IVORY COAST: Air Côte d’Ivoire And Ethiopian Airlines Announce Codeshare Agreement

Ethiopian Airlines and Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national flag carrier of Côte d’Ivoire, have entered into a codeshare agreement effective May 2018.

Under the new codeshare partnership, passengers originating from West African countries, especially from Lagos, Bamako, Cotonou, Accra and Lomé will board Air Côte d’Ivoire flights and enjoy a fast and seamless connection to Newark on-board Ethiopian direct service to Newark via Abidjan.

Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, said: We are very happy to partner with Air Côte d’Ivoire with a view to connecting passengers from West Africa to our new flights to Newark via Abidjan. I wish to thank the

“We are very happy to partner with Air Côte d’Ivoire with a view to connecting passengers from West Africa to our new flights to Newark via Abidjan.

Ethiopian new Abidjan flights to Newark will be operated in complementarity to our existing Newark service via Lomé, which is being availed together with our strategic partner, ASKY Airlines.

Such partnerships among sisterly African airlines are crucial for African countries to fill the connectivity vacuum in the continent and for African carriers to regain their market share in their home market.

René Decurey, CEO of Air Côte d’Ivoire said:

A few months ago, Abidjan airport was certified to carry out direct links with the USA. It is now time to launch these direct flights and Air Côte d’Ivoire is very happy to carry out the operation in codeshare with Ethiopian Airlines.

This agreement will allow Air Côte d’Ivoire to sell the flights as well. We will, therefore, be able to offer passengers on our network, flights to the USA via Abidjan with a single Air Côte d’Ivoire ticket.

We are convinced that this partnership is the beginning of a long collaboration that will fully benefit our two Airlines and African passengers who used to pass through Europe to travel to the USA.

Ethiopian currently flies to 58 cities in Africa and more than 112 destinations globally.


Tourism Observer

IVORY COAST: Becoming A Major Tourist Destination

Comoe National Park
The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire is back as a destination on the world stage as the Ivorian government makes resources available to develop infrastructure and support international marketing efforts.

IFTM Top Resa is considered a priority market for the National Office of Tourism of Côte d’Ivoire. We have a long-standing historical relationship with France and it is a natural move to be present at IFTM Top Resa every year, especially as French inbound is our top market next to the whole of Africa, explains Roger Kacou, Minister of Tourism.

We use the opportunity of our presence at the show to organise many meetings with French tourism professionals, such as a meeting to talk about marketing promotion and cooperation with the President of SNAV, Jean-Pierre Mas, he adds.

Côte d’Ivoire remains a relatively small destination when looking at numbers: 1.2 million foreign travellers in 2O15, which includes business, leisure and VFR travellers – but this is a steady market, growing year after year. Tourism is turning into an important economic activity in our country.

Just imagine; it had a share of only 0.6% of our GDP in 2011. In 2014, it stood already at 4.8% and we are now at over 5%”, says Kacou. We believe that tourism might, in the future, have a similar share of GDP to cocoa, our largest industry, with a GDP share of 12%.

The Côte d’Ivoire government leverages two main fields for the promotion of tourism. First, the country has, since 2011, identified the regions able to support the development of the destination. “They are basically ten areas ready to welcome international travellers.

Abidjan and its metropolitan area is one, with Grand Bassam, a colonial city, which is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage and is a precious cultural tourism asset. We then have our 550 km long coast, which is ideal for the development of seaside tourism. It starts from Jacqueville, in the proximity of Abidjan and stretches up to Sassandra and San Pédro, two important seaside resort cities”, adds the Minister.

San Pédro is already the country’s second most important port and now has an international airport. Our coast is made of lagoons and bays, offering safe conditions for travellers, explains the Minister.

In the north, the government has identified Kong and Korhogo as key cultural destinations. Kong has a number of centuriesold mosques while Korhogo is a destination for the discovery of the Senoufos ethnic people, who, says the Minister, are famed for its dances as well as their handicrafts. We have indeed over 60 different ethnics living in the country and we now work to see how to promote this diversity.

The Republic has also some beautiful national parks. Taï National Park, in the south, is probably the best known in the country. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and has some of the last families of intelligent Chimpanzees.

