Alfred Bertolet’s Reading Airlines of Reading, Pennsylvania, merges with Suburban Air Taxi (SAT) of Red Bank, New Jersey, adopts the first third of the latter’s name, and begins service over a 2,000-mile route system. Employed are Reading’s 3 de Havilland DH 104 Doves and 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otters; SAT also contributes 2 Twin Otters and continues to operate as a subsidiary division. Later in the year, a DHC-6-100 previously ordered by Reading is placed into service and a sixth Canadian turboprop is purchased from Air Wisconsin.
Among the northeastern destinations now visited are Reading, Newark, Philadelphia, Allentown, Buffalo, and Wilkes-Barre, Princeton, and New York (JFK). In September, an arrangement is signed with Eastern Air Lines under which the major transfers a route to Washington, D. C. (DCA) via Lancaster, agreeing to pay the commuter $245,000 over three years to operate it. Simultaneously, services to New York (JFK) from Allentown are ended.
Operations continue apace in 1969. All airline operations, maintenance, and training are shifted to Allentown, where a new 22,500-sq.-ft. hangar and office facility is opened.
Former Reading Airlines Vice President Arthur M. Horst is named president on March 1, 1970. By now completely coordinated, the SAT division is shut down. Although there is little change over the next two years, this condition changes in 1973. The small regional becomes a member of the “Allegheny Commuter” network on March 1 and begins to fly contract services linking Reading with Newark, Philadelphia,
Lancaster, and Washington, D. C. and Lancaster with Philadelphia and Washington.
A separate maintenance base is maintained at Allentown and several Twin Otters, not repainted in Allegheny livery, are employed to maintain an independent service from that community to Buffalo and Philadelphia. In 1974, the first full year of partnership, the commuter becomes a code-sharing member in Allegheny Airline (1)’s computerized reservations system. Consequently, enplanements reach 129,673.
Airline employment in 1975 stands at 60. The fleet now comprises 3 Twin Otters and 1 Beech 99, although a DHC-6-300 received on December 1 brings the total of Canadian-made turboprops to 4. Passenger boardings dip 1.5% to 127,756.
The workforce is reduced by 16.7% in 1976 to 50. Customer bookings rebound and grow by 10.8% to 141,689. In 1977, enplanements total 157,980 and revenues are $3.4 million.
Following President Carter’s signing of the Airline Deregulation Act in October 1978, Suburban enters a period of expansion. It becomes the first small regional to qualify for operations under the FAA’s revised FAR 135 regulations. In addition, an order is placed for four Shorts 330-100s.
Passenger boardings grow by 1% to 159,892 and operating income increases by 21.7% to $4.14 million.
The workforce grows by 8.3% in 1979 to 65. Suburban acquires its first Shorts 330-100 on January 15. By year’s end, the fleet will include
2 of the Ulster-built turboprops, plus 1 each DHC-6-200, DHC-6-300, and Beech 99.
Customer bookings accelerate 18.1% to 188,857, but cargo is down 5% to 396,000 FTKs. Operating income advances upward by 34.4% to $5.39 million.
The employee population rises 37.1% in 1980 to 85 and the fleet includes 5 Shorts 330-100s. Orders are placed for 4 Shorts 360-100s and
3 DHC-8s. Allentown-Philadelphia frequencies are increased and a new computer system is installed at the Reading base.
A Shorts 330-100 is blown over by a tornado at Allentown on June 3.
The Shorts transport a total of 217,094 passengers, a 15% boost; freight, on the other hand, declines by 26.1% to 18,000 pounds. Revenues are $8.1 million, sufficient for entry into the category defined by the CAB as “large regional.” Expenses are $7.39 million, allowing a profit of $691,096.
Airline employment in 1981 stands at 169 and orders are outstanding for 3 DHC-8s and 4 Shorts 360-100s. On May 1, the outstanding portion of the Suburban service is submerged under the Allegheny label. President Horst and his board are excited as the airline now goes public, offering 300,000 shares of common stock that brings in $1,782,000 in new capitalization.
Over 100 daily flights are offered in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York; among the destinations served are Lancaster, Allentown, New York (JFK), Newark, Philadelphia, Reading, Binghamton, and Buffalo.
