NEW AIRCRAFT - Djibouti's Daallo Airlines seeks B737-800, Dash 8-300

Daallo Airlines (United Arab Emirates) (D3, Dubai International) has appointed global aviation services group ACC Aviation to source and deliver B737-800 and DHC-8-300s to expand the airline’s existing route network.

“We look forward to working with Daallo Airlines, and in the coming days, we will be reaching out to our industry network to help Daallo Airlines get the required aircraft for their expanding fleet,” commented Tristan Brouard, Senior Manager, Asset Management, ACC Aviation, in a statement.

ACC Aviation will support Daallo Airlines with a desktop technical assessment of the aircraft and guide the airline throughout the commercial stage of the aircraft acquisition process.

Daallo Airlines is a Somali-owned charter airline based at Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ) Al Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With its main hub at Djibouti, the airline functions as the national carrier for Djibouti and serves the East African region with flights to the Middle East. Daallo Airlines is owned by the African Airways Alliance, created on February 19, 2015, when Daallo Airlines merged with Nairobi-based Jubba Airways (Kenya) (JBW, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta).

Daallo Airlines started operations in 1991 using a single wet-leased Cessna (single turboprop) Caravan operating from Djibouti to Hargeisa in Somalia after the demise of Somali Airlines (1964) (Mogadishu) in the wake of the civil war in that country. As of February 2021, the Daallo Airlines fleet comprises one 25-year-old B737-300, 5Y-KQB (msn 28747), operated by Nairobi-based ACMI/charter specialist Fanjet Express (FJE, Nairobi Wilson) on behalf of Daallo Airlines between Jeddah, Mogadishu, and Hargeisa. The company offers Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage charters.

CH Aviation

 

Daallo Airlines replaces Hermes A320 with B737-500

Daallo Airlines (D3, Djibouti) has taken delivery of a B737-500 SX-BHR (msn 29234) on wet-lease from its Greek partner Hermes Airlines (H3, Athens Int'l).
Hermes has taken redelivery of the aircraft on March 2 and will wet-lease the aircraft to Daallo where it will replace A320-200 SX-BDS (msn 879) currently also operated on behalf of Daallo by Hermes.
Daallo Airlines currently offers scheduled services between Djibouti, Dubai Int'l, Jeddah and Mogadishu.

ch aviation

Daallo Airlines eyes ATR72s for Somali flights

Daallo Airlines (D3, Djibouti) Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Ibrahim Yassin says his airline is planning to lease a pair of ATR72-500s - its first Avions de Transport Régional (Toulouse Blagnac) machinery - for use on its Somali network. 

 Speaking to African Aerospace, Yassin said that should all details be resolved and the turboprops arrive, the Djibouti-based carrier's sole BAe 146-200 - leased from Bulgaria's Aviostart (VSR, Sofia) - would then be reserved for charter flights.

 Daallo currently serves Djibouti, Dubai Int'l, Jeddah, Mogadishu, and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta with plans to connect Addis Ababa and Entebbe/Kampala with Mogadishu and Hargeisa in the short term. Once the situation stabilizes in Yemen, flights to Taiz and the recently reopened airport of Aden will also be added Yassin said.

“We have to cover our home market adequately,” he said. “That includes Djibouti, Somaliland, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen. These are the countries we have to serve well.”

Having formed the Africa Aero Alliance with Jubba Airways (Kenya) (3J, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) in February this year, the CEO said African Express Airways (XU, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) had also been approached about joining but had yet to respond at this time.

 In the longterm, Daallo is planning to transition to B737 NextGens and is also evaluating wide-body options for the resumption of flights to Europe. 

ch-aviation

Djibouti's Daallo to merge with Jubba Airways

Daallo Airlines and Jubba Airways will on Thursday, February 19, announce the formation of the African Airways Alliance, a merged entity owned equally by founders of the two carriers.

The two airlines will continue to use their respective Jubba and Daallo brands after the merger, Jubba Chairman Said Qailie told Reuters, but will pool their fleets to include two leased A321-100s operated by Air Méditerranée, one Jubba Airways (Kenya) B737-300 and an Aviostart BAe 146-200. In addition, two new Avions de Transport Régional turboprops will be acquired by the middle of the year for use on domestic Somali flights. Jubba Airways has already phased out its B737-200Adv. fleet and will replace its last remaining B737-400 5Y-BZL (msn 24550) by the A321-100 F-GYAN (msn 535) it has just taken delivery of.

Daallo Airlines (D3, Djibouti) and Jubba Airways (Kenya) (3J, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) will on Thursday, February 19, announce the formation of the African Airways Alliance, a merged entity owned equally by founders of the two carriers. 

The two airlines will continue to use their respective Jubba and Daallo brands after the merger, Jubba Chairman Said Qailie told Reuters, but will pool their fleets to include two leased A321-100s operated by Air Méditerranée (ML, Lourdes/Tarbes), one Jubba Airways (Kenya) B737-300 and an Aviostart (VSR, Sofia) BAe 146-200. In addition, two new Avions de Transport Régional (Toulouse Blagnac) turboprops will be acquired by the middle of the year for use on domestic Somali flights. Jubba Airways has already phased out its B737-200Adv. fleet and will replace its last remaining B737-400 5Y-BZL (msn 24550) by the A321-100 F-GYAN (msn 535) it has just taken delivery of.

“We are trying to attract other carriers to join the alliance to scale the business, to help growth and sustainability,” said Mohamed Yassin, the CEO of Djibouti-based carrier Daallo, said.

In terms of network presence, the merged carrier will see its reach extend from the current 13 destinations - which include Dubai Int'l, Galcaio, Bossaso, Kisimayu, Hargeisa, Jeddah, Mogadishu, Djibouti, and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta - to include Addis Ababa, Entebbe/Kampala as well as various undisclosed Yemeni and European airports. Sister carrier Jubba Airways (6J, Mogadishu) also has a Somalian AOC allowing it to operate domestically.