S. A.): Balxa Postal 111, Aeroporto Osvaldo Vieira, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau; Phone 245 201 277; Fax 245 251 536; Code YZ; Year Founded 1995. The national airline of Guinea-Bissau, LIA (Linhas Aereas da Guinea-Bissau, S. A.), receives a corporate makeover in 1995. Capt. Eduardo Pinto Lopes remains as managing director and continues to oversee a workforce of 110.
Scheduled domestic passenger and cargo services continue to be provided by a fleet of 1 each Dornier 228-200, British Aerospace BAe (HS) 748-B2, and Fokker F.27-100 Friendship.
In 1996-2000, the company joins with TACV (Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde, S. A.) to provide joint services employing the partner’s equipment. Under this arrangement, the two fly weekly roundtrips from Bissau to Lisbon, employing TACV’s Boeing 757-2Q8. Similarly, weekly roundtrips are offered from Bissau to Dakar, employing TACV’s Aero International (Regional) ATR42-320.
AIR BLEU, S. A.: France (1935-1946). Air Bleu is formed at Paris in 1935 to provide quick feed of mail from Air France flights to regional distribution points. With Caudron Simmouns, the domestic letter/express service is initiated from Le Bourget to the regional capitals of Pau, Perpignan, Grenoble, and Nice (with stops along each route).
This arrangement is maintained with 14 French-built aircraft until February 21, 1941, when Vichy officials, in the process of downsizing Air France, rename the carrier Reseau Postal, and place it under the new Reseau Aerien Francais.
Following V-E Day in 1945, the Reseau Postal function is joined with several other airline operations on June 26 in the Reseau des Lignes Aeriennes Francaises. On January 1, 1946, RLAF is reborn as Societe Nationale Air France.
AIR BOSNA, S. A.: Cemalasa 6/III, Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Phone 71 667953; Fax 71 650794; Http://www. air-bosna. ba; Code JA; Year Founded 1994. Despite wartime conditions, Air Bosna is established as a public enterprise company on May 15, 1994; shareholding is divided between the government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (51%) and Energoinvest Holding-Energoair (49%). The new national airline is registered at Sarajevo on August 12 under terms of a ruling of the High Court.
Prof. Dr. Sefkija Cekic is appointed president of the management board, with Omer Kulic as managing director and Mustafa Eminefendic as commercial manager. A small staff is appointed and revenue flights, emphasizing business service only, is launched with a single Cessna 512 Citation II.
During the next four years, land is acquired at Sarajevo Airport, where offices and three hangars are located. Various equipment and transport assets for handling aircraft, passengers, luggage, and cargo are acquired and a staff of 111 is employed.
The fleet is enhanced by the addition of a Yakovlev Yak-42D and the company begins to participate in the Amadeus and Galileo computerized reservations systems. When the Yak-42D arrives from Istanbul on August 15, 1996, it has the honor of completing the first scheduled service into Sarajevo in four years.
Unable to diplomatically persuade the government of Yugoslavia to change its policy toward the ethnic Albanians in its Kosovo province, NATO closes Balkan airspace and launches a bombing campaign, Operation Allied Force, on March 24, 1999. Grounded for a month, Air Bosna is not able to resume flights until April 24; it will report a $317,000 loss for the period.
Once it is able to recommence operations, the airline makes rapid progress. An Avions de Transport Aerien ATR42-520 is acquired and code-sharing agreements are signed with Malev Hungarian Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Austrian Airlines, A. G., Adria Airways (Adria Aviopromet) (2), and THY Turkish Airlines (Turk Hava Yollari, A. O.). Dual designator discussions also occur with Finnair, O/Y and KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.).
During the year, 62,689 passengers are transported to 10 regional destinations.
On February 1, 2000, Managing Director Kulic places firm orders (with two options) with Airbus Industrie for a pair of A319-100s. The small jetliners will assist the flag carrier in further development of its European route network, where emphasis will be placed on serving those cities hosting the highest number of refugees.
Yak-42D Sunday-only roundtrips are started on June 18 between Sarajevo and Oslo.