Traffic increases 18.8% as a total of 257,782 passengers are transported; cargo accelerates 23.4% to 22,000 pounds. Revenues of $11 million are earned (up 36.2%), expenses are up 36.3% to $10 million, and a net profit of $931,238 million is enjoyed.
The payroll grows 7.1% in 1982 to 181. Routes are stretched on July 1 into Groton and New London, Connecticut, and Binghamton, Buffalo, and Islip, New York.
On December 1, the Reading-based carrier becomes world and North American launch customer for the new Shorts 360-100 commuter liner, placing four into service. The inaugural service is a 30-min. flight from Allentown to Philadelphia with 17 passengers.
Passenger boardings rise 4.9% to 270,437. Revenues advance 1.9% to $16.39 million and costs swell 2.4% to $15.48 million. The operating profit is $906,898.
Two employees retire in 1983 and the fleet includes the Shorts 360100s, 4 Shorts 330-100s, and 1 Twin Otter. The route network is now changed as a new route is opened to Washington, D. C.; significant competition from PEOPLExpress, meanwhile, causes Suburban to end its flights to the new entrant’s Newark base.
Passenger traffic inclines upward 7.5% as 290,807 passengers are transported. Freight grows 25.3% to 519,000 pounds. Revenues jump 7.9% to $17.69 million and costs are up 9.4% to $16.94 million. Operating profit falls to $749,918 and net gain totals $749,918.
Airline employment grows 6.2% in 1984 to 190. A $6-million Fokker F.27-500 Friendship is added to the company’s fleet in April and on May
I, is employed to inaugurate services to Pittsburgh.
The year’s passenger load jumps 19.1% to 346,226 passengers flown. Cargo rises again, up 21.8% to 631,821 pounds. Revenues also increase, by 16.2% to $20.7 million, as do expenses, by 16.5% to $16.5 million. The operating profit is $4.2 million and a record $1,526,054 net profit is posted.
The payroll grows another 21.1% in 1985 to 230 and the fleet includes the F.27-500, two Shorts 360-100s, four Shorts 330-100s, and a DHC-6. In the spring, Suburban begins flying into Washington, D. C. (DCA). In December, Suburban becomes the second “Allegheny Commuter” partner directly purchased— in this case for $9.6 million —by USAir and will be operated as a subsidiary.
Passenger boardings accelerate 13% to 391,183, but cargo declines
II. 5% to 559,000 pounds. Revenues jump 16.4% to $24 million, but costs climb more quickly, by 21.8%, to $20.12 million. As a result, the operating profit falls to $797,195.
Airline employment rises 8.7% in 1986 to 250 and the fleet includes 1 F.27-500, 2 Shorts 360-100s, and 4 Shorts 330-100s. Service to Norfolk and Boston is inaugurated as a second Fokker Friendship joins the fleet. In April, the carrier purchases all eight Washington, D. C. (DCA) slots of financially troubled Christman Air System.
Later, USAir purchases 100% shareholding from President Horst in May for $9,742,800; however, the company is allowed to continue its “Allegheny Commuter” operations as before.
Customer bookings rise 3.9% to 406,333, but freight falls again, down 5.3% to 530,000 pounds.
In 1987, the fleet includes 2 F.27s (one newly delivered), 4 Shorts 330-100s, and 2 Shorts 360-100s. In April, five-times-per-day service is opened from Richmond to Philadelphia.
Passenger boardings climb 26.5% to 514,169 while cargo advances by 34.2% to 712,000 pounds.
A third Fokker is acquired in 1988 and with 70 daily departures from its Philadelphia hub alone, the regional posts a 5% increase in customer bookings to 539,781. Cargo, on the other hand, declines by 9.9% to 641,000 pounds.
Richmond joins the route network in early 1989 and a third Shorts 360 is purchased. When the USAir parent moves to revamp its “Allegheny Commuter” network into “USAir Express,” Suburban changes its name to Allegheny Commuter in order, as the press release states, to preserve an honored name among regional carriers.
SUCKLING AIRWAYS, LTD.: United Kingdom (1984-1999). Following receipt of the license first applied for in April 1984, this commuter officially launched on November 14 as Suckling Aviation (International), Ltd., receives a ?450,000 route development grant from British Airways, Ltd. (2) and the nation’s first Dornier 228-201. With 12 employees and owned entirely by its husband and wife team of Mer-lyn (sales and marketing) and Roy (managing director and chief pilot), Suckling begins scheduled service over a route from Ipswich to Manchester and Amsterdam on April 26, 1986. All of the passengers on the inaugural flight are members of the Ipswich Ladies Hockey Team who are en route to a tournament in Amsterdam.
