Chadia Airlines temporarily suspends operations
In service since 2018, Tchadia Airlines has succeeded in revitalizing air traffic in the country. But the joint venture between Ethiopian Airlines and the state of Chad is now facing a capacity shortage that is hampering its growth plans.
Chadia Airlines has temporarily suspended operations since May 15. And for good reason, its only operational aircraft, a Dash8-400, is out of service. The 71-seat aircraft has been sent for maintenance in Addis Ababa. According to company management, his return is expected within two weeks. Until then, the domestic market will remain empty.
In normal operations, Tchadia Airlines serves the cities of Abeche, Faya, Sarh, and Moundou from its base at Ndjamena International Airport. In the sub-region, the carrier also connects Douala to Cameroon (in competition with Asky) and Bangui (in competition with Asky, RwandAir and Kenya Airways).
As a reminder, it was on October 1, 2018 that Tchadia Airlines started its commercial operations. Ethiopian Airlines is a 49% shareholder while 51% of the shares are held by the State of Chad. Born from the ashes of the late Toumaï Air Tchad, it intends to become a leading company in Central Africa. Its growth plan - timid for the moment - foresees the densification of its fleet with the introduction of the Boeing 737-700s and the addition of the Dash8-400s. On the network side, Tchadia Airlines - which transported 27,000 passengers in 2019 - is eyeing service to Niamey, Kano, Khartoum, Cairo and Cotonou.
Domestically, the cities of Am-Timan, Ati and Amdjarass are also targeted