AIR BOTNIA O/Y: P1, 168, Vantaa, RN-01531, Finland; Phone 358 (9) 870 2530; Fax 358 (9) 822 491; Http://www. scandinavian-airlines. com; Code KF; Year Founded 1988. Air Botnia is organized at Vantaa in 1988 with Heikki Pakari as managing director. A fleet comprising 1 Cessna 402C and 2 Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirantes is assembled and third-level scheduled revenue flights begin to Helsinki, Ivalo, Jyvaskyla, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Seinajoki, Sodankyla, and Ylivieska.
Operations continue apace in 1989-1992. During the fall of the latter year, a new British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31 is ordered.
The new Jetstream 31 is delivered under lease in April 1993; it will become the first of its type to be operated in Finland. Based at Jyvaskyla, it flies to Helsinki, Ivalo, Mikkeli, Oulu, and Rouvaniemi.
Managing Director Hannu Rapanen’s fleet is altered in 1994 to include 2 Bandeirantes, the Jetstream 31, and 2 newly added Jetstream 32EPs. An EMB-110P1A is added in 1995.
Heikki Jolula becomes chairman in 1996, with Karl Hohti as Managing Director. Orders are placed for another Jetstream 32 and a Boeing 737-400. Destinations now visited include Enonfeldo, Jyvaskyla, Kuopio, Lappeenranta, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pori, Rovaniemi, Savonlinna, Seinajoki, Sodankyla, Tampere, Tuku, Vaasa, and Varkaus.
Enplanements for the year total 107,800.
Airline employment in 1997 stands at 50. During the spring, a former American Eagle Jetstream 32EP is acquired under charter.
Under terms of an agreement signed in the spring, Managing Director Hohti retires on October 15 and is succeeded by Britannia Airways, A. B. Managing Director Kjell Fredheim, who had once served as executive vice president/COO of SAS.
Enplanements for the year total 117,120.
Airline employment stands at 45 in 1998 and the fleet now includes 5 BAe Jetstream 32EPs and 4 SAAB 340s.
All of the airline’s shares are purchased by SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) in January.
During the spring, a decision is taken to upgrade the fleet and to replace the turboprops with jetliners. Arrangements are completed for the charter of three Fokker F.28-4000s from SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System), with the first, Paijanne, entering service in April.
Customer bookings during the 12 months fall 11.2% to 96,000.
By the beginning of 1999, the company workforce has been cut back 10% to 45.
The company now changes its profile from that of a small domestic airline into a growing Nordic regional. Flights from Helsinki to Vaasa, Kuopia, Mikkeli, and Lappeenranta are suspended on October 31; on November 1, new twice-daily return service is inaugurated from Turku, Finland, to Copenhagen and thrice daily from Oulu, Finland, to Stockholm. Capacity for the new operations is provided by the addition of 5 more Fokker F.28-4000s and 5 SAAB 340s.
Customer bookings during the 12 months skyrocket 99.8% to 192,000.
Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 is 150, a spectacular 233.3% increase. Thrice-weekly F.28-4000 roundtrips begin on May 1 from Helsinki to London (STN) via Bergen.
Sveneric Persson is named president/CEO in July and on September 29 orders are placed for 5 AVRO RJ85s, with which to replace the ex-SAS F.28-4000s in the new year.
The seasonal Bergen to London (STN) service becomes twice-daily on October 29.
AIR BOTSWANA CORPORATION, LTD.: Head Office Building, Sir Seretse Khama Airport, P. O. Box 92, Gaborone, Botswana; Phone 267 352 812; Fax 267 375 408; Code BP; Year Founded 1972. To succeed Botswana National Airways (1966-1969) and Botswana Airways Corp. (1970-1971), this carrier is formed at Gaborone by presidential decree on July 2, 1972. The government-backed Botswana Development Corp., the major controlling interest, enters into a longterm contract with South Africa-based (but Botswana registered) Air Services Botswana (Pty.), Ltd., to operate aircraft on its behalf. Flight operations commence on August 1 with a single leased Fokker F.27 Friendship.
Between 1973-1980, international service is flown over a route Gaborone-Manzini, Johannesburg, and Salisbury while domestic services are provided to Selebi Phikwe, Mann, and Francistown. Chairman R. C. Stephens and Managing Director S. G. Choppin build a fleet comprising one Vickers Viscount 754, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748, and a Douglas DC-3.
