Air Congo
An Air Congo Boeing 737-800 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1 December 2024 | ||||||
| Hubs | N'djili Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 3 | ||||||
| Destinations | 8 | ||||||
Owner | |||||||
| Headquarters | Kinshasa, DR Congo | ||||||
| Key people | Mesfin Biru Weldegeorgis (Director General)[1] | ||||||
| Total equity | US$ 40 million[2] | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
Air Congo S.A. is the flag carrier airline of the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched on 1 December 2024, with its hub at N'djili Airport in Kinshasa. The airline announced it would commence operations by serving domestic destinations. The inaugural flight occurred on 9 December 2024 from N'djili Airport to Lubumbashi International Airport by the Boeing 737-800 9S-AOA leased from Ethiopian Airlines.[3][4] As with all other airlines based in the DRC the airline is banned from EU airspace. Air Congo also plans to operate into the Middle East and Europe albeit it's unlikely Air Congo will fly to the EU.
Destinations
| Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benin | Cotonou | Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport | Begins 28 March 2026 | [5] |
| Cameroon | Douala | Douala International Airport | Begins 28 March 2026 | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Gemena | Gemena Airport | [6] | |
| Goma | Goma International Airport | |||
| Kalemie | Kalemie Airport | |||
| Kananga | Kananga Airport | |||
| Kinshasa | N'djili Airport | Hub | ||
| Kisangani | Kisangani Bangoka International Airport | |||
| Kolwezi | Kolwezi Airport | |||
| Lubumbashi | Lubumbashi International Airport | |||
| Mbuji-Mayi | Mbuji Mayi Airport | |||
| Mbandaka | Mbandaka Airport | |||
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | Bole International Airport | [7] | |
| South Africa | Johannesburg | O. R. Tambo International Airport | Begins 22 March 2026 | [5] |
| Tanzania | Dar es Salaam | Julius Nyerere International Airport | Begins 4 April 2026 | |
| Uganda | Entebbe | Entebbe International Airport | Begins 22 March 2026 |
Ultimately, Air Congo plans to deploy a fleet of eight Boeing 737 and two Boeing 787s to cover national, regional and international destinations: Paris, Brussels, Dubai, Johannesburg, Luanda and Dar es Salaam.
On 20 February 2026, Air Congo announced the start of operations to new international destinations; Cotonou, Douala, Johannesburg, and Kampala..
Fleet
As of December 2025, Air Congo operates the following aircraft:[8]
| Aircraft | Number | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR 72-600 | — | 2 | Leasing from Ethiopian Airlines[9] | |||
| Boeing 737-800 | 3 | — | Leased from Ethiopian Airlines | |||
| Total | 3 | 2 | ||||
Air Congo aims to operate a fleet of overall six aircraft within a year.[3]
Accidents and incidents
In December of 2025 passengers on an Air Congo 737-800 had to jump from the door since there was an absence of stairs and mobile equipment.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Nelly Fualdes and Romain Gras (25 September 2024). "DRC: what we know about Air Congo, the future national flag". jeuneafrique. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Aerial : Air Congo launch in december 2024". Africa News Agency. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Air Congo set for December launch". Times Aerospace. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Air Congo is born Airliner World February 2025 page 12
- ^ a b "Air Congo's official Instagram". www.instagram.com/. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ "Air Congo/Ethiopian Airlines Outlines Planned Network From Dec 2024". Aeroroutes. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Air Congo expands regional network amid ATR72 delays". ch-aviation. Archived from the original on 2026-03-03. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Air Congo". Airliner World: 57. September 2025.
- ^ Harper, Lewis. "Ethiopian to lease two ATRs for Air Congo as it builds MRO capabilities". Flight Global. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ Bailey, Joanna (2025-12-19). "Air Congo passengers had to jump from the door of a Boeing 737". AGN. Retrieved 2026-01-10.