Air Congo (4H, Kinshasa N'Djili) has announced the launch of new intra-African routes amid delays in the delivery of two new ATR72-600s leased from shareholder Ethiopian Airlines, now expected by mid-April 2026.
"Due to various factors, including testing by the manufacturers, we expect the first delivery in the first week or mid-April 2026," CEO Mesfin Biru Weldegeorgis confirmed to ch-aviation.
He explained that visa hold-ups for Ethiopian Airlines technical staff and Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority representatives to travel to ATR - Avions de Transport Régional in France for pre-delivery tests of the aircraft were also contributing to the delays.
Meanwhile, Air Congo has announced the launch of new international services to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Entebbe, Douala, Cotonou Cadjehoun, and Dar es Salaam for March and April, representing an extensive expansion from its current sole international route to Addis Ababa International.
On social media, the airline announced that flights to Johannesburg and Entebbe would debut on March 22, followed by Douala and Cotonou on March 28, with Dar es Salaam launching on April 4.
According to its schedule filings first published by AeroRoutes, the Johannesburg service will operate 3x weekly via Lubumbashi until at least October 24, 2026, using B737-800s.
None of the new routes are bookable at this stage through the airline's online booking engine.
Air Congo currently only serves Addis Ababa regionally, plus ten domestic destinations: Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Gemena, Mbuji Mayi, Kananga, Goma, Kindu, Kisangani, Kolwezi, Mbandaka.
Air Congo's current fleet comprises three B737-800s, two of them dry-leased and one wet-leased from its 49% shareholder, Ethiopian Airlines, according to ch-aviation fleet data.