After eight years, Air Services Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. for financial reasons, elects not to renew its operational contract. The Botswana Development Corp., on July 1, 1981, enters into a six-year services/ management contract with British Airways, Ltd. (2). Flight services with two F.27s leased from Air Botswana Holdings (the carrier’s new parent company) begin anew in October.
Charles Pollock becomes general manager on January 1, 1982 and a maintenance contract is entered into with South African-based Safair Freighters (Pty.), Ltd.
Enplanements for the year total 46,734. Financial losses are suffered: $365,326 (operating) and $426,670 (net).
The employee population is increased 7.3% in 1983 to 133. Air Botswana Cargo, Ltd. is formed as a subsidiary to offer long-haul freight charter services with a leased Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules freighter. When South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. withdraws from the Johannesburg to Gaborone route, Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. increases its roundtrip frequencies to the Cape city to 17 per week.
Passenger bookings accelerate 7.6% during the 12 months to 50,262, while freight traffic grows 47.4% to 115,000 FTKs. Although revenues are up by 20.1% to $4.9 million, expenses rise faster, by 23.3%, to $5.5 million. Consequently, red ink flows again in the form of a $513,595 operating loss and a net $581,006 downturn.
Late in 1984, a new Dornier 228-200 joins the fleet; it is flown and maintained under contract with Gaborone-based Kalahart Air Services. A contract is also arranged with Okavango Air Services to provide Cessna 402 flights over light and taxi routes on demand. The workforce grows to 131 and bookings reach 54,554.
Weekly frequencies to Johannesburg are increased to 17 during 1985. Other destinations visited from Gaborone include Francistown, Harare, Lusaka, Manzini, Maseru, Maun, Selebi-Phikwe, and Victoria Falls.
During the spring of 1986, negotiations are held with officials of British Caledonian Airways, Ltd. (BCAL) aimed at having the British operator undertake long-haul flights from Gaborone and London as well as between the Botswana capital and certain regional African destinations.
As a result, Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. establishes a blocked-space arrangement for the Lusaka-Gaborone sector of the British airline’s London-Lusaka-Gaborone route, one which will be maintained when BCAL is taken over by British Airways, Ltd. (2). In November, retired SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) executive Juney Dillenbeck is appointed general manager, succeeding Charles Pollock, who returns to British Airways, Ltd. (2).
Enplanements total 23,265 and an operating loss of $1 million is suffered.
The employee population grows by a whopping 53.3% in 1987 to 230 and the fleet now includes 2 F.27s and 1 Dornier 228-100. Orders are placed for 3 Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-300s. In February, Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. ends its contract for Fokker maintenance in South Africa, transferring its maintenance to Kalahari Air Services & Charters (Pty.), Ltd. in Gabarone.
Passenger boardings for the year jump 5.3% to 49,500 and revenues advance to $10.3 million. Costs, however, swell 34.9% to $10.9 million. The operating loss swells to $1.6 million and the net loss is $2.9 million. During the past five years, the company has lost a total of $3 million.
The workforce is increased again in 1988, by 34.6% to 284 and the fleet is temporarily increased when an F.27 is leased from Lesotho Airways, Ltd. and a BAe (BAC) 1-11-524 is chartered from Air Malawi, Ltd. With financial losses high, the company is taken over by the government of Botswana on April 1 and A. V. Lionjanga becomes chairman; at the same time, the government begins an investment of $50 million in equity and loan finance. The first of three ordered ATR42-320s arrives in July, followed by a second in October. Late in the year, an order is placed for a British Aerospace BAe 146-100.
Customer bookings drop 4% to 57,718, but cargo increase 40.7% to
121,000 FTKs. Revenues decline by 4.7% to $14.1 million and expenses fall 13% to $14.3 million. The operating loss is $225,000 and the net downturn is by $2 million.
Airline employment rises 17.3% in 1989 to 333. Meanwhile, in May, General Manager D. Keith Petch retires and is succeeded by Deputy General Manager Brian Pocock, a former executive of Air Malawi, Ltd. A number of collaborative and joint venture arrangements are now made with other African carriers for improved regional services. Of the most immediate importance is a cooperative program with Air Zimbabwe, Ltd. that will allow for the BAe’s maintenance in Harare.