Roundtrip flights are offered four times per day in 1987. Enplanements for this first full year of operations total 20,000.
Operations continue apace in 1988-1989 as the company transfers its base to Cambridge Airport.
In early 1990, the Cambridge-based carrier, now in financial difficulty, must appeal the CAA’s decision to revoke its license because of those fiscal problems. The government proposal is overturned and the Dornier 228-201 continues to operate to Amsterdam and Manchester. Enplanements total 10,299.
Single-plane operations continue apace in 1991 as passenger boardings increase to 15,735. The employee population stands at 15 in 1992 as recession causes difficulty. Customer bookings fall 5.2% to 14,958.
During the second week of April 1993, twice-daily roundtrips are inaugurated from Manchester to Amsterdam. These prove so successful that, by September, the fleet of Dornier 228-201s has been doubled to two.
Through October, the Dornier operation records a 60.3% increase in passenger boardings to 20,250.
Two Dornier 228-202s are leased in 1994. Another is acquired during the first part of 1995. In October, a Dornier 328-110 is acquired and enters service on a route from London (CTN) to Paris (CDG).
Destinations visited in 1996 include Amsterdam, Cambridge, London (STN), Manchester, Paris, Rotterdam, and Waterford.
During the spring of 1997, Suckling enters into a code-sharing agreement with Air U. K., Ltd. on a route to Southampton from Amsterdam. Employing a Dornier 328-110 painted in its partner’s colors, Suckling launches feeder services. A route is also opened from London (STN) to Zurich. At the same time, 55% outstanding shareholding in Air U. K., Ltd. is purchased by KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.). Enplane-ments reach 90,000.
In January 1998, Air U. K., Ltd. becomes KLM U. K., Ltd. When it suddenly withdraws from the Southampton to Amsterdam route, Suckling moves to replace the terminated service of the Dutch line’s British subsidiary. Suckling’s loss-generating London (STN) to Zurich route is dropped and replaced with a thrice-daily Southampton to Amsterdam service flown in its own name and colors.
During early March, arrangements are completed with KLM U. K., Ltd. for new replacement services. The Dornier 328-110 to be employed is repainted with a Scottish flag on its nose and a red and black tartan tail design. Tartan seats are in the cabin and cabin crew are outfitted with tartan ties.
On March 29, Suckling’s tartan plane takes over the larger line’s service from London (CTY) to Glasgow, four times a day.
Following a significant cash injection from two Scottish investors, Brian Souter and his sister Ann Gloag, founders of Perth, Scotland-based Stagecoach, plc, the carrier is renamed ScotAirways, Ltd. on October 13, 1999. Stagecoach had become involved with the company back in April. Ownership is now divided between the Sucklings (60%) and Stagecoach, plc (40%).
SUDAN AIRWAYS COMPANY, LTD.: SDC Bldg., Street 15, New Extension, P. O. Box 253, Khartoum, Sudan; Phone 249 (11) 47 953; Fax 249 (11) 47 978; Http://www. sudanair. com; Code SD; Year Founded 1946. A subsidiary of the Sudan Railway System, this state-owned air carrier is formed in February 1946. A contract is let for technical and flying assistance from the British firm Airwork, Ltd., which assembles flight personnel and a fleet of 4 de Havilland DH 104 Dove Is.
Dove proving flights begin in April 1947. In July, domestic DH 104 flights commence over four routes: west from Khartoum to El Obeid, El Fasher, and El Geneina; south from Khartoum to Juba via Malakal; and east from Khartoum to Asmara via Kasala and from Khartoum to Port Studan via Atbara.
When the first schedule is printed in September, it shows a connecting service at Khartoum with an Airwork, Ltd. Vickers Viking flown in from Blackbushe Airport in England.
A fifth Dove 1 is requested in January 1948 and flights commence to Wadi Halfa during the spring. With tensions running high between Railway officials and those from Airwork, Ltd., the railroad administration is cut out in 1949, leaving the British firm to negotiate directly with the Sudanese government.
