Congo Airways (8Z, Kinshasa N'Djili) has taken delivery of its maiden aircraft - 9Q-CLU (cn 3362) - an A320-200 formerly in service with Alitalia (AZA, Rome Fiumicino) as EI-DSM. Skyliner Aviation reports the aircraft was ferried from Dublin International to Kinshasa N'Djili via Tangiers on Wednesday, July 29.
A second of the type is scheduled to arrive later next month.
The start-up is slated to commence commercial operations on Thursday, August 20 offering scheduled flights to eight local cities including Lubumbashi and Goma.
Congo Airways is backed by CDF32.5billion (USD35.34million) in start-up capital with Air France Consulting acting in an advisory role. Shareholders include various Congolese parastatals such as: the Office of Multimodal Freight Management (OGEFREM); the National Institute for Social Security (NISS); the local civil aviation regulatory body (RVA); the local mining consortium (Gecamines); the Congolese Transportation and Ports Authority (SCTP); and the local investment promotion authority (FPI).
