Afriqiyah Airways: Difference between revisions
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* [[Guangzhou]] (China) |
* [[Guangzhou]] (China) |
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Revision as of 01:19, 25 September 2009
| |||||||
| Founded | 2001 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Tripoli International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Rahal | ||||||
| Fleet size | 9 (+21 orders, 8 options) | ||||||
| Destinations | 24 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Tripoli, Libya | ||||||
| Key people | Captain Sabri Saad Shadi (Chairman) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.afriqiyah.aero/ | ||||||
Afriqiyah Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الأفريقية) is an airline based in Tripoli, Libya. It operates domestic services between Tripoli and Benghazi and international scheduled services to over 20 destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Its main base is Tripoli International Airport[1]. The name Afriqiyah comes from the Arabic language word for African. The 9.9.99 logo on the side of Afriqiyah's airplanes refers to the date of the Sirte Declaration which marked the formation of the African Union. The idea was for Afriqiyah to be the "Airline of Africa" with its hub in Tripoli.
Afriqiyah Airways is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization and the International Air Transport Association.
The airline expects to carry 655,000 passengers in 2008. With the continued launching of new routes, Afriqiyah aims to carry 1 million passengers by the end of 2009.[2] The airline generated US$120 million in revenue in 2006.[3]
History
The airline was established in April 2001 and commenced scheduled services on 1 December 2001. It is wholly owned by the Libyan government and has 287 employees (at March 2007)[1]. The airline started off with Boeing 737-400 aircraft, but in 2003 introduced all Airbus equipment.
Afriqiyah Airways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of six Airbus A320s and three Airbus A319s plus an option on five, as well as for three Airbus A330-200s, plus three options.[4] This acquisition is part of the long-term expansion strategy of the young Libyan airline. The first A319 was delivered on September 8, 2008.
The new A320s and A319s will be put into service on Afriqiyah’s growing international network, covering routes from its base at Tripoli to 17 destinations in North-, West- and Central Africa and the Middle East, as well as to European destinations such as Paris, Brussels, London, Rome and Amsterdam. Afriqiyah’s A319s will carry 124 passengers in a two-class configuration[5], while the A320 will seat 150 in comfortable two class configurations. The A330s will serve the long haul operations on routes to Southern Africa, Asia and Europe and will have a three-class configuration with 253 seats.
On the 20th August 2009, Afriqiyah Airways flew Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, convicted in the Lockerbie Bombing, home to Libya to die. The aircraft used was a private charter Airbus A330-200 aircraft, flown from Glasgow to Tripoli.
Destinations
New routes
According to the airline's website, the most immediate new routes planned by the airline are to Beijing and Johannesburg.[6] In the future, Afriqiyah Airways also plans to introduce new services to Mumbai, Delhi, Istanbul and Beirut.[2]
The airline has already taken delivery of one of its ordered A319s and has deployed on the new Dubai route in a two-class configuration. Two of the three A330s will also be delivered this year and the third next year. They will be used to inaugurate new routes to Johannesburg.[2]
Other planned new destinations (subject to approval) include[7]:
- Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) [begins 26 October]
- Beijing (China) [begins 2 December][8]
- Guangzhou (China)
Fleet
The Afriqiyah Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of September 2008):[9]
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600 | 1 | VIP division |
| Airbus A319-114 | 3 (5 options) |
|
| Airbus A320-200 | 5 (11 orders) |
one aircraft is operated by Adria Airways two aircraft are operated by Nouvelair |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 (1 orders) (3 options) |
|
| Airbus A340-200 | 1 | VIP division |
| Airbus A350-800 | (6 orders) |
As of December 2008, the average age of the Afriqiyah Airways fleet is 9.4 years.[10]
References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 51.
- ^ a b c (May 20, 2008), Endres, Gunter, Libya to restructure air transport sector, FlightGlobal, Accessed May 20, 2008
- ^ "Political, visa issues driving Libya's Airbus orders", Business Intelligence Middle East Accessed May 30, 2008
- ^ Afriqiyah Airways Orders (Airbus Press Release: July 18, 2006)
- ^ Aviation Week & Space Technology, Vol. 169 No. 10, 15 Sept. 2008, "A319 for Afriqiyah", p. 16
- ^ New Routes, Afriqiyah Website
- ^ Afriqiyah Airways Official Website, "Where We Fly", Accessed Apr 16, 2007
- ^ http://www.airlineroute.net/2009/09/afriqiyah-postpone-beijing-shelves.html
- ^ http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=8U&al_op=1
- ^ http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Afriqiyah%20Airways.htm
External links
