Air Mali has opened discussions with regional aircraft manufacturers to source two or three turboprop aircraft to introduce domestic air services within Mali. The airline is one of three carriers in West Africa controlled by the Celestair Group under the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, AKFED; the others are Air Burkina and Air Uganda. Although all network and fleet expansion decisions are made by its parent, it is responsible for developing its own business strategy which it will present to the management board for approval.
Speaking to The HUB during the recent Routes Africa air services forum in Mali’s capital Bamako, Cheick El Motar Kone, Marketing & Communications Manager, Air Mali, confirmed the airline’s ambitions: “We are working to develop a comprehensive network within the country with regular links from Bamako to Timbuktu, Mopti and Gao. We currently offer ad hoc flights with a leased Beech King Air but are looking at offering these on a full scheduled with our own equipment.”
Although the southwestern regions of Mali around the capital Bamako are deemed a safe environment for travel, foreign visitors are now being advised to take precautions when travelling in other parts of the country due to an increasing risk of terrorism. In April this year the French Embassy in Bamako alerted nationals of a “very high risk” of being kidnapped in Mali particularly between the city of Mopti and the border with Burkina Faso.
“We cannot ignore this danger,” said Cheick El Motar Kone. “It is never positive admitting that these problems exist, but we need to be aware of the dangers to surface travel in the country and the development of a sound and trusted domestic air service offering is essential for the ongoing development of the country and international trade.”
The airline has already looked at a range of 30- to-50-seat aircraft and has shown a particular interest in the Bombardier Dash 8, an aircraft that it has experience with having utilised the type when it was first established in June 2005 as Compagnie Aerienne du Mali (it was rebranded as Air Mali in May 2009).
“We have been looking at the Dash 8-Q300 as that fits our plans,” explained Cheick El Motar Kone, “but we really want to add an aircraft that is still in production.” Should the airline retain this viewpoint, it will leave it with the straight choice between the larger Dash 8-Q400, which has already seen many successful sales in Africa or the 50- and 70-seater options from ATR, the ATR 42 and ATR 72. “The case for a larger 70 plus seater is actually quite compelling as it provides the opportunity for us to substitute the aircraft on our international schedules, currently operated by McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets,” added Cheick El Motar Kone.
Read more stories from the Routes Africa event...
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Air Mali in Market for Turboprops for Domestic Growth
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Aviation in Bamako – Africa’s Fastest Growing City
Aviation in Mali – A Market Set For Growth
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