The clever animals are even able to crack nuts with a nutcracker! Another important natural asset, and also a UNESCO World Heritage site, is Comoe National Park with its rare endemic animals.

We might not be Kenya, but we have some of Africa’s most pristine reserves and national parks with over two million hectares of savannahs and rainforests, smiles Kacou.

The Minister says that to accompany the development of tourism, the country’s infrastructure has been greatly improved since 2011: We now have a motorway linking Abidjan to Yamassoukro and are currently building one between Abidjan and San Pédro. We also opened six regional airports within the country, all linked to Abidjan by our national airline, Air Côte d’Ivoire.

The Ivorian people are an asset unto themselves. We have a great sense of hospitality and also a good sense of humour. I promise that we know how to make our guests at ease and give them the best of our country. Everyone is truly welcomed in our country. I believe this is our most precious asset, concludes Kacou.



Tourism Observer

AFRICA: Aviation Industry Steadly Growing

The aviation industry in Africa is in a state of perpetual flux, as the continent is constantly developing. African Open Sky is working to harness this growth and connect the continent.

As a continent, Africa is rich in natural resources. This fact, combined with rising prosperity and a more organised business climate, is drawing companies and investors from all over the world. Centuries ago, the world came to Africa by sea; today, this rush is conducted by air, and we are seeing the rapid development of the African aviation industry as a result.

The aviation market is currently little regulated, with government agencies in many countries trying to protect local airlines by restricting competition. This has led to higher-than-expected travel costs in most parts of the continent. African Open Sky (AOS) is working to change this trend. With its close links to civil aviation authorities and local airport authorities, the company aims to be a model for others to follow.

It stands in support of not just its own local aviation industry, but the entire continent’s too. European CEO spoke to AOS CEO Max O Cisse about this mission, and how AOS aims to turn region success into continental coverage.

What challenges does the African aviation industry currently face?
Despite the goodwill of local authorities to develop the African aviation sector, expansion is hampered by a poor safety and security record, as well as a lack of adequate resources and infrastructure, huge distances, limited connectivity, a lack of training, primitive regulation, and unnecessary government intervention. These problems serve to increase operating costs, which are already high as a resulting of passenger taxes and aviation development taxes. Addressing these challenges is the key to unlocking the industry’s potential for future growth.

How is the aviation industry in Côte d’Ivoire faring?
Côte d’Ivoire stands apart in terms of the difficulties faced by Africa’s wider aviation industry. The authorities maintain a high quality of security, safety and infrastructure as a matter of course. On the ground, the country boasts a modernised civil aviation authority, while airport management and ground handling at Abidjan, the capital, are entrusted to well-known foreign companies.

Despite the goodwill of local authorities to develop the African aviation sector, expansion is hampered by a poor safety and security record.

Abidjan’s Port Bouet c, already the country’s largest, has a range of expansion projects in place. The government has developed the national carrier, Air Côte d’Ivoire, by providing the finance to improve its fleet and network, with the goal of making Abidjan a regional hub for west Africa. Alongside this, there is the Airport City project – the first of its kind in Africa – which aims to create a city around the airport, with a range of facilities for travellers, including hotels, banks and department stores. AOS is proud to be part of this unique project.

What role does regional presence play in African Open Sky’s strategy?
If you want to succeed in today’s volatile global economy, you must be prepared to do business all around the world. We are constantly adapting our structures to become faster and more flexible, and one of our values at AOS is ‘we put our customers at the centre of what we do’. We have to understand their needs and wishes, and enter into a dialogue with them.

AOS has become the one-stop solution for our clients, as we are available all over the African continent, even where there is no local company or supplier to handle your flights. We are locally registered in many countries, have direct relationships with a range of authorities, and do not operate through third parties. This simplifies operations and significantly reduces handling costs for operators, as they only have one handling company that will deal with all their trips across Africa. There is no need to search for local service providers for each stop, as they can relay all on AOS; all coordination can be done through a single operational control centre. This strong regional presence helps us to be the number-one service provider in Africa, and in return we have been integral to our clients’ operational success.

What plans does African Open Sky have for the future?
Our aim for the next two years is to enhance our cooperation with aviation authorities, in order to help and support them in the development of hundreds of African airports. This will involve the provision of equipment, training and management, among other things. Apart from this, AOS’ wider strategy is to develop African tourism and access new revenue opportunities, working towards new technology and improved regulation, in accordance with international standards.