Flights continue apace in 1950-1951. Passenger traffic is heavy; despite the arrival of the fifth Dove 1 on February 13, 1952, larger aircraft are required. Orders are placed for four Douglas DC-3s and service to Kassala and Asmara is suspended.
All four DC-3s enter service during 1953 and allow the airline to experience significant growth. In May, the company begins to participate
Hadj charters for Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca. Also in the spring, flights are started to Wadi Medani as well as to Abeche in Chad.
Scheduled DC-3 international service begins in June 1954 over a route from Khartoum to Jeddah. Flights north to Cairo commence in November.
In November 1954, Douglas DC-3 international service begins over a Khartoum-Cairo route. During 1955-1956, routes, frequencies, and capacity are increased and improved; for example, service to Athens is initiated and the two more DC-3s are added. Passenger traffic continues to grow, reaching 31,476 enplanements in 1957.
An eighth DC-3 is acquired in 1958. At this point, the new Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has taken over the government, elects to expand the airline’s international route network and asks Air-work, Ltd. to provide an appropriate aircraft.
With an Airwork, Ltd. crew at the controls, a Vickers Viscount 831 is delivered to Khartoum on June 5, 1959. It is employed to inaugurate Blue Nile Khartoum to London weekly return service via Cairo, Athens, and Rome, on June 8. Viscount service to Beirut via Cairo is launched in November.
Airwork, Ltd. is transformed into British United Airways, Ltd. on May 19, 1960. The predecessor concern’s contract with the Sudanese government is honored by BUA. In October 1960, orders are placed for three Fokker F.27-200s and in December, Asmara service is reopened with the Viscount. Enplanements hit 50,567 for the year.
Blue Nile Viscount service is doubled to twice weekly in early 1961. Two Comet 4C jetliners are ordered for the Blue Nile operation late in the year as passenger bookings advance to 56,987.
The premier Fokker F.27-200 is delivered on January 25, 1962 and is placed in domestic service; SA is the first African airline to fly the Dutch-made turboprop, which will prove so agreeable that a fourth will be ordered. The first Comet 4C arrives on November 13 and takes over one of the Blue Nile frequencies in early December. The second Comet 4C arrives on December 24, at which point the Viscount is returned to British United Airways, Ltd.
Passenger boardings are 64,123.
The Comet 4C launches thrice-weekly Blue Nile London service in January 1963. Two additional F.27-200s are received and the orderly retirement of the DH-104s and DC-3s begins.
Comet 4Cs flying to London add Frankfurt as a stop on May 1. Over the next several months, the F.27-200s are assigned to Hadj charters, transporting 5,247 pilgrims in 107 dedicated flights.
Passenger traffic swells to 93,952.
The fourth F.27-200 enters service in 1964. Regional service is now offered to Adis Ababa, Aden, Asmara, Cairo, Entebbe, Fort Lamy, Jeddah, Luxor, and Nairobi.
Enplanements reach 104,824 in 1964.
During 1965-1966, routes are maintained or extended to 14 African and Middle Eastern destinations and 16 domestic points.
Airline employment stands at 1,310 at General Manager M. el Amir’s airline in 1967. Orders are placed for three de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. While on a training flight from Khartoum on February 21, a DC-3 with two crew crashes near its point of origin (one dead).
The three Twin Otters arrive in November 1968 and begin to replace the last three DC-3s (two of which are up for sale) on services to Atbara, Dinder National Park, Er Roseires, Gedaref, Kosti, Merowe, and Wad Medani. Orders are placed for two Boeing 737-200s and two B-707-3J8C Stratoliners. Flights continue apace in 1969-1970.
Converted to civil F.27-400 standard, three Fokker Friendships are transferred to Sudan Airways from the Sudanese Air Force in May 1971. On December 6, an F.27-200 with 5 crew and 37 passengers crashes at Kapota, near Juba, in Equatorial Province (10 dead).
The fleet in 1972 comprises 2 Comet 4Cs, 3 F.27-200s, 3 F.27-400s, 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6s, and 2 DC-3s. While on a training flight from Khartoum on May 10, an F.27-400 with three crew and a passenger makes a bad landing at El Obeid; there are no fatalities, but the aircraft is damaged beyond repair.
Two Boeing 707-321s, on a two-year lease from British Midland Airways, Ltd., replace the Comet 4Cs and begin flying the Blue Nile service on November 11. All of the crews are also BMA personnel, except for two Sudanese stewardesses on board to make Arabic announcements.
