Air Côte d'Ivoire is the flag carrier of Ivory Coast, based in Abidjan. The company succeeded the country's former flag carrier Air Ivoire, which went bankrupt in 2011. It started operations on 12 November 2012.
History
The airline was set up on 15 May 2012, as a private-public entity, partially owned by Air France – which intended to make Port Bouet Airport a regional hub – and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). Air Côte d'Ivoire had an initial capital of CFAF 2.5 billion, majority-owned by the government of Ivory Coast (65%), with the balance held by Air France Finance (20%) and Aérienne de Participation-Côte d'Ivoire (15%), an airline holding company of AKFED. The Ivory Coast had had no national carriers since the collapse of Air Ivoire in .
The airline will have "technical, commercial and operational synergies" with Air Mali and Air Burkina, two other airlines associated with the AKFED.
As of November 2012, it was planned for the new company to have 13 flight captains, 12 first officers and 37 cabin crew. The company projects to have a passenger capacity of 330,000 per year. It carried 253,000 passengers during 2013.
Corporate affairs Ownership , the parent entities of the shareholders are:
Shareholder Interest Government of Ivory Coast 58% Air France-KLM11% Golden Road23% Other investors8% Total100%
The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development was a 15% shareholder until 2013, when it was reported that it would withdraw from Air Côte d'Ivoire. The shareholding was acquired by Golden Road, a consortium of private Ivorian investors, with shareholdings changing following subsequent fundraising.
Business trends Air Côte d'Ivoire does not appear to publish annual accounts, but some figures have been made available via press reports, interviews and other publications (figures shown for years ending 31 December): 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Turnover (CFA b)26.9876.0183.0048.00 Net profit after tax (CFA b) Number of employees (at year end)290612578600 Number of passengers (m)0.250.400.600.720.760.30 Passenger load factor (%)65 Number of aircraft (at year end)24681010101010 Notes/sources
Key people , Air Côte d'Ivoire CEO is Laurent Loukou.
Destinations
, the airline had initial plans to operate scheduled services from its hub in Abidjan on a network covering nine international destinations in West and East Africa, although some of them would be flown by sister companies Air Burkina and Air Mali. Cities served with Air Côte d'Ivoire's own aircraft were expected to include Accra, Conakry, Cotonou and Dakar. Operations commenced on , with the carrier's maiden flight linking Abidjan with Dakar.
, the company's route map indicate that it serves the following destinations:
Country City Airport NotesRefsBeninCotonouCadjehoun Airport Burkina FasoOuagadougouThomas Sankara International Airport CameroonDoualaDouala International Airport YaoundéYaoundé Nsimalen International Airport Central African RepublicBanguiBangui M'Poko International Airport ChadN'DjamenaN'Djamena International Airport Democratic Republic of the CongoKinshasaN'djili Airport FranceParisCharles de Gaulle Airport https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/159629-air-cote-divoire-launches-first-long-haul-route-to-parisGabonLibrevilleLéon-Mba International Airport GhanaAccraAccra International Airport GuineaConakryConakry International Airport Guinea-BissauBissauOsvaldo Vieira International Airport Ivory CoastAbidjanFélix-Houphouët-Boigny International AirportBouakéBouaké Airport KorhogoKorhogo Airport ManMan Airport OdiennéOdienné Airport San PédroSan Pédro Airport LebanonBeirutBeirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport LiberiaMonroviaRoberts International Airport MaliBamakoBamako–Sénou International Airport MoroccoCasablancaMohammed V International Airport NigerNiameyDiori Hamani International Airport NigeriaAbujaNnamdi Azikiwe International Airport LagosMurtala Muhammed International Airport Republic of the CongoBrazzavilleMaya-Maya Airport Pointe-NoirePointe Noire Airport SenegalDakarBlaise Diagne International Airport Sierra LeoneFreetownLungi International AirportSouth AfricaJohannesburgO. R. Tambo International Airport TogoLoméLomé–Tokoin International Airport
Codeshare and interline agreements Air Côte d'Ivoire has codeshare and interline agreements with the following airlines:
Codeshare Ethiopian Airlines
Interline APG Airlines Air Burkina Air France Emirates Hahn Air
Fleet
Current fleet
, Air Côte d'Ivoire operates the following aircraft: + Air Côte d'Ivoire fleetAircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersNotes F J W Y TotalAirbus A3195——12—96108Airbus A3202——12—138150Airbus A320neo1—TBAAirbus A330-900neo2—44421173242De Havilland Canada Dash 8-4004——7—6067Embraer 175—4—12—6476Order with 8 purchase rights. Deliveries begin 2027.Total144
Fleet strategy The carrier took delivery of its first aircraft, an ex-Air France Airbus A319 manufactured in 2004, in on lease from Macquarie AirFinance. During the 2013 Dubai Air Show, it was announced the carrier placed a conditional order for up to four Bombardier Q400s. Worth million, a firm order was announced in . African Export-Import Bank will finance 95% of the acquisition. The carrier plans to use one of these aircraft to replace the E170 on regional services. The first Dash 8-Q400 was delivered in late 2014. An additional order for two more aircraft of the type was placed in .
An order comprising two Airbus A320neos and two Airbus A320ceos that was placed in was boosted in July the same year when an additional A320neo was ordered. Air Côte d'Ivoire took delivery of their first Airbus A330-900 in early September 2025. In November 2025, Air Côte d'Ivoire placed an order for four Embraer 175s with options for eight more aircraft of the type, to expand domestic and regional routes.
Former fleet , Air Côte d'Ivoire operated 5 Airbus A319, 2 Airbus A320, 1 Airbus A320neo, 2 Airbus A330-900neo, and 4 De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400
The airline has also operated the following aircraft: Embraer E170
See also
Airlines of Africa List of airlines of Ivory Coast
Notes
References
External links