Air Algérie orders A330-900s, A350-1000s, B737-9s, eyes more

Niger reopens airspace to commercial flights

The military junta in Niger (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie - CNSP) reopened the country's airspace on September 3, 2023, nearly a month after all flights to, from, and over the country were banned.

NOTAM A1096/23 announcing the reopening of the airspace to all civilian flights went into effect at 2218Z on September 3. The authorities simultaneously resumed the provision of ground services. However, the airspace remains closed to all military and special mission flights, which require individual authorisations from the junta.

Nigerien airspace was closed to all traffic on August 6, 2023, shortly after the CNSP overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, prompting Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states to threaten an invasion to restore Bazoum. Since then, only a limited number of flights authorised by the junta have been permitted to land at Niamey, including services by Air Burkina (2J, Ouagadougou) (Burkina Faso being an ally of the junta) and Air Algérie (AH, Algiers).

Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that following the reopening of the...

Air Burkina wet-leases B737, gets permit for Niger flights

Niger closes airspace as ECOWAS showdown looms

The self-styled National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland closed Niger's airspace to all civilian flights on the evening of August 7.

According to a NOTAM, the closure went into effect at 2322L (2222Z) on August 6 and will remain in place indefinitely. In addition, all major airports in the country - Niamey, Zinder, Agades, Tahoua, and Maradi - have also been closed to all traffic.

The decision was announced after the junta rejected an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ultimatum, which threatened military intervention if deposed President Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated.

The closure of the airspace has forced international carriers to adjust their flight paths. An Air France (AF, Paris CDG) flights from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta were diverted to Abidjan, while its service from Libreville returned to Gabon. The carrier also cancelled departures from Lagos, Abidjan, and Yaoundé Nsimalen. The airline has suspended flights to Niamey until further notice and to neighbouring capitals Ouagadougou...

Air Algérie refloats B737, A330 dry-lease RFP

Air Algérie (AH, Algiers) has issued a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for the dry lease of six A330s and four B737s, following the failure a previous tender earlier this year.

The state-owned airline is looking for A330-200s or A330-300s with General Electric CF6-80E engines, or A330-900s (which are exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines). In terms of the narrowbodies, Air Algérie is open to dry leasing B737-800s, B737-900ERs, or B737-9s.

Tender documents seen by ch-aviation do not specify any further requirements. While Air Algérie did not respond to ch-aviation's request for more detailed specifications, its previous attempt at sourcing dry-leased aircraft entailed four A330ceo, two A330neo, two B737-800s, and two B737-9s.

The carrier's plan to dry lease ten aircraft is independent of its orders with manufacturers including eight B737-9s from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) as well as five A330-900s and two A350-1000s from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows the...