Enplanements are 135,496.
The two B-737-2J8Cs are delivered in late 1973. Although the passenger count is unknown, 229 million passenger-kilometers are reported flown.
The British Midland Airways, Ltd. Stratoliner charter ends late in 1974 with the introduction of the carrier’s own Boeings, two Dash-3J8Cs. Upon their arrival, the two American-made jetliners have been named White Nile and Blue Nile. The fleet now includes 2 B-707-320B/Cs, 2 B-737-2J8Cs, 5 Fokker F.27s, and 3 Twin Otters.
A total of 310 million passenger kilometers are flown, an increase of 35.4%, while 7 million FTKs of cargo are operated, a jump of 66%.
While on an airfield inspection flight, a DHC-6-100 with two crew and four passengers crashes into Dinder National Park, Singa, on March 18, 1975 (five dead).
During 1976-1984 , routes and frequencies are further improved. The fleet is altered and grows to include 2 B-707-3J8Cs, 2 B-737-2J8Cs, 1 B-737-3J8, 1 B-707-330B acquired from Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G., 4 F.27s, and 2 DHC-6s, with the latter 2 types serving only domestic frequencies. The employee population rises to just over 2,100. There are three nonfatal hull losses.
An F.27-400M with 4 crew and 35 passengers suffers the collapse of its nosegear during takeoff from Fasher on June 6, 1977; although the aircraft is damaged beyond repair, there are no fatalities.
While on approach to Khartoum on a flight from Jeddah on September 10, 1982, a B-707-348C with 11 crew lands 3 mi. short of the runway in the Nile River; there are no fatalities, but the Stratoliner must be written off.
An F.27-200 with 3 crew and 17 passengers is destroyed as the result of a bad landing at Merowe on October 5; there are no fatalities.
Traffic figures during these years are spotty; enplanements in 1977 are 379,000; these rise in 1980 to 519,000 and in 1982 to 395,000. Pooled service to the U. K. begins in 1980 with Tradewinds, Ltd.
In May 1985, the company under goes the beginnings of privatization and reorganization on the basis of recommendations put forward by a team of consultants from Alia (Royal Jordanian Airlines).
An F.27-200 with 5 crew and 26 passengers is destroyed as the result of a bad landing at El Debba on July 2; there are no fatalities.
The privatization process is well advanced when, following a government change in November, it is halted and General Manager A. M. Kheir is instructed to continue running his airline as a national enterprise.
On August 15, 1986, rebel units of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army threaten to shoot down all planes flying over the areas they control in the southern provinces of the nation. The next day, a Soviet-made SAM-7 surface-to-air missile destroys an F.27-400M with 3 crew and 57 passengers passing overhead en route from Malakal to Khartoum. There are no survivors.
All Sudan Airways flights are suspended on August 23 as employees go on strike to press their demands for security guarantees; flights resume a month later.
In May 1987, a partnership agreement is signed with Royal Jordanian Airlines under which the Middle Eastern carrier makes available a Lockheed L-1011-500. The same month, Sid El Khatmin Magoub Ali succeeds the retired Sid Ahmed M. Kheir as general manager. In August, Fokker provides two additional F.27s under charter as the airline awaits the delivery, two years hence, of its Fokker 50s. One is an F.27-600 formerly operated by the Guatemalan Air Force.
Operations continue apace in 1988. No longer able to make payments, the carrier is forced to cancel its cooperative agreement with the Jordanian flag carrier in February. However, in March, the company is given exceptionally favorable treatment by the Netherlands government, which provides the funds needed to order four Fokker 50s.
The fleet in 1989 includes 2 Twin Otters, 2 F.27-600s, 1 new Fokker 50, and 1 each Boeing 707-330C and B-737-2J8C. Flights link Khartoum with Dangola, Juba, Geneina, and Port Sudan. A management contract is signed with Ethiopian Airlines, S. C. in May; when the agreement comes into effect, former Ethiopian Deputy General Manager As-sefa Ambaye leads the management team to Khartoum.
In August, joint weekly service is initiated to London (LHR). The financial condition, already bad, continues to worsen and credit is withheld by fuel companies, airport authorities, and flight kitchens. Late in the year, an F.27-600 is returned to Fokker, which turns around and sells it to Air Jet, S. A. By November, crews are required to carry cash with them on flights to certain foreign destinations.
