[1]
Fleet size 59
Destinations 72
Parent company Groupe Khalifa (100%)[1]
Headquarters Algiers, Algeria
Key people Abdelmoumene Rafik Khalifa
Website khalifaairways-dz.com

Khalifa Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الخليفة‎‎) was a passenger and cargo airline based in Algiers, Algeria which was founded in June 1999 by Rafik Khalifa and ceased flying in 2003.

History

The airline was founded in June 1999.[1] Authorisation to launch services was given by the government in August 1999;[2] operations started that month.[1] A Boeing 737-400 was leased from Pegasus Airlines late that year.[3]

In 2001, Khalifa Airways ordered three Airbus A340-300 aircraft, along with five A330-200s and ten A320s, scheduled for delivery in 2004.[4]

Khalifa Airways had stopped most flying by mid-March 2003 after it failed to meet lease payments. In the Arab press that month it was reported that the airline was only operating "a dozen aircraft at the most," out of the 30 it previously had in its fleet. Lufthansa and Pegasus Airways (4 Boeing 737s) reclaimed their leased aircraft, and aircraft on order were cancelled. The Bank of Algeria had appointed an administrator to manage the affairs of Khalifa Bank (also owned by Abdelmoumene Rafik Khalifa), thus denying funds to the airline to meet lease and insurance payments. By April 2003, the 8 remaining aircraft were grounded as insurance contracts expired. The airline was liquidated by a French court on 10 July 2003 after it failed to make an EUR 5 million payment to creditors.[5]

Khalifa Airways is also known for having been the sponsor of Olympique de Marseille from 2001 to 2003.

On March 22, 2007, the International Herald Tribune reported that the company's founder had been convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the 2003 failure of Khalifa Bank and associated companies, including Khalifa Airways.[6]

Services

Khalifa Airways Airbus A319
Khalifa Airways Airbus A340-300

Khalifa Airways served the following destinations throughout its history:[1]

Fleet

Khalifa Airways operated the following equipment throughout its history:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "World airline directory – Khalifa Airways". Flight International: 91. 27 March – 2 April 2001. Archived 7 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ "Marketplace". Flightglobal. Flight International. 11 August 1999. Algerian start-up Khalifa Airways has received government approval to launch services. The airline plans to acquire two A310s for services between Algiers and Marseilles. Archived 7 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. 1 2 "Marketplace". Flightglobal. 15 September 1999. Algeria-based Khalifa has leased a 737-400 from Turkish charter carrier Pegasus Airlines. Archived 7 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Airbus rolls out A340-600 as orders grow". Flightglobal. Flight International. 27 March 2001. Archived 18 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Khalifa is wound up in French court". Flightglobal. Flight International. 22 July 2003. Archived 18 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20080515095610/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/22/africa/AF-GEN-Algeria-Bank-Trial.php. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2007. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. 1 2 "Marketplace". Flightglobal. Flight International. 24 October 2000. Khalifa Airways has taken delivery of the first of three new ATR 72-500s it has on order. The Algerian carrier has already received three of four second-hand ATR 42-320s it is acquiring. Archived 7 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ Dunn, Graham (25 March 2003). "Troubled Khalifa returns aircraft". London: Flightglobal. Flight International. Archived 18 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
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