Just bad luck? Visit Senegal does not seem to be succeeding in secure the future of its national airlines. Back in 2009, the joint venture between Royal Air Maroc and Senegal came to an abrupt end with the bankruptcy of Air Sénégal International. The airline lasted just under 9 years. A replacement was found two years later: Senegal Airlines, whose lifespan would be even shorter. The company disappeared five years later. It would take another two years before Air Sénégal finally appeared.
Launched with great fanfare in 2018 after the failure of Senegal Airlines, Air Sénégal aimed to become a major regional player, with a modern fleet and an ambitious network. But operational reality has ultimately obscured real development prospects.
In countless African countries, the management of a national airline is unfortunately too closely linked to political circles. This inevitably leads to a waste of resources. Air Sénégal does not seem to have escaped the rule. Poor management, recurring technical downtime, unprofitable routes... The model has proved untenable. In September 2023, the company is dropping a number of destinations - including New York, Lyon, MarseilleMilan, Barcelona, Libreville and Douala with the sole aim of limiting losses.
Paris CDG-Dakar for the time being always present
The outlook for Air Senegal has become even gloomier. In April this year, the government cut the carrier's operations. Most recently, it has been unable to pay the lease payments on its leased aircraft, the Senegalese airline had to ground four aircraft belonging to its main financial backer, Carlyle Aviation Partners. The equipment is Airbus A321mainly serving regional routes.
Since 24 June, the airline has been forced to cancel numerous flights. The financial dispute with leasing company Carlyle Aviation has even forced the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to place 2 billion CFA francs (around 29 million euros) in escrow, pending a settlement. Two other leasing companies, Sasof III Aviation Ireland DAC and Aergen Aircraft Twenty Ltd, have also gone to court in Dakar, demanding payment of outstanding debts. Experts estimate that Air Senegal's debt amounts to between
Today, the company operates on an anaemic network. It now operates just one daily flight in Europe on the Paris-Dakar route (using Airbus A330s). It still operates 8 other destinations -in addition to Paris- in 8 countries. Air Sénégal also operates a single daily domestic flight between Dakar and Cap Skirring. But for how much longer?
