Air Djibouti
The flag carrier of Djibouti, established in the 1960s and relaunched as a regional cargo and passenger airline in the 2010s.
Last updated October 28, 2026
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Overview
Air Djibouti is the flag carrier associated with Djibouti and one of the country's earliest commercial aviation enterprises. The airline was established in April 1963 under the name Compagnie Territoriale de Transports Aériens de la Côte Française des Somalis. Its founder, B. Astraud, had previously operated an air-ambulance service in Madagascar and believed that an airline could support the economic development and territorial integration of Djibouti, then known as the French Territory of the Afars and Issas. The original carrier began flying in April 1964 with a small mixed fleet comprising a Bristol 170, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide and two Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft. Its first services connected local points including Dikhil, Obock and Tadjoura. The arrival of a Douglas DC-3 expanded the network beyond domestic links, with services connecting Djibouti to Dire Dawa, Aden, Addis Ababa and Taiz. The airline subsequently acquired additional DC-3 aircraft from Air Liban. Mail carriage, government and charter work, and Hajj flights supplemented scheduled passenger revenue. In 1969, the fleet was expanded with an Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopter. A corporate reorganization in April 1971 produced Air Djibouti–Red Sea Airlines. After Djibouti became independent in 1977, the government increased its stake to 62.5 percent, while Air France retained 32.29 percent and banks and private investors held the remainder. During the 1970s and 1980s, the airline combined domestic services with regional flights to destinations such as Aden, Hodeida, Taiz, Addis Ababa, Cairo and Jeddah. By 1990, the network had expanded to include destinations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, including Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Sana'a and Johannesburg. The fleet at different stages included Twin Otters, Douglas DC-9-30 aircraft and other leased or acquired equipment. The airline's first major period of operations ended in 1991. It was refounded in 1997 and resumed flying in July 1998 with a leased Airbus A310-200 formerly operated by Kuwait Airways. In 2000, the A310 was scheduled on a wide network including Addis Ababa, Asmara, Cairo, Dar es Salaam, Dubai, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Karachi, Khartoum, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Muscat, Nairobi, Rome and Taiz. This second operating period ended when services ceased in 2002. Air Djibouti was revived again in the mid-2010s as part of a government-supported effort to position Djibouti as a logistics and commercial gateway for East Africa. The relaunch was associated with chairman Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chief executive Mario Fulgoni and support from Cardiff Aviation in South Wales. The revived business initially returned to the air with cargo operations, including a Boeing 737 freighter, before adding passenger services. A Boeing 737-400 began regional operations on 16 August 2016, and the airline also entered a wet-lease arrangement for a BAe 146-300. It had earlier used a wet-leased Fokker 27. The modern relaunch was short-lived as an operating-aircraft business. By September 2017, the three aircraft associated with the revived fleet had been returned to their lessors. The airline was listed as serving a range of destinations in December 2019 and had interline arrangements with Ethiopian Airlines and Singapore Airlines, but the available reference material does not establish a clear current operating status. Air Djibouti is therefore best understood as a historically significant Djiboutian airline brand whose operations have been interrupted and relaunched multiple times, rather than as an airline with a continuously documented service history.
History
Air Djibouti was created in April 1963 as Compagnie Territoriale de Transports Aériens de la Côte Française des Somalis. B. Astraud, an aviation operator with experience in Madagascar, established the company to provide transport links within Djibouti and stimulate local economic activity. Flying began in April 1964 with a Bristol 170, a de Havilland Dragon Rapide and two Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft. The initial network served Dikhil, Obock and Tadjoura. A Douglas DC-3 subsequently enabled regional routes to Dire Dawa, Aden, Addis Ababa and Taiz, while additional DC-3 aircraft acquired from Air Liban allowed the larger aircraft to replace much of the original light-aircraft operation. Mail, government transport, charter work and Hajj flights were important supplementary activities. The fleet also gained an Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopter in 1969. In April 1971, Air Somalie, an airline established in 1962 by Air France and Les Messagéries Maritimes, took over the earlier Air Djibouti business. The resulting airline became known as Air Djibouti–Red Sea Airlines. Following Djibouti's independence in 1977, the government increased its stake to 62.5 percent. Air France held 32.29 percent, with the balance owned by banks and private investors. During the 1970s, the airline operated a domestic network and regional services to destinations such as Aden, Hodeida, Taiz, Addis Ababa, Cairo and Jeddah. In 1980, its fleet consisted of two Twin Otters and its workforce numbered about 210 employees. The carrier expanded its international footprint during the 1980s. By March 1990, its destinations included Abu Dhabi, Aden, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Dire Dawa, Hargeisa, Jeddah, Nairobi, Paris, Rome and Sana'a, alongside domestic flights to Obock and Tadjoura. The fleet at that time included two Douglas DC-9-30s and two Twin Otters, and the airline employed 229 people under president Aden Robleh Awaleh. Operations ceased in 1991. The company was refounded in 1997 and restarted flights in July 1998 with a leased 194-seat Airbus A310-200 previously operated by Kuwait Airways. By March 2000, the aircraft was assigned to an extensive network linking Djibouti with African, Middle Eastern and Asian destinations, including Addis Ababa, Asmara, Cairo, Dar es Salaam, Dubai, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Karachi, Khartoum, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Muscat, Nairobi, Rome and Taiz. This phase ended with the cessation of operations in 2002. A further relaunch was planned for late 2015 and 2016. Chairman Aboubaker Omar Hadi and chief executive Mario Fulgoni were associated with the revived company, which received support from Cardiff Aviation. The government presented the airline as part of a wider effort to develop Djibouti as a logistics and commercial center for East African trade. The airline first resumed cargo activity, using a Boeing 737 freighter, and then introduced passenger services. A Boeing 737-400 leased from Cardiff Aviation began regional flying on 16 August 2016. The company also entered a wet-lease arrangement involving a BAe 146-300 and had previously used a wet-leased Fokker 27. By September 2017, the aircraft associated with the relaunch had been returned to their lessors. Reference material nevertheless listed Air Djibouti destinations in December 2019 and recorded interline agreements with Ethiopian Airlines and Singapore Airlines. The available sources do not provide sufficient evidence to determine whether the airline currently operates scheduled services, so its present status remains unclear. Its history is characterized by repeated formation, suspension, restructuring and relaunch, with its strategic role tied to Djibouti's domestic connectivity and its position near major Red Sea and East African trade routes.
