Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1860 posts, RR: 1 Posted (3 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 2722 times:
I hereby break the news that Ghana Airways and Nigeria Airways have both ceased operations. This caused me a whole bunch of sadness, not merely because neither of them were yet on my "taken 'em" list, but because they each had history and heritage, as descendants of ye olde West African Airways Corporation.
There's probably a bunch of other African carriers that descended from colonists' airline networks and today are no longer; and Africa doesn't seem to lack for LCC-style up-and-comers, like InterAir and, well, I don't like their name, but Mango. (Mango? Why is the airline named after a silly-sounding fruit? Are we FIGHTING stereotypes about Africa with a name like this, or what? What is the deal?)
So which African-type airline operating today has the richest history behind it? The initially tempting answer is SA, since they're so big, but I think you gotta give big ups to KQ (The Pride Of Africa!) and the non-sub-Saharan fellas, like AT and Egpytair (I do not know Egyptair's IATA code offhand, sorry).
My favorite African aviators are lilac-breasted rollers, but that's a bit off-topic.
Kiwiandrew From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8435 posts, RR: 14 Reply 1, posted (3 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 2715 times:
Quoting Airstud (Thread starter): I hereby break the news that Ghana Airways and Nigeria Airways have both ceased operations
I dont know if you would really say that you are 'breaking the news' . IIRC Ghana Airways ceased in 2004 and Nigerian Airways in 2003.
So which African-type airline operating today has the richest history behind it? The initially tempting answer is SA, since they're so big, but I think you gotta give big ups to KQ (The Pride Of Africa!) and the non-sub-Saharan fellas, like AT and Egpytair (I do not know Egyptair's IATA code offhand, sorry).
Did you forget about Ethiopian Airlines ( ET) .
BTW Egyptair is MS (presumably from the days when it was Misrair)
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1860 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (3 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 2659 times:
Quoting Kiwiandrew (Reply 1): I dont know if you would really say that you are 'breaking the news' . IIRC Ghana Airways ceased in 2004 and Nigerian Airways in 2003.
Way to get the joke...
Yes, I guess I did forget about ET. I do not know much about their history, but I like the neato Amharic text on their fuselages.
The first scheduled flight took place to Cairo via Asmara in Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The national airline had been set up a few months earlier as Ethiopian Air Lines Inc., a joint venture with American airline, TWA (Trans World Airlines).
1953:
Three quarters of the airline’s staff were now Ethiopian but expatriates still held most key posts. The Ethiopian government negotiated and new agreement with TWA with ultimate aim of operating entirely with Ethiopian personnel.
April 1996:
As the airlines celebrated its 50th anniversary the route network stretched from Europe (London, Frankfurt, and Rome) to China (Beijing) and Thailand (Bangkok). The Middle East and Indian sub-continent were well represented, and the airline’s African routes reached Senegal and Ivory Coast in the west, Cairo in the north, and Johannesburg and Durban in the south.
2005:
Ethiopian Airlines announced that it would be Africa’s launch carrier for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with a firm order for ten of these ultra-modern jets, and an option for five more.
ET seem likely to head into *A sometime in the next few years , they already have codeshare arrangements with LH SN SA and BD and they fly to a number of key *A hubs such as BKK BJS FRA IAD BRU JNB and CAI
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 4, posted (3 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 2603 times:
Quoting Airstud (Thread starter): (Mango? Why is the airline named after a silly-sounding fruit? Are we FIGHTING stereotypes about Africa with a name like this, or what? What is the deal?)
Stereotype? The Mango is an African fruit, the colour of the aircraft. There are plenty other airlines with stupid names.
Back on topic, SAA is 75 years old this year so it has a history up there with the best of them.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
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From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1860 posts, 
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