Gabon Airlines

Gabon Airlines was a privately established Gabonese airline headquartered in Libreville. It was created after the closure of Air Gabon in 2006 and was intended to restore a nationally based carrier serving both domestic and international markets. The company received official authorization from Gabon's transport minister on 8 November 2006 and began operations in 2007 with backing from private investors, banks and insurance companies. Christian Bongo Ondimba, a son of former Gabonese president Omar Bongo, served as its chief executive during the airline's first operating period. The airline's first revenue service took place on 11 April 2007, linking Libreville with Paris. Its network subsequently expanded to include destinations in Central Africa, South Africa and France. At different points, Gabon Airlines served Libreville and Port-Gentil within Gabon; Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo; Johannesburg in South Africa; and Paris and Marseille in France. The business combined passenger transportation with cargo operations, reflecting the role expected of a national or quasi-national carrier in connecting Gabon with regional commercial centers and its former colonial market in France. By 2011, Gabon Airlines was operating a small fleet reported as two Boeing 767-200 aircraft. The airline's international model depended on maintaining long-haul and regional connectivity from Libreville, but it encountered serious financial and operational problems from around 2010. Staff reportedly went unpaid for months, while one of the airline's aircraft was impounded in Addis Ababa over unpaid maintenance-related fees. The aircraft was subsequently sold to recover the outstanding debt. Flights were suspended for an extended period, and the company did not operate after 2011. Its Air Operator's Certificate was revoked or lost in 2012, and the business was in liquidation by 2013. The Gabonese government made several attempts to revive the brand or establish a successor national carrier. In 2011, while Gabon Airlines remained grounded, the government announced plans for a relaunch in 2012. In April 2015, it reached an agreement with Air France Consulting concerning the management of a redeveloped Gabon Airlines, with a possible launch discussed for later that year. That plan did not result in the resumption of Gabon Airlines services. The government later acquired a majority stake in AfriJet and developed the FlyGabon brand for domestic operations. Consequently, Gabon Airlines remains a defunct historical airline rather than the carrier operating Gabon's current national-airline activities.

Gabon Airlines emerged in the aftermath of Air Gabon's shutdown in 2006. The prospective airline received authorization from Gabon's transport minister on 8 November 2006 and was founded in 2007 by a group of private investors, financial institutions and insurers. Christian Bongo Ondimba was identified as its chief executive. The ownership and financing structure reflected an effort to create a commercially backed carrier capable of filling the space left by the former national airline. Commercial operations began on 11 April 2007 with a flight from Libreville to Paris. The airline then developed a network combining domestic, regional and intercontinental routes. Its destinations included Port-Gentil in Gabon; Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo; Johannesburg in South Africa; and Paris and Marseille in France. Gabon Airlines also handled cargo in addition to passenger traffic. Libreville International Airport served as its principal base and headquarters location. The carrier operated a small fleet, reported in 2011 as two Boeing 767-200 aircraft. Despite its broad geographic ambitions, the business experienced significant financial difficulties beginning around 2010. By 2011, employees had reportedly gone several months without pay. An aircraft was impounded in Addis Ababa because maintenance fees had not been settled, and it was later sold to recover the debt. Gabon Airlines was unable to sustain regular flying after 2011, while the government considered ways to restore the country's air links and revive a national carrier. The company lost its Air Operator's Certificate in 2012 and was in liquidation by 2013. Before and after the end of its operations, various relaunch proposals were discussed. In 2011, the Gabonese government announced an intention to restart the airline in 2012. A more formal proposal followed in April 2015, when the government signed an agreement with Air France Consulting to manage a redeveloped version of Gabon Airlines. The proposed carrier was expected to begin operations as early as June 2015, but the plan did not produce a functioning airline under the Gabon Airlines name. Gabon subsequently pursued a different institutional and branding route. The government acquired a majority stake in AfriJet and introduced the FlyGabon brand for domestic services. That later development does not represent a continuation of Gabon Airlines' original operations. Gabon Airlines is therefore best understood as a defunct airline whose first incarnation operated between 2007 and 2011, whose certificate status ended in 2012, and whose proposed second incarnation never entered service.

• 2015

  Proposed relaunch with Air France Consulting

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The Gabonese government signed an agreement with Air France Consulting to manage a planned second incarnation of Gabon Airlines, but the relaunch did not occur.

• 2013

  Company enters liquidation

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to be in liquidation by 2013.

• 2012

  Air Operator's Certificate lost

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Gabon Airlines lost its Air Operator's Certificate, confirming the end of its operating airline status.

• 2011

  Operations suspended amid financial distress

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The carrier stopped flying after financial problems, unpaid wages and the impounding of an aircraft over maintenance debts.

• 2007

  Airline founded and operations begin

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The company was established by private investors, banks and insurers, and began commercial operations during 2007.

• 2007

  First revenue flight

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Gabon Airlines operated its first revenue flight from Libreville to Paris on 11 April.

• 2006

  Government authorization granted

  [1]Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Gabon Airlines received official permission from the Gabonese transport minister on 8 November 2006, ahead of its formal launch.

A Gabon-based national-carrier project combining domestic, regional African and France-linked international passenger services with cargo operations.

• Passenger aviation · 2007

  Scheduled passenger services

  Gabon Airlines provided scheduled passenger flights from its Libreville base. Its network covered domestic connectivity to Port-Gentil, regional African routes to destinations including Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and Johannesburg, and France-linked services to Paris and Marseille. The airline's first revenue flight was the Libreville–Paris route in April 2007. Services ended after the airline's operational and financial collapse.

• Air freight · 2007

  Air cargo services

  Alongside passenger transportation, Gabon Airlines handled cargo. Cargo activity formed part of the carrier's broader role as a Gabon-based airline connecting the country with regional African markets and Europe. The available reference material does not specify cargo aircraft, shipment volumes, product names or separate cargo routes.

• 2015

  Agreement signed for a second Gabon Airlines incarnationStrategy

  Background

  Following the failure of the earlier restart effort, the Gabonese government sought external expertise for a redeveloped flag carrier.

  Action taken

  The government signed an agreement with Air France Consulting to manage the proposed airline, with a possible launch discussed for June 2015.

  Aftermath

  The proposed second incarnation never commenced operations under the Gabon Airlines name.

  Source

• 2011

  Government announces a planned airline relaunchStrategy

  Background

  Gabon Airlines had been grounded for an extended period because of financial difficulties, while the country lacked a functioning replacement for Air Gabon.

  Action taken

  The Gabonese government announced that it intended to relaunch the national airline in 2012.

  Aftermath

  The announced relaunch did not restore Gabon Airlines to service. The company later lost its operating certificate and entered liquidation.

  Source

1. 1Gabon Airlinesen.wikipedia.org