At the same time, operational activities are transferred to Gaborone. The BAe 146-100 arrives in November and enters service in December, introducing the company’s first business-class seating on a joint-venture route with Air Zimbabwe, Ltd. between Gaborone and Harare, five times a week.
Other flights now operated by the company’s turboprops include a twice-weekly route from Maun to Johannesburg, a twice-weekly service from Gaborone to Nairobi, a twice-weekly run from Maun to Victoria Falls, and weekly flights to Manzini and Maseru.
Simultaneously, the Dornier 228-100 is turned over to Gaborone-based Kalahari Air Services & Charters (Pty.), Ltd., which crews and maintains it on behalf of Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. and flies it almost exclusively for an organization that is building a soda-ash factory in the northeastern part of the country.
Passenger boardings bound upward 40.8% to 82,141 and freight skyrockets 105.6% to 368,000 FTKs. Revenues drop to $9.57 million, expenses are $10.3 million, and the operating loss is $705,978. A $1.6-million net loss is suffered.
Company employment is increased by 24.6% in 1990 to 415. Former General Manager Petch becomes general manager of Namib Air, Ltd. in January.
In an effort to keep its less-traveled routes alive, the carrier creates the subsidiary Southern Links, also in January, in order to take over its existing joint ventures with neighboring regionals and to establish new ones, as well as to take advantage of nonscheduled opportunities.
The following month, the carrier puts its F.27s up for sale and cancels its order for a third ATR42-302, electing to request a second BAe 146-100 instead. The BAC 1-11-524 is returned to Air Malawi, Ltd. and, beginning in March, the company introduces a wide range of domestic promotional fares, including special rates for youth and senior citizens.
During the spring and in cooperation with TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. signs an agreement with UTA French Airlines, S. A. concerning the transport of cargo over the Luanda-Gaborone sector of the European company’s new Paris-Luanda-Gaborone route.
At the same time, the cooperative agreement with Air Zimbabwe, Ltd. is expanded to include operations, such as the undertaking of domestic flights on behalf of the northeastern neighbor. In addition, a cooperative agreement is signed with LAM Mozambique Airlines; the Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. BAe 146 flies certain LAM domestic services and is based at Maputo one day each weekend.
Customer bookings continue their upward path, by 23.3%, to 101,255 and 3.07 million FTKs are also flown. Revenues ascend 23.5% to $18.9 million, and expenses are lower, causing an operating profit of $153,357. The net loss jumps to $1.7 million.
The payroll climbs again in 1991, by 9.4%, to 454 and the second BAe 146-100 is acquired in January. In March, a weekly service is inaugurated from Gaborone to Windhoek, Namibia, while twice-weekly flights commence from Gaborone to Dar es Salaam, one of which is flown via Lilongwe, Malawi. A number of marketing alliances are established with other African carriers and, in December, the carrier moves from its downtown Gaborone headquarters to new purpose-built offices at Sir Seretse Khama Airport.
Passenger boardings this year rise 7.5% to 109,113 and freight is up by a whopping 189.6% to 8.69 million FTKs. Revenues increase 11% to $18 million, but expenses shoot up 18.8% and bring an operating loss of $1.1 million.
The workforce is sliced by 3.3% in 1992 to 439 and the fleet now includes 2 BAe 146-100s, 2 ATR42-320s, and 1 Dornier 228-100. General Manager Brian Pocock continues building alliances that he hopes can be combined into a network that can provide joint long-haul services.
Under an arrangement with Uganda Airlines, Ltd., the carrier inaugurates twice-weekly service in April from Gaborone to Entebbe via Nairobi; the Nairobi to Entebbe sector is operated on behalf of UA. On behalf of LAM (Linhas Aereas de Mocambique, S. A.), Air Botswana operates weekend domestic services in Mozambique.
Customer bookings accelerate 8.7% to 111,166 and cargo jumps 31.5% to 560,000 FTKs. Revenues swell to $22.8 million and allow an operating profit of $2.4 million. The net loss is $2.3 million.