- 2017
Relaunch aircraft are returned
[1]By September, the aircraft used during the modern relaunch had been returned to their lessors.
- 2016
Passenger services return
[1]A leased Boeing 737-400 begins regional passenger flights on 16 August.
- 2015
Cargo relaunch
[1]The airline returns to the market with cargo operations and a Boeing 737 freighter.
- 2002
Second operating period ends
[1]Air Djibouti ceases operations after its late-1990s revival.
- 1998
Scheduled operations resume with an Airbus A310
[1]The refounded airline resumes operations in July using a leased Airbus A310-200.
- 1997
The airline is refounded
[1]Air Djibouti is reconstituted ahead of a return to scheduled flying.
- 1991
Operations are suspended
[1]The airline ends its first major operating period.
- 1977
Government ownership rises after independence
[1]The newly independent Djiboutian government increases its participation to 62.5 percent.
- 1971
Air Djibouti–Red Sea Airlines is formed
[1]Air Somalie takes over the earlier carrier, creating the Air Djibouti–Red Sea Airlines structure.
- 1964
First flights begin
[1]Operations commence with a small fleet serving Djibouti's domestic points and nearby regional destinations.
Products and positioning
Djibouti's national and strategic connectivity carrier, intended to support domestic access, regional mobility and the country's role as an East African logistics hub.
Passenger airline · 1964
Domestic passenger services
Air Djibouti historically connected Djibouti City with domestic locations including Obock and Tadjoura, and earlier served Dikhil. These services supported internal mobility in a country with a limited domestic transport network. Aircraft used for domestic flying included light utility aircraft and Twin Otters, reflecting the need for short regional sectors and relatively small demand.
Passenger airline · 1964
Regional passenger services
The airline's regional passenger network has historically linked Djibouti with destinations in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Middle East. Cities mentioned in its various operating periods include Aden, Addis Ababa, Asmara, Cairo, Dire Dawa, Hargeisa, Jeddah, Nairobi, Sana'a and Taiz. The modern relaunch used a leased Boeing 737-400 for regional services.
Passenger airline
International passenger services
At different points, Air Djibouti operated or scheduled longer international routes extending to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The 1990 network included Paris and Rome, while the 2000 schedule listed destinations such as Johannesburg, Karachi, Muscat, Dar es Salaam and Dubai. The carrier used larger equipment, including DC-9 aircraft and a leased Airbus A310, for these ambitions.
Air cargo · 2015
Air cargo services
Cargo was the first major service introduced in the 2015 relaunch. The operation used a Boeing 737 freighter and was aligned with Djibouti's stated objective of becoming a logistics and commercial gateway for East African trade. The available material does not establish the scale or continuity of the cargo operation.
Charter airline services · 1964
Charter and special-purpose aviation
In its earlier decades, Air Djibouti supplemented scheduled services with government and mail carriage, charter flights and Hajj operations. These activities diversified revenue and allowed the airline to serve public-sector and seasonal transport needs beyond its regular domestic and regional timetable.
Controversies
2020
Air Djibouti aircraft suffers landing accident in Somalia
Air Djibouti disclosed that one of its Boeing 737-500 aircraft experienced a tyre problem while landing at Garowe Puntland airport in Somalia on 2 December and left the runway. The report stated that none of the 39 passengers and five crew members were injured. The circumstances of the accident had yet to be determined.
Brand decisions
2016
Introduce Boeing 737-400 regional passenger serviceProduct launchBackground
Following the 2015 cargo relaunch, the company planned to restore scheduled passenger connectivity.
Action taken
A leased Boeing 737-400 began regional operations on 16 August 2016.
Aftermath
The modern fleet was later returned to its lessors, and the sources do not document a continuously operating fleet afterward.
2015
Relaunch the carrier as part of Djibouti's logistics strategyStrategyBackground
The government sought to strengthen Djibouti's role as a regional trade and logistics hub in East Africa.
Action taken
Air Djibouti was revived first with cargo operations and later with passenger services, with support from Cardiff Aviation.
Aftermath
Passenger flying resumed in 2016, but the aircraft associated with the relaunch had been returned to lessors by September 2017.
1977
Increase state participation after independenceStrategyBackground
Djibouti's independence created a stronger national interest in controlling strategic transport infrastructure.
Action taken
The government increased its stake in the airline to 62.5 percent, while Air France retained 32.29 percent.
Aftermath
The airline continued to operate domestic and international services during the following years.
Recent events
Reported
Air Djibouti aircraft suffers landing accident in Somalia[2]
Air Djibouti disclosed that its Boeing 737-500 experienced a tyre problem while landing at Garowe Puntland airport in Somalia on 2 December and left the runway. The article reports no injuries among the 39 passengers and five crew members; the circumstances of the accident had yet to be determined.
Sources2 sources
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