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How Team Congo can pull «xing Balazire Bantu was appointed chief executiveof Congo Airways in 2016 ‘with amandate todeliver sustainable growth the state-owned flag-catier which launched services the previous year His aim of deploying 1Oairraft by 2020 ‘quickly unraveled when the then president, joseph Kabila, refused tostep down at the end of his term, igniting full-blown political erisisin the Democratic Repablicof the Congo (DRC). Te was not until this January that asuecessor replaced him and eatve calm returned to «capital city Kinshasa, “Allo of things changed. Thecountry was ‘expecting tohaveeletions but they were postponed fr two years and this had an impact ‘on our strategy” Balazie recalled “Because we area publie-owned company. we need to have government which can plan with usfor the long: term. The government we had during the transition period could not [do that]. But we have, now; new president. He recently appointed the prime minister. They are working to have anew cabinet, And [think that with that team we ean work now for our future.” Despite the challenging climate, Congo Airways has expanded its presence and now serves 14 airports inthe vast contra African ‘country. Mos of is routes are operated witha Fallyovsned leet of two Airbus A520s and two De Havilland Canada Dash-8 0400s, though Jeasesareabo frequently used olit capacity Aes to expand beyond the DRC borders have been les sucess: only one ofthe three international markets added last year Johannesburg (South Afica)~ is stil being served! Asked about the losure ‘of thefith freedom route from Kinshasa via Douala (Cameroon) to Cotonou. (Genin), Balazre blamed tough competition with the established anfines, “Wearenat the only operator. Wehave Kenya Airways, Ethiopian, Asky andalso Air Cote lite,” henoted *Passongs familiar with their products and soon, This means we have towork very hard inorder convince those passengersto be travelling with, 20 Congo Airways boss, Desiré Balazire Bantu, explains to Martin Rivers and Romuald Ngueyap how political unrest at bome bas slowed the flag.carrie growth plans. at Par eeny place Congo Airways ean Berean The chef executive cited astudy by one constant which four that only 35 passengers ‘were likely to rave each way on the Kinshasa Dowel leg. That would represent a 51% load Factoron the Q400, making the route ‘commercially unviable, even with the smallest del in Congo Airways’ let. ‘Cargo uplilt in Bein also fellshort ofthe ‘company’s expectations, he added Management will re-examine” the business «ease for Douala and Cotonou inthe future but Kinshasa is unlikely to be used asthe point of origin. Tastead, Balazirenow wants to introduce five-point service originating in Brazzaville, the cepitalof neighbouring Congo Brazzaville, That Tine would ist stop in Libreville (Gabon) before passing through Douala and Cotonou and ‘eventually reaching Abidjan (Coted"Wvoire). Its ‘considered viable because of the rent failure of Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECA, Congo Brazzaville’: own flag-arer “Andako. we have Bangui, Balazire noted, referringto thecapialof the Central Atican Republic. “The airport asked us ogo there. but thereisnomarket fr travel from Bangui to Kinshasa, But theres from Brazzaville to Bangui” ‘Congo Airways previously seta target of ‘opening eight new overseas stationsin 2019. ‘alsoincluding Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzavill), Bujumbura (Burundi), Nairobi (Kenya) and Luanda (Angola) —but meaningful expansion ‘willnot be possible unt more areralt ointhe Meet. Theres, therefore, no cintrame for any of the route launches, Efforts to spread the fag carrier's wings beyond Africa alsolack ‘omenturn, though Balazre remains hopeful that European and Asian flights could get off the round by 2021 In Europe, weare targeting Brussels and Paris," heeonfirmed, "Congo Airways is already in the process ‘of undergoing] third country operator (TCO) certification. Weare ako targeting Asia 0 goto Dubai and Guangzhou, and wovill se if weean ‘also combine this with Murbai Asked about plans toaequire twowide-bodies forthe GROWTH away from the turbulence proposed longhaul network, the chief executive dwplayed suggestions of «diet order with Airbus or Bocing, “Wehave nwo possibilities, “heinsstod. “The frstonestolease the wide-bodies. Wehave some offers fromlesorsankl we wll ontine discussing ‘wth hem. Te ther possibility stocolaborate with Ethiopian Aili. They are redo gives tho ght irra, They cansubease them,” Seo a ot ate Beet ens aons Balazireis confident that Congo Airways will secure TCO status from the European Union this ‘year notingits suceessful completion ofthe Intemational Air Transport Assocation (IATA) operational safety audit (OSA) in 2018, However if thoreis a delay to certification, the airline alsohas a thre option: taking delivery of ‘wide bodies and registering them in a foreign country undera flag of convenience. That approach has been favoured by Libya’ sirlines Since theirinlusion on the European blacklist But its considered lst resort by Congo Airways, hich was created to aise standards in theDRC, ‘On the financial sie, the irline'stumover increased from $59 million in 2016074 nillion in 2017, “For 2018, the preliminary figures indicate nearly $75 alion,”Balazire said, cingthe impact of political unrest. He added that talks with Ethiopian Aisines shout a"sratepe partnership” ae also gathering pace. Ethiopian Airlines has opted a multi-hub Strategy by investing in several African ag carers, including Togo’sAsky and Malawian Airlines, Itisnow negotiating a 15% stake in Congo Airway’ ground-hanaling subsidiary Aica Handling, which could serve asa precursor to buying equityin the airline 2016, the DRCsformer transport minister, Justin Kalumba MwvanaNgongo, told African Aeraspacethat Ethiopian Aries had sen him six Jesters askingoinvestin Congo Airways Seer g TVW cL ies Taree rere) ‘Maintenance supports you with the right randovernu RO) Weare pesionate We a for aro en ‘Contact us andfind your solution today edeated. We mary engineering es, NTU Maintenance re of your engine, From innovative wwe mt.deen

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