Aviation, Airliners, Airlines of Africa Encyclopedia

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Odd Airliners in Africa 2024

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Updated : 18th October, 2024




KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation Reg.: PH-LKW, MSN: 4507,
Leopoldville Congo (Kinshasa) - 1956

KLM - Royal Duch Airlines Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation "The Deutron"
stayed in Bujumbura for 1 year for flight tests with Air Burundi.
Photographer: John Heggblom USA

Introducing new airliners as i.e. Air Burundi

Air Burundi
1971


Air Burundi Beechcraft 19C 9U-BHD



Air Burundi's glory days and their SUD SE-210 Caravelle III 9U-BTA

Air Burundi was the state-owned national airline of Burundi, although in practice it has not been operational since 2009.

At its peak, the airline operated scheduled regional passenger services to Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda with its main base at Bujumbura International Airport, and headquarters in Bujumbura.

History


Air Burundi's Douglas DC-3 and SUD SE-210 Caravelle III 9U-BTA

The airline was established in April 1971, and started operations in 1975. It was formed as Société de Transports Aériens du Burundi, and adopted the present name in June 1975. The airline began operations a fleet of two Douglas DC-3s followed by two De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter and a Sud Caravelle III in 1980. The 1996 Burundian Civil War put a lot of pressure on the airline, and transportation of all forms in the country was paralyzed. In 1999 the East African Community lifted sanctions on Burundi and the airline resumed operations from February 1, 1999.

Air Burundi's Beechcraft 19C 9U-BHD and two DC-3s, 9U-BRZ and 9U-BRY


Air Burundi De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 9U-BRG

The airline continued to provide scheduled flights to nearby regional cities; however in spring of 2007, due to technical issues, it temporarily suspended operations. In 2008, the airline was relaunched with a much smaller network, providing daily flights to Kigali and Entebbe.

Air Burundi Beechcraft 19C 9U-BHD

In September 2009, an inability to secure adequate funding to overhaul its aircraft led to the airline's suspension of operations due to that their only aircraft a Beechcraft 1900, had reached the maximum flight hours before a major service was mandated. The aircraft was flown to South Africa to undergo regular maintenance operations, to cost at least $1m.

Air Burundi Xian MA 60 9U-BHU

27 June 2012 In 27 June Air Burundi the national flag carrier took delivery of its first of two Xian MA60s, that the airline ordered last year. The plane is scheduled to land in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, on 28 June, few days before the 50th anniversary of the independence.

Mr. Melchior Nahimana, managing director of Air Burundi, has in a speech at the ceremony, thanked the Chinese government and the Burundi government who have given substantial supports to the introduction of MA60. With this new plane, Air Burundi will resume flights to regional destinations such as Rwanda, Kenya or Uganda. The next step for the airline will be the privatization.

In 2013 Air Burundi's got an additional aircraft a Xian MA60. The plane was a gift from China and one more was intended to be delivered, It arrived after the suspension of flights by the airline and it never actually flew for Air Burundi due to that Air Burundi certification prevented did and the airline did not have any pilots to fly the aircraft.

Air Burundi took up negotiations with Air Zimbabwe which had MA60s in their fleet to train pilots, crew and tehchnical staff but the negotiation was not compleated. Any way, this is the fact, Air Burundi has at least two aircraft aviable to operate the Beechcraft undergoing heavy service in South Africa and the MA-60 - but lack of funds.

Press reports in September 2013 indicated that the airline would require $1.3million to overhaul and return its Beechcraft 1900C into active service in support of the airline's sole functioning aircraft, an MA60, but these plans never came to frutation

Burundi Airlines

In May 2020, the Government of Burundi unveiled plans to launch a new national carrier in 2021 under the brand name Burundi Airlines (Bujumbura).

When the matter came up again in a cabinet meeting on 28 December 2020, a decision was made to merge Air Burundi assets, with those of SOBUGEA to constitute the government's 92 percent contribution to the new Burundi Airlines. Other shareholders include the state-owned insurer, Société d’Assurances du Burundi (SOCABU) and the estate of the defunct Belgian airline, SABENA

2020 Burundi Airlines

Burundi Airlines (IATA: n/a, ICAO: n/a) is a state-owned national airline of Burundi, to function as the national carrier of that East African country. The government of Burundi owns 92 percent of the new airline's stock. Burundi Airlines was formally established on 4 February 2021.

The new airline is a merger of the defunct Air Burundi, which ceased operations in 2009, and SOBUGEA, a Burundian government-owned company responsible for ground handling and airport maintenance. The new combined entity will own 92 percent of Burundi Airlines stock. The remaining 8 percent shareholding will be split between a Belgian company and the state-owned insurance company, Societe d’Assurances du Burundi (Socabu).

Fleet

The defunct Air Burundi took delivery of a Xian MA60, 52-seater, two-engine turboprop aircraft. Under arrangement with the manufacturers, another similar aircraft was due to be delivered later. The new Burundi Airlines is expected to begin service with those two airplanes. More aircraft will be acquired as need arises, going forward.

This part is not sponsored by Air Burundi/Burundi Airlines!


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