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Congo-Kinshasa: AirDC Takes to the Skies Early 2008
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East African Business Week (Kampala)
3 December 2007
Posted to the web 3 December 2007
Philip Nabyama
Kampala
The new airline is a creation of the Brussels Airlines Group and Hewa Bora Airways Group, one of DR Congo's leading airlines with regional and domestic services based in Barumbi, Kinshasa.
According to company officials, airDC is a reference to 'RDC' (French acronym for Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC), highlighting the Congolese identity of this new airline.
The new found relationship will help unlock DR Congo's vast hinterland to the rest of the world thus creating more business opportunities in one of Africa's largest countries.
DR Congo, about the size of Western Europe has over 30 airlines, most them non complaint with international regulations and operating local flights.
"The precise date for the launch of the flight operations will be defined after all maintenance facilities are set up at N'Djili airport, complying with international standards, such as the JAR145 standards as they are known in the industry," a statement said.
Hewa Bora owns 51% in the new airline while the Belgian carrier owns a 49% minority stake through its affiliate, the Mauritius based Pan African Airlines Leasing Company Ltd that is specialised in the development of African aviation projects and aviation partnerships.
The cost of transaction has been chest held by all entities involved in the deal.In the new management structure that East African Business Week has seen, Mr. Philippe de Moerloose (of Hewa Bora Airways) and Mr. Michel Meyfroidt will co-chair of the company board.
Former Brussels Airlines manager for African Projects, Mr. Johan Maertens will handle the daily management of the company while Mr. Stavros Papaioannou, CEO of Hewa Bora will hold the function of 'Administrateur-Général'.
With a fleet of 49 aircraft and connecting its home base at Brussels Airport with over 50 European destinations, Brussels Airlines will provide both management resources and operational know how to the new airline .
As at March 2007, Hewa Bora had 13 different aircraft. In return, the European carrier will use Hewa Bora's in-depth experience in the country with the latter even selling tickets on the Kinshasa - Brussels service operated by Brussels Airlines through a code share agreement.
This will allow airDC operate international flights in Africa. About three months ago, Brussels Airlines announced that it would increase its flights into the East African region in December from 11 to 15. It will also step up flights into West and Central Africa.
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"We are very happy that we can build, together with our partners, a new airline project for the Congo that will become in no time the aviation reference of the country," said Brussels Airlines CEO Mr. Philippe Vander Putten of the DR Congo deal.
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| Copyright © 2007 East African Business Week. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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