As the financial picture further darkens later in 1993, the fleet is altered. Gone by September are the BAe 146-100s and Dornier, replaced by one each Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante and BAe Jetstream 31.
The workforce now stands at 360 and the routes to Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe are suspended. Service is continued, however, linking Gaborone with Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Manzini, Nairobi, Victoria Falls, and Windhoek. Traffic figures are not provided.
The workforce totals 420 in 1994 and a third ATR42-300 is ordered. Having held the post on an acting basis since June, Joshua B. Galeforolwe succeeds Capt. Pocock as managing director in September. The Southern Links subsidiary, an unsuccessful experiment, is folded back into the parent. Enplanements for the year total 100,519, while FTKs are 479,000.
A BAe 146-100 is returned to service in 1995 as customer bookings rise to a total of 22,465.
Airline employment stands at 360 in 1996 and the fleet now includes the 2 ATR42-320s and 1 BAe 146-100. Routes are initiated to the Okavango Delta, Chober National Park, and Victoria Falls from Johannesburg and Gaborone. Flight frequencies to Maun and Kasane is increased.
Enplanements dip 1.7% to 22,090.
There is no change in the workforce during 1997. It is reported in March that losses taken during the 1993-1996 period are being trimmed. Renewed emphasis is placed upon customer services. In September, the BAe 146-100 is leased via Fortis Aviation, to Air Zimbabwe, Ltd. It is replaced with a third ATR42-320.
Passenger boardings are reported through November and show an increase of 12.2% to 107,932.
Destinations visited from Gabarone in 1998 include Francistown, Harare, Johannesburg, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Maun, Nairobi, Victoria Falls, and Windhoek. Customer bookings for the 12 months accelerate 14.5% to 124,000.
The workforce at the beginning of 1999 totals 300.
A catastrophic suicide puts the airline at least temporarily out of business on October 11. Having been grounded for medical reasons, a disgruntled company captain, Chris Phatswe, sneaks aboard one of the ATR42-320s at Gaborone early on the morning in question and takes off without authorization. Informing ATC that he is going to kill himself, the man flies over the airport for two hours, performs a pair of loops, and then makes a 200-kn. dive into the concern’s other two ATR42-320s, parked together on the apron. All three planes and the pilot are destroyed in the resulting explosion and fire.
The company’s BAe 146-100, which had been returned from lease to Air Zimbabwe, Ltd., and which is grounded with technical problems, is put up for sale in the early fall.
Employing three replacement ATR42-520s delivered on December 10, Air Botswana is able to resume its disrupted operations three days later with five daily roundtrips between Gaborone and Johannesburg. Toward month’s end, new weekly return flights are started to Francistown and Maun.
An agreement is signed with Kenya Airways, Ltd. on January 26, 2000, calling for the resumption of service between Gaborone and Nairobi within several months. In March, thrice-weekly Fokker F.27F cargo flights are launched from Gaborone to Johannesburg.
A contract is signed with International Finance Corporation in April; under its terms, this arm of the World Bank will help the airline prepare for privatization. The first step is preparation of a strategic options report.
During the last two weeks of May, 6 of the company’s 13 pilots resign over safety concerns, with a 7th fired for incompetence; additional flyers are sought from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Chairperson Mmapula Modise, in the company’s annual report released in July, has the pleasure of informing her government superiors that the insurance proceeds received from the October tragedy are actually responsible for over 70% of the net profit during the accounting year. Had the accident not occurred, the net profit, on a P 90-million turnover, would have been P 23.89 million instead of the P68.7 million banked.
In August, an ATR72-212, previously operated by Continental Express, is leased from its manufacturer.
AIR BRAS D’OR, LTD.: Canada (1986-1987). Established at Sydney, Nova Scotia, during the summer of 1986, this third level commuter is an associate of Air Dale, Ltd. Obtaining a pair of de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, the carrier inaugurates scheduled services on September 22, linking its base with Digby, Port Hawkesbury, Halifax, Fredericton, St. Leonard, Charlo, and Charlottetown.
The Port Hawkesbury stop is suspended in February 1987 as the company encounters financial reversal. So significant does the flow of red ink become that Air Bras d’Or, Ltd. is forced out of business on July 17.
World History