IVORY COAST: Air Côte d’Ivoire Expands Fleet

Air Côte d’Ivoire placed an order with Airbus for three A320neos and two A320s, the Ivorian national airline becoming the first African airline to order the A320neo.

CEO, René Décurey, explained that this demonstrated the airline’s commitment to accelerate its growth in western and central Africa, which has already resulted in it tripling passenger numbers over the past three years.

The airline’s fleet now comprises four A319s, one A320 and four leased Bombardier Q400s. The first A320neo is scheduled for delivery in July 2017.

Air Côte d’Ivoire was established in 2012 and Swiss-born Décurey has headed the company ever since. He has considerable experience of working in Africa as he was involved with the ‘Aviation in Africa’ project, part of Aga Khan’s Fund for Economic Development.

According to Décurey, the A320neo is economic and ideal for operating airline’s routes. Air Côte d’Ivoire has, thus, attempted to solve two major constraints of flying around Africa – maintenance and fuel prices. He also said maintenance is a major issue as spare parts can take at least 24 hours to arrive, meaning that even a relatively simple technical problem can result in an aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situation.

The carrier has a partnership with Air France for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). The French company also holds a 10% stake in the airline.

Air France flies daily to the capital, Abidjan, where aviation fuel costs are, on average, two-and-a-half times less than at some other network locations.

These new aircraft will strengthen the company’s network that comprises 19 regional destinations located in west and central Africa – Abuja, Accra, Bamako, Brazzaville, Conakry, Cotonou, Dakar, Douala, Freetown, Kinshasa, Lagos, Libreville, Lome, Monrovia, N’Djamena Niamey, Ouagadougou, Pointe Noire and Yaoundé – and domestic routes including Abidjan, San Pedro, Man, Bouake, Korongo, and Odienne.

The Abidjan/Abuja route opened earlier this year with three weekly flights.

Décurey confirmed that the airline would open two new routes, to Bangui and Rwanda, before the end of 2016.

Air Côte d’Ivoire also considers network flexibility to be vital, setting-up two daily transit waves at its Abidjan hub – the first to west Africa and a second to central Africa – making it practically the only airline in west Africa to offer passengers a return trip in the same day.

To support this growth, Air Côte d’Ivoire plans to finance the acquisition of the new aircraft through its own, and its shareholders’, funds.

Once the airline receives its International Air Transport Association operational safety audit (IOSA) certification, hopefully this autumn, it is intended to pursue codeshare arrangements both in the region and elsewhere in the continent through its links with the SkyTeam Alliance through its partner and shareholder, Air France.

Air Côte D’Ivoire Orders Two A320neos And Two A320s

Air Côte D’Ivoire, the national airline of Ivory Coast based in Abidjan, has signed a firm order for two A320neo and two A320 aircraft. The agreement makes Air Côte D’Ivoire the first African airline to order the A320neo. The airline’s first purchase agreement directly with Airbus also makes Air Côte D’Ivoire a new customer.

Air Côte D’Ivoire selected the A320 Family for its wider cabin, low operating costs and excellent fuel efficiency. The airline has selected CFM engines for their A320 fleet. Air Côte D’Ivoire currently operates five Airbus aircraft on lease; 4 A319s and 1 A320.

The aircraft will feature a 2-class cabin layout. The new aircraft will fit seamlessly into the airline’s current fleet, thanks to Airbus’ fleet commonality, and best-in-class passenger comfort of any single aisle aircraft.

“With these new aircraft Air Côte d’Ivoire will position itself as a flagship airline in the region by offering its passengers the best on-board services. Air Côte d’Ivoire will also improve its punctuality and reliability thanks to these latest-generation Airbus aircraft,” said General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman of the Board.
“We are very pleased to welcome Air Côte D’Ivoire as our first customer for the A320neo in Africa. Our A320neo and A320 will offer Air Côte D’Ivoire the lowest operational costs and the highest seat comfort and widest cabins for its passengers. This order will play a key role in the development of Air Côte D’Ivoire with new routes to West and Central Africa,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

This new order will strengthen the airline’s network that reaches today 23 international routes throughout West and Central Africa and 5 domestic destinations in Ivory Coast.