Mukhtar Osman becomes general manager in 1990 as a second Fokker 50 is acquired. In July, the company contracts with ZAS Airline of Egypt to fly a number of its scheduled frequencies between Khartoum, Cairo, and Europe. Late in 1991, the company wet-leases the newly delivered Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 1 of Atlanta Icelandic Airlines, H. F.
The last F.27 is withdrawn in 1992 as an order is placed for two Airbus Industrie A310-304s that arrive in 1993. New General Manager Dr. Yasin Abdin now oversees a workforce of 2,062. His fleet now also includes 1 Beech King Air 90, 1 B-707-330B, 2 B-707-3J8Cs, 1
B-707-330C, 1 B-707-368C, 1 B-707-369C, 2 B-737-2J8Cs, 2 Fokker 50s, and 1 DHC-6-300.
International centers regularly scheduled for visits include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Kano, London, Muscat, Nairobi, N’Djamena, Riyadh, Rome, Sana’a, Sharjah, and Tripoli. An A320-211 is delivered in late August and is placed into service in September.
Airline employment in 1994 stands at 2,362 and the fleet is increased by the addition of an A310-304. Orders are placed for 2 Fokker 50s. During the summer, a Special Flights Services Unit is established. Outfitted with one each Beech King Air 90, Super King Air 200, and the Fokker F.27-600 withdrawn in 1992, it specializes in charter flights and air ambulance service.
After years of financial difficulty, the carrier shuts down in August 1995. The remainder of the year is spent in reorganization.
During the interim, an Air Operations of Europe, Ltd. Lockheed L-1011-50 TriStar, the Olivia, is wet-leased to maintain the company’s weekly service from London (LGW) to Johannesburg via Khartoum. As is the Air Operations practice, the TriStar wears the colors of its previous owner (Hawaiian Airlines), plus Sudan Airways markings.
As the result of a failed assassination attempt against the president of Egypt during his visit to Addis Ababa in September, the Ethiopian government determines that Sudan is behind the plot. Consequently, all services to and from that nation by Ethiopian Airlines, S. C. are suspended, while Sudan Airways is banned from Ethiopia.
The workforce is boosted to 2,745 in 1996 and the fleet is increased by the addition of one each A310-304, A300B4-621, and A320-212. On March 24, the A320-212 is hijacked to Eritrea. One of the A310-304s is sold to the Turkish carrier Kibris Hava Yollari, A. O. in June.
On August 25, 7 Iraqis, led by Adnan Hoshan, claiming to have grenades and protesting their fear of death at the hands of Saddam Hussein, hijack Flight 150, an A310-304 en route from Khartoum to Amman, Jordan with 196 people aboard. They force it to fly to London via Larnaca, Cypress, arriving there the next day. The pirates engage authorities in 5 hours of negotiations before allowing 160 passengers to deplane. Several hours later, they release the remainder of their hostages and surrender to British police.
Enplanements total 490,755.
Destinations visited in 1997-1998 include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Damascus, Dhahran, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kano, London, Muscat, Nairobi, N’Djamena, Riyadh, Rome, Sana’a, Sharjah, Tripoli, and domestic points.
On November 5 of the latter year, hijacker Hoshan and his followers are found guilty and given terms in British prisons ranging from five to nine years. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation report of the proceedings, the jury, feeling great compassion for the defendants, nevertheless convicts them and Mr. Justice Wright passes sentence “to deter others.”
At the beginning of April 1999, the UN air embargo against Libya is lifted when that country makes available two suspects in the 1998 Lockerbie bombing case. Consequently, Sudan Airways is able to restart services to Tripoli on April 12.
Sudan Airways is permitted to once more offer a weekly roundtrip service to Addis Ababa, beginning on August 14. A homepage is opened on the World Wide Web at the end of the year.
B-737-2J8CA return service from Khartoum to Lagos begins on July 8, 2000. Only a few weeks later, on October 17, the flight enters the history books. An unidentified expectant mother from Niger, en route with her husband via the Sudanese capital to Jeddah, experiences labor pains 15 minutes before the Boeing is due to land at Khartoum. With the assistance of two female flight attendants, the woman delivers a baby girl just as the aircraft touches down on the runway.
World History
