AIRLINE HISTORY DEFUNCT - Air Afrique was a prominent pan-African airline founded in 1961 as a joint venture between Air France and 11 newly independent West/Central African nations.

Flyingphotos-TU-TAZ-Airbus A310-300-Lisboa

 It was established as the official transnational carrier for rancophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a national airline, and had its headquarters in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Flyingphotos - TU-TAO-A300B4-Lisboa

Registered in September 1960 and launched on March 28, 1961, by 11 West and Central African nations (Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Congo, CAR, Chad, and Gabon).

The carrier was established to connect the newly independent nations, ensuring regional transportation and operating as a pan-African, prestigious enterprise to compete with foreign airlines.

Flyingphotos - N1808E-McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62(F)-Lisboa

The airline was a consortium, with 66% of the company owned by the 11 member states, while Air France and Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT) held a combined 34% stake.

Operations began in August 1961 with DC-4 aircraft. The company grew rapidly, adopting jet aircraft like the DC-8 by 1962 and entering the widebody era with the DC-10 in 1973.

Headquarters: Located in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Decline and Bankruptcy: Through the 1980s and 1990s, the airline suffered from debt, overstaffing, and management issues, leading to its nickname "Air Maybe". Following the economic downturn post-9/11, it went bankrupt and ceased operations in 2002.

IATA - RK 

ICAO - RKA 

Call sign - AIRAFRIC

Guido Allieri - L1011-Air-Afrique-N185AT-006

Founded - 28 March 1961

Commenced - 1 August 1961

operations Ceased - January 2002

operations Hubs - Abidjan

Secondary - Dakar–Yoff

hubs Subsidiaries 

Air Burkina

Air Mali

Air Mauritani

Guido Allieri Collection - L1011-Air-Afrique-SE-DSD-195

Destinations  - 22 (at the time of closure)

Headquarters - Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Guido Allieri Collection - DC10-Swissair-HB-IHN-242-ZRH in March 1983

The Aircraft wear the classic "chocolate stripe" Swissair color scheme introduced in 1981, there are also 2 AIR AFRIQUE additional titles in fuselage.

The airline historically operated a wide variety of aircraft

Airbus A300 - 9

Airbus A300B4 - 5

Airbus A300-600 - 4

Airbus A310 - 8

Airbus A330 - 2

Boeing 737 - 13

Boeing 747 - 6

Boeing 767 - 2

Douglas DC-8 - 22

Lockheed L-1011 TriStar - 4

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - 6

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 - 1

Photo: Lewis Grant - TU-TAL-Le Bourget-8-9-1973