DRC: first commercial flights for flyCAA's A330-200
Received last month, flyCAA's A330-200 (msn 505) began its first commercial passenger flights in the domestic market this week. Its entry into service will also boost the cargo activity of the Congolese private carrier.
It was on Tuesday February 23 that the Airbus A330-200 of the Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (CAA), better known under the trade name of flyCAA, made its first commercial flight between Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Operations continued yesterday Thursday with a rotation to Goma, capital of North Kivu province.
The 18-year-old aircraft, previously operated by Cyprus Airways and then Air Europa, was delivered on January 14. By deploying it on these two domestic routes, the Congolese private carrier also wants to capitalize on its large hold capacity to boost its cargo service. Its deployment on regional lines is not for tomorrow, in particular due to travel restrictions in several countries.
The only long-haul aircraft currently in service in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), even the possibility of a route between Kinshasa and Brussels is unlikely. Indeed, all airlines registered in the DRC are on the blacklist of the European Union (EU). flyCAA currently operates a fleet of 3 aircraft including one A321 and two ATR72. Its network covers a dozen domestic services. Founded in 1991, it merged with rival flyCongo in 2012. It is owned by the influential Blattner family, who also have interests in construction, agroforestry and finance.
