Air Côte d’Ivoire plans Oct-2012 launch with international network of nine cities

Start-up Air Côte d'Ivoire is working towards an Oct-2012 launch, having delayed from Jul-2012 due to regulatory and aircraft delays. Initial services will be international, with a regional network eventually due to increase to nine cities in west and east Africa. Domestic services, initially scheduled to commence by end-2012, will now commence in Jan-2013 to eight cities from the carrier's hub at Abidjan, the country's largest city and former capital.

The carrier's network includes destinations that will be operated by sister carriers Air Mali and Air Burkina, which have a common shareholder - the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) - with Air Côte d'Ivoire. AKFED has a 15% stake in the start-up while Air France has a 20% interest and the Côte d'Ivoire Government the remaining 65%. The carrier is one of many recent start-ups in bustling west Africa.